Editor:
Canada is fortunate to have many sources of renewable energy – wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, etc. – and the tools, technology and creative ideas to ensure a long-lasting, sustainable economy.
With sufficient investment in this sector, we can build a clean economy with long-term jobs throughout the country and eliminate the boom-and-bust cycles in the fossil-fuel energy sector that are causing some regions of the country to suffer.
The 2017 federal budget takes some important steps toward a clean-energy economy, such as efforts to reduce reliance on diesel in indigenous and northern communities.
It also reduces some of the subsidies to the fossil-fuel industry – but it still allocates hundreds of millions of dollars to that unsustainable industry.
Let’s stop those subsidies, and instead subsidize wind farms, rooftop solar, electric vehicles, etc. These areas are better for us all, and provide more and better jobs.
Let’s offer more retraining for people working in the fossil-fuel industry.
Let’s stop supporting the industry that is gradually destroying our environment. Let’s not wait another decade to stop subsidizing that industry, as the Liberals seem to be planning; it’s time to put an end to fossil-fuel subsidies now.
Geoff Dean, Surrey
