Constituent Input

December 01, 2006

This editorial was published in the December issue of the Riverbend Ragg-Times

By James Rajotte, M.P.

MP James Rajotte Asks – If you were Minister of the Environment, What Would you do to Improve the Quality of our Air, Water, and Land Here in Canada and Around the Globe?

Since January when the Conservative Party has been working very hard on several key issues. One, in particular, is the environment. On October 19th our government introduced Canada’ first ever Clean Air Act. We feel that the proposed act provides real solutions to improve the health of Canadians and recognizes the importance of protecting the planet for our children. In a nutshell, here is what the Clean Air Act entails in the short, medium and long term:

Next 12 months:

• Produce regulations to cut emissions from vehicles and chemical production processes (like paint, cosmetics and cleaning fluids)
• Prepare changes to the Energy Act to impose regulations on unregulated producers (like commercial boilers and clothes washers)
• A federal tax credit to partially offset the cost of monthly transit passes

By Spring 2007:

Set short-term targets for limits on air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions to take effect between 2010 and 2015

2010-2015:

• Fixed caps on air pollutants
• Targets will be applied to greenhouse gas emissions, including a target of 5 per cent renewable fuel content in gasoline
  
• 2050: deadline for reducing emissions by 45-65 per cent

Please let me know your opinion of the Clean Air Act and Canada’s environmental policy in general. What would you do to improve the quality of our air, water, and land here in Canada and around the globe.

I would like to end by saying that I always welcome feedback from my constituents. I have always said that I have two main responsibilities as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Leduc. My first responsibility is to keep you up to date on what is going on in Ottawa and on what I have been doing on your behalf. I do that through my official website (www.jamesrajotte.com), through my newsletters and through editorials and comments to the press. My second responsibility is to consult with you in an effort to obtain as much feedback as possible so that I am well-prepared to represent your views. So please let me know your thoughts.