May 31, 2022
Story by Tim FitzGerald
Erik Cloverdale is the newest neighbour of our Rotarian Dolf Wynia, residing in Walsingham, and his guest at lunch today.
Erik is the GPO (Green Party of Ontario) candidate running for MPP of Haldimand and Norfolk in this week's provincial election.
A person of diverse interests, he is an engineer by trade working in the arena of solar panel and electrical distribution, a director of a company in the Puslinch area - interests include a motorcycle, being an air plane pilot and boating on Long Point Bay.
Erik's platform is understanding the necessity for sustainable energy. Energy sustainability is not an overnight solution. However, the lifetime "unit of power" cost of solar energy is now reaching or at par with traditional nuclear, coal, gas and hydro.
Our agricultural community pushed back on the actions of previous Liberal governments who bypassed municipalities and saw large solar taking prime farmland out of production (forever). Erik agreed! Other countries have both legislated and incentivised micro solar production to be tapped into the electricity grid - these policies should be pursued.
In our international world, Erik's advised that his company builds solar panels, President Trump put a tariff on solar panels, President Biden said he would reverse it - but didn't; so it appears to the layman that fewer solar projects are being built in the US - neither green nor a sustainable path.
What of political party promises? One political party promises to hire 100,000 nurses to fill the health care services. However, there aren't 100,000 nurses available. Rather sustainability suggests funding/building nursing schools which can educate and graduate, say, 60,000 new nurses on a sustainable basis.
Erik we wish you well.