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Canadian senators call for national energy discussion

The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources is inviting all Canadians to have a say in Canada’s energy future.

 

The call to participate in a national energy dialogue came in the committee’s Interim Report entitled “Attention Canada!”, which was tabled in the Senate following nearly nine months of testimony from Canada’s leading energy thinkers, research institutions and other stakeholders. The committee says there is an urgent need for a national discussion on energy, and that the country is in immediate need of a comprehensive Canadian Sustainable Energy Strategy immediately. 

 

“The future of energy in Canada is something that affects us all,” said Senator W. David Angus. “From turning on a light, driving our cars to work, and picking up our groceries at the local supermarket, we are consuming the outputs of Canada’s renewable and non-renewable energy sectors. Energy is so pervasive in our lives, yet many of us don’t know its sources or the environmental and economic impacts of our consumption. One of our main goals with this report is to increase the energy literacy of Canadians, with the intent of working together to build a secure, competitive, sustainable and innovative strategy for Canada.”

 

“Canada cannot afford to watch from the sidelines when it comes to our energy future,” added Senator Grant Mitchell. “Successful countries will be those that innovate and harness opportunities created in moving to more sustainable production, transmission and uses of energy. By bringing the sustainable energy debate front and centre in the minds of Canadians, we will be instrumental in creating policies that capitalize on the successes in our energy systems while also achieving our environmental and energy security goals.”

 

Building on the interim report, the committee will consult Canadians throughout the country including governments at all levels and key stakeholders across the full spectrum of energy production, transmission, distribution and use. The goal, according to the government, is to increase the energy discussion in Canada and develop a road map for Canada’s energy future. This will help form the basis of recommendations in a final report from the committee expected in June 2011. To facilitate this process, the committee is establishing a website dedicated to this study.

July 2, 2010  By  John Gilson



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