By Elishya Perera
OTTAWA (CU)_Members of Canada’s main opposition Conservative party rejected a proposal to recognise the climate crisis as real, despite a plea from the party leader to rally around an ambitious climate agenda before a likely federal election this year.
During the virtual policy conference on Saturday (20 March), 54 percent of delegates voted against the policy update, which included a proposal to update the policy book by adding that “climate change is real”. The motion also introduced new environmentally friendly policies such as the willingness to act against climate risks and pushing highly polluting businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, on Friday, called on the party members to be open to new ideas as they can no longer “ignore the reality of climate change”, if they hoped to topple the Liberals in the next election.
He claimed that he did not want the Conservatives to be branded as “climate change deniers”.
“The debate is over, climate change is real,” O’Toole said. “We will have a serious and comprehensive plan on climate change to reduce emissions.”
“It’s important to me as a father of young children. As a member of parliament, climate change, and fighting it, is important to the Conservative Party of Canada. Younger voters expect that from us.”
Furthermore, the Conservative chief revealed his position to the carbon tax imposed by the Trudeau government in 2019, although he did not offer any details on what he said would be a bold new plan to replace that tax.
Despite O’Toole’s claims, Conservative leaders appear to have no intention of defeating the Liberals in a possible snap election in the coming months, considering the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
