In their own words: Ignatieff no better than Harper on climate change

Yesterday the Liberals joined with Stephen Harper’s Conservatives to block the New Democrat’s Climate Change Accountability Act (C-311) from passing the House before the crucial climate change conference in Copenhagen in a few weeks time.

Here’s what some of Canada leading environmental leaders had to say:

“We will look like fools in Copenhagen. Canada is becoming a laggard state when it comes to fighting climate changes. We are an international disgrace.” – Translation of Steven Guilbeault, spokesperson for Équiterre (Le Devoir, October 22, 2009)

“Canada is playing the spoiler role at the UN climate negotiations and this Bill [C-311] would send a strong signal to the international community that Canada is prepared to do its fair share.”— Graham Saul, Climate Action Network Canada (Toronto Star, October 21, 2009)

"The Liberals have voted in favour of the Climate Change Accountability Act three times previously. There's no reason for more delay. It is time to take action, not play politics with the planet.” – Dave Martin, Greenpeace Climate and energy coordinator (Toronto Star, October 21, 2009)

“The liberals had an incredible opportunity to isolate the Conservative Party nationally and internationally, but they instead opted for partisan politics.” – Translation of Steven Guilbeault, spokesperson for Équiterre (RueFrontenac.com, October 22, 2009)

“To date, Liberal environmental policies are indistinguishable from those of the Conservative government that have pushed Canada to last place among developed nations in protecting climate and the natural environment.” - Stephen Hazell, executive director of Sierra Club Canada, “Where’s Iggy?” Commentary, September 21, 2009; http://tinyurl.com/yjvtudt

“The liberals voted many times in favor of this Bill, but now, they rather have their own Bill on the subject to make sure the NPD doesn’t get the credit.” - Translation of Steven Guilbeault, spokesperson for Équiterre (RueFrontenac.com, October 22, 2009)

“Passing this Bill [C-311] before Copenhagen is Parliament’s only hope of proving that we are prepared to work seriously through the United Nations to find a solution to global warming. The Liberals voting with the Conservatives may have made that impossible.” - Dale Marshall, David Suzuki Foundation (Toronto Star, October 21, 2009)

“Now that the U.S.A and Australia have made a clear about-face, Canada is left in the cold, collecting fossil prizes at each international meeting.” – Louis Fortier, Scientific Director, Network of Centres of Excellence ArcticNet, Laval University, Environment Committee hearing, October 20, 2009