Petty Baird won’t escape a mauling: Green Party

VANCOUVER – Green Party leader Elizabeth May today blasted Environment Minister John Baird for blocking opposition Members of Parliament from joining the official Canadian delegation to the United Nations climate change summit in Bali next month. Mr. Baird has broken the long-standing tradition of leaving partisanship behind while on the world stage.

“Mr. Baird’s attempt to exclude opposition MPs from Canada’s delegation is shameful and outrageous,” said Ms. May. “This move is clearly designed to stifle dissent and shows that Conservatives care more about their own image than taking action on climate change.”

Ms. May added that Canada’s disgraceful position on climate change will be attacked by every responsible player in the UN negotiations, as it was at last year’s summit in Kenya.

“If Mr. Baird thinks that trampling on tradition and leaving the opposition at home will allow him to ooze through the Bali negotiations unnoticed, he is in for a surprise. He and the Bush administration will be isolated and, with Australians poised to elect the pro-Kyoto Labour Party this weekend, even John Howard won’t be there to help out.”

Mr. Baird and Prime Minister Stephen Harper must be reminded that most Canadians did note vote for the Conservative party, said Ms. May.

“The vast majority of Canadians support action on climate change – not the regressive policies of the Conservative party,” she said. “Mr. Harper only has a minority mandate and has no right to exclude opposition members from these crucial negotiations. This behaviour displays his lack of preparedness to be Prime Minister – he doesn’t understand the climate crisis and he doesn’t understand democracy. ”