The public and reporters are barred from the federal government's first round
of stakeholder discussions on the controversial Kyoto protocol on climate
change.
The announcement came Thursday just as Alberta Premier Ralph Klein persuaded his
western counterparts that Alberta's option be included in federal public
consultations.
In Ottawa, the National Climate Change Process, a federal body created in 1997
to examine Kyoto's impact, said this round of workshops will help in drafting a
climate change plan for achieving Canada's Kyoto target, which will be developed
over the summer.
Participation in the workshops, which will be held in 14 cities across Canada
starting today until June 24, is by invitation only. Participants include
representatives from industry, interest groups and aboriginal organizations, as
well as various government officials.
However, the lack of public input has rankled NDP MP Lorne Nystrom.
"It says it's a sham. If it's closed to the media, therefore it's closed to the
public," Nystrom said Thursday, adding any debate on the accord should be
transparent.
This stage of the multi-phase consultation process is closed to the public
"because that was the request of some of the parties and we agreed with their
request," Environment Minister David Anderson said. "Of course, later on, there
will be open consultations as well."
Nystrom wasn't soothed by the remarks.
"This is something that is very important. . . . Let's have this thing all out
in the open, everything on the table."
The Saskatchewan MP's comments came as western premiers wrapped up their annual
meeting by calling for a national debate on climate change before Kyoto is
ratified.
A call will go immediately to Ottawa to include Alberta's plan, and documents
from all other provinces, to ensure the hearings include as wide a range of
opinion as possible, said a communique signed by all seven premiers attending a
conference in Dawson City.
"We're saying, if there are going to be national consultations, let's make them
truly national," said Klein.
The western premiers also demanded Prime Minister Jean Chretien convene a first
ministers conference to deal with climate change, and agree to hold off
ratifying the Kyoto protocol until all premiers agree on the potential pros and
cons of signing the agreement.
"Before any ratification takes place, there should be consensus amongst the
first ministers of this country," said Klein.
Despite differing opinions on whether Kyoto is the best instrument to tackle
global warming, leaders from British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Nunavut,
Yukon, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta were united in the view that not
enough work has gone into determining the economic costs of Kyoto.
They are demanding an exhaustive study of all benefits and consequences of
shooting for the accord's targets.
Kyoto calls for a reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent
below 1990 levels by 2012. Alberta has led the outcry that fossil fuel-producing
regions of Canada will be unfairly harmed by Kyoto.
Klein said there is full agreement climate change needs to be addressed; the
challenge is coming up with the best mechanism.
Getting an economic impact assessment that everyone can agree with is step one,
he said.
"Some on the environmental side say it will be a net positive benefit to the
economy of some $4 billion a year. Some on the industry side . . . say it will
be a $28-billion negative impact on the economy per annum. Well, that's a huge
spread," said Klein.
Manitoba Premier Gary Doer, a supporter of Kyoto, agreed public consultation
shouldn't be limited to meeting the protocol's targets.
"You can't really come to the proper conclusion if you take items off the table
before public debate," said Doer.
At a joint federal-provincial meeting of energy and environment ministers last
month in Charlottetown, Alberta Environment Minister Lorne Taylor was shot down
when he pitched Ottawa on including the Alberta plan.
At the time, no other province publicly backed Alberta in its mission to get its
strategy in front of Canadians as part of the federal process.
Meanwhile, Canada's oilpatch and electricity industries have slammed Ottawa's
proposed implementation options for Kyoto.
In a joint letter to Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal and Anderson, four
groups representing large and small petroleum explorers, producers and service
groups said none of Ottawa's four options is acceptable.
"Even the the federal government's preferred option four sets targets for or
obligations on industry beyond what can be achieved with reasonable economic
efforts," said the letter.
It was signed by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the Petroleum
Services Association of Canada, the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling
Contractors and the Small Explorers and Producers Association of Canada.
The letter coincided with an analysis of the options by the Canadian Electrical
Association that concluded Kyoto targets are not realistic. Association members
produce 95 per cent of Canada's electricity.
"At the heart of the problem is an unrealistic timeline combined with a very
ambitious target which CEA believes is just not practical," said Mike Cleland,
senior vice-president.
However, most Albertans support ratifying Kyoto even though many fear the
climate change treaty will damage the economy, a poll suggests.
The Ipsos-Reid poll commissioned by the province says 72 per cent of Albertans
surveyed favour Canada's commitment to the accord, which aims to cut greenhouse
gas emissions by six per cent of 1990 levels by 2012.
At the same time, 59 per cent agree "ratifying the Kyoto protocol will badly
damage the Alberta economy and many Albertans will lose their jobs."
The poll of 1,000 people was conducted between April 18 and 28 and is considered
accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Alberta Environment Minister Lorne Taylor said it would be wrong to point to any
one element of the poll and ignore other parts of the survey.
Findings that suggest only one-third of Albertans know what Kyoto means and
about 50 per cent favour a so-called "made-in-Canada" solution to climate change
are more significant, he said.
"You can't isolate parts of the poll. It would be like taking one scripture out
of the Bible and saying this is what the whole book means," he said.
"It tells us that, overall, Albertans are concerned about climate change and
want an action plan and that is what we are doing."
Greenhouse gases are mainly generated by burning fossil fuels such as crude oil,
natural gas and coal.
Many scientists believe greenhouse gases contribute to global warming.
However, some scientists believe the current tendency toward global warming is
part of a natural cycle of temperature change.