I have enjoyed Peter Dolezal’s financial columns in the News Review very much.
In his recent column extolling the oil sands (Aug. 13), however, he seems to ignore one significant fact.
That is the link between increased burning of fossil fuels and climate change.
The federal government massively subsidizes the fossil fuel industry, to the tune of $1.5 billion per year.
Imagine what even half of that subsidy re-directed to green energy development and distribution would do to reduce Canada’s carbon footprint.
The price of electricity generated by solar and wind has been dropping significantly.
These cost reductions would be even more dramatic if federal subsidies for alternative energy were increased.
Other benefits would be the gradual phasing down of the tar sands, the reduction in pollution of air, land, and waters and the improvement of our economy by growing Canadian jobs in the green energy sector.
Better this than exporting our fossil fuels, which doesn’t encourage importing nations to develop their own green energy and lower their own carbon footprint.
Jack Thornburgh
North Saanich