The Harper government continues to defy the will of Parliament by announcing further delays in imposing GHG emission standards, right after MPs passed the Liberal motion calling on the Conservatives to take immediate and decisive action on the environment, Liberal Environment Critic David McGuinty said today.
“This do-nothing government continues to thumb its nose at Canadians who have spoken loud and clear that they want Canada to move forward on tackling climate change,” said Mr. McGuinty.
Yesterday, Environment Minister Jim Prentice further delayed his government’s promised greenhouse gas emission standards for the oil sector and other industries, claiming that it is waiting for the U.S. to act first.
“The Minister is trying to trick Canadians into believing that Canada needs to wait for the U.S. to act first,” said Mr. McGuinty. “The U.S. has taken bold steps to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency and direct stimulus funding for green initiatives, while the Conservatives have chosen not to follow – letting a multi-billion-dollar growth industry pass Canada by.”
At the same time, Minister Prentice issued a press release to give credit to his government for a drop in emissions in Canada in 2008. This minor drop in emissions has nothing to do with the government’s meagre investments in clean energy, as they claim. Environment Canada’s own website states that “overall emissions… are expected to level off or decline again in 2008 and 2009 due to a number of factors such as weather patterns and the economic downturn.”
“The Conservatives know full well that using the U.S. as an excuse for inaction is nothing more than a stalling tactic that could see years go by before a credible plan is in place,” said Mr. McGuinty. “This government continues to move Canada in the opposite direction of the rest of the world. After 52 months, their only achievements are three environment ministers and the Fossil of the Year award for our obstruction at last year’s Copenhagen Climate Change Summit.
“Our motion called on them to immediately put in place a national climate change plan with economy-wide regulations on emissions and strategic investments in renewable and clean energy. It’s time they listened to the will of Parliament and of Canadians,” he said.
At the recent Canada at 150 conference, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced that a Liberal government would freeze corporate income tax rates in Canada. The Harper Conservative government is planning to continue cutting Canada’s corporate income tax rates – already among the lowest in the G7 – from 18% to 15%, starting next January. A Liberal government would take the savings from that corporate income tax freeze – between $5 billion to $6 billion a year – and invest in deficit reduction and initiatives to help our economy – including clean energy jobs.
