Northwestern Political Candidate Survey

Given the recent promise of a major upswing in mineral extraction activity in our region, such as with Ignace iron, Marathon copper and the Ring of Fire chromium deposits, how will your party ensure that this economic activity will not jeopardize the environmental legacy we leave our kids and grandkids?

We believe that it is possible to balance economic and environmental goals in the North. We must ensure a sustainable future for the North with a planning process that includes open consultation and full land-use planning before development. We will support sustainable forest management practices in ways that protect jobs and the environment by making sure all parties – workers, First Nations, and municipalities - are at the table. We will strengthen protections in the north by extending the source water protection planning to the north. We will designate a Minister responsible for the protection of the Great Lakes and establish clear objective and legislation to ensure that decisions by all Ministries protect the quantity and quality.

Ontario families expect our environment to be safe, clean, and sustainable for future generations. After all, everything we do affects the environment in some way.

In that sense, there is an environmental element to many of the policies we have proposed throughout this election. Committing to clean energy and reducing traffic congestion are just two examples.

We are also committed to closing Ontario’s coal plants by 2014. Dalton McGuinty has broken his promise to accomplish this goal twice, and he is even promising it again. An Ontario PC Government will finish the job Dalton McGuinty couldn’t get done.

We will also protect our land, lakes, and rivers. One of the best things about living in Ontario is access to our provincial parks, which are known throughout the world for their beauty and accessibility. With a new investment of $10 million, we will improve provincial parks for Ontario families to make them more enjoyable and accessible.

PC Anthony LeBlanc – Thunder Bay-Superior North

I think making sure we have regulations that limit or prohibit aggressive and negative effects to the environment will be essential in making sure it is not a dust heap when finished. Being at the table with private business, public sectors, and Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Communities is important to know what issues need to be dealt with accordingly. I think it is imperative that we take mineral extraction seriously and make sure that we respect the landscape and the environment by taking appropriate steps that do not hinder development and do not have long lasting negative impacts either.

Ontario Liberals’ goal is to strike a balance between conservation and economic development. All development is done in line with our stringent environmental standards. We enforce environmental laws such as proper waste management and spill clean-up, and we take appropriate actions in response to violations. Our site inspections are having a positive impact since exploration companies have taken corrective actions where deficiencies were identified. Our presence will ensure the environment is protected in a fair and responsible manner.

We are the only party in the election to address the need for environmentally responsible development of the Ring of Fire specifically in our Northern platform. This is consistent with our solid record in on the environment – a record that includes introducing 68 tough new health-based air pollution standards, protecting 50% of the northern Boreal forest, and creating North America’s strongest drinking water standards from source to tap.

The Green Party would like to create a Sustainable Growth Plan that would replace the Far North Act and The New Growth Plan as neither of these last two plans were developed by Northerners for Northerners. The First Nations people must be included in the discussions relating to the economic activity but also how this encompasses the land, water and eco systems. I believe when the decision making is at a grassroots level then sustainability is the thread that the talks are built on.

Before any extraction is to begin, an environmental assessment will be done by government officials to ensure no harm is done – each project must meet strict standards to continue with extraction.

Environmental regulation through constant and strict site visits and audits. Strict and swift enforcement of the aforementioned regulations. Rigorous environmental and safety procedures.

Before extraction or processing contracts are awarded, Greens would ensure that the Environmental Assessment process is observed, honored and the necessary measures implemented. Also, corporate mining monies should be put into trust in advance of project approvals to ensure landscape restoration after extraction.

Scientists generally agree that if Planet Earth is to remain healthy, we need a new world view of education, one which replaces economic growth with economic sustainability, and resource exploitation with resource stewardship. How would your party ensure that this critical educational shift happens in our classrooms?

The NDP is committed to increasing public awareness of environmental issues and of expanding opportunities for citizens to engage on environmental concerns. We are committed to banning developer lawsuits used to silence citizen groups. We are committed to conducting an Environmental Assessment of the province's long term energy plan to provide citizens with greater opportunities to influence the plan. We also believe that much more should be done to provide young people with opportunities to learn about and act on environmental issues.

We will increase spending on K-12 education by $2 billion by the end of our first term. We will root out waste and unnecessary bureaucracy in Ontario school boards and invest it in our kids' education.

This is a very good question and the answer involves one that takes an active role in the classroom. I agree, we need to focus our education on sustainability. It is necessary for teachers and communities to understand this shift and the government should find ways to incorporate this into the education curriculum at all grade levels in some way, shape or form.

Since coming to office, Ontario Liberals have made unprecedented investments which have helped to place Ontario's schools among the top ten in the world. Class sizes are smaller, test scores and graduation rates are higher and we've introduced North America's first full day kindergarten program for all four and five year olds.

Ontario Liberals have a long and deep commitment to incorporating environmental values into our education system. We reintroduced environmental education into the provincial curriculum so that it is now taught at every grade level, and we have added a stand-alone environmental studies course for high school students. This will engender a more holistic view of sustainable development in future generations. We've also invested more than $600 million to help over 2,300 schools become more energy efficient and to install 135 projects utilizing renewable energy technologies like solar, geothermal and micro-wind technology.

We will build on our accomplishments through commitments made in our election platform, "Forward. Together." It is the only party platform to specifically address environmental education. Our plan will take our accomplishments in environmental education to the next level. A new program we will create will work with not-for-profits and community groups to help more Ontario kids get outside, play and learn in the natural world. Experts say kids who get outside and connect with nature become healthier, happier and do better in school. This commitment emerged from a report that we commissioned from Roberta Bondar in 2007. The report recommended that we "Use the natural and human-built environments as sites of discovery and active learning, involving projects that invite problem solving, as well as first-hand experiences that put students in touch with nature."

The PC's and NDP's lack of commitment to environmental education is consistent with their overall lack of environmental commitment. In this election, the Hudak PCs have $14 billion in unfunded giveaways and tax cuts that would mean deep cuts to environmental protection. In the past, these cuts had tragic consequences, including in Walkerton.

The Horwath NDP has turned its back on the environment — their priority would be to subsidize gas-guzzlers, and they are campaigning on scrapping the Far North Act.

How I would bring this forth into the classrooms is to invite more scientists and environmentalist as well as ecologists to discuss these important issues and how our actions today affect all of our future. By bringing awareness to the subject we bring enlightenment to the people.

New curriculum – one based on sustainable practices. Field trips – to show how important and beautiful environmental stewardship can be. Interactive displays and teaching tools – as simple as vermiculture and composting, to on-site renewable energy. Renewable energy for all schools. Local healthy produce/lunches. Make it cool and fun (which it is) – kids are impressionable and will follow hot trends

The Green Party has a strong, comprehensive Food Security program to be implemented in the schools which would teach all aspects of food growth, harvest, consumption and distribution. Also health, fitness, nutrition and outdoor education would be funded and supported properly.

Does your party support the expansion of the Darlington nuclear station and do you support a nuclear disposal site in northwestern Ontario?

We will not build new reactors at Darlington and we will carefully assess the need for refurbishment of the Darlington reactor before proceeding. Instead, we will direct the Ministry of Energy to prepare a plan looking at more cost effective options, including increased conservation, increased renewable energy, expanded combined heat and power and hydro imports from Quebec.

On the nuclear waste issue, the Premiers of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have said they don't want Ontario's nuclear waste. Quebec has a moratorium against importing waste. If elected, we will also give Northerners have a veto over radioactive nuclear waste from southern Ontario and other provinces being transported through or stored in their backyard. We would also ensure that the proposal undergo a full and independent environmental assessment, in addition to the regulatory approvals required at the Federal level.

PC
Anthony LeBlanc
Thunder Bay
Superior North

We will invest in an affordable clean energy supply mix. We will focus on the proven technologies that are effective, efficient, and clean; like natural gas, hydroelectric, and nuclear.

I feel nuclear power right now is a touchy subject that continues to require some serious thought and consideration. Costs, environmental concerns, and lasting impression on our citizens are all vital information to consider before moving forward. I personally would need to know more and understand more before determining my support for the expansion of the Darlington Nuclear Station. As for a nuclear disposal site in NWO, I feel about the same way. By gathering all the facts and potential costs (financial, social, and environmental), and getting communities involved, we can try to make the best decision possible based on the information we have gathered.

Our Long-Term Energy Plan reduces how much nuclear power we rely on and significantly increases the amount of power generated from clean, renewable energy. Under our plan, the proportion of our electricity that comes from nuclear will fall from 52 per cent to 46 per cent. Older nuclear units will be shut down at Pickering, taking 3000 MW of nuclear capacity offline. Those units will be replaced with only 2000 MW of nuclear at a different location. At the same time, we are building over 10,700 MW of clean, renewable power from sources like wind and solar by 2018.

When we are replacing our older nuclear units, we will make public safety the number one priority. We will incorporate the most advanced safety measures in the world. Nuclear power is a reliable, safe supplier of the province's baseload generation needs. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and does not produce any primary air pollution or release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The NDP refuse to invest in refurbishment, which will jeopardize the safe and efficient operation of this baseload capacity, and the PCs want to rush into a deal for new nuclear generation that will leave ratepayers and taxpayers on the hook. Ontario Liberals will take a more responsible approach — one that secures this necessary energy supply at a fair price for ratepayers and to help clean our air by getting rid of dirty coal.

Regulation of nuclear waste is the responsibility of the Government of Canada. The decision with respect to examining the possibility for a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for nuclear waste produced in Canada and the approach to determine the site for this repository was approved by the federal Cabinet after three years of consultations and is to be fulfilled by the federal Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO). This is the first phase of a very long process; no decision regarding a site, in Ontario or elsewhere in Canada, will be taken for many years. Regardless, we are committed to ensuring that this federal process is based on exhaustive public engagement, sound environmental science, broad local input, and will only be considered in an informed and willing host community.

The Green Party does not support the expansion or even the study to expand or rebuild and nuclear stations. There are far more efficient ways to energy. Again more awareness and education needs to be brought to light about energy choices.

Green
Jonathan Milnes
Thunder Bay-Atikokan

Definitely not. This expansion will hurt Ontarians in many ways – renewed reliance on expensive, unpredictable, unsafe energy, which limits the growth of renewable energy projects.

No.
No.

It has been suggested that 26 million cubic meters per year of wood should be allocated for timber harvesting. How will your party share forest resources between industrial uses, First Nations' interests, recreation, wildlife habitat and other values, now and for future generations?

The NDP is committed to ensuring that Crown forest lands and the larger area covered in the Area of Undertaking are allocated in a way that maximizes jobs, protects the environment, and respects the rights of First Nations communities. To maximize the economic benefits of Crown forest use, we will scrap Bill 151 and fix the broken forest tenure process to give communities more control over wood allocations while eliminating uncertainty in the sector. The forestry sector has shed over 40,000 jobs, which has decimated entire communities in Northern Ontario. Major forestry tenure reform changes were made at Queen's Park without proper consultation with communities that are directly affected – even though over 30 mills in Northern Ontario have shut down.

We will help our forestry industry become #1 in Canada again. We will work to bring the jobs and leadership that once defined our forestry industry. We will create a forest tenure system that is transparent, fair, and provides the certainty necessary for job creation. We believe that the Ontario forests will support 26 million cubic meters per year for existing and new mills. When the industry is profitable again, we will direct a portion of stumpage fees to local communities and First Nations so they can share in the success.

Once again, it comes down to getting all stakeholders to the table. We are in a time where coming together is necessary in order to move forward, together. If we can find some sort of middle ground that benefits all parties in some way, we can work towards sustainable goals. That balance is somewhere, and in order to find it, we need to make sure we approach concerns from all angles.

Ontario Liberals believe strongly in the responsible and sustainable use of Ontario's forestry resources. Our Crown Forest Sustainability Act (CFSA) provides mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of Ontario's forests. The Act provides for the long-term health of forest ecosystems while balancing environmental, economic and social benefits both now and in the future. We support the planning process under the act which uses a widely accepted framework of sustainable forest management criteria and indicators for forest sustainability. We require assessments of forest ecosystem health and socio-economic conditions and public reporting to ensure accountability and transparency in decision-making and to demonstrate that sustainable forest management is being achieved on the ground.

We believe we share a responsibility to protect Ontario's natural resources, including its species at risk, which is why we have put in place our Caribou Conservation Plan and have worked with industry and environmental stakeholders to implement species protection through the Endangered Species Act. We have spent over a million dollars over the past 4 years on caribou recovery efforts in the Boreal Forest and have committed another $6 million over the next three years to develop caribou science in order to better protect and recover the species.

We believe in the importance of First Nations engagement through this process and work with our first Nations partners to find solutions that work for everyone. We are committed to working to realize a better shared future through forestry and we are proud to co-sign the final Pikangikum Land Use Plan that allows for forestry in the Whitefeather Forest in the Far North.

Our government's Forest Tenure Modernization Act, developed in collaboration with Aboriginal communities and organizations, will open Ontario's forest sector to new opportunities. Tenure modernization is a long-term commitment that will proceed carefully, in consideration of the interests of Aboriginal peoples. The Act enabled us to establish an LFMC (Local Forest Management Corporation) – the Nawiinginokiima Forest Management Corporation. The Aboriginal communities involved in this LFMC are Pic Mobert First Nation, Hornepayne First Nation, and the Ojibways of the Pic River First Nation. The LMFC will ensure local forests continue to be managed sustainably.

I believe the best way to support economic growth in forestry would be to assist the regional forestry organizations and the grassroots movement and non government organizations that know how to protect the waters, the wildlife and maintain the forests while communicating and allowing the first nations to pay a role in this management.

As a multi billion-dollar industry, it is important not to completely disrupt industrial demands to which must be given the largest share, followed by wildlife habitat (hunting, recreation, tourism are also a multi billion-dollar industry), followed by First Nations interests. In essence, lumber must be harvested in a sustainable way, to ensure productivity of the industry for future generations.

All of these "alternative" uses have as much merit as timber harvest and will be addressed by me and my party in and through what is termed to be The Community Forestry model, which effectively uses community councils and panels to decide the future uses of its forests over the status-quo approach of autonomous corporate priority. Our approach is a multi-stakeholder cooperative.

If elected, will your party keep the Green Energy Act? Why or why not?

We need to be aggressive about bringing clean, renewable energy online. Ontario has made progress, but there have been many problems. Households and farms have invested in solar panels only to find they can't connect to the grid. A needless backlash against wind energy has been created in communities that feel inadequately consulted.

We will exceed the current targets for renewable energy with 10,700 MW in 2018 and will commit to at least 5,000 MW of additional green power by 2030.

We will maintain the feed-in-tariff for small and community-based projects.

For new larger renewable projects we will move towards public ownership. Ontario Power Generation will contract out for large projects with an affordable and transparent process to ensure economic benefits and environmental protection. We will respect existing contracts and move carefully to ensure we continue the momentum towards renewable energy.

We will stop the expensive energy experiments that are driving up hydro bills. We will end the feed-in tariff program that, in some cases, pays up to 15 times the usual cost of hydro. Hardworking farmers and other Ontarians who signed contracts to host energy production on their property will have their contracts honoured. But there will be no more of these deals.

As a Liberal Candidate, I support the Green Energy Act. We are heading into the era of non-renewable resources becoming more and more expensive and there is becoming less and less of them. We need to be pre-emptive and proactive now to make investments in renewable energy so that we have an affordable electricity grid for generations to come. It is important that government prepare now because volatility in non-renewable resources will continue to leave us on edge and unable to cope with sudden changes. By becoming a leader in Green energy and technology, Ontario can have a system that is not reliant on imports or limited resources. We need to be vigilant in preparing ourselves and as new opportunities come up to extend our commitment to green energy and a healthy environment, we need to move forward at providing that stability.

Yes. Clean air and clean energy jobs are worth fighting for. That is why Ontario Liberals are shutting down dirty coal-fired generators and building an industrial base in Ontario to compete and thrive in the fast growing global clean energy economy.

The PCs and NDP left Ontario's electricity system in a state of decay and disrepair. They refused to make the necessary investments to keep the system up-to-date and reliable. The result was emergency power warnings, the threat of brownouts, and leased diesel generators deployed into our downtown cores. Businesses were concerned about the reliability of the system while families worried about their children's health because Ontario was burning too much coal to generate power. In fact, the PCs increased the use of smog-producing coal by 127% — a decision that meant more mercury, lead, arsenic and sulphur dioxide in our air. By 2003, our province was on life-support from expensive, imported U.S electricity — something that cost Ontarians $900 million in just 18 months. Ontario cannot afford to go back to those days of dirty air, reckless negligence and crumbling infrastructure.

Our plan is helping secure a brighter, cleaner future. So far, we have shut down eight coal units, and we will be shutting down two more this year. The use of coal in Ontario was down 94 per cent for the first half of 2011 compared to the same time period in 2003. By 2014, Ontario will be coal-free — this will have the same impact as taking seven million cars off the road.

The Green Energy Act is creating jobs across Ontario — over 20,000 so far — where Ontarians are building new, cleaner energy. Companies from around the world are investing billions of dollars in Ontario's economy and hiring our skilled workforce to build solar and wind components for the rapidly growing international clean energy market.

Right now, we are a North American leader — the Green Energy Act and our Long-Term Energy Plan will entrench Ontario as a global clean energy powerhouse. The Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program provides guaranteed contracts for energy generated using renewable resources. The response to our FIT program has been tremendous, with more than 2,000 large and mid-scale FIT projects announced and over $20 billion of private sector investment directed into the province.

Despite this success, both the PCs and the NDP refuse to endorse the burgeoning clean energy economy and the FIT program. The PC platform signaled their intent to end the FIT program and cancel the government's agreement with Samsung. This is a direct threat to thousands of Ontario jobs, thousands of megawatts of planned clean, renewable energy, and billions of private sector investment in our economy when it needs it the most.

The NDP plan is no less disappointing. They would end feed-in-tariffs for projects that exceed 20 megawatts (MW). Currently, there are over 5,200 MW of contracted FIT projects that exceed the 20 MW threshold proposed by the NDP. Collectively, these projects represent approximately $15 billion in private sector investment. This reckless proposal would have a devastating effect on Ontario's clean energy sector, driving billions of dollars out of our economy, and killing thousands of jobs.

According to Tom Rand, director of VCi Green Funds and author of Kick the Fossil Fuel Habit:
It's the Liberals, and not the NDP or Conservatives, who are promoting the policies that will ensure Ontario is positioned to become a major manufacturer and producer of clean technology.

The Conservatives would kill the GEA. This is the economic mistake of a lifetime. …

[T]he NDP's policy will have the renewable energy industry heading for the hills. … the NDP just don't get how to create the New Economy jobs of the future.

Jo Jo Holiday
Kenora-Rainy River

No Response.

Yes, we see the Green Energy Act as an integral part of our province's future. Renewable energy will not only reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emission, but will create lots of jobs for Ontarians. With the Green Energy Act, Ontario is poised to become a North American leader in renewable energy, and will act as a model for other provinces and state's to base their energy plans on. We will provide all Ontarians with electricity pricing that reflects its true cost.

Much of the Green Energy act is a movement in the right direction, but I'll not submit a simple yes or no, since it is a Liberal initiative. I'll add the caveat that one needs read between the lines in this act to sense a corporate priority, which wouldn't be tolerated over community autonomy. Big energy implants in communities would need due community consultation process honored in order to gain Green approval.