A green industrial policy is so urgent because without it, the carbon price is unlikely to receive enough political support to ever reach its 2030 level or to induce the transformative changes required for a net-zero emissions economy. Here are five reasons why.
The war analogy and a close analysis of the World War Two experience provide grounds for optimism that big things can be accomplished given political will and popular support.
COVID-19 might finally provide the policy window to end decades of underfunding that have resulted in a decaying and inequitable system.
Canadian governments will have to maximize industrial job creation here in Canada, and they will have to perhaps stand strong in the face of WTO or European protests in order to do so.
A Green New Deal in Canada will be a much more powerful tool for good job creation if twinned to an industrial strategy. But this will require a government prepared to push the limits and challenge the current rules of the game.
Articulating a new vision for a more secure and equal society is needed to create the right political conditions for unlocking the potential of green energy technologies.
Green New Deal architects need to bring together the political coalition they need to be the change they want.
As Canada warms twice the rate as the rest of the world, it is in our interest to play a leading role on the global stage to facilitate greater collective action to address climate change.
When it comes to figuring out which levers we should use to build our economy, we should ask ourselves how we can build an economy that will support the kind of just and fair society most of us want to live in.
