Prime Minister, cabinet ministers travel 4,600 kilometres to stall on environmental action

October 10, 2006 - VANCOUVER – Canadians hoping to hear about the federal government’s long-awaited environment plan will have to wait longer yet; today’s announcement tells them nothing new, says the David Suzuki Foundation.

“The government has been promising Canadians for months that it would come up with a comprehensive, national environmental plan, one that would tackle the most pressing environmental issues facing the nation,” says Morag Carter, director of the climate change program for the David Suzuki Foundation. “Instead, we got an announcement there will be an announcement of a vague plan in Parliament next week.”

The David Suzuki Foundation and other environmental groups were not allowed in the room for the prime minister’s media briefing with reporters. They were denied access to the federal government’s news release, and then were ejected from the floor of the hotel where the announcement was being made.

“I think their actions show where the environment stands in this government’s list of priorities,” says Ms. Carter. “Vague promises do not stand up to scrutiny.”

The David Suzuki Foundation has provided the federal government with a series of solutions to Canada’s environmental problems. These solutions include: adopting California’s vehicle emission standards, eliminating tar-sands subsidies and using existing legislation to halt the expansion in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, among others.

“We need clear timelines and targets for all sectors,” Ms. Carter says. “An environmental plan that does not adequately address global warming is not an environmental plan. Canadians expect more and they deserve better.”

It’s also unclear why Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn and Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon had to fly 4,611 kilometres from Ottawa to Vancouver to announce an impending plan that they won’t even outline.

The government also says it will consult further with industry and the provinces on its plan, even though the current administration criticized the previous government for too much talk with too little action.

“When will this government stop tinkering and implement real cuts in greenhouse gas and pollution emissions?” Ms. Carter says. “The time for action on these issues was yesterday. Every delay like today’s just allows the problem to get bigger and the situation more dire.”

For more information, contact:

Morag Carter
Climate change director
David Suzuki Foundation
604-732-4228
Cell: 778-386-1448

Justin Smallbridge
Communications specialist
David Suzuki Foundation
604-732-4228, ext. 237
jsmallbridge@davidsuzuki.org