Harper as Canada's Nero: Nero fiddled while Rome burned, Harper fiddles while the Arctic melts

VANCOUVER – The Green Party is criticizing Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Arctic trip as a publicity stunt that is low on substantial measures to improve emergency infrastructure, drinking water safety and protect the North from climate change.

“If the Prime Minister was truly concerned with protecting Arctic sovereignty, his top priority would be addressing the climate crisis and stopping the rapid loss of ice at the poles,” said Green Party leader Elizabeth May. “But instead, Mr. Harper is allowing emissions to rise and plans to let big oil and gas companies drill in the melting North. The Arctic is our common heritage and drilling for oil in this fragile environment is unacceptable.”

Ms. May said that protecting the North also means assisting territorial governments with climate adaptation measures.

“The Harper government must wake up and recognize that Canada’s territories will need millions in funding for adaptation programs as climate-related threats to Northern infrastructure become more severe. As the climate crisis worsens, we can expect melting winter roads, collapsing land due to melting permafrost and host of other problems. Ignoring the climate crisis will not make it go away, but we can help mitigate the effects by having adaptation plans in place.”

Ensuring the safety of drinking water for First Nations communities is a Green Party priority, Ms. May said, as are more icebreakers and better service for emergencies in airports for flights traveling over the North.

“The Harper government has taken Canada backwards,” said Ms. May. “Eliminating the position of Ambassador for the Circumpolar North, cutting climate program funding, relaxing regulations on dumping of ship waste in the Arctic and canceling the procurement of Coast Guard vessels and planes for search and rescue do not advance the goal of Arctic sovereignty.

“The Green Party would protect Canada’s interests by improving infrastructure, addressing environmental threats and collaborating with all key stakeholders and other circumpolar nations on an Arctic strategy that recognizes the complexity of issues in the region.”