Environmental activists say they believe the federal Liberal government is on the verge of delivering on the promise of the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“I think we're going to see one of the greenest, if not the greenest, budgets we've ever seen in this country,” Barry Turner, director of government relations for Ducks Unlimited, said today.
“We are at a moment where we may actually see, by the end of this month, the kind of credible, environmentally appropriate plan that gets us to Kyoto targets and does it in a way that enhances not just economic activity in Canada in the short term but does it in a way that creates the kind of momentum we need in Canada,” said Elizabeth May, executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada.
Federal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale will table the federal budget on Feb. 23. On Tuesday, Goodale testified before the House of Commons Environment Committee. And while Goodale refused to reveal what will be in the budget when it comes to new environmental initiatives, he hinted that he would change tax laws to encourage individuals and businesses to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and would also commit the Canadian government to spending millions of dollars on projects in other countries that will help Canada earn “credits” that can be applied towards its Kyoto targets . . . [Read the full story at CTV.ca ]