Harper: Global Saboteur

Canada now occupies a place on the world stage that represents not mere failure in meeting obligations to future generations. We no longer are a country struggling to meet commitments to reduce greenhouse gases, embarrassed by the distance between our goal and our behaviour. We now stand as saboteurs, obstructing progress for all the world. We had seen it coming ever since Stephen Harper, the anti-Kyoto campaigner, was elected Prime Minister more than a year ago. He dispatched his first Minister of the Environment to her first international summit – one where ironically she would occupy the position of President of the negotiating process. This accident of history was due to Canada’s hosting of COP11, the major U.N. negotiation in Montreal November 28-December 10, 2005. By tradition, the environment minister of the host nation fills the role of presiding chair. Stephane Dion did a magnificent job in that role. With Harper’s election, Rona Ambrose took his spot at the helm of the vital negotiations. She immediately began steering for the reefs. In spring 2006, the negotiating instructions to the Canadian delegation at the follow-up negotiations were leaked. Here is what was in the instructions to our negotiators: “Canada does not support a continuation of the status quo beyond 2012, and has no preconceived view on how a new commitment period might be structured.” Translation: Harper would not agree to binding targets in the next commitment period. It represented the first solid evidence that the Harper government would not only cancel Canada’s programme to meet greenhouse gas reductions under Kyoto. Far worse. We would work actively to harm global progress. In September, Harper did more damage in person. In his meeting with the United Nations Secretary General he called for all nations to have intensity based targets. This approach is a fraud -- allowing emissions to rise while claiming to meet targets. It, again, reflects Harper’s desire not only to allow Canadian emissions to increase into the future, but for all nations to continue to do so. This aspect of the Harper policy has recently been brought into the spotlight by our shameful actions at the Commonwealth Summit in Uganda. As most of you will know, Canada, with the assistance of the now defunct government of Australia’s John Howard, prevented an important statement of commitment to reduce GHG emerging from the Commonwealth nations. The dreadfully short time line to meet meaningful reductions -- to avoid hitting the point of no return – (as described in previous postings) requires that real progress be made when the U.N. negotiations resume at COP 13 in Bali (opening December 3). The majority of Commonwealth nations recognized that leadership required a strong statement going into Bali to assist in forward movement there. Canada blocked that forward movement. There are hardly words for the scandal this represents. For the dreadful irresponsibility of the Harper government. George Monbiot said that the triumvirate of Harper and Bush and Howard blocking action on climate represented a moral failure more culpable than that of Neville Chamberlain. I was variously skewered and attacked last spring for mentioning how Canada’s international reputation had suffered, citing George Monibiot’s statement to make the point.. (No need to revisit the various ways that quoting George Monbiot was viewed as some sort of political equivalent of a kamikaze mission.) I repeat those words now, not because I thirst for abuse, but because in the light of day, following Canada’s actions in Uganda, they seem an understatement.