John Baird

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Sunday, April 22, 2007By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Sunday, April 22, 2007

Report to claim Kyoto would trigger recession

The Conservative government is preparing to table an economically apocalyptic estimate of the Kyoto Accord’s implementation costs to Canada, CTV News has learned.

A leading Canadian environmentalist told The Canadian Press earlier Wednesday that she expects Environment Minister John Baird to present new research to say Canada can’t meet its Kyoto commitment when he appears before a Senate committee on Thursday.

“We expect Mr. Baird to paint a picture of economic collapse if we comply with the Kyoto targets,” said Louise Comeau of the Sage Centre, an environmental think tank.

She said the government has commissioned research based on assumptions that produce astronomical estimated costs.

Robert Fife, CTV’s Ottawa bureau chief, is reporting the following details from the study, which he said has been backed by independent economists:

The economy would shrink by 4.2 per cent if Kyoto is implemented. “It says it will cause a recession on par with the 1981-82 recession.”

Job losses will total 275,000 by 2009

Electricity costs will jump by 50 per cent by 2010

Gasoline costs will jump by 60 per cent almost immediately, and

Home heating oil will double.

Baird told a House of Commons committee in February that attempting to meet Kyoto would be impossible and could lead to economic collapse. (Source: CTV News)

 

Friday January 5, 2007

Friday, January 5, 2007By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 5, 2007

John Baird set to be Tories’ ‘green guy’

Canada’s latest environmental steward is a man with a reputation that is equal parts aggressive policy maker and partisan brawler.

Tuesday February 3, 2015John Baird, 37, was handed the Conservative government’s hottest potato on Thursday when he moved from his post at Treasury Board to the head of Environment Canada. He replaces the demure Rona Ambrose, and the contrast in political styles could not be sharper.

Baird was given the job of shepherding the massive Federal Accountability Act into law as the government’s first priority after winning last January’s election.

What Baird, a lifelong conservative political activist from Ottawa, does not have is any environmental track record to speak of.

The closest Baird came to an environmental portfolio was his stint as Ontario energy minister, when he was responsible for managing the troubled deregulation of the provincial electricity grid.

(Source: Business Edge)

 

Wednesday November 6, 2002

Wednesday November 6, 2002By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 6, 2002

Tory Minister Demands Hydro Rates be Capped

Labour Minister Brad Clark is calling on his government to cap electricity rates for several years as Conservative MPPs try to head off the growing public outrage over skyrocketing prices.

Tuesday February 3, 2015Clark, the MPP for Stoney Creek, said rates should be capped “to prevent the wild fluctuations we are seeing.

“There has to be some kind of equalization of those fluctuations right now. I would suggest then if they were doing it over the next five to 10 years, while power generation is developed, it would be easier on the consumer,” Clark told reporters yesterday.

Experts blame the shortage of power generation in Ontario for bills going through the roof, since the shortfall has to be made up by buying more expensive imported power.

Clark said people in his riding are “having a difficult time making the payments, so I think that there is some just cause for alarm and we have to figure out a way to mitigate those wild fluctuations.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)