Member’s Statement: Green Energy Sector Opportunities

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to note that the Premier met with the new governor of Massachusetts earlier this week.  There is much to learn from Massachusetts.  His predecessor Deval Patrick put in place an economic strategy to reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels.  Early in his first term the Governor brought in the Green Jobs Act, the Green Communities Act and the Global Warming Solutions Act which ignited a clean energy revolution.  Today, there is a clean energy sector in his state representing a $10 billion industry with 88,372 jobs in 5,985 firms, 2/3rds of which are small business.  We would do well to go down the same road to green prosperity.Thank you Mr. Speaker.