By turning its back on the Kyoto Protocol, MP Bruce Hyer believes Canada risks inheriting a global image of being a selfish bully.
Environment Canada Minister Peter Kent said Monday during a teleconference at the international climate-change summit in South Africa that Canada would not make a second commitment to Kyoto, which would have run from 2013 to 2017.
Jean Chretien's Liberal government signed the Kyoto protocol in 1998, but was heavily criticized by opposition for taking little action to meet Canada's targets to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
The Conservatives haven’t been able to dodge that same criticism, as opposition has been accusing the Harper government of also ignoring Kyoto ever since taking power in 2006.
Following his address in South Africa, Kent said meeting the goals set out by the protocol would only hurt the country’s economy.
The Conservatives have also argued that any agreement that does not include the big greenhouse gas emitters – the United States, China and India – is meaningless.
Hyer (NDP, Thunder Bay – Superior North) said not having Kyoto is a bad move and only adds to Canada’s damaged reputation.
“It’s a real shame that Canada, which was once held in the highest regard internationally in many ways, is now less and less popular around the world,” Hyer said.
“There’s an average level of emissions, which means that developing countries can and should come up and the developed countries have to come down. It’s very straightforward. We need targets, we need timetables, we a process for change and we need incentives and disincentives internationally to make sure we get there.
“Unfortunately, Peter Kent does what the prime minister says, and the prime minister does what the Americans and the oil companies say.”
Kent’s remarks about Kyoto hurting the economy didn’t make sense since there’s been a lot of talk about making a green economy through sustainable energy, he added.
Hyer, who authored the only climate change bill that passed in the last session of parliament, which was later defeated in the senate, said it was sad to see the continuing inaction of the government.
The Kyoto accord requires countries to make strict cuts to their greenhouse-gas emissions, but the Tories say making those reductions would hurt the economy.
“This is a job creator not a killer,” he said. “If you don’t know where your destination is then you don’t know where to begin.”
Canada is among those pushing for a single agreement to replace Kyoto that would include all countries.
