Open letter to Premier Darrell Pasloski:
Thank you for attending the premiers’ summit on climate change in Quebec City on April 14.
Thank you very much for signing the declaration of the premiers of Canada.
This declaration that you and most of Canada’s premiers have signed states that you recognize that climate change is caused by our burning of fossil fuels and that we must reduce our emissions by cutting back on these dangerous fuels.
This is fantastic news! Now let’s work together and get the Yukon on track to start reducing our emissions.
The first order of the day would have been to support, rather than oppose, Yukon MLA Lois Moorcroft’s motion that “this House condemns the Government of Yukon’s decision to proceed with hydraulic fracturing against the will of Yukoners, the recommendations of the Select Committee Regarding the Risks and Benefits of Hydraulic Fracturing and the concerns of the scientific community.”
Seriously, Darrell, when 8,000 (and growing) Yukoners sign a petition against fracking and LNG in the Yukon, you have to recognize that these very concerned Yukoners are speaking loud and clear to you (to put this into perspective, only 6,400 Yukoners voted for your party in this last election).
The second order of the day is for your government to stop subsidizing exploration and development of oil and gas in the Yukon. Please redirect this money towards sustainable development initiatives away from fossil fuels.
Let’s create clean renewable energy jobs forever, protect our clean water forever, and save our children from dangerous climate disruptions.
And most of all, let’s give back to Ottawa, with a made-in-the-Yukon renewable energy economy that Canada can be proud of.
JP Pinard, PhD, PEng
Whitehorse