Well, that could have been an email.
Nobody likes meetings that could have achieved the same outcome via email rather than the hassle and logistics of a meeting. Costing $660 million in the middle of a health and economic crisis, the September 20 Federal Election produced an outcome very similar to what we had leading into the election.
Although this election was largely unnecessary, we now we have some insights on what this new, slightly different reality means from a climate action perspective.
#1. Trudeau’s been given a clear message from the public: cooperation with the other parties is expected;
#2. Strong results for left-of-centre parties mean climate and energy policies are expected to feature heavily in coalition talks. We anticipate quick movement on key climate policy items with support from the NDP - likely within the first 6-12 months;
#3. The Liberals will keep Canada on a path aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement—net zero by 2050 and slashing emissions by 40-45 per cent by 2030;
#4. Trudeau has also promised to set five-year targets for greenhouse gas emissions for the oil and gas sectors in Canada;
#5. The creation of a $2 billion “future fund” for workers in the fossil fuel industry in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador. The funding will help workers transition to green jobs as the country’s oil and gas sectors gradually phase out production over the coming decades;
#6. Liberals have said they’ll protect 25 per cent of land and freshwater by 2030;
#7. The Liberals have also pledged to stop exporting thermal coal—the kind used to generate electricity—by 2030.
So… These are only promises and we know the last government struggled to deliver on their intentions. Our hope is this new coalition will work collectively to make action on climate a reality.