Time for a National Energy Strategy

Don't worry, folks. There's no need to raise the spectre of the National Energy Program on this one. What I am calling for is a made in Canada strategy to encourage the proliferation of alternative or green energy sources without forces the shutdown of Alberta's oil sands.

Let's face it folks, the is a growing industry and Canada has the geological diversity to be a leader on the world stage. And with the current government's recent rejection of the Kyoto Protocol there is space in Canada's body politic for such a strategy. Imagine that! A made in Canada answer to Kyoto.

Liberal MP and potential leadership candidate David McGuinty recently commented on the possibility of a national strategy, saying, "I don't know how you could talk about energy without talking about greenhouse gases unless you're in massive denial collectively and don't want to deal with the elephant in the room... Harper doesn't want to talk about it because he's desperately afraid of putting a price on carbon emissions."

Now, that is the problem my friends. I've long endorsed a 'carbon tax' that is balanced by large reductions is income taxes. But there is a problem here - a lack of political will. The Prime Minister recently stating that Canada is pulling out of Kyoto because other states aren't pulling their weight. Fair enough. But how about Canada go out on its own? How about Canada become a world leader? Does this Prime Minister have the political will?