CALGARY - David Anderson, the federal Minister of the Environment, signalled for the first time yesterday that Canada might not move as rapidly as planned toward ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
While reaffirming the Chrétien government's commitment to the deal, Mr. Anderson told a group of business leaders that Canada would sign on to the accord only after discussions with stakeholders. He later told reporters that could mean Canada might not ratify the accord by the end of the year as indicated by Jean Chrétien, the Prime Minister.
"We don't have a set timeline," Mr. Anderson said. "We don't want to put timelines on discussions. We want them to be realistic and we cannot say at this time how long they will take."
While not softening the government's overall commitment to Kyoto, Mr. Anderson's remarks were the latest in a series of comments by senior Cabinet ministers, including Allan Rock, the Minister of Industry, and Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Natural Resources, that Canada should proceed cautiously on the Kyoto Protocol.
Two weeks ago, Mr. Chrétien also indicated a cautious approach is prudent, saying Kyoto's impact on the economy needs to be studied fully.
Mr. Anderson's remarks were welcomed by Lorne Taylor, Alberta's Environment Minister, who said a voluntary commitment to greenhouse gas reduction is preferable to adherence to Kyoto.
"He [Mr. Anderson] is picking up a theme, certainly, from his Cabinet colleagues and that is positive. But they are still fixated on Kyoto. If we can show through this consultation process that we can reduce greenhouse gases, why should we be fixated on Kyoto?" Mr. Taylor said.
Alberta opposes the Kyoto deal and says it may launch a legal challenge to Ottawa's authority to force provincial compliance, citing provincial jurisdiction over resources. At a meeting of energy ministers in May, Alberta will propose a U.S.-style plan to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gases.
Signed in Japan in 1997, the Kyoto accord commits Canada to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 6% below 1990 levels. Opponents forecast dire economic consequences and note that the deal exempts such developing nations as India, Brazil and China, which are among eight out of 20 of the world's leading producers of greenhouse gases not bound by Kyoto. The United States has pulled out of Kyoto but has reaffirmed its commitment to a voluntary greenhouse gas reductions.
The Chrétien government originally indicated it wanted to ratify Kyoto by June, before the opening of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, in August. The Johannesburg summit marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Earth Summit, which initiated global discussions on greenhouse gas reductions.
Mr. Anderson's address to Calgary business leaders included slides of forest fires, drought, floods and pestilence as examples of the consequences of global warming. Hugh Klaassen of Paramount Resources, and Allan MacRae, a Calgary engineer, told Mr. Anderson they felt government research funding into global warming is biased.
"If [the science] is wrong, I want to know. I am the minister hanging on the barbed wire bleeding on this one," Mr. Anderson said.
The Environment Minister hosts a three-day gathering of G8 environment ministers beginning today in Banff, focussing on the agenda for Johannesburg conference.
A protest march on Sunday in Banff will be led by Greenpeace activists dressed as spotted owls, which are endangered animals.
bremington@nationalpost.com
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