Commentary
Ottawa’s internal environmental debate has become disconnected from a fundamental principle of good government: the purpose of environmental policy is not simply to reduce emissions, but to reduce emissions while preserving the conditions that allow Canadians to prosper.
A government has many responsibilities. It must protect the environment. It must also protect jobs, strengthen productivity, maintain affordable energy, safeguard national security, and preserve Canada’s competitiveness in an increasingly uncertain world. Environmental policy cannot be pursued in isolation from these broader national interests.
That is the crossroads Canada now faces. For nearly a decade, federal climate policy has been dominated by carbon taxes, emissions targets, subsidies, mandates, and increasingly ambitious promises. Yet Canada remains off track to meet its 2030 emissions target, with greenhouse gas emissions still standing at approximately 708 megatons annually….