Where’s Iggy?

The Liberal Party under Michael Ignatieff seems to have lost its way on the environment.  Whatever his shortcomings as a politician, his predecessor Stéphane Dion understood that climate change is a planetary emergency, and laid out a reasonable plan—the Green Shift—to ensure that Canada does its share to address it.  



Ignatieff tossed the Green Shift aside when he became Liberal leader.  This was perhaps politically necessary given the Liberals’ defeat in the October 2008 election. More baffling is that the Ignatieff Liberals appear to be treating environmental issues and climate especially, like toxic wasterunning away as fast as they can.  

On numerous occasions, Ignatieff has voiced his strong support for further development of the tar sands, even though he says he wants Canada to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and he knows that  and that he knows that tar sands are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.  Increasing tar sands development means that Canada will be unable to begin to reduce our overall emissions for many years—even in the unlikely event that carbon capture and storage technology proves to be feasible and effective.

Just as baffling is Ignatieff’s failure to support Bill C-311, the proposed Climate Change Accountability Act.  This NDP private member’s bill is identical to a bill passed by the House of Commons in June 2008 with Liberal support that died on the Senate order paper when the autumn 2008 election was called.  Bill C-311 is important because it will establish in law Canada’s deep obligation to cut greenhouse gas emissions (25% below 1990 levels by 2020, 80% by 2050) that scientists say are needed to avoid disastrous climate change.  Neither Ignatieff nor his environment critic David McGuinty have indicated what amendments the Liberals require in order to support Bill C-311.  

Failure by Parliament to pass Bill C-311 will mean that Canada will go to the crucial Copenhagen climate treaty negotiations in December without a climate plan that other nations can take seriously.

The Ignatieff Liberals have been weak on other environmental issues.  They refused to take a stand in Parliament against Conservative amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act, which were improperly included in the March 2009 budget bill.  These amendments give the Transport Minister (John Baird) unilateral authority to approve dams and bridges across navigable waters without federal environmental assessment. Some Liberal and other Senators were prepared to fight this bill but were stymied by Ignatieff’s office. 

To date, Liberal environmental policies are indistinguishable from those of the Conservative government that have pushed Canada to last place among developed nations in protecting climate and the natural environment. 

And yet I live in hope that Ignatieff and the Liberals may seek a stronger environmental platform than the hopeless Conservatives. Ignatieff supported a carbon tax during his 2007 leadership bid before politics led him to abandon it.  In person, Ignatieff appears to understand the gravity of the climate, water and biodiversity crises.  Political factors, especially the October 2008 election results and fear of an Alberta backlash, have prevented him from showing leadership so far.

Let’s help him and his party find some gumption on the environment before the next federal election—which could be as early as November.   After all, the Ignatieff Liberals could form Canada’s next government and represent all Canadians at the historic climate negotiations in Copenhagen. 

Stephen Hazell is the executive director of Sierra Club Canada.