The Green Party’s down-to-earth solutions will work in Canada because they have worked around the world.  Many have been successfully applied in Europe, where Greens are elected at all political levels, including the European Union and national parliaments. Countries where Greens have served in government are the countries creating new high-paying jobs while simultaneously meeting targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are the countries where the gap between rich and poor is small and the standard of living is high. These countries don’t trade off the environment for the economy. Their economies and environmental laws are both strong.

Green Party solutions are rational because the Green Party, unlike other parties, understands the scientific reality of limits to growth set by the carrying capacity of our planet. We must work within these limits.  Otherwise, we will exhaust resources, degrade our environment and put our economy, health and children’s future at risk.

Many people find it hard to position the Green Party on the old political spectrum. We believe in sound fiscal management and strengthening our economy while ensuring that it is sustainable. Does that mean we are “right wing”? We believe that government must provide needed social services while protecting our environment and the rights of women, minorities and disadvantaged people. Does that make us “left wing”?  We don’t think so. More and more people are simply thinking of the Green Party as the party of the future. 

The Green Party is different from other parties in another important way. We will never place the pursuit of power above principle. We will not allow partisan politics to get in the way of good ideas and needed action. We agree with Canadians who say it’s time for parties in parliament to stop bickering and get on with the job of governing,  combating climate change and taking better care of our environment, our health and our economy.

The Green Party of Canada, founded in 1983, is now a major force in Canadian politics. Nearly one million Canadians voted Green in the 2008 federal election. More than one in ten Canadians are now saying they plan to vote Green.

Green directions point to more jobs, more time with family and a livable world, now and for our children and their children.

Attachment: 

Vision.Green_.2010.E.pdf

PART 1: BUILDING THE GREEN ECONOMY:

1. Maximize efficiency

The central driving principle of Green Economic Policy is maximizing efficiency. Green Party economic policies aim to improve the efficiency of resource and energy use by a factor of four.  

http://www.greeneconomics.ca/pub/1851
Based on the most recent budgets, the United States will outspend Canada on renewable energy by a factor of almost 14.

2. Get the prices right

To get there from here, market distortions created by a failure to internalize externalities must be removed.  In other words, we must get the prices right.  The single most significant government policy tool to advance or retard economic sustainability resides in the fiscal framework. 

The Green Party commitment to Green tax-shifting will:

• Reduce income taxes;
• Reduce payroll taxes; and,
• Introduce a carbon tax, sending a clear economic signal that wasting energy and resources implies real costs.