Ottawa – Bev Shipley M.P. believes the Government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution strikes the right balance needed for the residents of Lambton Kent Middlesex.

“I believe we have turned the corner by replacing 10 years of inaction by the previous government and setting a course that reduces GHG and air pollution while protecting the jobs and the economy for the people in my riding,” said Shipley.

Announced late last week by Environment Minister John Baird Shipley says the plan will reduce GHG 20% by 2020 and air pollution known to be the chief cause of respiratory illness in Canada 50% by 2015. “These are real reductions achieved through the toughest regulations in the world,’ noted Shipley. “Doing nothing as the previous government did is no longer an option. Our government had to act and we have.”

In developing the new plan Shipley said he was pleased the government considered the economic impact a catch up strategy could have had on some communities in his riding that have been hard hit by job losses in the auto and manufacturing sector over the past decade. It is a sentiment Shipley says is shared by Canadian Auto Workers Union President Buzz Hargrove who said “I believe (the Minister) tried incredibly hard to find balance between the economy, between the concern working people have for their jobs and the environmental concerns that concerns every Canadian and I think he took a major step forward today that will deal with some of the environmental concerns but will not throw tens of thousands of Canadian workers out of work.” (CTV, April 27, 2007)

Shipley was also pleased the government’s measures will likely not have a negative affect on the agricultural community. “There are a lot or pressures on farming today, and had we proceeded the way the opposition parties proposed, farmers would have seen incredible increases in the cost of fuel and energy. The fact that we took a balanced approach, combined with other new initiatives like our $200 million biofuels plan will bolster the production of biofuels and other bioproducts.”

In addition Shipley noted that when combined with other initiatives such as the $2 billion commitment for renewable fuels in Budget 2007, Canada’s New Government is taking serious, affordable and results-oriented steps to protect the environment and promote the health and well being of Canadians and our economy.

“This is a win-win situation. Canadians will reap environmental benefits, our farmers and rural communities will profit, and we will protect auto and manufacturing jobs throughout my riding.”