CEA in the News

Protesters label Canada 'laggard'

The Windsor Star November 30, 2009

Canada's climate change record came under fire at a protest Saturday in Windsor.

About 75 supporters of the Climate Change Action Committee gathered at the corner of Huron Church Road and College Avenue, waving banners and listening to speeches.

"The leadership role that Canada played on many, many environmental issues has long passed, and Canada is really now viewed as a laggard," said Derek Coronado, co-ordinator of the Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario.

"Now, at the Commonwealth, in fact, there is a ... move afoot, to get Canada expelled from the Commonwealth because of its position on climate change."

Coronado said Prime Minister Stephen Harper only agreed to attend the upcoming environmental summit in Copenhagen after realizing he would be the only major world leader not attending.

"Canada is one of the largest per-capita emitters of greenhouse gases," said Coronado.

"Additionally, the Alberta oil-sands are considered the largest industrial complex on the planet. It accounts for a huge expanse of our greenhouse gas emissions."

The demonstration also heard from Windsor-Tecumseh NDP MP Joe Comartin and Windsor West NDP MP Brian Masse.

Among the groups taking part were the Unitarian Universalists Windsor Region, Council of Canadians and Watch on Windsor -- the tar-sand coalition.

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