Letter to the editor of the Chatham Daily News - Bill C-288

May 01, 2007

As many Canadians know, the debate over how to cut our greenhouse gas emissions has recently heated up.

The Liberals’ plan is a bill, C-288, which would put into law Canada’s 2008-2012 targets under the Kyoto accord. That timeframe may seem a long way away, but in reality it starts eight months from today.

Sadly Canada cannot reach its target within the specified timeframe. Canada’s last report to the United Nations showed we were 35% above our target, due to Liberal inaction on climate change. Unfortunately, we cannot do in 8 months what the Liberals couldn’t do in 13 years without causing a major shock to the economy.

Fortunately, Canada’s New Government realizes that the time for voluntary action has long passed. That’s why our government’s “Vision for the Environment” will provide real greenhouse gas reductions which recognize the principles and objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

Under the previous government, greenhouse gas emissions rose by 150 megatonnes over 13 years. Canada’s New Government’s Vision for the Environment, by contrast, will cut 150 megatonnes by 2020. We will turn things around by strictly mandating that industry gets more and more efficient every year, so that greenhouse gases go down even as the economy grows.

The time for talk on greenhouse gas reductions is over. The time for action is now. Leadership requires that governments demonstrate their commitment through action. As your Member of Parliament, I am most pleased that this government is taking that action today.

Yours truly,



Dave Van Kesteren, M.P.
Chatham-Kent-Essex