Please don't overestimate…

Please don't overestimate your mandate. Many of us voted for the PC party to remove the Liberal party as we thought it was time for a change in government. One thing the Liberal government had done well was to start to make progress towards addressing climate change. Yes, a gas plant was bungled. Yes, the partial sale of hydro was disappointing. Yes, the details of some of the solar contracts and wind turbine farms made people angry. There were many other mistakes made as well. But we did not vote to scrap every project that has been introduced in the past 15 years. And we did not vote to have the notwithstanding clause used, providing shades of a dictatorial government, while at the same time the Premier goes on TV and states he is"upholding democracy". That is dishonest spin which does not serve our Province well. (Yes, a separate issue, but disturbing nonetheless.)
The Cap and Trade program is an attempt to begin to address the absolutely needed change in energy and emission policy. The federal government is correct in having to implement policies and force them upon provinces if necessary. The days of pulling the wool over our eyes and pretending things are going to be ok are over. Any analysis of the situation not funded by the fossil fuel industry clearly shows this. The Green initiatives brought in by the Liberal government over the past few years are a success story. It was Leadership. The only proven way to get people to change their ingrained habits is when it is manageable, and perhaps favourable, financially. Hence, incentivization. I support every one of the green initiatives of which I am aware. An exception might be overpaying for the first solar contracts (MicroFit) but after the prices came down the later ones seem reasonable. This is what happens with incentivization. People are slow to embrace change, so the early adopters need to be rewarded if the result is good for all Ontarians in the long run. And these changes are absolutely good for all Ontarians in the long term. Even if it costs us all a little more money in the short term. Anyone who installs new windows or insulation, or more efficient appliances and thus burns less fuel is improving the Province. Anyone who drives an electric car is improving the Province (especially if they make the electricity with the solar panels on their roof!). And on and on. One problem with the Green initiatives is lack of education of the general public, both with knowledge of the initiatives themselves, as well as knowledge of the reality of our climate situation. Education is needed, and could be an area for improvement. Cancellation is not improvement.
Near my house in Norfolk county, Green Bug Energy had begun a project to build an Archimedes Screw generator on a small river which would have produced enough clean, sustainable energy to power approximately 39 homes. This small local company received an environmental Innovation award in 2015 for their efforts. After the knee jerk reaction to cancel all the green initiatives, this project, along with 3 other Green Bug projects were cancelled. These cancellations were within the first days of this government, before consultation, before debate, before rational thinking! This is not leadership! This is deplorable and moves our province backwards. 12 or more other relatively small company-led projects were cancelled in my county alone. How many across Ontario? These were companies who were going to be improving our Province.
How many individuals have changed their plans which would have helped our province? How many people would have, but now will not, retrofit their home to improve efficiency? How many people who had considered buying an electric vehicle now will not?
All of these things move our province backwards. Cancellation is not leadership.
Restore the green initiatives now to what they were on June 6, and begin the consultation/study/analysis/detailed thinking necessary to move our province forward.
Do not cancel Cap and Trade without something better to take its place. Cancellation is not improvement! Work on a plan which begins to address the reality of climate change and works with our federal leadership. Do NOT fight the federal government in court and waste our tax dollars on lawyers. This is money we could use to access the Green Initiatives to improve our Province.