Harper Government's Ploy--Using Obama as Cover to Avoid Climate Action: Transparent Negligence

OTTAWA--Conservatives refuse to act on climate change yet again, with Environment Minister Jim Prentice announcing that Canada will have to wait for regulations to cut our greenhouse gas emissions until the United States takes action.  Breaking their promise that regulations would be ready by the end of 2008 and implemented in 2010, Prentice now points to 2012 as the target date.  

"Canada's perpetual failure to deliver on commitments makes it increasingly difficult to catch up with other nations and harms our international reputation.  Alone among the G8 countries, we are missing the chance to direct stimulus spending to renewables, passenger and high-speed rail, and energy efficiency," said Green Leader Elizabeth May.  "Even the burgeoning developing world economies are doing far more than we are. China is spending $600 billion on Green technologies and will be far ahead of us as we wait to see what the US will do.  This is appallingly irresponsible."

This December, Canada will attend the meeting in Copenhagen where countries will develop a follow up plan for when the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012.
Canada's previous commitment of reducing greenhouses gas emissions by 20% over 14 years, starting in 2006, was already seen by many to be an extremely weak goal.  "We aren't even trying to meet the weak targets that have been set.  Canadians need to demand to know what our position will be at the Copenhagen negotiations. Arriving in Copenhagen with the current Harper government plans will compromise our reputation as a leader in the global economy," said Lisa Fox, Environment Critic for the Greens.

The Green Party charges that the Harper government's approach is a transparent attempt to avoid ever doing anything that might impede expansion in the tar sands.  "Prentice's facile comment that 2012 is "not that far away" shows the Harper government's complete disregard for the urgency of the climate crisis and complete lack of respect for the wishes of Canadians who want the government to stop stalling," said Ms. May.

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Contact:
Michael Bernard
Communications Officer
Green Party of Canada
613-562-4916 ext. 244
(c) 613-614-4916
michael.bernard@greenparty.ca