New Prosperity mine decision a win for the environment
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
February 27, 2014
New Prosperity mine decision a win for the environment
OTTAWA – The Green Party of Canada joins the BC Green Party in welcoming today’s announcement from Federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq that the New Prosperity mine development proposal has been rejected.
This controversial proposal from Taseko Mines Ltd. for for an open-pit gold-copper mine at Fish Lake (Teztan Biny) in the central BC interior follows an almost identical development proposal that was rejected by then-Minister of Environment Jim Prentice in 2010.
Response to the 2014 Budget
Dr. Andrew Weaver's response to the 2014 Budget. To read more, please visit Dr. Weaver's community website
“At 17, I may not be old enough to vote, but I still feel it is of paramount importance to convey my dissatisfaction with our government’s blatant disregard for these legally binding targets. Policy decisions made today will undoubtedly have an effect on my life—both in the short and the long-term—and with this at the forefront of my mind, I stand in defense of my future”
I hope those words echo through the walls of this chamber. They are the words of Tessa Owens, an incredibly articulate and engaged young woman who, together with 20 other students, visited my office on February 3. The legally binding targets that she was referring to, of course, are our 2020 climate targets. Enshrined in law; grounded in necessity. Read More
Statement on Anti-Bully Day
February 26th is Anti-Bullying Day and an opportunity for British Columbians to help draw attention to bullying and empower ourselves and others to say something when we see it.
Bullying is a serious problem. Not just in schools, but also in workplaces, on the internet, and even at home. We, as a society, do not have to tolerate this. The BC Green Party encourages all British Columbians to have conversations about bullying and how to end it.
Very Few Goodies for Greens in BC Budget
Media Statement: February 19th, 2014
For Immediate Release
Victoria BC - While Budget 2014 rightly places an importance on living within our means, it falls short of providing a diversified and affordable economy for British Columbians.
Andrew Weaver: Putting Climate Targets Back Into the Throne Speech
Today in the Legislature, Green MLA Andrew Weaver spoke to his motion to amend the Throne Speech, highlighting the government's inconsistency in greenhouse gas targets. Under the province’s climate targets the legislated goal is to reduce emissions from the current 62 megatons of carbon pollution to 43 megatons by 2020 and 13 megatons by 2050. Producing liquefied natural gas through five plants would add 73 megatons to current provincial emissions, making our greenhouse gas targets impossible to keep.
The government has stated LNG exports from BC will reduce Asian, especially China’s, dependency on coal fired power generation, therefore reducing their carbon emissions. If we are serious about reducing global emissions then a better plan would be to halt exports of thermal coal through BC. Doing so would have little impact on provincial employment, or revenue, as the vast majority is produced from US mines.