Provinces look to “green” their economy

QUEBEC CITY – Quebec will be host to two important environmental events next week.

It all begins with an Act on Climate march expected to attract close to 10,000 people.

“The message is clear: it’s yes to the protection of climate equals, no to tar sands expansion and pipelines, that’s the main message,” said event spokesperson Christian Simard of Nature Quebec.

Protesters hope their message will reach participants at the Canadian roundtable on green economy Monday, but also – and most importantly – the premiers meeting to discuss climate change the following day.

“On the climate change issue, Canada is one of the worst countries in the world,” Simard added.

According to a Greenpeace report, Alberta – whose premier will not attend the summit – produces 36 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The report predicts tar sands expansion will cancel out efforts by provinces to control their own emissions.

This week, Premier Philippe Couillard said he is hopeful.

“It’s the goal of federalism that provinces take their own initiatives in their areas of jurisdiction,” he said.

Couillard already said ‘no’ to a port in Cacouna to serve the Energy East pipeline.

He rejected shale gas but said ‘yes’ to a $1.1 billion cement plant in the Gaspe.

He is now urging provinces to commit to carbon pricing before the Paris Conference in December.

“Certainly the provinces have a lot to say in what Canada is going to look like environmentally in terms of greenhouse gas emissions in the next years,” said Jean Mercier, Laval University Environmental Politics Professor.

“There has been some talk about the electrification of transportation in Quebec and that would be a very big step.”

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Former Premier Jean Charest told Global News that Quebec can definitely play a leadership role.

“We’ve been at it since 2006,” he said.

A new Oracle Research poll showed one out of two Canadians is against the Energy East Pipeline project.

Seventy per cent of Canadians polled think Canada should be an environmental leader on the world stage.