Those who listened to Cross-Country Check-up on CBC a week ago may have heard Prime Minister Paul Martin refer to a new report by Dogwood Initiative founder, and current advisor, David R. Boyd, Sustainability Within A Generation.

David wrote the report for the David Suzuki Foundation, and David Suzuki had passed it on to the Prime Minister. At a panel discussion about oil and gas and British Columbia’s coast last night, David Suzuki told the audience that Paul Martin has stated he will not dismantle the fossil fuel industry in Canada–halt the tar sands work, stop new pipelines.

This news will surprise no one. The Prime Minister has, however, stated he intends to boost sustainable energy production, not just to a level playing field with the fossil fuel industry, but so that sustainable alternatives have an advantage.

It remains to be seen how this vision pans out, and whether the government gets behind the vision in David R. Boyd’s report, but it is encouraging to hear such a positive statement about a necessary goal.