A CBC report today quotes Environment Minister Peter Kent saying: “… from Canada’s point of view, Kyoto was the biggest mistake the previous Liberal government made, since there was no plan for Canada to live up to its commitments.”
More revisionist history from a government that, when it doesn’t like the facts as they are, buries them, makes them up — or looks for someone to blame!
Kyoto came into effect in February 2005. Within two months, the Liberal government introduced Project Green, culminating a series of progressively ambitious global warming initiatives implemented since signing the accord in 1998.
Project Green was indeed a comprehensive plan for meeting our Kyoto commitments. According to the Pembina Institute, by 2010 it would have taken Canada 80% of the way toward our goals.
But in January 2006 we handed-off to Mr. Harper the responsibility to build upon these important achievements, and to honour the commitments Canada had made to the world.
Mr. Harper immediately set about to destroy them, as well as to sabotage the process globally, as has every Environment Minister he has appointed to date. Mr. Kent is well on track to follow suit.
It’s time for the Harper government to stop dodging and weaving, and own up. While Canada doesn’t deserve any of the international fossil-of-the-year awards they’ve been collecting for us, they themselves have earned every one.
