05 October 2006

Rona Ambrose and Stephen Harper Leave Canada in the Warm

We were promised a made in Canada plan, but we got no plan at all.

Environment Minister Rona Ambrose spoke to the commons committee today (reported here), and admitted that for all the bile they have been directing at the Liberals and some Japanese city for the past couple of years, they have no plan and no clear intention of formulating a plan.

Rona: "Our government will not set arbitrary targets like the previous government did. It is important that we put in place achievable targets." That's right, it is important! So where are they? They could have been invented before the election if you had been serious about it; and you've had 8 months since then. Where are the new, achievable targets? Where's the plan for achieving them? If it's so important to put achievable targets into place, why use your first major appearance to tell us that nothing has been done?

Rona: "It's very important to our international partners that we start to think about what we're going to do beyond 2012" No, it's important to think about what we're going to do right now. If we think about 2013, we should think about what a bigger mess we'll be in then if we spend our energy now coming up with reasons to put off doing something. Something like setting targets and making a plan for achieving them.

Globe: "The Environment Minister said that the oil-and-gas industry would be 'a key contributor' to any emissions reduction plan, though she did not go into specifics." Right - so key that it can be completely ignored while your government intentionally strives to increase regional discontent and distrust by pushing ahead with regulating Ontario's automotive industry while ignoring Alberta's oil patch. You know, we could all get together and try to make some positive change, or we could just use the environmental portfolio to further injure and divide our already badly beaten confederation.

Gavin: Saying you hate Kyoto is not the same as making a Made in Canada plan. Saying old targets were not achievable is not the same as making new targets. Saying the old plan stunk is not the same as planning. And saying the old government stunk is not the same as governing.

Stuff the election rhetoric and the partisan sniping. You're not in opposition anymore, you're the government. Start acting like it.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

And, they haven't forked over the "promised" $500,000 plus to Ontario to aid in shutting down the coal plants.

They did promise and they claim they keep their promises so where's the money honey?

October 05, 2006  
Blogger DivaRachel said...

I am still wondering why Harper and Co. ran on a 'made in canada' enviro plan, w/o actually having one.

How come nobody pressed then on this issue during the election time? Why are we finding this out now?

And why didn't they take the past NINE MONTHS in power to write up a plan then?

This seems amateurish, to say the least.

October 05, 2006  
Blogger Tuco said...

I so hope Bill 288 goes through. Even if it doesn't really get us closer to meeting Kyoto, it'll be a hoot to see Ambrose and Harper blowing hot air with exasperated looks on their faces about how they STILL can't fix the environment.

October 07, 2006  
Blogger Penelope Persons said...

Happy Thanksgiving tuco!!

The bill did pass - easily!

October 08, 2006  
Blogger Jacques Beau Vert said...

After today, I agree - I'm seriously let down and disappointed. I was a bit too hopeful about the hype - this is not a plan.

Yes, it's better than the Liberals did in 13 years - it is not enough.

Bitter pill to swallow.

October 10, 2006  

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