Liberals join Conservatives in delaying climate change bill

OTTAWA – Yesterday, Liberal and Conservative MPs voted to provide 30 more days to the Environment Committee to study of Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act. The Bill commits Canada to the science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets and holds the government publically accountable for concrete action.

“This is extremely regrettable,” said the New Democrat Environment Critic and Environment Committee member Linda Duncan (Edmonton-Strathcona). “The clear effect is to prevent a vote on Bill C-311 until after Copenhagen.”

The vote comes on the heels of testimony by leading climate scientists at the Environment Committee, who voiced strong support for Bill C-311 science-based greenhouse gas reduction targets and urged the passage of the bill in advance of the Copenhagen climate change conference.

In response to a question on whether adopting Bill C-311 would salvage Canada’s international reputation at the climate negotiation table, Nobel Prize winner and former IPCC Working Group Chair John Stone, replied, “In a word, absolutely. It would do enormous good and to Canada's credibility. More than that, it could help immeasurably in the international process and getting a satisfactory outcome of the negotiations in Copenhagen.”

“Adopting this bill will not only reflect the sentiments of the majority of Canadians who are deeply concerned about climate change, it would also signal the commitment of Canada to do its part,” said Bruce Hyer, the New Democrat’s Deputy Environment Critic and sponsor of the bill. “Yesterday’s vote was a chance for Liberals to join the rest of the opposition to direct the government on Canada’s stance for Copenhagen. Instead, they have chosen to side with Conservatives and delay action.”