On Wednesday May 5, the House of Commons voted 149 to 136 and passed Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act. C-311 now goes to the Senate for final approval.
The Canadian Press reports that, “The bill — the Climate Change Accountability Act — has spent the last year or so bouncing between the full House of Commons and the Commons environment committee. The legislation calls for greenhouse gases to be cut 25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.”
By contrast, the Harper government to date has only called for – with no supporting plans or legislation – a cut of 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020. When this is translated to the standard baseline year of 1990, the Harper target actually equates to a 2.5 percent increase over 1990 levels by 2020.
Commenting on the passage of C-311, federal NDP leader Jack Layton stated, “We would not be here without the thousands of Canadians who called and wrote to their Members of Parliament, pushing them to finally adopt meaningful climate-change legislation.”
The Council of Canadians has been speaking out in support of C-311 and urging its supporters and the broader public to contact their MP on this bill for the past eight months. Our ‘ACTION ALERT: Support the Climate Change Accountability Act, Bill C-311, becoming law’ is at http://canadians.org/action/2009/10-Dec-09.html. Council of Canadians chapters have also been consistently raising support for C-311 in climate actions taken in their communities.
The Council of Canadians believes the House of Commons support for C-311 is a step in the right direction, but much more is needed. Andrea Harden-Donahue, Climate Justice Campaigner with the Council of Canadians, says, “The passage of C-311 has been a long time coming and it is certainly good to see Parliament support it. While the Council of Canadians is celebrating the passage of C-311 and we want to see it pass the Senate, we believe that this is just a starting point.”
In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, the Council supports a target of at least a 40 per cent cut below 1990 levels by 2020.
Harden adds, “We want C-311 to lead to regulations that actually reduce our emissions. Planning for a tar sands free future, getting off of coal, vastly improving energy conservation and efficiency alongside plans for sustainable energy development, these are the types of actions that are needed.”
While we call for deeper emission cuts, and are concerned that the Harper government – given its past practices – may choose to ignore the will of Parliament on this matter, the passage of C-311 is still an important win and significant step forward to Canada meeting its climate change obligations.
Our media release – ‘Parliament’s vote for Bill C-311 an important step toward climate justice, says Council of Canadians’ – can be read at http://canadians.org/media/energy/2010/05-May-10.html.
The Canadian Press report is at http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/climate-change-bill-passes-house-moves-to-senate-for-debate-92910189.html.
