Canadian Environment Minister - No Carbon Tax, No Participation In Global Carbon Market - AFP

[hatrack]

Canada will not introduce a carbon tax or participate in a foreign carbon market, Environment Minister John Baird told a parliamentary committee reviewing proposed clean-air measures Thursday. "o carbon tax" would be introduced as part of Canada's efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions linked to global warming, Baird told the hearing.

"We're not interested in participating in carbon markets overseas," he said under questioning, suggesting also that Canada would "face economic collapse" if it tried to meet its Kyoto Protocol targets.

"Let me be clear that there are some fundamental principles that guide this government: We will not spend taxpayers' dollars to buy international hot-air credits just to meet our Kyoto targets."

His predecessor, former environment minister Rona Ambrose, who was replaced in January, had said she would support a Canadian carbon market, expected to launch soon in Montreal.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2006/070208173910.5oz4nyc9.html

[femmedem]

1. When did Bush start appointing Canadian Ministers? n/t

[GliderGuider]

2. Baird was appointed by Governor MiniMe

That lickspittle Harper...

[democracy eh]

3. great description from new Lib MP Garth Turner

http://www.garth.ca/weblog/2007/02/08/more-bull-than-pit/

I probably know John Baird better than you do. I don’t traipse around official Ottawa on his arm, the way Laureen Harper does, but I’ve spent enough time near the guy to make a few observations. First, I never heard the word “environment” come out of his mouth before the cabinet shuffle last week.

Second, he is the most vicious partisan in the government, who has become a caricature of himself. In the opposition lobby outside the House of Commons, there are cartoons of him with a giant, six-foot-wide mouth. MPs often laugh when he stands up, in anticipation of the instant outrage he’ll manufacture. The man simply is not taken seriously – and the fault is his own.

After having a month to read his briefing books, the minister’s performance was so sub-standard that clips of his incompetence actually made it onto national newscasts. When asked about serious stuff – like a carbon tax and emission-trading markets – the canine hormones welled up and Baird attacked the questioner (Lib David McGuinty), instead of the question.

Baird slammed emission-control plans of the former government, which his government cancelled, and is now re-announcing – but starting in three years – and then showed clearly he doesn’t actually know what Kyoto means. He rejected the notion of a tax on emissions, but gave no hint how the feds will control how much crap industry throws into the air without one. He also did not know what Ottawa is spending on the environment. And, worse, he played the fear card.

"The economy will collapse if we try to do Kyoto, he said. Think Russia"