From The UNFCCC In Bangkok To Bill C-311: What The Climate Change Accountability Act Means For Canada’s Climate Policy
Posted on 06. Oct, 2009 by Adam MacIsaac in Canada
Today here in Bangkok the morning started with the usual process the morning meeting for the Adopt A Negotiator team at the cafe in the United Nations Conference Centre which was then followed by a meeting with the Climate Action Network Canada members who are also in attendance throughout the two weeks of negotiations. With the opportunity of attending here in Bangkok there are many advantages but also some disadvantages of missing out on things that will be happening back home in Canada that will have a huge role in Canada’s climate policy. Currently there is the hope that the that the Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311) which will help Canada join the international community towards the path of having a more positive role domestically as well as internationally in the process to address climate change.
Information on Bill C-311 from Wikipedia.org
The Climate Change Accountability Act was originally tabled in October 2006 in the Canadian House of Commons as Bill C-377 by Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. It passed 3rd reading in that House with the support of caucuses of the Liberal Party of Canada, the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP (the Conservative Party of Canada, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, voted against it). However, due the 2008 Canadian federal election ending the parliamentary session prematurely, the bill did not achieve royal assent despite reaching the Senate. On February 10, 2009 Bruce Hyer, NDP MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North, seconded by Layton, reintroduced it as a Private Member’s Bill, renamed as Bill C-311. The Bill requires the Canadian federal government to set regulations to attain a medium-term target to bring emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, and a long-term target to bring emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. According to the summary, the purpose of this bill is:
“to ensure that Canada meets its global climate change obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by committing to a long-term target to reduce Canadian greenhouse gas emissions to a level that is 80% below the 1990 level by the year 2050, and by establishing interim targets for the period 2015 to 2045. It creates an obligation on the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to review proposed measures to meet the targets and submit a report to Parliament. It also sets out the duties of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy.”[1]
The Climate Change Accountability Act is based on the Case for Deep Reductions report by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and on guidelines set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. These are the same emissions targets adopted by the European Union and announced as objectives of U.S. President Obama’s New Energy For America strategy. The Bill is noteworthy in that it was the first legislation in the world to pass a democratically-elected parliament which mandated hard emissions reductions for the post-Kyoto Protocol period (after 2012).
Since there is much importance of Bill C-311 to be passed to ensure that Canada will no longer be using baseline targets which create weak emission reductions and are not inline with any of the other United Nations member states in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. By taking a few minutes of your day you can show that democracy does infact work and help shape Canada’s role. So please take the time to call your local MP (search by postal code if you are not sure of who to contact) but you can also call 1 (866) 599-4999 and ask to speak with any of the following committee members to let them know the importance of the Climate Change Accountability Act to Canadian citizens and the international community.
James Bezan ( Selkirk—Interlake, Manitoba, Conservative MP)
Peter Braid (Kitchener—Waterloo, Ontario, Conservative MP)
Blaine Calkins (Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Conservative MP)
Ruby Dhalla (Brampton—Springdale, Ontario, Liberal MP)
David McGuinty (Ottawa South, Ontario, Liberal MP)
Francis Scarpaleggia ( Lac-Saint-Louis, Québec, Liberal MP)
Mark Warawa ( Langley, British Columbia, Conservative MP)
Jeffery Watson (Essex, Ontario, Conservative MP)
Stephen Woodworth (Kitchener Centre, Ontario, Conservative MP)
If you have never been in touch with your MP before you can watch the following video which showcases how easy of a process it is.