We have heard back from 2 Alberta Party MLA candidates.

Responses from Lindsay Luhnau (Calgary Currie):

1) Do you acknowledge the global scientific consensus on the facts of Climate Change?

Sustainability: The Alberta Party will protect the province's land and water resources; will improve Alberta's parks system; will partner with municipalities to improve the communities we live in; will support improving transit through infrastructure funding; will support best practices in recycling and waste management.

2) Do you agree with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 to ensure we keep global warming to 1.5OC above pre-industrial levels? https://www.ipcc.ch/2018/10/08/summary-for-policymakers-of-ipcc-special-report-on-global-warming-of-1-5c-approved-by-governments/  What is your plan to achieve this?

Last week, the party announced plans to support innovation in Alberta ranging from digital ID to investment in bitumen puck development to a plan for autonomous vehicle lanes on the QE2. Getting Albertans back to work is key and with the Welcome to Alberta and Jobs First plans as well as specific investment in film and forestry an Alberta Party government will aggressively bring jobs and head offices back to Alberta, attract investment, and create jobs for Alberta families.

3) According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, climate change will cause increased damage from floods, wildfires, heat and droughts. What specific actions would you take to mitigate and adapt to these risks in order to protect the province we love?

The Alberta Party released our Carbon Tax plan on the weekend which I'm admittedly not a fan of so I will share with you what I would advocate for, not just on the climate but overall related to environment. I believe I can still be effective within the Party and in government on these items.

4) Are you supportive of a provincial carbon levy as a tool to reduce emissions, and fund public infrastructure and energy innovation? If not, what other policy/policies would you propose in its place to achieve similar goals?

Details: 1) Create a regulatory environment that supports a smart grid and decentralizes energy production; 2) Create a program to upgrade homes to reduce emissions through increase by R values, funding retrofits to furnaces, hot water tanks and so on. Programs to pay for upgrades and not based on a refund after submission. Timelines clear. Program properly funded. 3) Properly fund major transit networks in the major cities including covering for cost of low income transit passes and create an Alberta rail system starting with route from Banff to Calgary, Calgary, Edmonton, and Fort McMurray to the Hudson Bay or Alaskan port. Support bus service to rural Alberta.

5) As the world economy transitions toward cleaner energy sources, what would you/your government do to protect and assist workers in current fossil fuel industries as we diversify our economy?

Details: 4) Revise land use to discourage continued greefield developments/prevent sprawl. Ensure land use policies allow for more than one use/complementary uses. Decrease barriers for densification such as front ending development costs for individual developers through a provincial fund. 5) Create an innovation fund for access by Alberta based companies to develop technologies to reduce emissions which will be exported globally and support the marketing and sale of current technologies globally, expecially those in our resource development sector. 6) Develop packaging guidelines with fees associated with difficult to recycle and/or composite packaging. Fee to fund creation of waste diversion programs/facilities. 7) Restrict pesticide use to certified applicators 8) Support changes inb the Alberta building code which will allow for Environmental innovation.

 

Responses from Nate Pike (Calgary North-East):

1) Do you acknowledge the global scientific consensus on the facts of Climate Change?

Yes.

2) Do you agree with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 to ensure we keep global warming to 1.5OC above pre-industrial levels? https://www.ipcc.ch/2018/10/08/summary-for-policymakers-of-ipcc-special-report-on-global-warming-of-1-5c-approved-by-governments/  What is your plan to achieve this?

Yes, but how to reduce emissions to that level is a very complex question which requires extensive open conversation.

3) According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, climate change will cause increased damage from floods, wildfires, heat and droughts. What specific actions would you take to mitigate and adapt to these risks in order to protect the province we love?

We need to start by having an evidence-based conversation and educational processes. There are obstacles to having this conversation. I am alarmed at the amount of skepticism still about the basic facts. To move forward effectively, we must convey the gravity of the situation to people.

4) Are you supportive of a provincial carbon levy as a tool to reduce emissions, and fund public infrastructure and energy innovation? If not, what other policy/policies would you propose in its place to achieve similar goals?

Yes, with a caveat. It is a good first step to place the burden on the heavy emitters, but to have a levy on all Albertans, affecting their day-to-day necessities, it is important to have a well-informed conversation. The current gov't did't do a good job of having that well-informed, transparent conversation. Unfortunately, in addition, they moved the goal-posts. We were told the carbon levy would not go into general revenue, but now that's changed. The trust was broken and trust is essential.

5) As the world economy transitions toward cleaner energy sources, what would you/your government do to protect and assist workers in current fossil fuel industries as we diversify our economy?

People need to expect that jobs will evolve. We need to have the conversation with people about expecting to change careers several times, not assume we'll have one job for life. We need to manage expectations. At the same time, when there are technological and economic shifts, the government must support workers and enable the transition.