Vert-à-Go

(photo: Canadian Design Resources)

The Saskatchewan Party has posted a request for ideas on how to spend the government’s oil and gas windfall on their party web site.

This is a great opportunity for voters to tell them exactly what their priorities are and how they want them to spend the money. For starters, how about restoring a tiny fraction of it to Station 20 West and invest in sustainable energy and food production?

Here’s my wish list:

• make a serious investment in non-polluting alternative energy sources (think solar, wind, NOT tar sands development) and encourage energy conservation. Invest in carbon capture for coal stations. This is our chance to take the lead and massively reduce our CO2 emissions.
• invest in public transport and promote efficient vehicle use, NOT roads. People have to be encouraged to get out of their private cars whenever possible and into affordable, convenient alternative modes of transport. Take the lead! Make Saskatchewan a showcase for the rest of the country! We have unique challenges but they can be solved.
• invest in local, sustainable food production, rural communities and help young people to become farmers. We need more small farm holdings to increase food safety and security. Help cities invest in local food production (i.e. creating community gardens).
• help cities invest in safe, affordable public housing to assist people adversely affected by the property boom
• help residents of Saskatoon and Regina’s core neighbourhoods gain access to nutritious food, proactive healthcare, and career/job training. Food banks are important, but they should be unnecessary. Solve the underlying social problems and give people the help they need to live full and productive lives, not just emergency handouts. Show them that you care! The initial proposal for Station 20 West would go a long way towards achieving these aims; I want to see this funding restored.

We are at a crossroads here and have such an opportunity to make a difference in the province’s future. We need to spend this money wisely and preserve the ecosystem to ensure that today’s children not only have a means of supporting themselves, but also a safe and stable environment in which to live.

The environment is my number one voting issue. We have to make serious progress in the next decade. If we don’t prevent catastrophic climate change, nothing else will matter.

Go tell them what you want!