Climate: We love you, we love you not

Canada’s only federal climate change legislation, the Climate Change Accountability Act, was voted down in Senate yesterday after passing in the House of Commons. After over a year and a half of inspiring support-building within communities and across political parties, through the system of democracy in this country, a non-elected body had trumped what could have been Canada’s first real solution climate change.
This climate bill, Bill C-311, commits the Canadian government to taking responsibility for cutting emissions to the level recommended globally by scientists. It is ambitious, yet necessary. It recognizes that Canada will play its fair role in cutting those emissions back down, along with dozens of other countries around the world. Some may call this “what is fair,” some may call it “quid pro quo,” and some may simply call it “responsibility.”
Canada is among the highest per-capita emission creators. Additionally, we as Canadians are just as much at risk to climate change as other parts of the world. But it’s not too late. There are solutions. This bill was a starting point – a shift that could jump-start Canada’s needed reaction.
Herein rests our government’s responsibility to respond to Canadians’ calls for solutions and to bring that integrity to the upcoming annual United Nations climate change talks at the end of the month.
Canadians elected our Parliamentarians. Parliamentarians voted to approve a Canada-wide solution to climate change. While Senate voted this down, Senate did not vote down the will and desire of that which democracy produced – Our government should take the intent of Canadians to the negotiating table and act to right its wrongs starting at the United Nations in Mexico next week.

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