Members of Parliament overrode opposition from the Conservative government today to move the NDP’s Climate Change Accountability Act to third and final reading in the House of Commons. The Liberals and Bloc Quebecois sided with the NDP to move the bill into its final stages. The bill, which would require the federal government to abide by stringent targets cutting Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, will be debated one more time before a final vote. If, as seems likely, the Commons passes the measure, it would then move to the Senate.
Bill C-311 would require the government to set targets reducing emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2020 and to 80 percent below by 2050. It would also require the federal Minister of the Environment to set an interim emissions reduction target for 2015 within six months after the bill becomes law.
Halifax NDP Member of Parliament, Megan Leslie, said last week that she feared Conservative procedural maneuvers might kill the bill. Today, however, 155 opposition members outvoted 137 Conservatives to move it forward.
The vote was identical to one held minutes earlier to approve a Liberal motion calling on the Harper government to adopt “a national climate change plan that implements economy-wide regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, and invests in renewable energy, clean technology and energy efficiency in order for Canada to compete in the new green economy.”
The Liberals also issued a news release criticizing the Harper government’s record on environmental issues.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment, criticized the Liberals for their previous support of the NDP Bill C-311. Mark Warawa, the Conservative MP for Langley in British Columbia, told the Commons that Bill C-311 would divert Canada from the harmonized emissions reduction targets shared with the U.S. He said those targets would cut emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2020.
“311 would also isolate Canada economically and throw us back into a deep recession,” Warawa added.
This article appears in Apr 15-21, 2010.
Cuba here I come.
Bro Tim, Harper has stacked the Senate in his favor. With a Conservative majority, this will either be held up indefinately, or it will be so watered down only the name will remain.
Which IMO is more than this bill deserves.
I wonder why these same politicians aren’t looking at what the Icelandic volcano is pouring into the atmosphere. I’m not a climatologist, nor am I a scientist or expert on volcanology. But I’m will to bet my unopened 18 year old bottle of single malt (Lagavulin) that theres all kinds of CO2 as well as lots of other pollutents spewing from its vent.
Surely if we’re going to either cut emissions or ‘special tax’ tax those who exceed them, Iceland must owe Europe Billions of dollars .
What will we do in the future to Nations that have volcanos that are active ?
will they have to pay special taxes when they erupt …I wonder if in the future & massive Glaciers are pushing mankind south as another IceAge beigins, if a new tax will be set up to gouge companies & consumers for NOT putting enough Carbon into the atmosphere ~;p