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

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

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 含羞草研究社渃ancel culture.含羞草研究社�

Rustad says B.C.含羞草研究社檚 education system is 含羞草研究社渢eaching kids what to think含羞草研究社� rather than how to think critically, and some materials in the system are 含羞草研究社渄esigned for more of an indoctrination含羞草研究社� than teaching kids important skills.

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

Rustad said the ban was 含羞草研究社渂ecause of politics含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淲ind and solar have their place, but they are additives to our energy mix,含羞草研究社� Rustad says. 含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e not base load. They can含羞草研究社檛 be base load.

含羞草研究社淲here you can drive down the cost is higher-density energy 含羞草研究社� 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,含羞草研究社� Rustad says.

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

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

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

含羞草研究社淎nd this is where we actually have to start having that conversation about nuclear, whether it含羞草研究社檚 small modular reactors or other types of nuclear technology,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e going to need that power in British Columbia.含羞草研究社�

On the carbon levy, Rustad says 含羞草研究社渋t makes no sense whatsoever含羞草研究社� to be 含羞草研究社渢axing people into poverty.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社� capacity to generate wealth.