The leader of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Conservatives says there needs to be a conversation about nuclear powerB次元官网网址檚 role in the provinceB次元官网网址檚 energy future and a review of educational materials he says are designed for B次元官网网址渋ndoctrinationB次元官网网址� of children.

John Rustad, speaking on an episode of Canadian psychologist Jordan PetersonB次元官网网址檚 podcast released Monday, says he also wants to get rid of the carbon levy, which he calls B次元官网网址渁 vain attempt to change the weather.B次元官网网址�

In the episode, which runs just over an hour and 45 minutes, Rustad and Peterson discuss a variety of topics including his revival of the B.C. Conservative Party as an election contender, energy and education policy, and what they call B次元官网网址渃ancel culture.B次元官网网址�

Rustad says B.C.B次元官网网址檚 education system is B次元官网网址渢eaching kids what to thinkB次元官网网址� rather than how to think critically, and some materials in the system are B次元官网网址渄esigned for more of an indoctrinationB次元官网网址� than teaching kids important skills.

The party leader also says it was B次元官网网址渃razyB次元官网网址� for the former B.C. Liberal party to have banned nuclear power, saying the province needs to have B次元官网网址渁 conversationB次元官网网址� about reconsidering its position, tying high energy costs to lower living standards.

Rustad said the ban was B次元官网网址渂ecause of politicsB次元官网网址� and a means of chasing votes, and that B.C. will eventually need more power and be open to nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors.

Rustad was a member of the B.C. Liberals, now known as BC United, until he was thrown out of the party caucus for downplaying the role of humans in climate change.

The B.C. Conservative PartyB次元官网网址檚 slate of candidates remains in flux after BC United leader Kevin Falcon last week pulled the party out of the race, urging people to support Rustad to defeat David EbyB次元官网网址檚 NDP in the provincial election in October.

Rustad, who spoke to Peterson before the BC United withdrawal, says B.C. needs to learn its energy lessons from places such as Germany, where he says the decommissioning of nuclear plants meant a heavier reliance on fossil fuels that drove up costs and affected peopleB次元官网网址檚 quality of life.

He also takes aim at renewable energy technology such as solar panels, wind generators and heat pumps, saying that such devices are not reliable enough to support base load electricity demand or consumption.

B次元官网网址淲ind and solar have their place, but they are additives to our energy mix,B次元官网网址� Rustad says. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e not base load. They canB次元官网网址檛 be base load.

B次元官网网址淲here you can drive down the cost is higher-density energy B次元官网网址� When you look at uranium, the amount of energy you can generate out of uranium is phenomenally better from an amount of material you need as opposed to the other products,B次元官网网址� Rustad says.

Rustad also calls the BC LiberalsB次元官网网址� previous decision to ban nuclear power in the province was an example of politicians who B次元官网网址渃hase where they think the vote is as opposed to standing on the principles B次元官网网址� that are needed to create a good society and quality of life.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淥ften, itB次元官网网址檚 not necessarily politics of the right or the left,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just politics that is willing to actually stand up and say these are the values that we stand for B次元官网网址� and ask people to support that, make the case as opposed to trying to pander to the various political positionings.B次元官网网址�

Rustad says the current B.C. power grid is almost completely green B次元官网网址渋f you consider hydro power green,B次元官网网址� but the province doesnB次元官网网址檛 have enough and is already a net-importer of electricity with no plans to build additional dams.

B次元官网网址淎nd this is where we actually have to start having that conversation about nuclear, whether itB次元官网网址檚 small modular reactors or other types of nuclear technology,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to need that power in British Columbia.B次元官网网址�

On the carbon levy, Rustad says B次元官网网址渋t makes no sense whatsoeverB次元官网网址� to be B次元官网网址渢axing people into poverty.B次元官网网址�

He adds that such a charge adds costs to goods from B.C. and Canada that make exports less competitive globally, further cutting into CanadiansB次元官网网址� capacity to generate wealth.