Showing posts with label Conservative environmental policy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Conservative environmental policy. Show all posts
Monday, June 11, 2012
Opposition makes hundreds of amendments to "Frankentstein" Conservative budget bill
The official opposition the New Democrats, the Liberals, and the lone Green Party member submitted hundreds of amendments to the majority Conservative government's budget bill. The budget bill which the opposition has called a Frankenstein bill goes far beyond financial matters and setting forth the budget.
There is a huge revamping of environmental laws. The changers are streamlining according to the Conservatives but to the opposition they weaken environmental laws and rush through approvals to please industry. There are also changes to oversight of the security apparatus, changes to eligibility for social security and unemployment insurance and on and on.
The opposition asked that the bill be split. In particular they wanted the legislation on environmental policy changes to be separate so it could be debated and voted on separately. However the Conservatives have a majority and use it to push through whatever they want however they want to do it.
The speaker of the house Andrew Scheer grouped amendments that were similar together. He said:“I have made every effort to respect both the wishes of the House and my responsibility to organize the consideration of report stage motions in a fair and balanced manner,”
Bill C 38 the budget bill is 425 pages long. The sole Green Party member and leader Elizabeth May introduced more than 300 amendments. She is particularly concerned with changes to environmental policy.
In total the opposition made 871 motions and amendments. The bill changes more than 70 different laws many having nothing to do with the budget. By bunching the motions and amendments together Sheer has managed to reduce the votes required to a minimum of 67 and the maximum number to 159.
Originally it was predicted that voting would take days but now it can all be done it is predicted in one marathon day. For much more see this Globe and Mail article.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Cleaning up contaminated sites to cost 7.7 billion
Scott Vaughan the Canadian environment commissioner says that the bill to cleanup contaminated sites owned by the federal government will be about 7.7 billions dollars. The government has made progress. It has cleaned up 9,000 sites across Canada. However, 13,000 still remain to be decontaminated.
Vaughan said of the remaining sites: "Many of these sites are buried and out of the public eye, but they will impose human health risks and environmental and financial burdens for generations to come." Vaughan's report also dealt with other issues including the government's 2020 target of having greenhouse gases 17 per cent below 2005.
Vaughan points out: “Environment Canada’s own forecast shows that in 2020, Canada’s emissions will be seven per cent above the 2005 level, not 17 percent below it,” Regulations are being drawn up for each sector. Even those three that have been written do not come into effect until 2015. There are no regulations even written yet for the oil and gas sector. These are the fastest growing emitters of greenhouse gases. For much more see this article.
Friday, January 23, 2009
NDP: Conservative draft bill would weaken environmental regulations
No doubt if it can get away with it the Conservative govt. will argue that changes to environmental regulations can be justified on the grounds that it will save money and promote economic development. It remains to be seen what position the Liberals will take on the environment. So far the party has dropped the Green Shift and Ignatieff goes about talking about what a great gusher the Oil Sands if for the Canadian economy.
Conservative draft bill would weaken environmental regulations: NDP
Last Updated: Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:02 PM ET
CBC News
A leaked federal government memo suggests the Conservatives plan to water down environmental laws in order to make it easier to approve infrastructure projects, the NDP said Thursday.
According to NDP environment critic Linda Duncan, the leaked document suggests the government plans to present a draft bill to Parliament in the spring that would eliminate environmental assessments on projects valued at less than $10 million and that occur on federal lands.
It would also give provinces the option to carry out their own environmental reviews instead of using federal scientists, says the NDP.
"The Harper government is trying to say you can't have economic development and environmental protection," said Duncan.
The NDP also claims the proposed changes would weaken federal oversight of environmental impact assessments under the federal Environmental Assessment Act, brought in by the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney in 1992. Mulroney was crowned the greenest PM in a 2006 survey by Corporate Knights magazine of high-profile environmentalists and others.
"In one blow of the pen, the federal government is going to undermine the effective consultative work established in the 1980s to have a clear role for the assessment of major projects," said Duncan.
The Environment Department suggests the proposed new law would have stronger enforcement mechanisms and clearer lines of accountability.
A federal spokesperson dismissed the suggestion that the government would simply abandon environmental assessments. But she would not comment on the government's plans.
"We do recognize the importance of protecting the environment," Lucille Jamault of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency told the Canadian Press.
"There is no bill before the Parliament at this time, and no final decisions have been made."
Not opposed to quick spending
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said next Tuesday's federal budget will contain spending measures to stimulate the faltering economy, including money for infrastructure projects.
The NDP is not opposed to making sure the infrastructure money is spent quickly to stimulate the economy, said Duncan.
"Our stance is, let's use a good part of … the federal infrastructure monies to protect the environment, to move forward in developing cleaner energy sources," she said.
Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green party, also urged Harper to include green investments in the budget Thursday.
"Don't use the economy as an excuse to gut environmental protection," she said.With files from the Canadian Press
Conservative draft bill would weaken environmental regulations: NDP
Last Updated: Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:02 PM ET
CBC News
A leaked federal government memo suggests the Conservatives plan to water down environmental laws in order to make it easier to approve infrastructure projects, the NDP said Thursday.
According to NDP environment critic Linda Duncan, the leaked document suggests the government plans to present a draft bill to Parliament in the spring that would eliminate environmental assessments on projects valued at less than $10 million and that occur on federal lands.
It would also give provinces the option to carry out their own environmental reviews instead of using federal scientists, says the NDP.
"The Harper government is trying to say you can't have economic development and environmental protection," said Duncan.
The NDP also claims the proposed changes would weaken federal oversight of environmental impact assessments under the federal Environmental Assessment Act, brought in by the Conservative government of Brian Mulroney in 1992. Mulroney was crowned the greenest PM in a 2006 survey by Corporate Knights magazine of high-profile environmentalists and others.
"In one blow of the pen, the federal government is going to undermine the effective consultative work established in the 1980s to have a clear role for the assessment of major projects," said Duncan.
The Environment Department suggests the proposed new law would have stronger enforcement mechanisms and clearer lines of accountability.
A federal spokesperson dismissed the suggestion that the government would simply abandon environmental assessments. But she would not comment on the government's plans.
"We do recognize the importance of protecting the environment," Lucille Jamault of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency told the Canadian Press.
"There is no bill before the Parliament at this time, and no final decisions have been made."
Not opposed to quick spending
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said next Tuesday's federal budget will contain spending measures to stimulate the faltering economy, including money for infrastructure projects.
The NDP is not opposed to making sure the infrastructure money is spent quickly to stimulate the economy, said Duncan.
"Our stance is, let's use a good part of … the federal infrastructure monies to protect the environment, to move forward in developing cleaner energy sources," she said.
Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green party, also urged Harper to include green investments in the budget Thursday.
"Don't use the economy as an excuse to gut environmental protection," she said.With files from the Canadian Press
Monday, November 5, 2007
Canadians Still Want Canada Out of Afghanistan
This poll illustrates one thing: the answers depend upon the question asked. On the environment the question was:
a reaction to the Tory pledge to implement a national strategy to reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Of course this is almost a motherhood (pace radical feminists) issue. The question is by how much and within what time frame. Environmentalists and other critics would soon shoot down Tory hot air on the environment during a campaign. If Tory strategists take heart from this they are deluding themselves.
The Tories have managed to neutralise the Liberals on Afghanistan so they probably do not worry too much about that no matter if public opinion is against staying it cannot have any effect unless the dissenters decide to vote en masse for the NDP which is unlikely.
We have quite a bit of pro-military and patriotic clap trap about the Afghan mission a la US but it seems not to have worked well. It isnt working in the US either re the Iraq US mission. However in both cases the effect is almost nil on the ground. Canada is still in a combat role in Afghanistan and will be for over a year at least.
Canadians still want Canada out of Afghanistan
Updated Sun. Nov. 4 2007 2:46 PM ET
The Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- Soon after the Conservatives took office, government insiders fretted over potential political problems in two areas: Kyoto and Kandahar.
A new public opinion poll suggests they may be successfully neutralizing the former issue but are still struggling with the latter.
The Harris/Decima survey, released exclusively to The Canadian Press, found public reaction to those two issues at opposite ends of the spectrum when respondents were asked for their impressions of the recent throne speech.
People were asked to respond to 23 different aspects of the speech -- and the climate-change component garnered the best response, while the desire to extend the Afghan mission drew the worst reaction.
"The government has succeeded quite well in positioning itself as a government that wants to make some progress on the climate-change issue,'' said Harris/Decima president Bruce Anderson.
"On Afghanistan, it remains the case that people are uncomfortable with that mission.''
Ninety per cent of respondents expressed approval of the Tories' commitment to fight climate change -- 70 per cent said they approved and considered it a priority, while 20 per cent said they approved but felt it wasn't a top priority.
It is worth noting that the poll question did not mention two factors that would likely have driven those numbers down.
The new throne speech explicitly stated that Canada will never meet its Kyoto accord targets, and it also glosses over the fact that little is known about how the government actually intends to reduce greenhouse gases.
Respondents to the survey were simply asked for a reaction to the Tory pledge to implement a national strategy to reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Still, the reaction bodes well for the Tories and suggests there has been no public uproar over their environmental policies.
"I think the government's succeeded in giving people the sense that it wasn't just determined to walk away from Kyoto and not replace it with something else,'' Anderson said.
"The numbers are telling us that people are open-minded and hopeful that the government is going to show a strong set of environmental credentials going forward. To some degree, the negative that was attaching itself to the Conservative brand has been dissipated.''
Afghanistan could be more complicated.
Respondents were massively opposed to the preference stated in the throne speech: remaining in Afghanistan until 2011 in order to complete certain goals, rather than withdrawing in February 2009.
Only 15 per cent approved and called it a priority while another 19 per cent approved and called it a non- priority.
Another 60 per cent either mildly or strongly disapproved.
"While people would in some respects like an earlier exit even than February 2009, public opinion seems resigned to the fact that it'll be at least (until then),'' Anderson said.
"The numbers are telling us that for any government to try to push much beyond that -- there's going to be resistance. It's still probably the single biggest challenging issue that the Conservative party faces.''
The Tories have taken steps to protect themselves on the issue.
They have repeatedly promised that the final say on the mission will not belong to them but to Parliament -- which will be able to vote sometime in the next few months.
The government has also set up a task force, headed by Liberal John Manley, to offer advice on the mission.
Despite all that, the Liberals will certainly not refrain from campaigning on the issue if there's an election over the coming months.
They're already pointing out that, if the Tories had a majority government, any parliamentary vote would be sure to result in a mission extension.
Harris/Decima conducted the online poll of 2,044 respondents, from Oct. 19 to 28. The poll has a margin of error of two percentage points, 19 times out of 20
a reaction to the Tory pledge to implement a national strategy to reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Of course this is almost a motherhood (pace radical feminists) issue. The question is by how much and within what time frame. Environmentalists and other critics would soon shoot down Tory hot air on the environment during a campaign. If Tory strategists take heart from this they are deluding themselves.
The Tories have managed to neutralise the Liberals on Afghanistan so they probably do not worry too much about that no matter if public opinion is against staying it cannot have any effect unless the dissenters decide to vote en masse for the NDP which is unlikely.
We have quite a bit of pro-military and patriotic clap trap about the Afghan mission a la US but it seems not to have worked well. It isnt working in the US either re the Iraq US mission. However in both cases the effect is almost nil on the ground. Canada is still in a combat role in Afghanistan and will be for over a year at least.
Canadians still want Canada out of Afghanistan
Updated Sun. Nov. 4 2007 2:46 PM ET
The Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- Soon after the Conservatives took office, government insiders fretted over potential political problems in two areas: Kyoto and Kandahar.
A new public opinion poll suggests they may be successfully neutralizing the former issue but are still struggling with the latter.
The Harris/Decima survey, released exclusively to The Canadian Press, found public reaction to those two issues at opposite ends of the spectrum when respondents were asked for their impressions of the recent throne speech.
People were asked to respond to 23 different aspects of the speech -- and the climate-change component garnered the best response, while the desire to extend the Afghan mission drew the worst reaction.
"The government has succeeded quite well in positioning itself as a government that wants to make some progress on the climate-change issue,'' said Harris/Decima president Bruce Anderson.
"On Afghanistan, it remains the case that people are uncomfortable with that mission.''
Ninety per cent of respondents expressed approval of the Tories' commitment to fight climate change -- 70 per cent said they approved and considered it a priority, while 20 per cent said they approved but felt it wasn't a top priority.
It is worth noting that the poll question did not mention two factors that would likely have driven those numbers down.
The new throne speech explicitly stated that Canada will never meet its Kyoto accord targets, and it also glosses over the fact that little is known about how the government actually intends to reduce greenhouse gases.
Respondents to the survey were simply asked for a reaction to the Tory pledge to implement a national strategy to reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Still, the reaction bodes well for the Tories and suggests there has been no public uproar over their environmental policies.
"I think the government's succeeded in giving people the sense that it wasn't just determined to walk away from Kyoto and not replace it with something else,'' Anderson said.
"The numbers are telling us that people are open-minded and hopeful that the government is going to show a strong set of environmental credentials going forward. To some degree, the negative that was attaching itself to the Conservative brand has been dissipated.''
Afghanistan could be more complicated.
Respondents were massively opposed to the preference stated in the throne speech: remaining in Afghanistan until 2011 in order to complete certain goals, rather than withdrawing in February 2009.
Only 15 per cent approved and called it a priority while another 19 per cent approved and called it a non- priority.
Another 60 per cent either mildly or strongly disapproved.
"While people would in some respects like an earlier exit even than February 2009, public opinion seems resigned to the fact that it'll be at least (until then),'' Anderson said.
"The numbers are telling us that for any government to try to push much beyond that -- there's going to be resistance. It's still probably the single biggest challenging issue that the Conservative party faces.''
The Tories have taken steps to protect themselves on the issue.
They have repeatedly promised that the final say on the mission will not belong to them but to Parliament -- which will be able to vote sometime in the next few months.
The government has also set up a task force, headed by Liberal John Manley, to offer advice on the mission.
Despite all that, the Liberals will certainly not refrain from campaigning on the issue if there's an election over the coming months.
They're already pointing out that, if the Tories had a majority government, any parliamentary vote would be sure to result in a mission extension.
Harris/Decima conducted the online poll of 2,044 respondents, from Oct. 19 to 28. The poll has a margin of error of two percentage points, 19 times out of 20
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Suzuki versus Baird!
I suppose it is not surprising that Suzuki would rake Baird over the coals. It is interesting that Baird claims the Conservatives are ready to fight an election over the environment. It would seem risky to do this given the Conservative record and the constant withering criticism of their plans by environmentalists. However, the Liberal record is disastrous as well. Maybe the Conservatives think that this will neutralise the issue so that neither party will win many votes because of the environment. The issue may not have that much effect on the outcome after all if there is an election.
Suzuki confronts environment minister over green plan
Last Updated: Friday, April 27, 2007 | 8:22 PM ET
CBC News
Environment Minister John Baird defended his government's climate change plan Friday, which included fending off a public confrontation with Canada's best known environmentalist.
Environment Minister John Baird defends his government's climate change plan at the Green Living show in Toronto Friday.
(Peter Hadzipetros/CBC) Baird had just kicked off Toronto's consumer Green Living Show when he was approached by David Suzuki, who let the minister know what he thought of the government's plan.
"It's a disappointment, John," Suzuki said as he beat a path to the minister.
"You know what you promised was a long way from what you delivered."
Baird countered that "this is more action than any government in Canadian history has ever taken."
Continue Article
But Suzuki was not impressed, saying that it's not enough.
"He promised all kinds of great things and it's been a big disappointment to see what it is. It's all smoke and mirrors and what he's going to do is allow industry to continue to increase their emissions."
Environmentalist David Suzuki, right, talks to Environment Minister John Baird about the Conservative government's environmental plan.
(CBC) Suzuki later told CBC News the Conservatives' new plan is an embarrassment because it falls short of what is needed and what Canadians want.
"What the government is trying to do is give the illusion of movement by talking about reducing the intensity, and hard targets," he said.
"The reality is it's really a cover for allowing industry to increase its pollution, so it's not seriously addressing the emissions problem."
But Baird said the Conservatives' path to curbing greenhouse gas emissions is a "balanced" approach.
The plan, entitled Turning the Corner, calls on Canada to reduce its current greenhouse gas emissions by 150 million tonnes by 2020 and will require most industries in Canada to reduce greenhouse gases by 18 per cent by 2010.
Baird says he's ready for election on plan's merits
"We think we struck the right balance," Baird told CBC News on Friday. "This is a strong, balanced, and fair plan."
Baird said he was ready to go to an election on the plan's merits, but added it wasn't up to the government to decide.
"If the Liberals or the NDP want to take it to the people, that will be their call, not mine," he said.
Some industrial leaders have grudgingly accepted the plan, while opposition parties and environmental groups are slamming it.
The plan sees Canada reaching its Kyoto Protocol emissions targets between 2020 and 2025, instead of 2012 as laid out in the international plan to curb climate change.
Industry isn't facing hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions, but is asked to meet "intensity-based" targets, based on units of production.
This means companies must reduce the amount of emissions used to produce their individual products, but they don't have to reduce emissions overall. If a company ramps up its production, its total emissions can rise.
'Time to move forward'
Baird acknowledged environmentalists' demands Friday.
"In Canada, environmentalists have demanded perfection, yet nothing has happened," Baird said.
"It's time to move forward; our plan does that."
Baird again took aim at Stéphane Dion and the previous Liberal government for the delay in reaching its Kyoto targets, noting the Liberals allowed greenhouse gases to go up by 27 per cent while they were in power.
"I can't turn the hands of the clock back," he said. "I can't take responsibility for 13 years of inaction … but our government can take responsibility for taking action now."
Technology the 'real answer': Baird
Baird also said significant environmental and economic benefits would emerge through developing technologies such as carbon capturing.
"I think technology is going to be the real answer," he said.
The Conservatives estimate the plan will cost the Canadian economy between $7 billion and $8 billion a year at most, but not many jobs will be lost.
"Some in industry say it goes too far," Baird acknowledged.
The government says there will be benefits to implementing the plan. By 2015, it expects to save $6.4 billion in health-care costs because fewer people will be suffering from pollution-related illnesses.
The plan touches on emissions from cars, trucks and household appliances, but primarily the plan takes aim at industry, which accounts for nearly 50 per cent of Canada's total emissions.
Canada's industrial sector will be responsible for 40 per cent — or 60 million tonnes — of Canada's total 150-million-tonne greenhouse gas reduction.
Companies that were set up before 2004 will be required to cut back their greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent by 2010. After that, they have to reduce amounts by two per cent a year.
With files from the Canadian Press
Suzuki confronts environment minister over green plan
Last Updated: Friday, April 27, 2007 | 8:22 PM ET
CBC News
Environment Minister John Baird defended his government's climate change plan Friday, which included fending off a public confrontation with Canada's best known environmentalist.
Environment Minister John Baird defends his government's climate change plan at the Green Living show in Toronto Friday.
(Peter Hadzipetros/CBC) Baird had just kicked off Toronto's consumer Green Living Show when he was approached by David Suzuki, who let the minister know what he thought of the government's plan.
"It's a disappointment, John," Suzuki said as he beat a path to the minister.
"You know what you promised was a long way from what you delivered."
Baird countered that "this is more action than any government in Canadian history has ever taken."
Continue Article
But Suzuki was not impressed, saying that it's not enough.
"He promised all kinds of great things and it's been a big disappointment to see what it is. It's all smoke and mirrors and what he's going to do is allow industry to continue to increase their emissions."
Environmentalist David Suzuki, right, talks to Environment Minister John Baird about the Conservative government's environmental plan.
(CBC) Suzuki later told CBC News the Conservatives' new plan is an embarrassment because it falls short of what is needed and what Canadians want.
"What the government is trying to do is give the illusion of movement by talking about reducing the intensity, and hard targets," he said.
"The reality is it's really a cover for allowing industry to increase its pollution, so it's not seriously addressing the emissions problem."
But Baird said the Conservatives' path to curbing greenhouse gas emissions is a "balanced" approach.
The plan, entitled Turning the Corner, calls on Canada to reduce its current greenhouse gas emissions by 150 million tonnes by 2020 and will require most industries in Canada to reduce greenhouse gases by 18 per cent by 2010.
Baird says he's ready for election on plan's merits
"We think we struck the right balance," Baird told CBC News on Friday. "This is a strong, balanced, and fair plan."
Baird said he was ready to go to an election on the plan's merits, but added it wasn't up to the government to decide.
"If the Liberals or the NDP want to take it to the people, that will be their call, not mine," he said.
Some industrial leaders have grudgingly accepted the plan, while opposition parties and environmental groups are slamming it.
The plan sees Canada reaching its Kyoto Protocol emissions targets between 2020 and 2025, instead of 2012 as laid out in the international plan to curb climate change.
Industry isn't facing hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions, but is asked to meet "intensity-based" targets, based on units of production.
This means companies must reduce the amount of emissions used to produce their individual products, but they don't have to reduce emissions overall. If a company ramps up its production, its total emissions can rise.
'Time to move forward'
Baird acknowledged environmentalists' demands Friday.
"In Canada, environmentalists have demanded perfection, yet nothing has happened," Baird said.
"It's time to move forward; our plan does that."
Baird again took aim at Stéphane Dion and the previous Liberal government for the delay in reaching its Kyoto targets, noting the Liberals allowed greenhouse gases to go up by 27 per cent while they were in power.
"I can't turn the hands of the clock back," he said. "I can't take responsibility for 13 years of inaction … but our government can take responsibility for taking action now."
Technology the 'real answer': Baird
Baird also said significant environmental and economic benefits would emerge through developing technologies such as carbon capturing.
"I think technology is going to be the real answer," he said.
The Conservatives estimate the plan will cost the Canadian economy between $7 billion and $8 billion a year at most, but not many jobs will be lost.
"Some in industry say it goes too far," Baird acknowledged.
The government says there will be benefits to implementing the plan. By 2015, it expects to save $6.4 billion in health-care costs because fewer people will be suffering from pollution-related illnesses.
The plan touches on emissions from cars, trucks and household appliances, but primarily the plan takes aim at industry, which accounts for nearly 50 per cent of Canada's total emissions.
Canada's industrial sector will be responsible for 40 per cent — or 60 million tonnes — of Canada's total 150-million-tonne greenhouse gas reduction.
Companies that were set up before 2004 will be required to cut back their greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent by 2010. After that, they have to reduce amounts by two per cent a year.
With files from the Canadian Press
Friday, April 27, 2007
Moment of Truth for the Opposition?
This is typical rhetorical garbage from the National Post calling the opposition and environmentalist's names but it is true that it is time that the opposition stood up for what they supposedly believe and defeat the Conservatives on their environmental posturing. It is better for them to topple the government on this issue than on the many crime bills that they have lined up waiting to pass. Harper is busy lobbying cops to get out their nightsticks and lobby for his crime bills. Better for the opposition to get out their batons and beat the Conservatives on their environmental record. Of course the Liberals may have a bit of a credibility problem on the issue!
Moment of truth for opposition
Now that Kyoto is dead, do parties support new plan?
Don Martin
CanWest News Service
Friday, April 27, 2007
CREDIT: Peter Redman, National Post
Environment Minister John Baird unveils his "Turning the Corner" plan for pollution reduction yesterday in Toronto. The strategy calls for measures to stop the rise in greenhouse gas emissions within five years and cut them by 20% against current levels by 2020.
TORONTO - Let the green scream begin. Kyoto's targets for Canada are dead, the government's revamped clean air act is missing and the Alberta oilsands can expand without risk of suffocation by carbon-cut environmentalism.
But the big question stemming from the Conservatives' greenhouse gas attack released yesterday, which is less aggressive and more loopholed than expected, is whether it will trigger a non-confidence motion by furious opposition parties seizing on the plan as a proof of climate change in government denial.
There was no way the Harper government could win over wildly opposed special interests when it unleashed emission reduction plans against the nation's largest polluters.
So the Conservatives threw out a target -- a three-year, 18% emissions cut that will be hard to achieve for some, easy for others and give the most desperate a pass -- and called it their best compromise.
No imagination was required to predict environmentalists and opposition party critics would unleash a hysterical hissy fit against this, the final obituary for the first phase of emission targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Better luck in the next round after 2012, apparently.
This plan surrenders to the fact Canada would be unable to meet its treaty obligations without triggering an economic meltdown and proposes an alternative that will please nobody on many fronts.
For starters, it confines the hammer to "intensity" reductions, not a hard-capped cut. The end result would still see Canadian industry achieve actual reductions in a few years, but that won't appease a green movement demanding them immediately.
The price for those forced to buy carbon rights in lieu of curbing their own output has been set at a modest $15 per tonne initially, far below the $30 or so environmentalists demanded.
And then there's the Alberta "breathe easier" amendment, a three-year grace period for oilsands expansion and any other new industry before it has to engage modest curbs in gas output.
Still, this is no oilpatch cakewalk.
Officials said existing oil plants and refineries will be subject to the 6% annual emission rollback, evidently failing to qualify for an escape clause sparing industries from their obligation if meeting them would force a production shutdown.
That's a head scratcher. The plants scoop tar-soaked sand, cook it in gas-fired ovens and separate it into sand and heavy oil. Yet cement kilns -- which scoop limestone and cook it in gas-fired ovens to extract lime and cement -- were singled out for the special exemption.
Officials insisted the oilsands could clean up its act and switch to alternative energy sources (you can't build nuclear power plants overnight, ya know) to meet its targets. It doesn't seem right and they have cause to object, but the oilsands owners might want to get cracking on carbon sequestration pipelines to be safe.
For what my opinion's worth, the plan is the least flawed alternative for a government stuck on a tightrope between end-ofthe- world environmentalists and pivotal industries hooked on carbon discharge.
The economic tab is high-- up to $8 billion in some years -- but instead of the 6.5% plunge in economic output they envisioned under Kyoto, this scheme predicts a 0.5% wrist-slap to the GDP.
The plan's more aggressive hard-cap attack on air pollution fits with the Conservative preference to act for tangible benefits people understand. We see and
breathe air pollution. Greenhouse gases are invisible byproducts of processes like, um, human exhalings.
Are there weaknesses? Absolutely.
For starters, there's that carbon tax, which breaks a solemn Conservative vow to never inflict such an evil concept on Canadians in general and the oilpatch specifically.
There was a lot of denial over that label, of course, but a forced contribution to a technology fund from desperate industries unable to meet their obligations any other way makes that a carbon tax by another name.
Then there's the ongoing blitz of consultations, which used to be a Liberal specialty, before pollution controls and auto sector regulations are imposed. We have been told repeatedly that time for talking is over. So let's get walking.
For the opposition parties, they face a moment of truth. They've sworn allegiance to the Kyoto Protocol as a sacred cow, but the Conservatives have put it out to pasture for at least another 13 years.
They're now confronted by the option to put forward a vote of non-confidence to back up their principles -- or curl up in a fetal position and whimper as their beloved Kyoto turns into a belch of hot Canadian air.
© National Post 2007
Moment of truth for opposition
Now that Kyoto is dead, do parties support new plan?
Don Martin
CanWest News Service
Friday, April 27, 2007
CREDIT: Peter Redman, National Post
Environment Minister John Baird unveils his "Turning the Corner" plan for pollution reduction yesterday in Toronto. The strategy calls for measures to stop the rise in greenhouse gas emissions within five years and cut them by 20% against current levels by 2020.
TORONTO - Let the green scream begin. Kyoto's targets for Canada are dead, the government's revamped clean air act is missing and the Alberta oilsands can expand without risk of suffocation by carbon-cut environmentalism.
But the big question stemming from the Conservatives' greenhouse gas attack released yesterday, which is less aggressive and more loopholed than expected, is whether it will trigger a non-confidence motion by furious opposition parties seizing on the plan as a proof of climate change in government denial.
There was no way the Harper government could win over wildly opposed special interests when it unleashed emission reduction plans against the nation's largest polluters.
So the Conservatives threw out a target -- a three-year, 18% emissions cut that will be hard to achieve for some, easy for others and give the most desperate a pass -- and called it their best compromise.
No imagination was required to predict environmentalists and opposition party critics would unleash a hysterical hissy fit against this, the final obituary for the first phase of emission targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Better luck in the next round after 2012, apparently.
This plan surrenders to the fact Canada would be unable to meet its treaty obligations without triggering an economic meltdown and proposes an alternative that will please nobody on many fronts.
For starters, it confines the hammer to "intensity" reductions, not a hard-capped cut. The end result would still see Canadian industry achieve actual reductions in a few years, but that won't appease a green movement demanding them immediately.
The price for those forced to buy carbon rights in lieu of curbing their own output has been set at a modest $15 per tonne initially, far below the $30 or so environmentalists demanded.
And then there's the Alberta "breathe easier" amendment, a three-year grace period for oilsands expansion and any other new industry before it has to engage modest curbs in gas output.
Still, this is no oilpatch cakewalk.
Officials said existing oil plants and refineries will be subject to the 6% annual emission rollback, evidently failing to qualify for an escape clause sparing industries from their obligation if meeting them would force a production shutdown.
That's a head scratcher. The plants scoop tar-soaked sand, cook it in gas-fired ovens and separate it into sand and heavy oil. Yet cement kilns -- which scoop limestone and cook it in gas-fired ovens to extract lime and cement -- were singled out for the special exemption.
Officials insisted the oilsands could clean up its act and switch to alternative energy sources (you can't build nuclear power plants overnight, ya know) to meet its targets. It doesn't seem right and they have cause to object, but the oilsands owners might want to get cracking on carbon sequestration pipelines to be safe.
For what my opinion's worth, the plan is the least flawed alternative for a government stuck on a tightrope between end-ofthe- world environmentalists and pivotal industries hooked on carbon discharge.
The economic tab is high-- up to $8 billion in some years -- but instead of the 6.5% plunge in economic output they envisioned under Kyoto, this scheme predicts a 0.5% wrist-slap to the GDP.
The plan's more aggressive hard-cap attack on air pollution fits with the Conservative preference to act for tangible benefits people understand. We see and
breathe air pollution. Greenhouse gases are invisible byproducts of processes like, um, human exhalings.
Are there weaknesses? Absolutely.
For starters, there's that carbon tax, which breaks a solemn Conservative vow to never inflict such an evil concept on Canadians in general and the oilpatch specifically.
There was a lot of denial over that label, of course, but a forced contribution to a technology fund from desperate industries unable to meet their obligations any other way makes that a carbon tax by another name.
Then there's the ongoing blitz of consultations, which used to be a Liberal specialty, before pollution controls and auto sector regulations are imposed. We have been told repeatedly that time for talking is over. So let's get walking.
For the opposition parties, they face a moment of truth. They've sworn allegiance to the Kyoto Protocol as a sacred cow, but the Conservatives have put it out to pasture for at least another 13 years.
They're now confronted by the option to put forward a vote of non-confidence to back up their principles -- or curl up in a fetal position and whimper as their beloved Kyoto turns into a belch of hot Canadian air.
© National Post 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Opposition, environmentalist slam Tory greenhouse targets.
The Tories are doing everything possible to avoid actually presenting a bill on the environment that could be debated in parliament. I wonder if this could be because any bill they would wish to present would be defeated and there is no Conservative majority on the horizon as yet.
MPs, environmentalists slam greenhouse gas targets
Last Updated: Thursday, April 26, 2007 | 8:29 PM ET
CBC News
Opposition members of Parliament and environmentalists slammed the Tories' emission plan Thursday, saying the government has turned its back on Canada's international commitment to the Kyoto Protocol.
The new plan, which requires most of Canada's industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent in three years, means Canada will be at least eight years behind meeting its requirements.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said the Tories have abandoned Kyoto as well as Canadians.
"It's not a plan; it's a scam. There's no real effort to go somewhere where emissions will really go down … The clean-air part of their plan is a fake and the climate-change part of their plan is an abdication of our responsibility towards Kyoto."
NDP Leader Jack Layton said it was a "disappointing day.
"This won't get the job done. With this plan, we fall further behind our international obligations."
NDP Leader Jack Layton called on the Conservatives to take their proposals to the House of Commons for a vote.
(CBC)
He called on the Conservatives to take their proposals to the House of Commons for a vote.
Liberal environment critic David McGuinty said Thursday's announcement means the government is clearly saying it has abandoned Kyoto.
"Never has so much PR delivered so little," he said.
Because Canada will be in breach of the protocol, industry will not be allowed to engage in carbon trading on the international scene and that means emissions will continue to rise for at least another five years, McGuinty said.
"What we're seeing here is no absolute reductions, intensity-based reductions, which means it keeps on going up.
Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe called the plan deceptive and bad for Quebec.
He said Quebec industries have taken steps to cut greenhouse gas output, but won't be able to sell emission-reduction credits on the open market based on past achievements.
"Quebec will be penalized by that because we made efforts in the past. Those efforts are not really considered since there will be not such a thing as a [market] to exchange credits for those who made the efforts in the past."
Government 'on wrong side': wildlife interest
Keith Stewart of World Wildlife Fund Canada said there are flexibility mechanisms built into Kyoto that would allow Canada to meet the protocol, but the government is walking away from them.
"I don't think another decade of delay is anything that Canadians want, and I think the government's on the wrong side of the science and they are going to be on the wrong side of history."
John Bennett of ClimateForChange, a new Canadian environmental group, said the plan doesn't go far enough to deal with global warming.
"We were told this was their green plan, but what do we get? A few vague numbers, no hard targets … I am really shocked. I thought this plan would be tougher than this.
"They're not trying to deal with climate change."
He said industry will never meet the 18 per cent target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in three years.
"They're not going to make it. There's not enough teeth in the regulations for industry to meet it. The only tough thing about the plan will be selling it to Canadians."
MPs, environmentalists slam greenhouse gas targets
Last Updated: Thursday, April 26, 2007 | 8:29 PM ET
CBC News
Opposition members of Parliament and environmentalists slammed the Tories' emission plan Thursday, saying the government has turned its back on Canada's international commitment to the Kyoto Protocol.
The new plan, which requires most of Canada's industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent in three years, means Canada will be at least eight years behind meeting its requirements.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said the Tories have abandoned Kyoto as well as Canadians.
"It's not a plan; it's a scam. There's no real effort to go somewhere where emissions will really go down … The clean-air part of their plan is a fake and the climate-change part of their plan is an abdication of our responsibility towards Kyoto."
NDP Leader Jack Layton said it was a "disappointing day.
"This won't get the job done. With this plan, we fall further behind our international obligations."
NDP Leader Jack Layton called on the Conservatives to take their proposals to the House of Commons for a vote.
(CBC)
He called on the Conservatives to take their proposals to the House of Commons for a vote.
Liberal environment critic David McGuinty said Thursday's announcement means the government is clearly saying it has abandoned Kyoto.
"Never has so much PR delivered so little," he said.
Because Canada will be in breach of the protocol, industry will not be allowed to engage in carbon trading on the international scene and that means emissions will continue to rise for at least another five years, McGuinty said.
"What we're seeing here is no absolute reductions, intensity-based reductions, which means it keeps on going up.
Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe called the plan deceptive and bad for Quebec.
He said Quebec industries have taken steps to cut greenhouse gas output, but won't be able to sell emission-reduction credits on the open market based on past achievements.
"Quebec will be penalized by that because we made efforts in the past. Those efforts are not really considered since there will be not such a thing as a [market] to exchange credits for those who made the efforts in the past."
Government 'on wrong side': wildlife interest
Keith Stewart of World Wildlife Fund Canada said there are flexibility mechanisms built into Kyoto that would allow Canada to meet the protocol, but the government is walking away from them.
"I don't think another decade of delay is anything that Canadians want, and I think the government's on the wrong side of the science and they are going to be on the wrong side of history."
John Bennett of ClimateForChange, a new Canadian environmental group, said the plan doesn't go far enough to deal with global warming.
"We were told this was their green plan, but what do we get? A few vague numbers, no hard targets … I am really shocked. I thought this plan would be tougher than this.
"They're not trying to deal with climate change."
He said industry will never meet the 18 per cent target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in three years.
"They're not going to make it. There's not enough teeth in the regulations for industry to meet it. The only tough thing about the plan will be selling it to Canadians."
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Tories unveil new climate change targets
The Tories seem to be doing an end run around the revamped clean air act. As of yesterday they were still denying that the act was dead but the continual dribs and dabs of policy suggest that the revamped act is stillborn. Many of the amendments are simply unacceptable to the Tories.
Tories launch revamped climate change targets
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 | 10:28 AM ET
CBC News
Canada will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 150 million tonnes, or 20 per cent, by 2020, Environment Minister John Baird said Wednesday, in a speech launching the Conservatives' revamped climate change program.
Baird's highly anticipated announcement outlining the government's greenhouse gas targets for industry was expected in Toronto on Thursday.
But the minister was forced to release the speech in advance after it was mistakenly faxed Wednesday to Liberal environment critic David McGuinty.
Baird said the Tories intend to halt the rise of greenhouse gases in three to five years by forcing 700 of the largest industrial polluters in Canada to reduce their emissions.
"We need to do a U-turn," he said. "We don't want to replace 10 years of bad environmental policy with 10 years of bad economic policy.”
The plan, dubbed Turning the Corner, calls for industries to make in-house reductions, participate in domestic emissions trading, purchase energy offsets and invest in a technology fund.
It also pledges national fixed emissions caps for industrial pollutants to cut air pollution in half by 2015.
"If the Liberal government had instituted this plan in 1998 when they signed Kyoto, Canada would have achieved its emissions target," Baird said. "Canada would be at Kyoto today."
Inefficient bulbs banned by 2012
Baird's speech came as Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn announced the government would ban the sale of inefficient light bulbs by 2012
Lunn said the plan could see Canadians saving up to 4,000 megawatts of power a year, or up to $4 billion in energy costs.
The plan to phase out most incandescent bulbs follows a similar proposal announced recently by Ontario.
"We must have strong national standards to support provinces and territories that are making their own standards," Lunn said.
Compact fluorescent bulbs use around 75 per cent less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs, which will be banned in Europe beginning in 2009 and in 2010 in Australia.
Previous clean air bill in limbo
Baird's announcement comes after the Tories' previous emission targets bill — the clean air act introduced last fall and heavily reworked by opposition parties in committee — remains in limbo.
On Monday, Baird said the federal government was still weighing its response to the amendments and declined to say whether he will bring the altered bill before Parliament for a vote.
Last week, Baird warned a Senate environment committee of dire economic consequences if Canada were to meet its Kyoto promises on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
A private member's bill, introduced by Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez and passed by the Commons, calls for the federal government to honour Canada's commitment under the Kyoto treaty.
Baird said the Liberal bill was a "risky, reckless scheme" that would cost 275,000 Canadians their jobs by 2009
Tories launch revamped climate change targets
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 | 10:28 AM ET
CBC News
Canada will cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 150 million tonnes, or 20 per cent, by 2020, Environment Minister John Baird said Wednesday, in a speech launching the Conservatives' revamped climate change program.
Baird's highly anticipated announcement outlining the government's greenhouse gas targets for industry was expected in Toronto on Thursday.
But the minister was forced to release the speech in advance after it was mistakenly faxed Wednesday to Liberal environment critic David McGuinty.
Baird said the Tories intend to halt the rise of greenhouse gases in three to five years by forcing 700 of the largest industrial polluters in Canada to reduce their emissions.
"We need to do a U-turn," he said. "We don't want to replace 10 years of bad environmental policy with 10 years of bad economic policy.”
The plan, dubbed Turning the Corner, calls for industries to make in-house reductions, participate in domestic emissions trading, purchase energy offsets and invest in a technology fund.
It also pledges national fixed emissions caps for industrial pollutants to cut air pollution in half by 2015.
"If the Liberal government had instituted this plan in 1998 when they signed Kyoto, Canada would have achieved its emissions target," Baird said. "Canada would be at Kyoto today."
Inefficient bulbs banned by 2012
Baird's speech came as Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn announced the government would ban the sale of inefficient light bulbs by 2012
Lunn said the plan could see Canadians saving up to 4,000 megawatts of power a year, or up to $4 billion in energy costs.
The plan to phase out most incandescent bulbs follows a similar proposal announced recently by Ontario.
"We must have strong national standards to support provinces and territories that are making their own standards," Lunn said.
Compact fluorescent bulbs use around 75 per cent less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs, which will be banned in Europe beginning in 2009 and in 2010 in Australia.
Previous clean air bill in limbo
Baird's announcement comes after the Tories' previous emission targets bill — the clean air act introduced last fall and heavily reworked by opposition parties in committee — remains in limbo.
On Monday, Baird said the federal government was still weighing its response to the amendments and declined to say whether he will bring the altered bill before Parliament for a vote.
Last week, Baird warned a Senate environment committee of dire economic consequences if Canada were to meet its Kyoto promises on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
A private member's bill, introduced by Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez and passed by the Commons, calls for the federal government to honour Canada's commitment under the Kyoto treaty.
Baird said the Liberal bill was a "risky, reckless scheme" that would cost 275,000 Canadians their jobs by 2009
Monday, April 23, 2007
Baird expected to announce new emissions regulations
While the revised clean air act is still awaiting legislative approval the Conservatives keep announcing new environmental programs while spouting scary rhetoric about the recent bill sponsored by the Liberals that has already passed parliament. Where does all this end? In an election. Perhaps the Conservative strategy is to make the debate on the environment so absurd that people will become cynical and not vote on the basis of environmental issues at all!
Feds expected to introduce emission targets this week
Last Updated: Monday, April 23, 2007 | 8:34 AM ET
CBC News
Federal Environment Minister John Baird is expected to announce new regulations this week that would force industrial polluters in Canada to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.
The plan will be part of the Harper government's response to the revamped version of its environment bill, now called the clean air and climate change act. The original clean air act was drastically rewritten by a special Commons committee over the winter.
Baird has declined to say whether he would bring the altered bill before Parliament for a vote but he has repeatedly promised new targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Following Earth Day celebrations on Sunday, Baird told CBC News that attempts to meet Canada's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol are not realistic.
Canadians are growing cynical of governments that make big promises and fail to follow through on them, he said, and his climate change plan will be "reasonable" and take into account the health of the economy.
"Listen, if Kyoto could be implemented very easily with no cost, the Liberals would have done it years ago," he said.
Continue Article
Baird spent part of Earth Day helping to plant trees at a school in Ottawa, saying all Canadians can help fight climate change and teach their children about the importance of clean air.
Baird told students, parents and teachers of Lakeview Public School in Ottawa that the federal government has made the environment a priority.
"Canada's new government is serious about tackling climate change and protecting the air we breathe but we know we can't do it alone," Baird said. "Taking steps at home and teaching our children to protect the environment will be the key to securing a healthier future for all Canadians."
Baird was sharply criticized by environmental groups last week after he appeared before the Senate environment committee and said the only way to meet Canada's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol would be to manufacture a recession.
On Sunday, he said he was focusing on small steps that Canadians can take while the government prepares to unveil its larger plan on curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
"Earth Day is a great opportunity to reflect and be proud of what we've accomplished and to think about how we can all continue to work to protect our environment," he said.
"The trees we planted here today are a great example of a concrete action that all Canadians can take, right in their own backyard, to help improve the air we breathe."
Baird, who is expected to speak to an environmental group in Montreal on Monday, said the government will regulate 700 of the largest polluters in Canada through its new environmental measures.
Last Thursday, Baird said a Liberal bill calling for the government to honour Canada's commitment under the Kyoto treaty is a "risky, reckless scheme" that would cost 275,000 Canadians their jobs by 2009.
The private member's bill, introduced by Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez and passed by the Commons, would require the government to honour Canada's commitment under the Kyoto treaty, which calls for a six per cent cut in greenhouse emissions from 1990 levels by 2012.
Feds expected to introduce emission targets this week
Last Updated: Monday, April 23, 2007 | 8:34 AM ET
CBC News
Federal Environment Minister John Baird is expected to announce new regulations this week that would force industrial polluters in Canada to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.
The plan will be part of the Harper government's response to the revamped version of its environment bill, now called the clean air and climate change act. The original clean air act was drastically rewritten by a special Commons committee over the winter.
Baird has declined to say whether he would bring the altered bill before Parliament for a vote but he has repeatedly promised new targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Following Earth Day celebrations on Sunday, Baird told CBC News that attempts to meet Canada's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol are not realistic.
Canadians are growing cynical of governments that make big promises and fail to follow through on them, he said, and his climate change plan will be "reasonable" and take into account the health of the economy.
"Listen, if Kyoto could be implemented very easily with no cost, the Liberals would have done it years ago," he said.
Continue Article
Baird spent part of Earth Day helping to plant trees at a school in Ottawa, saying all Canadians can help fight climate change and teach their children about the importance of clean air.
Baird told students, parents and teachers of Lakeview Public School in Ottawa that the federal government has made the environment a priority.
"Canada's new government is serious about tackling climate change and protecting the air we breathe but we know we can't do it alone," Baird said. "Taking steps at home and teaching our children to protect the environment will be the key to securing a healthier future for all Canadians."
Baird was sharply criticized by environmental groups last week after he appeared before the Senate environment committee and said the only way to meet Canada's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol would be to manufacture a recession.
On Sunday, he said he was focusing on small steps that Canadians can take while the government prepares to unveil its larger plan on curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
"Earth Day is a great opportunity to reflect and be proud of what we've accomplished and to think about how we can all continue to work to protect our environment," he said.
"The trees we planted here today are a great example of a concrete action that all Canadians can take, right in their own backyard, to help improve the air we breathe."
Baird, who is expected to speak to an environmental group in Montreal on Monday, said the government will regulate 700 of the largest polluters in Canada through its new environmental measures.
Last Thursday, Baird said a Liberal bill calling for the government to honour Canada's commitment under the Kyoto treaty is a "risky, reckless scheme" that would cost 275,000 Canadians their jobs by 2009.
The private member's bill, introduced by Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez and passed by the Commons, would require the government to honour Canada's commitment under the Kyoto treaty, which calls for a six per cent cut in greenhouse emissions from 1990 levels by 2012.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Canadians ready to pay to deal with climate change: Suzuki
Sometimes I find Suzuki rather irritating. He has done a lot of great work in popularising environmental issues and educating the general public. However, he strikes me as rather dogmatic and thin-skinned with respect to criticism. He can get very snarly when crossed and some of those opposed to his views are even subject to smear campaigns. He is a master of ad hominem arguments. Should any critic do any work for ag industry then they can be automatically written off as in bed with industry. Of course there may be bias but so is Suzuki likely to be biased because his hobby horse is pro-environmental and anti-big ag science.
Suzuki also produced a very interesting and well done documentary on Cuba concentrating on agriculture. It did touch lightly on genetic engineering in Cuba but passed over to other issues rather quickly!
Suzuki does not present the evidence upon which he draws the conclusion that Canadians are willing to pay to help deal with climate change or say how much, or how much it will cost. To say that the issue transcends politics is pure garbage, even dangerous. Its as if the great David Suzuki too is beyond politics. If it isn't a political issue why does Suzuki go around criticising governments for their environmental policies!
Canadians ready to pay to deal with climate change, says Suzuki
Last Updated: Friday, April 20, 2007 | 11:21 AM ET
CBC News
Canadians are ready to pay a little extra to help deal with climate change, David Suzuki said Friday before a meeting with the federal environment minister.
"I think they're willing to suck it in and accept that they're going to have to pay more but they want it to be fair," Suzuki said during a news conference in Ottawa.
Earlier this year, the 71-year-old environmentalist travelled across the country on a month-long bus tour to promote the issue of the environment.
"The thing I hear over and over again is: 'Some sectors in Canada are getting a softer ride, and why should we as consumers have to pay when, say, the tar sands or the auto sector are not being asked to meet their obligations as well?'" said Suzuki.
Suzuki was to meet with Environment Minister John Baird Friday and deliver a petition signed by more than 30,000 Canadians who say the environment is their top priority.
Issue 'transcends politics'
He said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose Conservative government says Canada can't meet Kyoto targets, refused to meet with him.
Continue Article
However, Suzuki says the issue of the environment has "transcended politics."
"People on the right and on the left are concerned," he said. "They are sick and tired of political posturing and rhetoric … This is a moment and an opportunity."
Canadians want to see "concrete targets and timelines and serious efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," he said, adding that Harper didn't make the environment a high priority during his first year in office, but has started to move on the issue.
"That's a reflection that he understands the public is deeply concerned," he said. "No politician can ignore the environment now."
Baird issues dire warning
The meeting comes a day after Baird said Canada would suffer disastrous economic consequences if it tried to meet its Kyoto targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The federal study Baird outlined to the Senate committee on the environment on Thursday would result in a recession, massive job losses and a large spike in gas prices.
Harper, speaking in Winnipeg on Friday, said he stands by Ottawa's numbers.
"It's impossible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one-third in five years without a huge cost being born by the Canadian economy," he said.
Suzuki predicts long-term economic failure
Suzuki on Thursday blasted the federal report, saying the government is ignoring the cost of failing to address climate change.
"First of all, let's stop listening to the goddamn economists," he said.
"Twenty per cent of the economy will disappear. It will cost more than World War I and World War II put together. We'll go into a kind of depression we've never, ever had in all of history."
He said ignoring the warnings would be a "crime against future generations" and said he wonders if there is a legal basis to take action against governments or corporations that fail to heed such warnings.
As well as his meeting with Baird, Suzuki was to meet with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and NDP Leader
Suzuki also produced a very interesting and well done documentary on Cuba concentrating on agriculture. It did touch lightly on genetic engineering in Cuba but passed over to other issues rather quickly!
Suzuki does not present the evidence upon which he draws the conclusion that Canadians are willing to pay to help deal with climate change or say how much, or how much it will cost. To say that the issue transcends politics is pure garbage, even dangerous. Its as if the great David Suzuki too is beyond politics. If it isn't a political issue why does Suzuki go around criticising governments for their environmental policies!
Canadians ready to pay to deal with climate change, says Suzuki
Last Updated: Friday, April 20, 2007 | 11:21 AM ET
CBC News
Canadians are ready to pay a little extra to help deal with climate change, David Suzuki said Friday before a meeting with the federal environment minister.
"I think they're willing to suck it in and accept that they're going to have to pay more but they want it to be fair," Suzuki said during a news conference in Ottawa.
Earlier this year, the 71-year-old environmentalist travelled across the country on a month-long bus tour to promote the issue of the environment.
"The thing I hear over and over again is: 'Some sectors in Canada are getting a softer ride, and why should we as consumers have to pay when, say, the tar sands or the auto sector are not being asked to meet their obligations as well?'" said Suzuki.
Suzuki was to meet with Environment Minister John Baird Friday and deliver a petition signed by more than 30,000 Canadians who say the environment is their top priority.
Issue 'transcends politics'
He said Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose Conservative government says Canada can't meet Kyoto targets, refused to meet with him.
Continue Article
However, Suzuki says the issue of the environment has "transcended politics."
"People on the right and on the left are concerned," he said. "They are sick and tired of political posturing and rhetoric … This is a moment and an opportunity."
Canadians want to see "concrete targets and timelines and serious efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," he said, adding that Harper didn't make the environment a high priority during his first year in office, but has started to move on the issue.
"That's a reflection that he understands the public is deeply concerned," he said. "No politician can ignore the environment now."
Baird issues dire warning
The meeting comes a day after Baird said Canada would suffer disastrous economic consequences if it tried to meet its Kyoto targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The federal study Baird outlined to the Senate committee on the environment on Thursday would result in a recession, massive job losses and a large spike in gas prices.
Harper, speaking in Winnipeg on Friday, said he stands by Ottawa's numbers.
"It's impossible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one-third in five years without a huge cost being born by the Canadian economy," he said.
Suzuki predicts long-term economic failure
Suzuki on Thursday blasted the federal report, saying the government is ignoring the cost of failing to address climate change.
"First of all, let's stop listening to the goddamn economists," he said.
"Twenty per cent of the economy will disappear. It will cost more than World War I and World War II put together. We'll go into a kind of depression we've never, ever had in all of history."
He said ignoring the warnings would be a "crime against future generations" and said he wonders if there is a legal basis to take action against governments or corporations that fail to heed such warnings.
As well as his meeting with Baird, Suzuki was to meet with Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion and NDP Leader
Friday, April 6, 2007
Sask gets 44M for environmental projects
While the Harper govt. keeps announcing new environmental programs it refuses to pass the revised Clean Air Act--or whatever its new name is! Every little bit helps but only a little bit!
Sask. gets $44M from Ottawa for CO2-cutting projects
Last Updated: Thursday, April 5, 2007 | 5:32 PM CT
CBC News
Saskatchewan projects aimed at cutting pollution and putting less carbon dioxide in the air will be getting $44 million, the federal and provincial environment ministers announced Thursday.
The federal money is Saskatchewan's part of a $1.5-billion trust fund set up to help provinces and territories reduce greenhouse gas emissions, smog and pollution, federal Environment Minister John Baird said during a stop in Regina.
Some of the $44 million will be spent at the International Test Centre for Carbon Dioxide Capture at the University of Regina.
Researchers there are looking at ways to reduce emissions from burning coal in the province's power plants. One strategy is carbon sequestration, where CO2 is pumped back into the ground instead of being released into the air. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas. Scientists say it is contributing to global warning.
There's also money for preliminary work on a near-zero carbon emission power plant somewhere in Saskatchewan.
SaskPower hasn't decided whether it will proceed with such a plant, which could cost $1.5 billion, but it expects to make a decision soon.
Saskatchewan environmentalist Ann Coxworth supports research to reduce carbon emissions, but says deadlines need to be set and the impact of Thursday's announcement remains to be seen.
"It's unclear yet whether and to what extent it will actually move us towards the targets that we must reach if we're going to prevent complete climate chaos," she said.
The money earmarked for Saskatchewan will also be spent on biofuels and solar energy projects.
The Calvert government says it will reveal more about its green strategy over the next few weeks.
Saskatchewan Environment Minister John Nilson said the federal money will help support the province's long-term goal of getting one-third of all its energy from renewable sources.
Sask. gets $44M from Ottawa for CO2-cutting projects
Last Updated: Thursday, April 5, 2007 | 5:32 PM CT
CBC News
Saskatchewan projects aimed at cutting pollution and putting less carbon dioxide in the air will be getting $44 million, the federal and provincial environment ministers announced Thursday.
The federal money is Saskatchewan's part of a $1.5-billion trust fund set up to help provinces and territories reduce greenhouse gas emissions, smog and pollution, federal Environment Minister John Baird said during a stop in Regina.
Some of the $44 million will be spent at the International Test Centre for Carbon Dioxide Capture at the University of Regina.
Researchers there are looking at ways to reduce emissions from burning coal in the province's power plants. One strategy is carbon sequestration, where CO2 is pumped back into the ground instead of being released into the air. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas. Scientists say it is contributing to global warning.
There's also money for preliminary work on a near-zero carbon emission power plant somewhere in Saskatchewan.
SaskPower hasn't decided whether it will proceed with such a plant, which could cost $1.5 billion, but it expects to make a decision soon.
Saskatchewan environmentalist Ann Coxworth supports research to reduce carbon emissions, but says deadlines need to be set and the impact of Thursday's announcement remains to be seen.
"It's unclear yet whether and to what extent it will actually move us towards the targets that we must reach if we're going to prevent complete climate chaos," she said.
The money earmarked for Saskatchewan will also be spent on biofuels and solar energy projects.
The Calvert government says it will reveal more about its green strategy over the next few weeks.
Saskatchewan Environment Minister John Nilson said the federal money will help support the province's long-term goal of getting one-third of all its energy from renewable sources.
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