Transition to green economy, stand up for civil liberties, and be fiscally responsible

By Nick Wright

I am running for the Green Party in the upcoming Oct. 19 federal election for University-Rosedale because it is the only party with a plan to solve the emerging global environmental and economic crisis and transition to a sustainable and prosperous way of life while standing up for civil liberties and fiscal responsibility.

Our current economic system was developed at a time when natural resources were thought to be unlimited. It requires continual economic growth to avoid financial and economic collapse. Because economic growth includes the exploitation of natural resources, if unchanged, it will destroy the planet that sustains us and threaten human life.

Global-scale environmental disasters have become increasingly common. The 2010 British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill has caused untold harm to the Gulf of Mexico. The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor meltdowns are poisoning the Pacific Ocean. The ongoing mass slaughter of sharks for their fins has reportedly wiped out 90 per cent of some shark species, destabilizing ocean ecosystems.

At home in Canada, east coast cod populations have been decimated, Ontario is proposing the redevelopment of nuclear power reactors, and the old-line political parties are fighting over how best to exploit the Alberta tar sands.

In contrast, the Green Party is standing up for a better quality of life for all Canadians and future generations by opposing the tar sands and related pipelines, promoting renewable energy, opposing dangerous nuclear power, and transitioning to a sustainable and prosperous green economy. The Green Party has a vision for living well without mortgaging our future.

An important part of transitioning to a sustainable economy and society is defending and building upon the values that Canadians hold dear.

Troublingly, the old-line parties have been working to erode the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and our civil liberties by using fear tactics to pass dangerous new laws.

Recently passed Bill C-51, the Anti-terrorism Act, creates new secret police, expands preventative arrest, criminalizes speech, and eliminates important privacy rights. Condemned by Amnesty International and many others, the new act is expected to be used as a tool to silence and intimidate political opponents of the current government, including environmental and aboriginal groups. The Green Party advocates for the immediate repeal of Bill C-51.

The Green Party also seeks to expand our freedoms. We advocate for the legalization of marijuana and decriminalization of other illegal drugs, and for treating drug abuse as a health issue, as Portugal has successfully done since 2001. We will also repeal Bill C-36 (the so-called Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act) to legalize sex-work while enhancing the fight against human trafficking.

The Green Party advocates for fiscal responsibility. This means investing in important social programs, but not spending money that we don’t have. We advocate for balanced budgets, paying down the debt, reducing bank leverage ratios, and reinstating the Bank of Canada to a prominent position in the creation of currency and the regulation of credit. These changes will protect our economy and financial institutions while reducing borrowing costs.

The Green Party is the only party with a plan to address the emerging global environmental and economic crisis. We must begin transitioning to a sustainable and prosperous future now, while defending and expanding civil liberties and prudently managing the country’s finances. By voting Green on Oct. 19, you can stand up for a more sustainable, freer, and prosperous Canada.

Nick Wright is the federal Green Party of Canada candidate for University-Rosedale.