Thursday, April 12, 2007
More green than the Greens
NDP declares victory for clean air
Thursday March 29, 2007
Layton and Cullen proud of accomplishments on C-30
OTTAWA – New Democrats on Parliament Hill claimed victory for cleaner air and greenhouse gas reductions today in Ottawa.
The NDP proposed and passed a series of comprehensive changes to Bill C-30 that will re-commit Canada to its Kyoto Protocol obligations and make Canada’s air cleaner for ordinary Canadians and their families.
When the Conservative government tabled their so-called “Clean Air Act,” NDP Leader Jack Layton demanded something better from the prime minister. Layton presented Harper with a plan to let members of parliament rewrite the bill on behalf of hardworking Canadians who were fed up after years of inaction on climate change.
“This could have only happened in a minority government. Legislators writing legislation doesn’t sound like a unique concept – but it is very rare in Ottawa, especially for those of us in opposition,” said Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley). “I’m thrilled we could rewrite this bill from top to bottom. The new law will really go after the root cause of climate change – greenhouse gases.”
The NDP led the charge and the opposition parties united to present the House of Commons with real environmental legislation.
“The NDP took the lead in creating this committee,” says Layton, “and we didn’t back down when everyone else said it wouldn’t work. We created the committee that will now put before the House of Commons real environmental legislation that commits us to our Kyoto obligations and makes the air we all breathe cleaner.”
Cullen put aside partisan rancour and division to unite opposition parties to pass 11 of 12 NDP amendments. However, the NDP environment critic says he is still cautious about declaring an all-out victory.
“We are taking this victory one step at a time. We will defend it in the House of Commons and use every tool within our reach to ensure this bill is voted on and passed,” said Cullen.
Full list of NDP amendments passed:
- Short-, medium- and long-term greenhouse gas targets.
- Earlier deadline for regulating the industrial sector.
- A hard cap on greenhouse gas emissions from big polluters.
- Leading and mandatory standards for smog-producing “air contaminants”
- Leading vehicle fuel efficiency standards.
- A cap and trade carbon market.
- Protection for government authority to regulate air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
- Effective provincial equivalency rule.
- Authority to designate “significant areas” for environmental protection.
- Programs reviewed annually.
- Building retrofit fund.
Canada's environmental crisis: How we got here and what we can do to change it.
Nearly 10 years ago the Liberal Party of Stéphane Dion committed to the world that Canada would cut greenhouse gas pollution to 6 percent below 1990 levels. Instead, Liberals failed to act and emissions grew over 30 percent.
Ordinary Canadians are tired of Liberal inaction and the denial of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. We can’t afford more delay.
That's why the NDP has proposed that all parties work together to completely re-write Stephen Harper’s so–called ‘Clean Air Act’ so that we can end subsidies to big oil & gas, place hard caps on big polluters, invest in energy efficiency and develop cleaner cars.
# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 6:47 PM 
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