Green Party candidate Kara Flannigan is pictured in this 2015 file photo. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday

Supplied by the Sault Ste. Marie Green Party Constituency Association…
Sault Greens Say No Subsidies for Polluters

(Sault Ste. Marie) The Sault Ste. Marie Green Party constituency
association met in an informal gathering to discuss ideas for
the provincial election slated for June 7th. In a friendly and
wide-ranging discussion, members shared ideas for green economic
development, and for how to promote community resiliency in the face of
a changing climate.

During discussion of the proposed chromite smelter, Greens agreed that the
city of Sault Ste. Marie should not be courting this project by offering
any sort of tax subsidies, tax holidays, or similar incentives.

“The Green Party locally, provincially, federally, and indeed
world-wide, is fiscally conservative, socially progressive, and
environmentally responsible,” explained CA president Kathie Brosemer.
“What being fiscally conservative looks like is not supporting polluting
corporations using tax dollars – whether outright handouts or tax
breaks.”

Kara Flannigan, who has carried the Green banner federally and
provincially in the last three local elections, was outspoken on the
matter. “We don’t go begging for pollution. Locating a smelter here in Sault Ste.
Marie will have pros and cons. We are calling on the mayor and officials of Sault
Ste. Marie, when responding to Noront’s submission deadline of February 2, 2018, not
to offer tax incentives. Local taxpayers should not pay polluters.”

Local Greens will be meeting regularly over the next months, to prepare
for the election. Officers invite all interested Sault residents to
follow us on Facebook and come out to meetings to find out more about
our platform.