Categories: Need to know

Conservative senators kill climate change bill

Snap vote in the Senate abolishes bill passed by House of Commons

by macleans.ca on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 2:45pm - 144 Comments

Conservative party senators have abruptly killed a climate change bill originally introduced by the NDP and passed by the House of Commons. The Tory senators profited from the absence of 15 Liberal senators to call a snap vote on Bill C-311, also known as the Climate Change Accountability Act, which was then defeated by a vote of 43 to 32. The bill in question called for greenhouse gas emissions to be cut to 25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. “This was one of the most undemocratic acts that we have ever seen in the Parliament of Canada,” NDP Leader Jack Layton said at a press conference Wednesday morning. “To take power that doesn’t rightfully belong to them to kill a bill that has been adopted by a majority of the House of Commons representing a majority of Canadians is as wrong as it gets when it comes to democracy in this country.”

The Globe and Mail

Tags: climate change

klem

You people don't actually think that a snap vote was called and the parties were all caught unprepared do you? What, do you think these guys run around in Paliament not knowing when votes are going to happen and they were tricked somehow? C'mon.

Oooh those trixsie Tories, they pulled he wool over our eyes and the bill was killed so it's not our fault… Oooh those trixie Tories. Lol!

Thwim

RTFM

wafer

God bless those Liberal Senators who didn't feel it necessary to be on the job. This was a terrible bill with completely unrealistic objectives. Funny, as unproductive as the Senate seems to be I was always under the impression that their mandate was to approve or disapprove bills after they were sent to them from the House and I don't think the Conservatives were the only government to use the Senate to further their aims. One lesson here might be that you should show up for work. I'm waiting for Iggy's indignation although since it was Liberal Senators who were missing he will be hard pressed to make a lot of noise.

Keith in Brampton

It's better to set a high target to aim for, honestly try to meet it, and fall short thanto do absolutely nothing and watch as things get worse. At least by trying, even if we only meet 25% of the target, that's better than where we are currently headed.

That said, I do think the bill was unrealistic.

However, the real issue here is the abuse of process by the Senate. The bill was killed without any meaningful study or debate, through a process which, while technically permissable, is ethically bankrupt. As with the "ten percenters", the Tories – and esp. the Tory senators – have proven once again that they are the Loophole Masters.

Just because one can doesn't mean one should.

Keith M

The headline should be rewritten to "Absentee Liberals Senators Could not Save Useless Climate Bill"
alfanerd

"there is plenty of evidence…" Can you provide some? Not links to your dumb@ss propaganda sites, actual EVIDENCE? no you cant.

The IPCC relies on computer models to make its predictions – that is not scientific evidence, its just an elaborate video game.

The global warming theory predicts a hotspot in the mid and lower tropical troposphere – we've been observing this part of the atmosphere since 1979, still cant find a hotspot. Clearly, the theory is WRONG. That's based on hard data, not computer games.

Holly Stick

Every national and international scientific organization on earth agrees that the AGW is occuring. The evidence is all over the place except for stupid Conservatives like yourself who are too lazy to look for it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_opinion_o…

alfanerd

Argument by authority…. lame. try to understand the stuff you're linking too. But please keep calling us names, it nicely highlights your intellectual capacity.

Holly Stick

Here, stupid. Read about models.: http://www.skepticalscience.com/climate-models.ht…

The Geological Society statement on climate change:
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/views/policy_statem…

As I wrote before, ALL of the major scientific societies agree that we are causing AGW and that it will have bad effects, just like earlier climate changes are associated with mass extinction events.

You ignorant rightwingers are so pathetic, trying to pretend you know something just because you've read a few lies on a blog. Go back to school and try to learn about reality.

Keith in Brampton

Here's what I don't get: Why are those who question global warming so hell-bent on NOT taking action to improve our environmental record? EVEN IF global warming turns out to be a myth, the other benefits of improved environmental policies – cleaner air; less and more efficient use of resources; reduction in waste; etc – still make the efforts more than worthwhile. Why would anyone want to stick their heads in the sand – or worse, actively lobby against improved environmental policies – when proper environmental planning will yield net benefits for us all?

Holly Stick

They realize that we will have to take collective action to survive the climate crisis and this offends their selfish pseudolibertarian views. If Ayn Rand didn't write about climate change, they don't believe in it!

Seven11

I, as an employed Canadian, am very happy that the Senate did the right thing. And those that blame the Conservatives should probably do a little digging. It was the Liberals that forced the vote in the Senate, and thwarted any chance of discussion. And then, what 12 of them were off shopping or apparently doing something much more important then their jobs. Typical.
Seven11

So to take a 80% reduction from 1990 levels in C02 by 2050, either requires a) 80% less stuff coming into our country and 80% less stuff going out of the country and 80% less heating or b) the same amount of c02 being generated with no reduction and massive taxes on everything so we can offset our carbon output. I don't like either scenerio, and I will leave this country if it ever comes down to it. I'll move to a warmer client where I don't need to heat my home, and I can collect credits from the few of you that stay here to work and freeze in the cold.
Jonathan

When Liberals or NDP cut corners and use sneaky way to push bills through parlament then it is OK, but when Conservatives do a trick then suddenly everyone is disturberd? What a hypocrite attitude…..
Conservatived did a right thing, thay undercut a bill that threat an economical development in Canada.
Cut "80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050" ? It sounds like shut down all economy ang goingh back to stone age….but hey, eco-nuts will be happy…even if all nation will starve.
“This was one of the most undemocratic acts that we have ever seen in the Parliament of Canada,” – yeah…frutcakes from NDP are outraged…. How about undemocratic impose of multiculturalism in Canada with our even asking anyone about opinion?
Good job Conservatives ! We can't let LIberals&NDP to play ther social-fascist game.
Nobody's Fool

Before you become an ignorant cheerleader and scamper like a lemming over the edge into the river below. Do a little homework before you open your ignorant mouth. This not a hockey game. where if you are losing (Harper) you can beat the hell out of someone for the sake of beating the hell out of somebody. You still lose the game. This is a democracy. And what the Harper Reform PArty goons did with C-311 was yet another betray to the Canadian people.

Do your homework.
gottabesaid

If Liberal senators get together and kill some beloved piece of Conservative legislation that has already passed through the House of Commons — and, no, this doesn't happen all the time, it hasn't happened in 70 years until yesterday — we'll see how happy you are then. This is a democracy, and sometimes votes don't go your way. The undemocratic senate shouldn't be used to thwart the will of the democratic House of Commons.
gda

I've done my homework, Fool, and I daresay a lot more than you have. This Bill was an absolute joke, introduced in 2006 when the "chicken littles" still held the sway of public opinion, but shockingly passed in May, even after the various disclosures of the last year, precipitated by Climategate.

One has only to look at the aim of the Bill – absolute Cuts greenhouse gas emissions – 25% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050 – to realize this would carry us back to the stone age economically speaking.

Wish I could credit Harper with a brilliant move here, but it appears that the bill was defeated because of a procedural mistake on the part of the Liberals and not some clever orchestrated plan of Harpers.

How appropriate that it should go down on the anniversary of Climategate!!!! Sweet irony that…..
Jonathan

I did my homework (perhaps you did not).
Since we have only seven nukes in Canada and most of water-power plants are located in Quebec then majority
of production facilities get their energy from traditional power plants.
If you cut 80% emisions that you practically shut down all traditional power plants and most of production facilities.
Of course eco-nuts do not want to deploy any more nukes and at the same time water-sourced power plants are beyond eco-nuts understanding so they push insane expensive wind mills that have efficiency below economical justification of their deployment. But who cares! Suzuki-Gore worshippers will be happy when we are all green but econiomically dead.
I found recently in media this citation: "There are no muslim terrorist that hates Canada more than LIberal party" – and it is difficult to disagree with this statemement.
Nobody's Fool

So defeat then if it was a piece of crap — on the final vote — But that not this point. The HOC voted and asked that this bIll be discussed, debated and vetted. Until that is done all it is, is subjective calls. These bills are debated because they down into the parliament record for future generations. And why because professionals, experts and scientists are asked to participate in the debate. And provide valuable knowledge as to whether or the bill is worthy… that's how a democracy works…and I rather have due process as opposed to Harper's word on anything…

It was not a procedural mistake you moron…it was that the conservatives should have voted to bring it before committee…this was not a motion for royal ascent…besides for 193 day your beloved goons ignored the bill…not a word as to why they believed it should be killed…

It is beyond the pale how many Canadians talk sh#t about something they know nothing about, only because Harper wants it that way….move to Russia you'll fit in just fine.
gda

Perhaps I was wrong about it being a procedural mistake (you'll note I said "it appears that"). But I would expect better from self-appointed experts in procedural matters than to stoop to crass insults in correcting me.

" It is beyond the pale how many Canadians talk sh#t about something they know nothing about, only because Harper wants it that way….move to Russia you'll fit in just fine".

What on earth are you talking about here? What are you trying to imply I (or "many Canadians") know nothing about?

Procedural issues? Nahhh – not the point!

Climate Change? Don't think so – please don't tell me you actually still think this Bill deserves to be debated on it's merits – if so you obviously can't take your head out the sand to follow what's going on in the real world

Seems to me you have a hate on for Harper and you're really pissed because you lost. It's OK, really. That's the way of the word, Fool – you win some, you lose some. And private members bills, from what I gather, lose a lot.

Most of us sh*t-talking Canadians are just thankful you lost this one, and, I might add , are rubbing our hands in glee.. lol

Oh, and Fool, may I say what an appropriate moniker you have adopted, given what an ass of yourself you make above. But then I guess only the ass end of your moniker really counts – Fool.
Anonymous

Bed Bugs are annoying and should all be killed. – Ramon