{news} Fw: USGP-INT Green Party of Canada Economic Stimulus Package

[Justine McCabe]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Feinstein" <mfeinstein at feinstein.org>
To: "GP-US International Committee" <usgp-int at gp-us.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 3:17 AM
Subject: USGP-INT Green Party of Canada Economic Stimulus Package


http://www.greenparty.ca/stimulus-package

Green Party Economic Stimulus Package
Executive Summary

The current financial crisis and attendant economic downturn is a grave
concern.  Nevertheless, it creates, as do all moments of crisis, an
opportunity for innovation and creativity.  It is clear we must not
allow speculative bubbles to threaten the real economy.  Real jobs
building real things in Canada should be favoured over short-term,
speculative and largely imaginary, economic activity, such as, hedge
funds, and pyramid schemes.   A "made in Canada" policy should apply to
all government purchases--military equipment, Coast Guard vessels, etc.
  Shipping government contracts overseas or down south is unacceptable
while thousands of manufacturing jobs are being lost here in Canada.

A consensus has emerged among governments around the world that policies
aimed to balance budgets will only deepen and protract the economic
crisis, and so, many countries are now embracing deficits and government
spending.  Canada should embrace this new approach, but the pendulum
must not be allowed to swing so far as to allow for structural deficits
that will keep Canada in a weakened position long-term.

The stimulus spending should stay within the International Monetary Fund
guideline of 2% of GDP to kick-start the slowing economy.   The new
economic climate should not be used as an excuse for ideologically
driven measures such as those promoted in the November Economic
Statement, or to unnecessarily weaken Canada’s environmental regulations
and legislation.

Canada anticipates much of what will be in President-elect Barak Obama's
stimulus package.  His call for a Green New Deal has been endorsed by UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Such a Green New Deal will do more than
bail out failed industries and will not just throw money at all of our
problems.  A Green New Deal will stimulate economic activity while
shifting the economy to a more sustainable path.

In the Green Economic Stimulus Plan, government spending will be an
investment in the future of Canada.  Every dollar spent must benefit
Canadians today and tomorrow.  This Green Economic Plan will create jobs
that are sustainable, increase the health and quality of life for future
generations, and help create an economy that is resilient against sudden
shocks.

Guiding Criteria for Economic Stimulus Package

    1. Create new jobs and stimulate the economy within Canada,
emphasizing local and regional economies;
    2. Capitalize on the opportunity to build long-lasting infrastructure;
    3. Invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency and help shift
Canada's economy for the low-carbon demands of the future;
    4. Extend Canada’s Social Safety Net and Provide Tax Relief.

       Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada
Green Party Economic Stimulus Package
The Opportunity Before Us

The economic crisis that started in the United States has permeated most
countries of the globe including Canada.  Economic experts tell us it is
likely to affect us for at least the next 3 to 5 years-- more if we
don't react quickly and intelligently.  We face a great challenge, but
with every great challenge comes a great opportunity.

The Green Party believes this is Canada's opportunity to shift from an
economic model based on the unsustainable exploitation of our resources
to a sustainable and resilient economic model based on conservation and
renewable resources, a model that advances the common good and ensures
quality of life for all Canadians. Canada can meet this challenge by
investing in innovative solutions that are part of a comprehensive
vision for our country - a vision rooted in Canadian values.
Responsible budgeting, forward-looking investing, and a concern for
those who are least fortunate among us are the principles that guide our
economic planning.

Therefore, under the Green Economic Stimulus Plan government spending
will be an investment in the future of Canada.  Every dollar spent must
benefit Canadians today and tomorrow.  This Green Economic Plan will
create jobs that are sustainable, increase the health and quality of
life for future generations, and help create an economy that is
resilient against sudden shocks.
Investing Wisely

Although the Conservative government was handed a surplus when it took
office, it has managed to create a deficit in a very short time.  This
government has led Canada back into deficits through irresponsible
spending increases and ineffective tax-cuts in an attempt to gain
partisan advantage.

Canada deserves a more responsible government.  Canada deserves a
government that plans for the future and budgets accordingly.  Just as
the Green Party believes in living within our ecological limits, we
believe in a government that will operate within fiscal limits.

The Green Party is dedicated to balancing the federal budget, but we
also understand that the current economic situation requires immediate
investment.  We are committed, however, to refraining from participating
in massive corporate bailouts and we are opposed to drastic measures
that would involve swinging between heavy economic intervention and
widespread deregulation.

The Green Party will reduce government waste, increase efficiency, and
provide tax relief. It will also ensure every dollar invested today
provides jobs, helps diversify the Canadian economy, and protects our
common wealth: the environment.  The Green Economic Plan will ensure a
better quality of life for all Canadians.
Costs and Benefits

Canada cannot afford to continue giving out corporate handouts while
depleting its resources.  It is time to invest in rebuilding resources
and industries in a way that leads to a resilient economy.

Canada's stimulus spending should stay within the IMF, OECD, G20 and
APEC recommendations that governments apply 2% of their GDP to
kick-starting the slowing economy.

A successful economic stimulus should result in long term benefits and
move Canada forward into the low-carbon future.  It should help repair
our degraded environment to improve the opportunities of future
generations and ensure they have access to the resources needed to meet
the challenges they will face. It should improve the quality of life of
all Canadians and should help redress the inequities faced by First
Nations people.
The Green Economic Plan will:

    1. Create Jobs in a new sustainable economy, ensuring our domestic
economy thrives at the local and regional levels throughout Canada
    2. Build Sustainable Infrastructure geared to a low-carbon future
    3. Invest in renewable energy production and Initiate a Canada
Energy Efficiency Plan
    4. Advance Education and Technology for a new economy
    5. Extend Canada's social safety net to help those most in need
    6. Lower Taxes to redress inequities

The Green Economic Plan will NOT:

    1. Bail out the failed industries
    2. Depend mainly on depletion of Canada's primary resources
    3. Build more roads
    4. Expand the tar sands or its related MacKenzie gas pipeline
    5. Continue to hand out corporate subsidies to the oil, gas and
nuclear sectors
    6. Use deficit financing to entrench an old economy

1.  Create Jobs in a New Sustainable Economy

Canada anticipates much of what will be in President-elect Barak Obama's
stimulus package.  His call for a Green New Deal has been endorsed by UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Such a Green New Deal will do more than
bail out failed industries and will not just throw money at all of our
problems.  A Green New Deal will stimulate economic activity while
shifting the economy to a more sustainable path.
Our plan for Canada is an immediate economic stimulus package that
creates jobs to compensate for the steady loss of the old economy's
jobs. To do this there needs to be many small programs and projects
delivered at the local community level that can begin in the next few
months and be up and fully running by this summer.

The Green Party will:
1.1    Support Small Business

     * Establish a federally funded Small Cities Green Venture Capital
Fund to support viable local green business start-ups.

1.2 Increase First Nations Participation in Canada's Economy

     * Facilitate First Nations participation as partners in projects to
create sustainable, long-term economic benefits based on real
consultation and accommodation.

1.3 Invest in New Forestry
The forest industry is one of Canada's largest employers, operating in
over 300 communities and providing nearly 900,000 direct and indirect
jobs across the country.

Canada needs smart spending and decisive economic policies if we are to
make sure our forest industry is able to capitalize on the investments
it has already made - modernizing its mills, diversifying its markets,
and greening its product.

     * Extend the EI Work-Sharing Program and extend EI benefits for
seasonally unemployed workers
     * Reform federal tax structures to ensure competitive value-added
industries.

1.4    Invest in Agriculture and Local Food Economies
Agriculture and local food economies are needed to ensure Canada's food
security. With growing concerns over economic and climatic instability,
a reliable domestic food supply is essential. Family owned and operated
farms of small to medium size constitute the most reliable, high quality
and economical food production system.  According to a 2006 report by
the University of Essex, organic farming in the UK provides 32 per cent
more jobs per farm than comparable non-organic farms. Interestingly, the
report also concluded that the higher employment observed could not be
replicated in non-organic farming through initiatives such as local
marketing. Instead, the majority (81 per cent) of total employment on
organic farms was created by the organic production system itself. The
report estimates that 93,000 new jobs would be created if all farming in
the UK were to convert to organic.

     * Provide $500 million in a fund to farmers to transition to
organic agriculture (funded through eliminated the GST exemption for
agricultural pesticides)
     * Provide $50 million for local farmers markets
     * Provide assistance to family farms so they can supply supermarket
chains by supporting companies or co-operatives which will offer
warehousing, refrigeration, packaging, marketing and selling to enable
small farms to compete with large farms.
     * Shift government-supported research away from biotechnology and
energy-intensive research and development farming and towards research
into making organic food production commercially viable.
     * Invest in wild fisheries and large scale rehabilitation of
habitat and spawning rivers.

1.5   Invest in Manufacturing

Our generation has the potential to capitalize on the single biggest
business opportunity in human history: the shift to a low-carbon
economy.  Whether this is driven by high energy prices, dwindling oil
supplies, or the climate crisis, the country that mobilizes resources to
develop and commercialize low carbon products and technologies will
survive price shocks and emerge with a thriving economy.  Canada can be
that country.

We can diversify our economy with increased value-added manufacturing.
We can increase our ability to compete on the world markets.  We can
ensure our economy is second to none.

The Green Party will stimulate Canadian manufacturing by:

     * Earmark $1 billion of "bailout money" for the auto industry to
retool one or more of the closing auto assembly plants to plants that
manufacture hybrid, low emission or electric cars.
     * Help capitalize establishment of photo voltaic cell, solar hot
water and wind turbine manufacturing plants in Canada.
     * Support new capital investment in updated manufacturing
equipment, waste reduction, and the production of biofuel from wood
waste and new manufacturing to transition the forest industry into
modern value-added industry as opposed to a focus on low value products
and raw log exports.

1.6  Arts & Culture have a very high economic multiplier in terms of
dollars returned to the economy and jobs created.  Arts and Culture also
give us a sense of who we are and what our role is in the world.

Already in 2003-2004, with an investment of $7.7 billion from three
levels of government, the arts and culture sector directly employed
600,000 people and generated $40 billion for the Canadian economy.
Further, exports of Canadian cultural products increased by 80% between
1996 and 2005, reaching $2.4 billion, with great potential for further
growth.

The Green Party will:

     * Increase funding to all of Canada's Arts and Culture
organizations including The Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm
Canada, orchestras, theatres and publishers. The goal will be to make
increases in this sector commensurate with increases in support over the
years for other sectors of the economy such as the auto industry, health
care, and the oil and gas sector.
     * Increasing funding to $300 million for cultural festivals, arts
programs and supervised youth amateur sports programs starting in summer
2009 to employ people in the arts and culture field.

2.  Build Sustainable Infrastructures geared to a low-carbon future
Canada's infrastructure needs urgent attention if we are to reduce GHG,
ensure delivery of utility services, protect our water, and clear up our
clogged and dangerous highways by improving non-vehicular transport
options. Therefore, the Green Party will work with provincial and
territorial partners to immediately prioritize investments in
infrastructure across the country.

The Green Party will:

     * Address the current infrastructure crisis in First Nations
communities, with a particular focus on housing and water systems
through the Kelowna Accord
     * Facilitate First Nations participation as partners in projects to
create sustainable, long term economic benefits based on real
consultation and accommodation.
     * Change Canada's tax policy to create a new pool of secure, long
term municipal infrastructure funding by allowing municipalities to
issue new Municipal Registered Retirement Savings Plans Bonds (MRRSPsBs)
which can be held in RRSPs and self-directed RRSPs.
     * Allocate one cent from GST on an approximate per capita basis to
municipal governments for "Green Cities" initiatives, ensuring that the
funding is used to reduce sprawl and greenhouse gas emissions, conserve
electricity and water, increase densification, expand public transit,
and build cycling and walking paths.
     * Improve rail infrastructure and intermodal connections,
increasing joint federal-municipal light rail investments, as well as
improving VIA rail service nationwide. Build separate passenger rail
lines where needed from coast to coast in addition to the existing
freight rail line and install high speed commuter trains between
Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa to reduce air travel and assist an
efficient workforce. The stimulus incentive for rail will be $1
billion/year for the next three years.
     * Upgrade the electrical grid so it can accommodate green
electricity production. Commit to better east-west connectivity with a
Ontario-Manitoba transmission line.
     * Develop broadband throughout Canada will enable rural Canadians
everywhere to prepare for jobs by using the Canadian Virtual University
(CVR) so that distance education will become increasingly widespread.

3. Invest in Renewable Energy Production and Initiate a Canada Energy
Efficiency Plan
The biggest challenge facing our generation is to revitalize our economy
in ways that simultaneously combats climate change by reducing our
reliance on fossil fuels and cutting our greenhouse gas emissions.
Countries that improve their energy efficiency and reduce their demand
for fossil fuels by utilizing renewable sources of energy will prosper
for generations to come.

Buildings in Canada currently waste up to 50% of energy in inefficient
heating and cooling.  Therefore, the Green Party will initiate a Canada
Energy Efficiency Plan to coordinate efficiency measures across all
provinces, territories, and municipalities, in agreement with the
standards established by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
(RAIC).

The new administration in Washington plans to invest $15 billion
annually over the next decade in renewable energy production. Canada
should be investing an additional $1.5 billlion to deploy renewable
energy in Canada with the goal of eliminating coal and nuclear
generation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Further energy
investments must be much more diverse than the traditional mega project
approach and be designed to help homeowners, businesses and industry
become much more energy efficient and far less polluting.

The Canada Energy Efficiency Plan will include:

     * Establishing a nation-wide program to retrofit all low-income
rental housing by 2025.
     * Provide matching funds to upgrade new and renovated buildings to
RAIC standards 60% higher than the 1997 Model National Energy Code as
long as verification is provided.
     * Shifting electricity generation to renewable energy sources by
expanding the ecoEnergy Program for Renewable Power  to cover all forms
of renewable electricity production (with the exception of large scale
hydro), providing greater incentives provinces that have established
renewable energy standards and /or feed in tarrifs and for northern
communities and creating new incentives for industrial co-generation.
     * For home owners, expanding the present home renovation program by
creating a revolving fund to provide loans to pay the full costs of
energy retro-fits including insulation, windows, solar hot water,
geothermal and other technologies that reduce energy use, incorporate
renewable or extremely low emission technologies. The loans are to be
repaid based on energy savings, making them in effect no cost to the
homeowner.
     * Providing homeowners with free energy audits performed by
qualified auditors.
     * Creating a national solar roof program to promote the
installation of installation on homes across Canada similar to the
California and British Columbia programs.

4. Advance Education, Technology and Training for a New Economy
An educated citizenry is essential for a healthy economy in the 21st
century.  This is particularly important now, in a time of economic and
environmental change. Our post-secondary educational institutions -
universities, colleges, trade schools, etc. - are key to our long-term
prosperity.
While education is primarily a provincial matter, the federal government
can, through earmarked transfer payments, provide educational funding
that is needed to meet the challenges we face.

The Green Party will invest in training and education for a new economy:

     * Earmark $200 million to establish additional spaces in technical
schools for retraining workers in the installation of solar voltaic
systems, geo-exchange home heating and cooling systems, and solar hot
water systems and conducting general energy audits and performing minor
energy efficiency upgrades.
     * A new national environmental service program for youth to
voluntarily enroll in to receive training and provide 6 months of
service in repairing environmental damage, restoring natural habitats
(including, for example, salmon habitat), building park and recreation
infrastructure.
     * Invest $250 million in an enhanced student summer jobs programme
($ to businesses as well as non-profit organizations who hire and train
students in summer jobs)
     * Increase to $250 million on-site apprenticeship and coop skills
training programs

The Green Party will also launch a comprehensive Access to Education
Plan that includes:

     * Increasing funding for a needs-based Canadian National Student
Loan and Bursary Program with low interest rates and reasonable
repayment schedules. This loan program will replace the Millennium
Scholarship Foundation.
     * Forgiving 50% of a student's federal loan when they complete a
degree or certificate program.
     * Expand the availability of broadband internet services which can
be used with the Canadian Virtual University (CVU) and colleges for
education and job training throughout Canada.

5. Extend Canada's Social Safety Net to Help those Most in Need

     * Extend Employment Insurance benefits from 1 year to 2 years
contingent on recipient entering new job skills training programme or
other education programme. Provide full scholarships to those who have
lost their jobs in traditional industries which have a poor chance of
being revived to enrol in one of these retraining programs.
     * When unemployment levels nationally are above 6%, extend EI
benefits to start the day after lay-off.
     * Establish a fund to provide emergency bridging distress loans to
help people avoid foreclosure on their mortgages and enable them to
restructure their mortgages.
     * Protection for pension and retirement savings

6. Lower Taxes to redress inequities

A responsible federal government will ensure the Canadian economy is
stimulated not only through targeted spending, but through targeted tax
relief.  The Green Party believes it is important to focus not only upon
how many taxes are being paid, but also upon what kind of taxes are
being paid.

It makes sense to lower taxes on things we want - income and employment
- and put an end to corporate welfare and big business bailouts.

The Green Party will:

Lower Taxes

     * Eliminate personal income taxes below the poverty line $1.9 billion
     * Reduce EI and CPP Contributions by 33% $16 billion
     * Introduce Income Splitting for Adults $5 billion

End Corporate Welfare

     * End subsidies to the Mining Sector $36 million
     * Eliminate subsidies for Fossil Fuels $1.4 billion
     * Put an end to subsidies for nuclear energy $104 million

Revenues lost through these tax cuts will be re-couped through charges
placed on carbon emissions.



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