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Opening Plenary
Welcome and Opening Prayer
The Honourable Stephen Owen, Secretary of State
Secretary of State Stephen Owen welcomed participants and introduced lead facilitator Charles Holmes. Secretary of State Owen also recognized the First Nations on whose traditional territories the meeting was being hosted, and invited Musqueam Elder Mary Charles to open the program with a traditional prayer.
Elder Mary Charles, accompanied by her granddaughter, welcomed all delegates and shared a traditional prayer, calling for unity, strength, and success in making the world a better place for all to live.
Opening Remarks
The Honourable Stephen Owen, Secretary of State
Secretary of State Stephen Owen welcomed Prime Minister-designate Paul Martin to the Western Canadian Environmental Technology Forum, saying, “I can think of no public issue of greater importance to the future of our planet.”
After introducing Environment Minister David Anderson and Members of Parliament Hedy Fry and Sophia Leung, Secretary of State Owen explained that this session represented one step in a discussion that had been ongoing since June 2003 and that will continue in the future.
He described meeting the Prime Minister-designate many years ago when Mr. Martin was the Opposition Environment Critic, and being challenged to consider the links between environmental integrity, social equity, and economic development. Secretary of State Owen quoted Ghandi as saying that leaders are first ignored, then ridiculed, then opposed, and then followed. “Those who follow you will be the beneficiaries of your work,” he told delegates.
He also cited a major finding in Porter’s study of competitiveness, which was that countries with high environmental standards have more competitive industries. Industries are more flexible, innovative, and leaner, and they inoculate themselves against environmental protest. High standards spur the development of environmental technology, which in turn creates new spin-off industries. “This field represents an intersection of self-interest and altruism,” Secretary of State Owen said.
He reminded delegates of three priorities identified by the future Prime Minister: Canada must take a global leadership role, sustainable development is imperative, and Western Canada will have a full role in Canadian political leadership.
Addressing the moral side of environmental technology, Secretary of State Owen noted that it is the world’s most vulnerable people, along with our children and grandchildren, who will suffer the worst consequences of environmental degradation.
Secretary of State Owen also spoke of transitions. One transition happening globally is the move to a post-hydrocarbon era. This transition will be driven by resource depletion, by the relative costs of new technologies, or by market demand, as users boycott items seen as responsible for environmental degradation. “Remember that the Stone Age didn’t end because we ran out of stones,” he remarked.
Another transition of particular importance to western provinces is a shift from resource-based to technology-based industries. This does not mean that resource industries are sunset industries, but they will change to incorporate high technology.
A third transition relates to water scarcity. While this is less obvious in Canada, reports on retreating glaciers indicate that this change is underway.
If people are not moved by moral imperatives or convinced of the rapidity of these changes, then they should be convinced by the $750 billion, and rapidly rising, market for environmental technologies.
In closing, Secretary of State Owen referred to upcoming opportunities, such as the 2006 World Urban Forum being hosted by Canada in Vancouver. Many participants will have their work featured in 2006 as demonstration projects for urban environmental sustainability.