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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 28, 2007 - 5 Halton candidates on both ends of the environmental debate By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A ban on cell phone use in cars, the funding of faithbased schools, childcare, the environment and affordable housing were just a few of the topics put to candidates of the Halton riding by the electorate during a Monday night debate. Housed in the Riveroaks Community Church, the debate was attended by all five candidates as well as around 50 onlookers, who listened intently as the candidates responded to questions, drawn from a box the audience had filled earlier. On the subject of should Canada honour its commitment to the Kyoto Agreement, the opinions ranged from `absolutely' to `absolutely not' to `what environmental issues?' For Progressive Conservative candidate and Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh the merits of Kyoto have yet to be proven. "When Kyoto was signed everyone very pleased that Canada was a signatory, while the United States was not. Of course everyone condemned the United States for not also being a signatory, but at the end of five years there was an accounting and the United States had done a far better job than Canada in reducing its carbon emissions," said Chudleigh. "I'm not sure that the formula for Kyoto is the right answer. We're talking about a global economy here. We're talking about a whole globe that is in trouble with the environment," he said. Chudleigh also noted that other signatories to Kyoto, like China, had not become environmental paradises. During a trip to Beijing, Chudleigh said, he was not able to see more than half a mile in front of him due to the pollution in the air. "The Federal Conservatives have a program that needs a second look. It doesn't follow Kyoto exactly, but I think that it moves us closer to cleaning up some of the problems that we have." For Halton Green Party candidate Andrew Chlobowski, Canada must not only meet its Kyoto commitments, but exceed them as well. "The main thing that leads to Greenhouse gas emissions is our energy consumption, the fossil fuels that we burn to create electricity and transport ourselves," he said. "The Green Party puts great stress on energy policy and we have quite a few ideas about what should be done. We will allow electricity rates to increase over the next three years until they reach their true, unsubsidized cost and ban exports of non-emergency and non-renewable power. The most effective way to encourage conservation efforts is to charge the real cost for electricity." Halton Liberal candidate Gary Zemlak noted that while change may not be easy, it has to begin because the human race cannot keep treating the environment the way it is now. "We talk about getting rid of coal fire, we talk about all the stuff that we're going to do and we want to do it right now and then, in the same breath, we talk about affordable housing. These decisions that are made in this country, that are made in this province, have to be slow and well thought out. We can't just go to the bar, draw a plan on a napkin and present it to the people," said Zemlak. "No whole system is totally good. No whole system is totally bad, but ladies and gentlemen we have to start somewhere and I thought Kyoto was a good start." Halton Family Coalition See Candidates page 7 Spot! Since 1952 Save 25% Bottle o remove f spot each orr with der! FREE! 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