I know some of the readers here are interested in Canadian politics and I also know there are quite a few Canadian members here as well, so I thought I would pass along this tidbit of Canadian news.
The three opposition parties yesterday, Feb. 14 passed into law demanding the Conservative government meet its greenhouse gas emission targets as set out in the Kyoto accord.
This law was passed 161-113. All the Conservatives present voted against it. WTF!
This is not going to be very good for Harper.
Follow me after the fold.
I saw this on the late news last night and was furious.
It was reported that Stephan Harper was planning on ignoring this law. Lawyers are searching furiously to see if he can get away with this. There seems to be no past precedent to go by as no other past Prime Minister would have dared not to obey laws passed in the House Of Commons.
According to this site
People's Daily Online
The bill, which was introduced 10 months ago by Liberal backbencher Pablo Rodriguez, gives the government 60 days to table a detailed plan outlining how Canada will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
The bill, which was introduced 10 months ago by Liberal backbencher Pablo Rodriguez, gives the government 60 days to table a detailed plan outlining how Canada will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
A few more quotes
If so, Prime Minister Stephen Harper would be left in such a situation that he either respects the Kyoto accord or faces a possible vote of non-confidence.
Environment Minister John Baird had suggested before the vote that the government may simply ignore the bill if it became law.
"The government has to respect it and implement it. If not, we go to the courts," Rodriguez, the bill's sponsor, argued.
"They are bound to it. It's the law of the land," he said before the vote. "The prime minister cannot cherry pick laws. He's not the new emperor of Canada."
And here
Canadian parliament passes bill demanding Conservative government meet Kyoto commitment
The bill gives the government 60 days to table a detailed plan for meeting Kyoto targets to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 6 percent from 1990 levels. It also compels the government to set fines or jail terms for businesses and industries that over-pollute.
Love this quote by MP Pablo Rodriguez
"They are bound to it. It's the law of the land," said Liberal Party MP Pablo Rodriguez, who sponsored the bill. "The prime minister cannot cherry pick laws. He's not the new emperor of Canada."
Sound familiar. Stephen=Bush
Also this
David Docherty, a political scientist at Wilfrid Laurier University, in Waterloo, Ontario, said it would be up to the opposition to enforce the bill.
"Well, if they don't come up with a plan in 60 days, I guess the question is then, how far is the opposition willing to go to make them do that?" Docherty told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
He said the opposition could hold a no-confidence vote if the Conservatives ignore the legislation, but is not convinced all three opposition parties are eager for spring elections.
This one may not bring about a non-confidence vote in the spring but coupled with the new budget that is about to be released soon just sure as heck could.
And today from
The Toronto Star
Honour Kyoto, House tells PM
The Conservative government has been backed into a constitutional corner after the passage of an opposition bill in the House of Commons last night calling for Canada to meet its Kyoto targets.
Within three months of the bill's passage into law, the federal cabinet would have to set out regulations on the petroleum and auto sectors, and other polluters, to have them meet their Kyoto targets.
If no action is taken, individual Canadians, environmental groups, lawyers – anyone – could take the federal government to court for being afoul of the law, said Montreal Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez, the sponsor of the private member's bill.
However, the Conservatives, who have called Kyoto targets impossible to meet, have given every indication they plan to ignore the bill.
Harper did not even show up to vote on this one.
Liberals said the Conservative party's dissenting vote last night shows the government has no intention of honouring Kyoto, an international treaty that aims to halt global warming.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not show up in the Commons for the vote.
Two weeks ago, he missed the vote on a Liberal motion calling for the government to recommit to the accord.
But Liberal leader Stéphane Dion said responsibility for Kyoto, which Canada ratified in 2005, has now been shifted to Harper's shoulders following weeks of debate.
This all may very well be a stunt but in my opinion its a good one. Get the Tories on record as opposing this law and then use it together with the new budget that comes out later to call a new election.
Go Stéphane Dion!