IRPP Policy Panel: A Canadian Priorities Agenda - Policy Choices to Address Climate Change and Environmental Protection

Joseph & Rosalie Segal Centre, SFU Harbour Centre
515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

With its call for carbon taxes and other market-based instruments, the recent report of the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy has put pressure on the Harper government to enact an ambitious climate change policy. In addition, the British Columbia government is considering introducing a carbon tax in the upcoming provincial budget.

Environmental policy figured prominently in the Institute for Research on Public Policy’s path-breaking Canadian Priorities Agenda (CPA) project, which brought together 45 of Canada’s best policy minds to develop a medium-term policy road map for Canada. Two distinct aspects of environmental protection--addressing climate change and protecting Canada’s natural resources--were at the top of the list of critical challenges, and the potential effectiveness of a carbon tax (among other instruments) was highlighted in both.

To broaden the debate on these timely and controversial issues, join IRPP President Mel Cappe for a stimulating and lively discussion with two contributors to the IRPP’s CPA project. A continental breakfast buffet will be available.

In the first panel, Nic Rivers (Simon Fraser University) will present proposals he developed with Mark Jaccard for deep reductions in greenhouse gases. Graham Whitmarsh (BC Climate Action Secretariat) and Jock Finlayson (Business Council of BC) will offer their perspectives on Jaccard and Rivers’ proposals in the context of current policy thinking in government and industry.

In the second panel Nancy Olewiler (Simon Fraser University) will present what in her view would be the most effective policies for securing and preserving Canada’s natural capital. Brian Bawtinheimer (Parks Planning & Management Branch, BC Ministry of Environment) and Richard Prokopanko (BC Corporate Affairs, Rio Tinto Alcan) (invited) will react to these proposals to spark what promises to be a lively debate.

To RSVP and pay the $50 per person registration fee for you and any guest(s), kindly register on-line or download and fax the form to 514-985-2559. As space is limited, we encourage you to register early. (A special rate of $25 is available for a limited number of non-profit organizations and students upon request). For further information, please contact Suzanne Lambert at slambert@irpp.org.