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Premier Campbell Speaks to California State Assembly

August 12, 2010

Sacramento, Ca - Premier Gordon Campbell was given an unprecedented opportunity to speak to the California State Assembly this morning to discuss climate action and California’s partnership with British Columbia. Following is a transcript and video of Premier Campbell’s address.


“Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and thank all of the Assembly members for that welcome. It is truly an honour to be here in the Assembly of the State of California, an assembly that’s done so much to create hope, to act on the vision that you have for a future of a clean, healthy environment that generates jobs and opportunity across your communities, across your state and, indeed, across your country.

“I want to thank the Speaker. I want to thank all of you for the actions that you have taken because so often it is easy to talk about what we should do and bow to what is easy, as opposed to what is right. Each of you has acted with AB 32 particularly to create a foundation upon which the rest of the continent indeed has been standing. In British Columbia we acted with California because of the generosity of spirit of the people of California, the Governor of California, the Assembly.

“We were invited to be part of the Western Climate Initiative. We were the first Canadian province to join that. We now have four Canadian provinces in the Western Climate initiative representing over 60 per cent of our gross domestic product. Those provinces believe that a strong environment is what will lead to a strong economy. Indeed, without a strong environmental policy we will not have the strong economic opportunities that should exist for all of us.

“When you decided it was important for you to have appropriate air emissions standards for our automobile industry you welcomed our partnership, and indeed every province in Canada now embraces California’s initiative, your leadership, your vision and your actions.

“So for me to have the opportunity to come here to be with you today is a true honour for me and I really, truly have two words for you. Thank you. Thank you for your vision, thank you for your leadership, and thank you for including British Columbia, Canada in the partnership of creating a 21st century that our children and our grandchildren will be proud of.

 “It’s not what we say; it’s what we do. President Kennedy once said the history and our own conscience will judge us harsher if we do not put to test our hopes by actions. And as Goethe once said: “Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” I thank you for your boldness. I thank the Speaker and the Assembly for taking the steps that are necessary to create the Pacific century where California, British Columbia lead the United States and Canada into a new century of opportunity, a cleaner century, a healthier century, one where we improve and restore the quality of our environment as opposed to take it away.

“It’s an honour to be with you. I invite you all to come and visit us in British Columbia, discover the connections that we have in energy and electricity, clean environmental electricity. Low carbon economies are part of our future. We are hopefully part of California’s future as we move ahead together.

“Thank you very much. Good luck with your deliberations.”

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Premier Campbell Speaks to California State Assembly
Premier Gordon Campbell was given an unprecedented opportunity to speak to the California State Assembly this morning to discuss climate action and California’s partnership with British Columbia. Following is a transcript of Premier Campbell’s address.
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Authorized By Jim Pipe, Financial Agent BC Liberal Party.
Tel: 604.606.6000, 1.800.567.2257