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Notes for remarks

by

The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of the Environment

Ontario Health Association HealthAchieve2005 Conference and Exhibition (Toronto)
“Recognizing Green Health Care Accomplishments”

InterContinental Toronto Centre
Toronto, ON
Tuesday, November 1, 2005

Good morning everyone and thank you. As much as I would like to be with you in person today, I’m pleased that technology allows me to send along my greetings.

Congratulations on another great year.

It means a lot to me to play a small role today in presenting the 2005 Green Health Care Awards.

I feel strongly that we are all winners as a result of your achievements.

How fortunate you are to have Dr. Suzuki as your keynote speaker. When David spoke at the Shared Air Summit which I co-hosted with Premier McGuinty last June, I found him both enlightening and prescient.

Dr. Suzuki talks about our unique potential we all have to look into the future and avert danger – to anticipate imminent threats.

Foresight is key in life – we have learned this the hard way in terms of our environment.

As the new Environment Minister, I am proud to be part of a government that is working proactively to lay the foundations for an environmentally healthy and prosperous future for all Ontarians.

We have an ambitious plan for the province.

We recently set tough new standards for 40 airborne toxins -- the biggest move on this file in 25 years.

We capped the largest industrial sources of smog-causing emissions.

We are closing coal-fired electricity plants and replacing them with energy conservation and cleaner, greener sources.

We created the Greenbelt, a blow against urban sprawl.

And this fall, we’ll introduce important new legislation that will protect drinking water from source to tap.

Foresight and vision also characterize the work of today’s winners.

Whether it’s through energy conservation, waste reduction or cutting emissions to our water and air, you are helping make our resources sustainable for the health and well-being of future generations.

On behalf of Premier Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario government, I congratulate you.

We all know that a clean environment is fundamental to our health. It’s people like today’s award recipients, and organizations like yours, that are making real, significant progress toward our goals.

Thank you again and my best wishes to all of you.

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