photo credit: Legislative Assembly of Ontario website

WEBINAR ARCHIVE ACCESS:

FREE to all registered attendees and OSEA Champion, Enabler and Supporter members. The access information is provided to all registrants by e-mail within two business days following the webinar.

Cost: Free to OSEA Champion, Enabler and Supporter members. OSEA friends pay $42.50 per interview. $50 for non-members per interview. Save 25% by purchasing access to all three interviews.

Contact Genevieve Valery (genevieve@ontario-sea.org) to purchase access to the archive.

There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Ontario's energy future in light of this year's provincial election. Stakeholders in the renewable energy sector are worried about the future of the Green Energy Act and the Feed-in Tariff programs, which have been hailed as great achievements by some, while others have criticized them as unfair subsidies.

To find out how Ontario's political parties see the future of renewable energy and conservation, we have invited Ontario Energy Minister Brad Duguid, Energy Critic of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, John Yakabuski, Energy Critic of the New Democratic Party of Ontario, Peter Tabuns and Leader of the Ontario Green Party, Mike Schreiner to a series of one-on-one interviews to find out about their party's energy platforms and learn more about their visions for renewable energy and conservation in Ontario.

During the interview, they will be addressing questions such as:

• What are the biggest challenges facing Ontario's energy system?
• What role does conservation and renewable energy play in your party's energy policy?
• How would your party support community-based projects?
• How can we improve our conservation efforts in Ontario?
• How could the Ontario Feed-in Tariff program be improved?
• What will your party do to stabilize investor confidence, which has been destabilized leading up to the election?
• How do you see the energy system taking shape and benefitting Ontarians in the near and distant future?

If you have a question that you would like to ask, please e-mail your question to nicole@ontario-sea.org two (2) full workdays prior to the date of the interview. Please see deadlines below. Questions receive after the deadlines will not be considered.

Schedule:

Tuesday, August 2^nd, 3 pm Interview with Hon. Minister Brad Duguid, Energy Minister of Ontario

Interviewed by Kristopher Stevens, Executive Director, Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

Question Submission Deadline: Thursday, July 28, 10 am

Thursday, August 4^th, 11 am Interview with Mr. Peter Tabuns, Energy Critic, New Democratic Party of Ontario

Interviewed by Kristopher Stevens, Executive Director, Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

Question Submission Deadline: Tuesday, August 2, 11 am

Tuesday, August 9^th, 10 am Interview with Mr. Mike Schreiner, Party Leader, Green Party of Ontario

Interviewed by Kristopher Stevens, Executive Director, Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

Mr. Schreiner has agreed to take live questions from the audience during the interview. 

[Cancelled] Interview with Mr. John Yakabuski, Energy Critic, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

Interviewed by Mike Richmond, Lawyer, McMillan LLP

Question Submission Deadline: 48 hours prior to the event

Letter from the OSEA ED, Kristopher Stevens, in response to Mr. Yakabuski's withdrawl:

Dear OSEA Supporter

It is with sadness and disappointment that I inform you that Conservative energy critic Mr. John Yakubuski has withdrawn from participating in OSEA’s Future of the FIT political webinar series. Several months ago Mr. Yakabuski’s office indicated that he would participate in a one on one interview with OSEA regarding his party’s policy on conservation and renewable energy if elected. After weeks of delays, further promises of participation, offers on my behalf to travel to my home riding of Renfrew-Nipissing to interview him and a variety of other efforts to ensure that you would hear from all four parties he has cancelled his participation. 

Silence sometimes speaks louder than words.  We are left to assume that the Conservative party has no plan for conservation, community-based renewables, the private sector or manufacturing beyond killing what has been heralded as the most progressive energy policy in North America. 

It would be great if Mr. Hudak or Yakabuski could provide us with their plan and prove this assumption wrong. Made in Ontario solutions, clean energy and good jobs are at risk.  Please be sure to get informed by visiting our election preparedness kit, joining us on September 24th for the province-wide "doors open" Green Energy Field Day (www.WattsNEXT.ca) and by asking your candidates if they support the Green Energy Act and the benefits it is providing your community, you and our children.  Come election day be sure to vote and and make the choice for a cleaner, greener and more prosperous Ontario.

Thank you for your interest in the political webinar series.  Please join us for our upcoming webinar line-up on the Future of the FIT and solar, a manufacturers perspective and more.

Regards,
Kristopher Stevens
Executive Director 
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association