Following the release of the Mandate Letters in November 2013, Celine Bak of Analytica Advisors forwarded the following summary message to clean energy entrepreneurs. The document has been shared by Cheryl McNamara of Citizens Climate Lobby Toronto and I’m pleased to reproduce in Below2°C.
The mandate letters of the eleven ministers listed below demonstrate a strong commitment by the Liberal government of Prime Minister Trudeau to climate change, clean technology and the environment. It is up to all Canadians to ensure that our government lives up to its stated goals. (Rolly Montpellier ~ Editor for Below2°C).
Credit: lencrenoir.com
The Mandate Letters
The Ministerial Mandate letters from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to his Cabinet were [recently] published. All Ministerial Mandate letters made reference to expectations that the Government will deliver real results and professional government to Canadians and that individual ministers should track and report on progress towards commitments; assess the effectiveness of work; and align resources with priorities, in order to get the results Canadians deserve.
Such a focus on tangible climate and water solutions is well aligned with the Canadian clean technology industry’s focus on delivering economic and environmental results both domestically and globally.
We are pleased to share the following references to clean technology, energy and the environment contained in the Government of Canada’s Ministerial Mandate letters. For your reference, we have added links to the full Mandate letter for each of the Ministers mentioned below.
Environment and Climate Change Minister McKenna:
- “Work in partnership with the United States and Mexico and the Ministers of Natural Resources and Foreign Affairs to develop an ambitious North American clean energy and environment agreement.
- Work with provinces and territories to set stronger air quality standards, monitor emissions, and provide incentives for investments that lead to cleaner air and healthier communities.
- Support the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities in protecting our communities from the challenges of climate change and supporting them in the transition toward more sustainable economic growth by making significant new investments in green infrastructure.”
Natural Resources Minister Carr:
- “Work closely with provinces and territories to: develop a Canadian Energy Strategy to protect Canada’s energy security; encourage energy conservation; and bring cleaner, renewable energy onto a smarter electricity grid.
- Work with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development to invest in clean technology producers, so that they can tackle Canada’s most pressing environmental challenges and create more opportunities for Canadian workers.
- Work with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and other responsible ministers to support innovation and the use of clean technologies in our natural resource sectors, including the forestry, fisheries, mining, energy, and agricultural sectors.
- Work with the Minister of Finance to explore opportunities to enhance existing tax measures to generate more clean technology investments, and engage with provinces and territories to make Canada the world’s most competitive tax jurisdiction for investments in the research, development, and manufacturing of clean technology.”
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister MacAulay:
“Support the Ministers of Natural Resources and the Environment and Climate Change in making investments that will make our resource sectors world leaders in the use and development of clean and sustainable technology and processes.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Dion:
Improve relations with the United States, our closest ally and most important economic and security partner, and strengthen trilateral North American cooperation with the United States and Mexico. This would include working with the relevant Ministers to:
- “Develop a North American clean energy and environment agreement.
- Re-energize Canadian diplomacy and leadership on key international issues and in multilateral institutions.
- In collaboration with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, making Canada a leader of international efforts to combat climate change.”
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Bains:
- “Support the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Natural Resources in making strategic investments in our clean technology sector.
- Support the Ministers of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard in making investments that will make our resource sectors world leaders in the use and development of clean and sustainable technology and processes.”
Finance Minister Morneau:
- “Work with the Minister of Natural Resources to enhance existing tax measures to generate more clean technology investments and work with the provinces and territories to make Canada’s tax system highly competitive for investments in the research, development, and manufacturing of clean technology.
- Work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in creating a new Low Carbon Economy Trust to help fund projects that materially reduce carbon emissions under the new pan-Canadian framework.
- Work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to fulfill our G20 commitment and phase out subsidies for the fossil fuel industry over the medium-term.
- Work with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development to ensure tax measures are efficient and encourage innovation, trade and the growth of Canadian businesses
- Develop proposals to allow a Canadian Exploration Expenses tax deduction only in cases of unsuccessful exploration and re-direct any savings to investments in new and clean technologies.“
International Trade Minister Freeland:
- “Support the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change, Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and Natural Resources to make strategic investments in clean technology and our resource sectors. We want Canadian firms to be world leaders in the use and development of clean and sustainable technology and processes that can be exported globally.
- Support the Minister of Foreign Affairs to strengthen our relationship with our North American partners, advance bilateral and trilateral initiatives to reduce impediments to trade between our countries and to strengthen North America’s global competitiveness. You should also support the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Natural Resources in developing a North American clean energy and environment agreement.“
Transport Minister Garneau:
“Work with the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, who will have the lead, and in consultation with provincial and territorial governments as well as municipalities, to develop and implement an Infrastructure Strategy which will see significant investments made to improve public transit infrastructure and green infrastructure. The Strategy should also improve access to, and governance of, existing infrastructure programs, increase data collection capacity, promote better asset management of infrastructure in Canada and provide better supports for local communities.”
Infrastructure and Communities Minister Sohi:
“Green infrastructure, including investments in local water and wastewater facilities, clean energy, climate resilient infrastructure like flood mitigation systems, and infrastructure to protect against changing weather.”
Science Minister Duncan:
“Lead the establishment of new Canada Research Chairs in sustainable technologies, working with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.”
Small Business and Tourism Minister Chagger:
“Support the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development in launching an Innovation Agenda to expand support for incubators and accelerators, as well as the emerging national network for business innovation and cluster support. In addition, work with him as he clarifies innovation and business development programs, including the Industrial Research Assistance Program, and new programs, to ensure we are world leaders in clean and sustainable technologies and to ensure that our programs are supportive of small businesses that are seeking to become more productive, more innovative and more export-oriented.”
*There were 14 references to clean technology and solutions in Ministerial Mandate letters. The only reference to fossil fuels is “to phase out subsidies for the fossil fuel industry over the medium-term.”
So this begs the question: why does the Liberal government support the expansion of the Tar Sands and the construction of pipelines?
Rolly, there’s another important point on subsidies (the acronym FFS is exactly right) that goes beyond the mandate letters.
The Liberal Party platform expresses the same medium-term commitment, based on the 2009 G20 summit in Pittsburgh. But the fine print in the appendix, where you find the actual *costed* platform, talks about cutting $125 million in 2017/2018 and $250 million in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, when total subsidies in 2013 and 2014 averaged just over $2.7 billion per year, according to the Overseas Development Institute and Oil Change International. On top of that, fossils received an average $2.5 billion per year in Export Development Corporation assistance.
So while the language is right, there’s a lot more the new government can do — and honestly, I have no evidence that they’ve realized it yet. Given the overall fiscal picture, and what I think is their genuine interest in supporting clean technology development, it’s hard to imagine an easier place to free up some funds.
Mitchell – thank you for your response and sharing the information.
I don’t know if you saw the piece I did on Canada’s Two Climate Faces but my frustration with the Trudeau government grows daily. Before the cameras and on the international circuit, we hear our Prime Minister boast about the new climate-friendly Canada with the slogan “Canada is back my good friends”. But at home, we’re hearing the same old dialogue on energy – pipelines, growing jobs in the oilsands, getting our products to market….
Nobody gets it. We need to switch the dialogue to clean energy and we need to do this fast. You’re right when you say ” there’s a lot more the new government can do.” Here’s my question: how can this government be genuine about clean technology and still support the oil industry? I cannot get that through my mind. Can you?
By the way, thank you for the very useful info about the Liberal plan on subsidies – it’s quite lame. I’m doing a piece right now on changing the dialogue on energy. Your numbers will be quite helpful. I saw your blog post in GreenPac and will reference it. Good article.