The Conservative party’s interest in cap-and-trade actually predates its 2008 campaign platform. In 2004, the party’s platform expressed an interest in the concept.
The Conservative party’s interest in cap-and-trade actually predates its 2008 campaign platform. In 2004, the party’s platform expressed an interest in the concept.
A Conservative government will implement the commitments of Stephen Harper’s February 2004 paper, “Towards a Cleaner Canada,” including: Legislate caps on smog causing pollutants like Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Negotiate power plant and smokestack emissions limits with the United States and border states. Investigate a cap-and-trade system that will allow firms to generate credits by reducing smog-causing pollutants.
The same commitment to “investigate a cap-and-trade system that will allow firms to generate credits by reducing smog-causing pollutants” appears in the Conservative party’s “policy declaration” of March 19, 2005.
Bob Mills, a Conservative MP at the time, apparently assisted in the drafting the 2004 policy paper. On June 8, 2005, Mr. Mills stood in the House and stated a commitment to cap-and-trade.
Unlike the smog blind Liberals, the Conservative Party of Canada has a real plan to deal with air pollution. We will legislate caps on smog-causing pollutants like nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds. We will also propose a cap and trade system within Canada that will give companies incentives to actually reduce smog-causing pollutants.
According to David Akin, the Conservative party’s 2008 policy declaration expressed support for “support a domestic cap-and-trade system that will allow firms to generate credits by reducing smog-causing pollutants.”