The leader of B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Conservatives says there needs to be a conversation about nuclear power害羞草研究所檚 role in the province害羞草研究所檚 energy future and a review of educational materials he says are designed for 害羞草研究所渋ndoctrination害羞草研究所� of children.

John Rustad, speaking on an episode of Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson害羞草研究所檚 podcast released Monday, says he also wants to get rid of the carbon levy, which he calls 害羞草研究所渁 vain attempt to change the weather.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所渃ancel culture.害羞草研究所�

Rustad says B.C.害羞草研究所檚 education system is 害羞草研究所渢eaching kids what to think害羞草研究所� rather than how to think critically, and some materials in the system are 害羞草研究所渄esigned for more of an indoctrination害羞草研究所� than teaching kids important skills.

The party leader also says it was 害羞草研究所渃razy害羞草研究所� for the former B.C. Liberal party to have banned nuclear power, saying the province needs to have 害羞草研究所渁 conversation害羞草研究所� about reconsidering its position, tying high energy costs to lower living standards.

Rustad said the ban was 害羞草研究所渂ecause of politics害羞草研究所� 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 Party害羞草研究所檚 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 Eby害羞草研究所檚 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 people害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淲ind and solar have their place, but they are additives to our energy mix,害羞草研究所� Rustad says. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e not base load. They can害羞草研究所檛 be base load.

害羞草研究所淲here you can drive down the cost is higher-density energy 害羞草研究所� 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,害羞草研究所� Rustad says.

Rustad also calls the BC Liberals害羞草研究所� previous decision to ban nuclear power in the province was an example of politicians who 害羞草研究所渃hase where they think the vote is as opposed to standing on the principles 害羞草研究所� that are needed to create a good society and quality of life.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淥ften, it害羞草研究所檚 not necessarily politics of the right or the left,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just politics that is willing to actually stand up and say these are the values that we stand for 害羞草研究所� and ask people to support that, make the case as opposed to trying to pander to the various political positionings.害羞草研究所�

Rustad says the current B.C. power grid is almost completely green 害羞草研究所渋f you consider hydro power green,害羞草研究所� but the province doesn害羞草研究所檛 have enough and is already a net-importer of electricity with no plans to build additional dams.

害羞草研究所淎nd this is where we actually have to start having that conversation about nuclear, whether it害羞草研究所檚 small modular reactors or other types of nuclear technology,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to need that power in British Columbia.害羞草研究所�

On the carbon levy, Rustad says 害羞草研究所渋t makes no sense whatsoever害羞草研究所� to be 害羞草研究所渢axing people into poverty.害羞草研究所�

He adds that such a charge adds costs to goods from B.C. and Canada that make exports less competitive globally, further cutting into Canadians害羞草研究所� capacity to generate wealth.