Kevin Taft has written an op-ed in today’s Edmonton Journal on the province’s most recent budget.  One of the big issues he raises is the lack of funding to curb climate change.  This government continues to stall and dither on reducing CO2 emissions despite all it’s positive rhetoric.

Please let me know of your thoughts on the budget and for more information please look at my Budget 2007 section in the ‘news/issues’ area of my website.

Kevin’s Op-ed: ‘Fire-alarm’ budgeting burns through wealth

On Tuesday unfortunate comments were made by Ted Morton, the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, disparaging the Charter and making reference to his extreme views on an Alberta ‘firewall’ (independent police force, pension plan and health system, etc) to protect Alberta from Ottawa! This was in response to real concerns about pine beetle threat in Alberta and the possible solutions we could look at. Skirting the issue, making light of it, and connecting it to his extremist views is not helping! He may need to be reminded that he did not win the leadership race!

Read Ted Morton’s Response to Bill Bonko’s questions:Bill Bonko asks Ted Morton about Pine Beetle Threat in Alberta (April 17, 2007)

Read Morton’s previous comments about ‘block cutting’ rather than ‘clear cutting’ in the Kananaskis area: Dave Rodney asks Ted Morton about Clear Cutting in Kananaskis (April 2, 2007)

Also, yesterday in the Legislature I made a Private Member’s statement on Climate Change and Emissions Reduction in light of Earth Day this weekend. Please read this statement, and let me know what you think!

Private Member’s Statement on Climate Change (April 18, 2007)

Listen to Morton in action, as well as my Private Member’s Statement:

I realize that some people are confused by my statement in the Legislature last week that I did not believe that Alberta could meet the Kyoto target of 6% reduction in greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2012. This position is based on two facts: firstly the Alberta government has fiercely denied and delayed action, wasting a decade of action since Canada signed on to the Protocol and our emissions are now roughly 30% above 1990 levels. Fossil fuel energy is still the mainstay in Alberta and decreasing its use by nearly 40% in four years would have unacceptable consequences on employment and the economy in most expert opinions.

Secondly, Alberta is one of ten provinces in the country and must operate within a national framework that still, in 2007, does not exist! This is very disturbing and is no excuse for Alberta to delay any longer but without a common set of rules many of the economic penalties and incentives cannot work effectively to reduce emissions.

I believe strongly in the objectives of the Protocol – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – and I was even fired from the Palliser Health Region for speaking out in favour of the agreement (making the link between health and the environment), however, as a public servant I must keep in balance social and economic values while pressing hard for real leadership on climate warming (climate ‘chaos’ I prefer). In short, ideally I would love it if Alberta could meet it’s Kyoto committments but because of the dithering and campaign of misinformation by this wayward government, I am deeply saddened to say that meeting our Kyoto commitment is no longer feasible (especially considering that Premier Stelmach said he will not “touch the brakes” on oilsands development).

This isn’t to say, however, that I’ve given up on the goal of real and drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. As Alberta is the province within Canada creating the largest amount of GHGs per person, and is the province with the greatest increase in GHGs predicted due to increased oilsands development, it is our duty to take the lead in addressing climate change by reducing emissions. In the Legislature on April 11th I introduced two amendments to the government’s Bill 3: Climate Change and Emissions Management Amendment Act 2007. I called for increasing emissions intensity targets until 2012, when a hard cap would be brought in. I also suggested adding progressively increasing per-tonne fees for excess emissions, the revenue from which could be used for a fund to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy in Alberta. The Conservative government rejected these amendments leaving us with a weak Bill that will see up to 70% increase in carbon emissions by 2020! Another weakness of the Bill 3 is no new funding for climate chaos. The Stern Report indicated that if governments do not spend 1% of their Gross Domestic Product to reduce impacts of warming they will face catastrophic costs in 1-2 decades. In Alberta our GDP is roughly $212 billion/year and 1% would be $2 billion. This province is spending a small fraction of this amount.

Let me know what you think about Alberta’s position on climate change. Read Hansard for the debate on Bill 3 and meet with your MLA to let him/her know what you think about climate change. This is what democracy looks like!

Read my amendments to Bill 3 here: Climate Change and Emissions Management Amendment Act 2007

Read articles about Alberta’s legacy of resistance to Kyoto:
Alberta to Fight Ratification of Kyoto (CBC, September 9 2002)
Alberta Launches Campaign Against Kyoto (CBC September 18, 2002)
Klein Backs off from Anti-Kyoto Ad-Blitz (CBC October 17, 2002)

Watch CBC reports on Alberta’s Kyoto denial (Real Video):
Anti-Kyoto Alberta
No Exporting of Anti-Kyoto Ads

Read Alana Delong’s statements on Kyoto and Climate Change from November 2002.  This outlines why we are so far behind on reducing emissions: Kyoto by Alana Delong MLA

Read about how I was fired for speaking in favour of the Kyoto Accord:
Kyoto Views Get Medical Officer Fired (CBC October 5, 2002)
David Swann finds his voice and fights back (FFWD Weekly Calgary)
David Suzuki on David’s firing (Oct. 4 2002)

Watch the 2002 CBC report about my firing (RealVideo):
Rick Boguski reports for CBC

I was very pleased to see so many people come out to the rally last Friday at the McDougall Centre to demonstrate to the government that the citizens of Alberta demand responsible use of our land and water resources. There was lots of media coverage, and I hope that the message got across to the government and reinforced the resounding calls for a stop to the clear cutting plans in Kananaskis, a stop to the plans for resource development in the Marie Lake area, a reassessment of the proposed water transfer from Red Deer to Balzac and a closer look at all of the other pressing land-use and water management issues we’re facing in this province. Thank you very much to everyone who came, and to all those who wanted to come but couldn’t!

Read about it in an article from the Calgary Herald: Environmental Policy Should Put Land First

Canmore Leader reports: Call comes for better land and water management

Also, City Council just passed the curbside recycling program for Calgary about an hour ago!

I have received many letters in the past few days regarding the resource development plans in the Marie Lake area. Thank you to everyone who has done this, it definitely helps to keep up the pressure on the government! Below are two recent articles about the issue, as well as the transcripts from the Legislature on Monday, when I asked more questions to the Government about this type of development.

Articles:
Edmonton Journal: All eyes on Stelmach as he handles Marie Lake confrontation
Edmonton Sun: Marie Lake monitoring demanded

Questions from the Legislature April 16: Marie Lake Questions

Listen:

We debated Bill 3 (Climate Change and Emissions Management Amendment Act) for the past two days with two amendments introduced by me yesterday – both of which were rejected by the Conservative and NDP members.

My amendments were:
1)Add to the 12% emission intensity reduction required in the Bill by also requiring a 10% reduction annually until 2012 – when hard caps (not intensity targets) on emissions would be brought in.

2)Add to the $15/tonne fee for exceedences indicated in Bill 3 in the following way: increase to $20/tonne starting 2010; $30/tonne starting 2012

What we have in Bill 3 (without my amendments) is a minor tax to large emitters that will provide a modest $275 million for a new technology fund only for use in Alberta.

The Stern Report, released by Sir Nicholas Stern earlier this year, strongly recommended 1% of GDP each year invested in energy efficiency and renewable energy to avoid catastrophic impacts of climate change to people and land (1% of our GDP in Alberta would be $ 2 billion, where currently we spend at most, $500 million, 1/4 of what is recommended).

The Alberta government has abdicated its responsibility to lead the country in carbon reduction and placed at risk the future prosperity and security of the country.

Read my amendments as presented in the Legislature:Bill 3: Climate Change and Emissions Management Amendment Act 2007

Marie Lake is a recreational gem in northeastern Alberta but is rapidly becoming a defining issue for Albertans who care about values beyond the exploitation of oil sands. The contested Marie Lake seismic survey kicks off a five to seven year project. It will eventually include a 500-metre vertical mine shaft, horizontal tunneling, upward sloping heat injection and bitumen flow wells into the oilsands deposit, and a pipeline and steam plant on the land surface near the lake.

Read my questions to the Ministers of Environment and SRD (or listen to the April 10 questions at the end of this post!):
April 2 Questions on Marie Lake
April 10 Questions on Marie Lake

There was also an Edmonton Journal Article on the subject today:
Marie Lake cottage owners say ‘never’ to oilsands seismic survey

Read a letter from a concerned citizen: Letter on Marie Lake

Listen to my April 10 questions:

Well here I am trying to get active.  Since October, 2006  I’ve been trying to meet with my Member of Parliament,  Lee Richardson, Conservative, Calgary Centre.  I finally got to see him April 04, 2007.   I decided to go there because the Conservative government had withdrawn from the Kyoto Accord.  Years earlier I took pride that the government of the day had signed on as a member only to discover much later that it was basically for P.R.  I was not pleased with the ‘made in Canada solution’ that Harpers Conservatives proposed and was tired of them always blaming the Liberals and their years of inaction.  I wanted the leadership that Harper promised.  That’s why I voted for the Conservatives in the last federal election.  Harper showed he was capable of doing the “tough thing” with the Income Trust.  That was a reversal of a campaign promise and was very unpopular with business and many individual Canadian investors but it was done none the less.   

In my initial discussions with Lee Richardson’s office I had referenced two reports I had recently viewed, the Fifth estates’ report “The Denial Game” and Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth”.  The Denial Game explained how the American government under George W. Bush was handling the environmental issue and that the individual who produced this very effective plan of disinformation came to Canada to present it to members of the Conservative Party including Stephen Harper.  At the request of Mr. Richardson’s office staff I supplied copies of both programs for them to view. 

When I initially met with Lee Richardson , I note in hindsight, I didn’t receive the friendly hand shake he freely offered the businessman who was seen just before me.  Within minutes of sitting down with him I found myself challenging Lee on his conduct.  I pointed out he was rude, appeared angry and, in my opinion, was being very disrespectful.  He settled down and we continued.  When asked if he had viewed the material I had sent his office he informed me he hadn’t.  He guessed ”The Denial Game” was a C.B.C. production and said that automatically made it slanted and biased.  I found this a strange comment given it was the C.B.C. reports on lead levels in Tuna and the Sponsorship Affair, to name a few, that caused government officials to take action and both issues were covered nationally on all the news networks.  He told me he fell asleep watching “ An inconvenient Truth”, blaming the format it was presented in.  He went on to say he didn’t like Al Gore and likened him to Michael Moore.  He contended that Al Gore was not a scientist, fed upon the ignorance of people and was an alarmist.  I found his opinion of Al Gore very surprising as his assistant, Will, had informed me earlier that he had arranged for  2 tickets for Lee Richardson to see Al Gore when he came to Calgary for a speaking engagement at the Chamber of Commerce later in the month.  These tickets were hard to come by, it was sold out and that Will had to use some “contacts” to get them. 

When Lee Richardson began to show further disrespect for me I ended the meeting.  Earlier I was hoping I’d have enough questions to cover the 30 minute meeting but found I was ending it after less then 20 minutes.    I had also wanted to tour the office after visiting Lee to see if our politicians where taking on a leadership role and leading by example. I had earlier arranged for this tour with Will.  Did the office recycle their paper products, their used batteries and what did they do with their obsolete or worn office equipment/furniture?.  Lee stated that as I’d ended the meeting with him I would not be allowed to tour his office.  In short, I was ”kicked out” of the office.   

Several hundred thousand Darfuris have perished in horrible conditions created through the vicious leadership of Sudan. Millions of Sudanese have also been languishing in refugee camps, unheard by the world after three years. Bureaucracy at the UN conspires to block the UN force from going in against the Khartoum government, despite their ‘responsibility to protect’ and their commitment that genocide would happen ‘never again’.

One barrier remaining to action is China, a permanent member on the Security Council, that continues to veto a decision to send troops to Darfur. China has substantial oil reserves in the area and does not want to risk offending the Khartoum government. Clearly conscientious citizens must do all they can to influence the Chinese government to support the UN actions and prevent the genocide. Until they do this I, along with many others worldwide, are calling for a boycott of the China Olympic Games.

Things to read:

New York Times Article from April 13, 2007: Darfur Collides with the Olympics, and China Yields
Globe and Mail article about France considering a boycott: French Boycott?
Washington Post Article from September 2006: Responsible China?
Save Darfur Canada website: click here
Globe for Darfur: click here

China rewards Sudan for genocide with new palace (Epoch Times): click here