Tories cut a deal with the NDP on the environment

[Sportsdude]

 [h2]Tories 'cut a deal' with NDP on climate[/h2]Globe and Mail

Ottawa- Signs of an alliance between Conservatives and New Democrats emerged Monday as MPs launched into a rewrite of the government's central climate-change legislation.  Members of Parliament returned to Ottawa Monday morning after a six-week recess, where they were greeted by a sunbathing Greenpeace activist in a polar-bear suit.[/p]  The environmental protests outside and the heated exchanges in Question Period over global warming made it abundantly clear that climate change will be the dominant issue of this winter session.[/p]  Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion launched into Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the House of Commons, daring him to state that he is "no longer a climate-change denier."[/p]
 Mr. Harper countered with catchphrases from his party's new anti-Dion attack ads, saying the Liberal Leader had his chance in office and "he did not get it done."[/p]  While the Question Period rhetoric is sure to carry on for some time in this vein, the real battleground over the coming weeks will be in a Commons committee room. Parliamentarians on a special legislative committee decided Monday to wrap up their work on the government's Clean Air Act on pollution and climate change no later than March 30.[/p]  The committee met Monday, and while it was devoted primarily to logistics, the political dynamic in the room quickly took shape.[/p]   The NDP and Conservatives often agreed and both parties frequently accused the Liberals of delaying tactics.[/p]  The scene in the committee room was virtually identical to the dynamic that saw then-treasury board president John Baird pass the government's ethics legislation with NDP support.[/p]  The Federal Accountability Act was the first priority of the Conservative government and the Prime Minister cited Mr. Baird's success in getting that bill into law as a reason he was named this month as the new Environment Minister.[/p]  To get his ethics bill through, Mr. Baird and his senior aides held a secret meeting last year with the lone NDP MP on the committee, Pat Martin. There, Mr. Baird agreed to support more than 20 NDP amendments in exchange for Mr. Martin's support for the bill as a whole. The deal was also contingent on the NDP keeping the pact under wraps until it made it through the committee.[/p]  Now in the Clean Air Act committee, the lone NDP MP is Nathan Cullen, but his aides clearly have a relationship with Mr. Baird's aides — the same officials who acted as envoys to the NDP on the ethics bill.[/p]  For instance, when the Bloc Québécois suggested a timeline for the committee, one of Mr. Baird's officials quickly met in the back of the room with an NDP aide. Moments later a joint NDP-Tory counterproposal emerged.[/p]  "Clearly they've cut a deal," grumbled Liberal MP David McGuinty.[/p]  What is not clear, however, is if the Tory-NDP co-operation is limited to details, or whether it includes a compromise on much larger policy issues such as the Kyoto Protocol.[/p] Mr. Baird, who wore a green tie for his first Question Period as Environment Minister, was offering few details Monday as to what changes he is prepared to live with.[/p]  The NDP's environment critic, Mr. Cullen, denied that he has struck an alliance with the Conservatives. He said he attempted to create working relationships with the Liberals and Bloc Québécois, but they weren't interested.[/p]  Throughout the 2½-hour meeting, the Tories and NDP made various proposals to fast-track the committee's workload, but faced persistent opposition from the Liberals.[/p]  It was the Bloc's environment critic, Bernard Bigras, who frequently played a mediating role between the two sides.[/p]  The committee's timeline essentially puts off the hard questions until after the March break. Only then will MPs be able to put forward amendments, and observers say it is hard to see where the NDP and Conservatives can come to terms.[/p]  Though the Liberals, the Bloc and the New Democrats are all swiping at each other, they all called Monday for the government's Clean Air Act to commit Canada to meeting its Kyoto targets.[/p]  Meeting that demand would be a major reversal for Mr. Harper, who as opposition leader attacked then-prime minister Jean Chrétien the day Parliament voted to ratify in 2002, saying it was "reckless" to move forward without a clear plan.[/p]  Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol in April of 1998, committing Canada to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions to an average of 6 per cent below 1990 levels during the years 2008 to 2012.[/p]  Instead, as new Conservative attack ads point out, emissions are about 27 per cent above 1990 levels.[/p]  Steven Guilbeault of Greenpeace said that while in opposition, Mr. Harper and his colleagues "were there every step of the way trying to stop" action on climate change.[/p]  "For the Conservative government to [attack the Liberals on climate change], it's frankly unbelievable," he said.[/p]
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[Sportsdude]

This would be so awesome if the NDP's plan on the environment went through. As much as I despise this current set of Conservatives (If I lived in Canada I'd be either an NDPer or a Trudeau Liberal, most likely would vote NDP most of the time, so if I lived in BC of course I'd vote for the BC NDP).  I don't hate conservatives.  I'd seriously consider voting for a conservative if they were progressive conservative.  These new conservatives in Canada remind me too much of Bush Republicans.  They play really mean and go to the hard right too many times.  Government is suppose to create bridges not burn them.  

Another thing I want to get to is that I believe the new attack ads on Dion are appauling. The conservatives are in Government. GOVERMENT.  They are not in the opposition benches, if they were I wouldn't have a problem with it.  But to go after his environmental record when the Conservative record is 10x worse is disgusting.  The conservatives are doing everything they said they wouldn't do during the election.  I've never gotten this bully pulpit that Harper continues to use even as Prime Minister.  He still acts as though he's the Opposition leader attackin the Liberals.  

Mr. Harper you've been in power for over a year, you are the leader of the country NOT the Liberals and to continue to critize is unfortunate.  You control the power now not the Liberals yet you still act like they are still in power.  I know why you are doing this because you want that wave of anti-Liberal feeling to continue into this year so you can get your precious minority but it will backfire.  People don't want to see there government act like little kids on the school playground.  Act like a grown up please.  


 

[Russ]

LOL, I can see our idea's of politics differ greatly. NDP while having some good ideas have bungled up so much and pissed billions of dollars away while racking up debt in this province that Im surprised they are still around.

Conservatives while brash as you put it, have affected alot of change and actually made alot of progress. They seem to have appeased alot of the western provinces, and they did settle down the lumber dispute.

Liberals are on the median for me, I like them more than that twit I despised Jean Chretien.. if that guy could have gotten tax payers to build him the biggest gold statue in the world he would have. He tried to bully the last administration to making him the ambassador to the UN on climate... he had it all set up during his administration, so he could put his name in the history books.

[Sportsdude]

Lol, I know our views differ hence I made this thread. lol. Really Conservatives don't bother me at all, I've just been polarized by my family and there really out there racially fueled ideology.  So they sorta ruined it for me.  Yeah they fixed lumber dispute BUT the Conservatives didn't seem to mind that Washington got to keep 1 Billiion of your own money.

The funny thing is North American conservatives are suppose to be about small government and less spending and yet all they seem to do is spend spend spend.  Look how much Harper has spent in 1 year in office.  Then look at Bush of course.  Modern Democrats here in America always seem to have to fix Republicans mistakes. I mean who balanced the budget and gave the country a surplus, Clinton did.  Supposedly thats not what 'democrats' believe in but yet when the Republicans get in charge its spend everything and anything.

The only thing I'm 'right' on is a balanced budget.  I'd only spend when I'd get giant surpluses.  For example that huge surplus Clinton gave to Bush who then spent it on the war.  It would go to social programs if it was me.

I'd march Canada into nuetrality after afghanistan.  Canada needs to protect the North.  All the military resources must go in that direction.  I like what Norway does. Every person man and women when they turn 18 spends a couple of weeks a year helping out the country mainly in the Northern part of the country.  I don't like the fact the US seems to feel they have free reign in Canada's North and I'm not a Canadian.  

But thats my vision anyway.  Highly doubt people in my area (left) would agree with me on the military idea but its not what people would think of.  I wouldn't use the kids for conflicts.  So there would be like a two tier system.  The in - Voluntary would be National Guard-ish and they stay at home and would never ever leave the country. And the voluntary would be what it is now.  Kids these days need to realize how good they have it and how special Canada is. For example Canada is 'taller' then it is wide.  The North is something that needs to be protected.