With them or against them, you can't help but admire a bit of ingenuity going into a protest. The bunch who got their message across at the Parliament Buildings Monday about the federal government's lack of action on climate change was a refreshing change. It sure beats the clashes with police and rock throwing we've seen during past international summits.
As Canada and other countries kicked off the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen Monday, 19 Greenpeace activists rappelled from the roof of the West Block building. They unfurled massive banners in English and French reading: Harper/Ignatieff Climate Inaction Costs Lives.
The Copenhagen conference comes as a Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey suggests government isn't seeing the issue the same as average Canadians. About 64 per cent of respondents said rich nations have a responsibility to commit to higher and harder targets than developing countries.
The Canadian government so far has not been willing to go along with that, calling on those other countries to contribute the same, even though the bulk of the problem results from more than a century of industrial activity in the richer countries.
Nearly half of respondents also want to see Canada take a lead role in Copenhagen. With that in mind, Canada was handed third runner-up for the Fossil of the Day Award, presented by non-governmental groups at the conference to countries they deem laggards on the environment.
Still the current government has shown some progress. While in opposition they didn't even acknowledge that climate change was a problem.
The protesters' stunt, not surprisingly, had many questioning security on Parliament Hill. There will be all sorts of movement to plug holes. If only the same kind of effort and ingenuity could go into the government and opposition's commitment to a solution on this issue - one that Canadians and others are beginning to see as the most crucial the world faces.
Daring stunt highlights issue
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Published on
December 9, 2009
- Published on March 8, 2010
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