I’m encouraged that Conservative leadership candidate Peter MacKay has presented a plan to address climate change and protect our environment. The environment must be a policy priority, and the Conservatives need a strong climate plan if they want to win the next election.

I am disappointed to learn that MacKay intends to scrap the carbon tax and rebate, when evidence shows us that this policy is the most effective way to reduce our emissions while protecting jobs and the economy. Far from punishing people, as the MacKay environmental plan suggests, Canada’s carbon tax and rebate makes most Canadian families better off.

The MacKay environmental plan emphasizes increasing investment in carbon removal technologies, a strategy that can be an important part of a climate strategy. For example, Canada has the opportunity to be a world leader in the development of carbon capture technologies. MacKay also highlights the important role of responsible agriculture and forestry in capturing carbon emissions, and proposes to support farmers and ranchers in stewarding the environment.

MacKay correctly points out that Conservative governments have enacted some of Canada’s strongest environmental legislation. I’d like to see the MacKay campaign uphold this tradition by making an even bolder commitment to the target that scientists tell us we must meet in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change: net zero emissions by 2050. There are ways we can achieve this goal while helping our economy grow. Doing so would be good policy and good politics.