The environment has long been main focus of Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen's time in Parliament. So it's not surprising that he would have a rather poor impression of the Conservatives thoughts on the environment, as delivered in the Speech from the Throne on Tuesday.
Cullen correctly points his finger at the Liberals for some culpability, as they scramble to avoid an election at all costs and seemingly at the expense of many of their once Holy Grails of Liberalism.
It's been a clever plan hatched by the Conservatives heading into the new session of Parliament, they are barging ahead with a much more aggressive agenda, more than aware of the problems that lurk within the opposition parties and in the necessity of the Liberals to avoid an election at all costs until they can regain control of their fractious party.
It leaves the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois in their traditional spots of providing the voice of opposition to the Conservatives, while the Liberals vacillate on where they want to stand and what they want to do.
Cullen outlined a number of his concerns about the Conservative blue print for the coming Parliament, they were collected and provided as the front page story in Wednesday's Daily News.
MP ANGRY AS TORIES THROW OUT KYOTO IN THRONE SPEECH
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Pages one and three
Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen was disappointed but not surprised when the Conservatives abandon Canada's Kyoto commitments in the throne speech yesterday, and he expects the Liberals to do likewise to avoid an election.
"If you don't do something about it for 13 years, and then do even less for 10 years, it's hard to do something about it at the last moment," said Cullen, who is also the NDPs environment critic.
"It's incredible but all indications are the Liberals are going to just throw away one of the few things Stephane Dion supposedly believes in."
He expects the Liberals will not show up when it comes to the vote. The country is 76 days away from the compliance period of the Kyoto Protocol.
"It is now widely understood that, because of inaction on greenhouse gases over the last decade, Canada's emissions cannot be brought to the level required under the Kyoto Protocol ..." reads the speech that delivered the Conservative's agenda.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion has staked his reputation on his record as environment minister and on his passionate defence of the Kyoto Protocol - he even named his dog after the pact. Up until now, the Liberals have continued to insist that Canada should make every effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent below 1990 levels by 2012.
Cullen criticized the speech for containing little substance and failing to address the concerns of middle and lower income Canadians, such as child care and housing.
'They say they are for the middle class but it doesn't come out in the wash," he said. "They seem to have an ideology bent against all reasonable conversation."
The Conservatives also pledged to take a stand for Canada's fishery. Cullen hopes they actually follow through.
"Our fishing industry in the Northwest is in huge trouble," he said. "Words are not going to do it. We need some action."
In the throne speech, the minority government Conservatives also said Canada should stay directly involved in Afghanistan until at least 2011.
The new proposed deadline is two years beyond the current mandate approved by Parliament and repeats Prime Minister Stephen Harper's promise to put the future of the mission to a vote in the House of Commons.
The speech also tied Canada's eventual exit strategy from Afghanistan to the training of Afghan security forces, including the army and police, and their ability to stand on their own two feet in order to face threats from Taliban insurgents.
"This will not be completed by February 2009, but our government believes this objective should be achievable by 2011."
To Canadians already weary of war following the deaths of 71 soldiers and one diplomat, the Conservatives tried to steel public opinion to the road ahead.
"Progress will be slow, but our efforts are bearing fruit."
The throne speech declaration will likely also push the Liberals, who've called for an end to the combat mission on schedule, into a political corner.
With files from Canadian Press
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