Friday, December 14, 2007

Bring Them Home

Is it over yet? Probably the most embarrassing display on the international stage, in Canadian history, is finally coming to a close. In a final act of sabotage, Canada may not just succeed in watering down the declaration, but changing the baseline:
But the reference to 2000 as the baseline will come as a letdown to many Kyoto signatories, especially the Europeans.

For more than a decade, 1990 has been the agreed-upon international standard used to measure greenhouse gas changes and any bump in the baseline year rewards countries that were slower to curb emissions.

Countries that did not sign Kyoto or failed to reduce their emissions - Canada being an example of the latter - have lobbied hard for a more generous baseline year.
The Conservative government has simply dropped 1990 as a baseline for its own domestic projections in a move that provokes confusion abroad whenever it heralds its emission plans.

A glowing full page ad, that ran in the Jakarta Post today:


That's a keeper.

The final results for the "Fossil Of The Year" are in. Canada won first place for the day, which means we will share the overall award with George Bush, which is entirely appropriate, as well as revealing.
First place goes to CANADA
Canada scorches its way to the final first-place Fossil dishonours for its performance at the last two “Friends of the Chair” minister-level negotiation sessions—specifically, for NOT SHOWING UP. Environment Minister Baird is apparently so busy at the climate change negotiations that he can’t be bothered to do any climate change negotiating. It’s just the fate of the planet in the balance, after all.

Which brings us to the Fossil of the Year—the one, the only, the legendary COLOSSAL FOSSIL.
And the winner? A TIE! The United States, long-time champion—and Canada, behaving like a 51st State in George W. Bush’s America! Stephen Harper, congratulations—you’ve matched the master, and isolated Canada from the rest of the world by recklessly blocking progress in the fight against climate change. Your prize? A year’s supply of shame.

Apparently, leadership means hiding and habitual no-shows. Wow.

UPDATE
A sense of pride that others share.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

When Baird gets back and starts braying about his shameful 'accomplishment' at Bali I hope nobody shows up to listen.

Steve V said...

I suspect we won't see much of Baird until parliament reconvenes.

Unknown said...

And your idea of leadership is promising the world and not doing anything about it? Gore refused to sign Kyoto, which everyone seems to forget and the Libs had 8 years to do something and didn't do a damn thing. But boy they sure can talk good. Must be liberals.....

Steve V said...

"Gore refused to sign Kyoto"

Jeff, I'm tired of you ill-informed asshats, with your nonsense. Who controlled the Congress????

BTW, the statute of limitations has run out, you don't get to blame the Liberals anymore, this is all happening on your dime.

"But boy they sure can talk good."

Better than Baird the blowhard apparently, what a trainwreck.

Karen said...

It's unbelievable isn't it?

Not showing up for meetings, speeches and sabotaging the entire conference.

What's really weird is how blatant Baird is. Does he think no one has noticed?

There is a vid on you tube of one of the youth delegates crying for heavens sake. She tried to give Baird a petition with 60,000 signatures and apparently his communications guy Dimitri, mocked it.

These guys are outdoing themselves.

He'd better lay low when he gets back, but I sure hope Dion, Cullen and Bigras speak out.

Steve V said...

"What's really weird is how blatant Baird is. Does he think no one has noticed?"

People would notice more if we could get the media back into the 21st century ;)

Karen said...

No kidding Steve.

Have you been watching Duffy going after the CBC?

ottlib said...

steve:

Let jeff blame the Liberals for Conservative failures. In fact let the Conservatives continue to use that strategy.

Canadians just love it when there governments blame someone else for mistakes.

I know it offends your sense of intellectual honesty but the old adage of never interfering when your political opponent is making a mistake comes into play here.

As for the Mr. Baird et al, I suspect you will not see much of any of them until Parliament resumes. With the exception of Stephen Harper of course.

I cannot remember where I saw it but I read yesterday that there are rumours of another cabinet shuffle during the recess. Be interesting to see if it comes to pass.

Karen said...

Really ottlib? I don't recall seeing that anywhere, but interesting.

Who's not working? Hmmm, let's think.

The object of this post is obvious, but I do not think he'll be moved.

Harper needed a salesperson, indeed looking at Bali and other International venues, a thug.

There are others in the Con caucus who could fulfill that role of course, but Baird does it well.

Interesting org chart: Environment___thug,bully.

wilson said...

I'm in awe. Little Canada has enough influence to negotiate the agreement of 189 other countries, to move the base line of the all mighty Kyoto Accord, to 2006;
the year the Conservatives took power.
Wow.
Good job PMSH and Baird!!

Where are you guys hidding Dion?
Didn't all those connections in Bali work out so well for him?

Gayle said...

And wilson proves how willfully blind conservatives are prepared to be on this issue. Let us completely ignore the overwhelming international condemnation.

What a shocker.

Anonymous said...

It makes far more sense for Canada to hold out for a deal that includes countries actually emitting the most GHG's - and that's what the government is doing.

Signing off on an old, completely unrealistic deal won't do anything to eliminate GHG's.

Environmentalists should be lining up behind Canada, the fact that they're not simply proves that it's not about the environment for them, they have a power agenda - and they hate being losers.

Gayle said...

Yes anon - it could not possibly be about wanting to save the planet.

I love how the people making decisions solely based on politics blame others for being overly political.

Steve V said...

"Environmentalists should be lining up behind Canada, the fact that they're not simply proves that it's not about the environment for them, they have a power agenda - and they hate being losers."

LOL. The first thing this government did when it took office is slash and burn the entire portfoliio. It then unilaterally pulled back from any dialogue with the expert community, isolating itself. Then, when the polls showed a rise in public concern, it systematically re-introduced all the old programs it previously killed, in a cynical attempt to neutralize.

The reason the environmental community isn't on side is because they can smell the pungent odor of a SKUNK, much like the rest of the world is starting to realize.

wilson

You are a comple and utter joke, seriously.

knb

"Have you been watching Duffy going after the CBC?"

It was nice of him to take his head out of Mulroney's ass for a second. Talk about the pot calling...

Scotian said...

Can someone please explain to me what the dickens Duffy has been doing? I don't watch him anymore and in the past couple of days I have been seeing this thing about the CBC referenced but I don't know what it is about. I asked in the previous thread but I guess everyone had left already. Thanks.

Gayle said...

Scotian - I will answer in th eprevious thread