Is John Baird still Anti-Kyoto?

John Baird is on record to have delivered a speech to the Canadian Coalition for Responsible Environmental Solutions (CCRES), a front group for the worst polluters in Canada. These people are reponsible for the concept of a Made in Canada Plan.

Legislative House of Asembly comments (under Kyoto Protocol)

"he references to not buying in, presumably because we want a made-in-Canada solution, well, that's exactly what Kyoto's going to be, a made-in-Canada solution. We made references in some of the ministry's own reports on the quality of air and on climate change, about working co-operatively to implement Kyoto.

A week or so ago we had this meeting downstairs with this Canadian Coalition for Responsible Environmental Solutions. I and a graduate student who works out of my office went down, quite excited about having some opportunity to dialogue, and we kept eating these little shrimpy things and drinking the wine and such and talking to some really nice folk, waiting for the dialogue to break out. But you know what happened? No dialogue broke out; in fact, we had Minister Baird stand up and give a brief set of comments where he said, "You know, we don't want to rush into things. We want to make sure we have full discussion and debate before we do something."

John Baird's speech was given while he was in the ill-fated Ernie Eves Conservative Government here in Ontario.

Ernie Eves and Made in Canada Plan from Legislative House of Asembly comments (under Kyoto Protocol)

Hon Mr Eves: We agree that you have to act and act now. We have been acting and we will continue to act. Indeed, as the member of the official opposition has pointed out, many private enterprises are already doing this. We should be acting, as Ontarians and as Canadians, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

That is not the subject of debate here. The subject of debate is, is the best way to do it the highly technical interpretation of the Kyoto accord? By everybody's admission -- even the Prime Minister of Canada's -- except for the leader of the official opposition, it's unworkable in its current form. We have to find a made-in-Canada solution to lead the way in greenhouse gas reductions while at the same time protecting, in fact I would argue creating, hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

Who in turn supported Ralph Klein's view on the protocol and a Made in Canada Plan

Ralph's take:

The Kyoto Protocol is his version of the hated National Energy Program, which was imposed on Alberta by the Trudeau government.

"I think the decision to ratify the Kyoto Protocol doesn't concern you? Think again. Skyrocketing fuel and utility prices, tax hikes and lost jobs are consequences that affect all Canadians. There is a better way. We need a made in Canada solution. We can balance emission reductions with continued prosperity."

Legislative House of Asembly comments about Ralph and Ernie (under Kyoto Protocol)

I have a question for the Premier. It is reported that Ralph Klein is seeking a meeting with you, when he comes to Ontario, to try to discredit the Kyoto Protocol. I was Minister of the Environment when Ralph Klein was environment minister in Alberta. No one took the man seriously; he has spent his entire political career fighting every significant environmental program that would benefit our nation. He is considered to be nothing less than an environmental Neanderthal and a shill for business interests who oppose environmental improvement.

You have a choice, Premier (Eves): you can either enter a coalition with Ralph Klein and stand side by side with the oil barons and their cohorts who are spending millions of dollars to sabotage an international agreement that will meet the threat of global warming, or you can lead Ontario toward cleaner air and improved health.

And now since taking office Harper and his crew have resurrected the concept of a Made in Canada plan.

The phrase “made in Canada” caught on, and it is now experiencing a renaissance. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, (with the co-operation of major news organizations) have resurrected the phrase to describe new plans to deal with climate change, which involve cutting 80 percent of the budget for Kyoto, axing almost all of the Liberals’ global-warming programs, and shutting down the federal climate change site.

The text of the speech from John Bairds shmoozing with the CCRES is not available as it was a private event. Their was one person though who got in and the now magazine article originally posted by blogger Section 15 was the result. The notes on the speech, though do exist, and are in storage. These notes will surface very soon as their have been MANY requests for them.

Though Mr. Baird in the past has snubbed Kyoto, his actions now will speak for his views today. Though in light of this he has a lot more convincing to do on his commital to the protocol.

I fear though that this past will result in him only doing enough to make people think he's sincere on the environment.

I question the logic of Mr. Harper putting this person in the Environmental portfolio seeing Rona Ambrose didn't have this kind of baggage.

It does make me question, as well, Harper's stance on the Cabinent shuffle being about substance, not optics. I would tend to believe the opposite, especially with Bairds way of "discussing" in Parliament.

Prove me wrong Mr. Baird.

Hopefully more to come... Recommend this Post