Copenhagen's end

The Copenhagen summit has finally ended, and the world powers are touting the new agreement they have created, a so-called breakthrough in world diplomacy that will herald a new beginning in environmental protection in both the developed and developing world. Except that it isn't. All that we have received for our years of negotiations and pleading and bargaining is a committment with no penalties to reduce greenhouse gases by an insufficient amount for a time when the politicians who created the goals will long since have retired from public life. This is insufficient and should not be tolerated, and Canada has only itself to blame. We have known since before the Kyoto Accords that something had to be done in regards to how we produce energy and how we treat the planet we live on. That didn't stop Canadian negotiators from doing their very best to cut off debate and to take a hard line position on targets that would do absolutely nothing for the environment, and it didn't do a single thing to stop Prime Minister Harper and Environment Minister Prentice from threatening to give generous exemptions to the Alberta Oil Sands. Canadians can do better, and ordinary citizens have been doing better in spite of their Federal Government, which has failed to represent the will of the majority. Now more than ever is it important to make a statement on the world stage saying that Canada takes its committments seriously, and that we will not be laggards in any way, shape or form in doing what we know is right for our nation and our world. Recently I said that Bill C-311 has been voted out of committee and into Third Reading, we need to do everything in our power as citizens to pass this bill; lobby your elected officials and Senators to pass a bill that says makes sure Canada does what is necessary to do. No more obstruction, no more pnadering to Oil and Gas, its time for all four parties in Parliament to stand together and get it done. Pass the bill and make it law before its too late.