Canadians should be outraged with Harper's handling of himself at the Uganda Commonwealth Summit this week. The Conservatives have often ranted about taking individual responsibility - whether that is talking about health or financial success. Yet, when it comes to climate issues, Harper comes along and whines that because "hard targets" on climate change won't be "uniform" and global, that they shouldn't be part of any multi-national policy.
While I accept the criticism that hard targets are of limited effectiveness if countries like China, India or the United States aren't participating, the Harper position is based on blame shifting. Essentially, Harper says that he wants hard targets, but only if the United States and others do too. This is like saying that you are all in favour of exercise, but because the obese guy next door isn't exercising, you won't either.
Canada's strength on the world stage has traditionally come from leading by example. Harper is destroying that, creating the image of Canada as nothing more than a poodle to whatever Bush decides in the United States.
Where climate change is concerned, I recognize that Canada cannot change the world by itself. However, we can, and should, be taking actions of leadership on our own. The "environmental movement" was ringing the bells about the impact of human activities on the planet back in the 1970s. It took at least two decades for that message to be heard in the mainstream. The same applies to climate change on the political stage. Canada can, and should, be leading that endeavor.
Instead, Harper makes vapid statements about "wanting hard targets" and doing everything he can to make sure it doesn't happen. What passes for environment policy among the conservatives is framed in terms of doing nothing until the current generation is either dead or living in nursing homes - far too late.
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