OTTAWA - Environment Minister John Baird says Canada will not formally withdraw from the Kyoto protocol, even though the Conservative government's latest throne speech declared the objectives in the global climate change treaty are unattainable.
Environmental groups called the statement "patently dishonest," saying if the Tories had the strength of their convictions, they would explicitly abandon the treaty as they promised in the 2004 election campaign and suffer the political consequences.
"We've been very clear," Baird told a infrastructure news conference in suburban Orlean, Ont. "We have no intention of withdrawing from the UN framework; the Kyoto protocol."
Baird said the Tories intend to forge ahead with their own strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions domestically, while working with other countries on realistic, long-term solutions.
But John Bennett of ClimateforChange.ca, says it's hypocritical for the Conservatives to continue to support the protocol in name-only.
They've figured out that the Canadian public supports Kyoto and aren't willing to pay the political price of uttering the words "withdrawal," he said.
One of the pillars of this week's throne speech was a statement that targets set out in the environmental international framework are unachievable.
"At the end of 2005, Canada's greenhouse gas emissions were 33 per cent above the Kyoto commitment," said the speech delivered by the governor general Tuesday night. "It is now widely understood that, because of inaction on greenhouse gases over the last decade, Canada's emissions cannot be brought to the level required under the Kyoto Protocol within the compliance period, which begins on Jan. 1, 2008, just 77 days from now."
In the days leading up to the speech, Conservative insiders signalled the Kyoto reference was a trap meant to ensnare Liberal Leader Stephane Dion on one of his most cherished policy points.
"What we have here is the unique situation of a government playing with an environmental issue solely in political terms," said Bennett.
"They really in their hearts don't believe climate change is a problem, have no desire to put any effort whatsoever into reducing emissions until they discovered the public wouldn't accept that."
Baird disputed that in the House of Commons this week, making it clear that he believes climate change is a man-made issue that poses a real threat.
A new public opinion survey suggests Canadians are unhappy with the environmental elements of the throne speech.
But Baird dismissed the survey in a Toronto newspaper, saying the throne speech is a broad statement of principles.
"I think Canadians are understandably skeptical about when politicians make commitments on our environment because they've seen a lot of talk and little action from the previous government," he said.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged to kill the Kyoto Protocol he was in opposition, describing it as nothing more than scheme to transfer wealth to developing nations. Following the January 2006 the Tories cancelled billions of dollars worth of federal climate change initiatives, but brought them back a year later with new names.
Baird rattled off the list of established Conservative policies, including the throne speech reference to the plan to slash emissions 20 per cent by the year 2020 and 70 per cent by 2050.
"Some people want to debate Ad nauseam," he said. "There is not a consensus among political parties. There's not a consensus among premiers. There's not a consensus among environmentalists and the business community. What Canadians want to see is the federal government take action and that is what we are doing."
The Conservatives have established a $1.5 billion fund to help provinces deal with climate change and air pollution. In addition, consumers who purchase fuel efficient vehicles are entitled to a rebate - a program announced in last spring's but just began issuing cheques a few weeks ago.
