Sara Renner, Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Credit: Morten Byskov)
The following is a letter sent to Prime Minister Stephen Harper by more than 20 athletes, calling on the prime minister to support a fair and binding agreement at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen.
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Dear Prime Minister Harper,
Global warming is the greatest threat to Canada's winter sports. And this December you have an unparalleled opportunity to show leadership at the United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen.
As professional winter sport athletes and members of Canada's Olympic team, we believe the decision is clear. Many of us are already seeing the impact of climate change on our beloved winter sports. We can't sit on the sidelines when solutions exist. We must act.
Hotter global temperatures caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide and other fossil-fuel-based emissions in the atmosphere threaten our winter sports heritage. Winter activities across Canada, from Olympic sports like skiing and snowboarding to iconic Canadian pastimes such as ice fishing and pond hockey, will be at risk if we don't take international action to reduce global warming.
We know Canadians care and want Canada to play a constructive role in the Copenhagen climate change talks. We are taking action in our own lives and communities to address climate change. The culture of winter sports in Canada is at stake and must be preserved. But we can't do it alone.
We urge you to seek a constructive solution at the UN climate summit to ensure global greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to safe levels based on the best scientific information. International efforts must ensure the global average temperature does not exceed 2° C from pre-industrial levels—a threshold that leading scientists say must not be breached if we are to avoid dangerous levels of climate change.
In Copenhagen, Canada has the opportunity to participate with the rest of the world in building an agreement that will protect us against global warming and ensure a lasting legacy for our winter sports. We are hoping that Canada signs a fair, ambitious and binding agreement at the UN climate summit.
Signatories
- Hayley Wickenheiser, Captain, Canadian Women's Hockey Team (Shaunavon, SK)
- Kristina Groves, Member, Canadian Speed Skating Team (Ottawa, ON)
- Brad Spence, Canadian Alpine Ski Team (Calgary, AB)
- Kelly VanderBeek, Member, Canadian Alpine Ski Team (Kitchener, ON)
- Daria Gaiazova, Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Montreal, QC)
- Sara Renner, Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Golden, BC)
- Stefan Kuhn, Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Banff, AB)
- Brittany Webster, Member Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Caledon, ON)
- Kristi Richards, Member, Canadian Freestyle Ski Team (Summerland, BC)
- Philip Widmer, Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Banff, AB)
- George Grey, Member Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Rossland, BC)
- Thomas Grandi, Former Member, Canadian Alpine Ski Team (Banff, AB)
- Beckie Scott, Former Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Vermilion, AB)
- Graham Nishikawa, Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski team (Whitehorse, YT)
- Jenn Heil, Member, Canadian Freestyle Ski Team (Spruce Grove, AB)
- Robin McKeever, former Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team and Canadian ParaOlympic Ski Team (Canmore, AB)
- Shayla Swanson, Member, Canadian Cross Country Ski Team (Calgary, AB)
- Shona Rubens, Member, Canadian Alpine Team (Calgary, AB)
- Justin Lamoureux, Canadian Snowboard Team (Ottawa, ON)
- Trevor White, Member, Canadian Ski Team (Calgary, AB)
- Michael Janyk, Member, Canadian Ski Team (Vancouver, BC)
- Justin Wadsworth, Former Member, US Cross Country Ski Team (Bend, OR)
Olympic Team hopefuls:
- Gordon Jewett, Cross Country Ski racer with the Alberta World Cup Academy (Toronto, ON)
- Heidi Widmer, Cross Country Ski racer with the Alberta World Cup Academy (Banff, AB)
- Madeleine Williams, Cross Country Ski racer with the Alberta World Cup Academy (Edmonton, AB)
