MARGARET MUNRO
Canwest News Service

Friday, February 01, 2008

CREDIT: RAY SMITH, TIMES COLONIST FILE
University of Victoria climatologist Andrew Weaver says the government is "manufacturing the message of science."

Environment Canada has "muzzled" its scientists around the country, ordering them to refer all media queries to Ottawa where communications officers will help them respond with "approved lines."

The new policy, which went into force in recent weeks and sent a chill through the department research divisions, is designed to control the department's media message and ensure there are no surprises for Environment Minister John Baird and senior management when they open the newspaper or turn on the television, according to documents obtained by Canwest News Service.

"Just as we have 'one department, one website' we should have 'one department, one voice,' " says a PowerPoint presentation from Environment Canada's executive management committee that has been sent to department staff.

Environment Canada scientists, many of them world leaders in their fields, have long been encouraged to discuss their work on everything from migratory birds to melting Arctic ice with the media and public. Several of them were co-authors of the United Nations report on climate change that won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

"It's insulting," says one senior staff member, who asked not to be named. She says researchers can no longer even discuss or confirm science facts without approval from the highest level.

Until now, Environment Canada has been one of most open and accessible departments in the federal government, which the executive committee says is a problem that needs to be remedied.

It says all media queries must now be routed through Ottawa, where "media relations will work with individual staff to decide how to best handle the call; this could include: Asking the program expert to respond with approved lines; having media relations respond; referring the call to the minister's office; referring the call to another department," the presentation says.

Gregory Jack, acting director of Environment Canada's ministerial and executive services, says scientists and "subject matter experts" will still be made available to speak to the media "on complex and technical issues." He would not explain how "approved lines" are being written and who is approving them.

Jack said the policy is meant to bring Environment Canada in line with other federal departments, but he insists "there is no change in the access in terms of scientists being able to talk."

The reality, insiders say, is the policy is blocking communication and infuriating scientists. Researchers have been told to refer all media queries to Ottawa. The media office then asks reporters to submit their questions in writing. Sources say researchers are then asked to respond in writing to the media office, which then sends the answers to senior management for approval. If a researcher is eventually cleared to do an interview, he or she is instructed to stick to the "approved lines."

University of Victoria climatologist Andrew Weaver works closely with several Environment Canada scientists. He says the policy points to the Conservative government's fixation with micro-management and accused the government of "manufacturing the message of science."

"They've been muzzled," says Weaver of the federal expert scientists who once spoke freely about their fields of work, be it atmospheric winds affecting airliners or disease outbreaks at bird colonies.

The one area exempted from having to go through head office is the weather service, "due to volume and technical nature of inquiries," the Power-Point presentation says.

Under the new policy, Environment Canada employees "shall not," the presentation says, "speculate about events, incidents, issues or future policy decisions." Whether this prohibition covers speculation about the impacts of phenomena such as climate change, which is reshaping Canadian and global ecosystems, is not clear.

Canada slammed for its climate policies; lack of leadership

It is not often that one has the opportunity to participate in a process that directly impacts over 180 nations around the world. However, while the majority of students were focusing on their exams in December one student and 7 recent graduates of the University of Guelph participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia.

As part of the Canadian Youth Delegation (CYD) we travelled half-way around the world to Bali to join over 200 global youth in advocating for the political leadership necessary to achieve international consensus on the most pressing issue of our generation – climate change.

The 32 person CYD included representatives from every Canadian province and one territory and the team was composed of students, trained journalists, young professionals, climate activists and policy experts.

The youth message to the United Nations was that we needed a ‘Bali Breakthrough’, an international agreement whereby countries would acknowledge the threat posed by climate change, use science to inform their mitigation policies and emission reduction targets, and ultimately take action to prevent our generation from inheriting the worst of those environmental changes predicted for the future.

In Bali, our delegation experienced a deep sense of disappointment about the Canadian government’s performance on the international stage. Canada’s reputation on the climate change issue is being seriously eroded. Our Minister’s actions in Bali were confusing at best, embarrassing at worst. Canada’s policies were slammed by other nation’s delegates, leading UN scientists, and environmental groups alike.

Canada’s Poor Performance

John Baird, Canada’s Minister of the Environment turned in a dismal performance in Bali. Here is a recap of Minister Baird’s and Canada’s official activities in Bali.

1. On the Minister’s first night in Bali he crashed a party.

During an event hosted by non-governmental organizations Minister Baird arrived and promptly engaged in a shouting match with a delegate representing the David Suzuki Foundation. The crux of Minister Baird’s argument? That Canadian environmentalists were to blame for government inaction on climate change (strange, I thought he was the Minister responsible for that portfolio?). His favourite debate technique? Getting within 6 inches of your face, yelling, and tapping you repeatedly on the shoulder. The term ‘bulldog’ is a complete understatement when describing this Minister’s style.

2. The Minister failed to explain Canada’s official climate change policy.

At a conference side event advertised for several months as a presentation by Canada’s Minister of the Environment of the government’s “Turning the Corner” climate change plan, Minister Baird arrived in flip-flops, shook hands with some Petro Canada folks at the back of the room, and then quickly left. The Minister’s absence left the UN audience shocked, a room of over 100 youth, media, and international delegates questioned why the Canadian government had refused to present its (widely criticized) plan as advertised. The Minister’s aides were overheard berating the conference staff for an apparently inadequate sound system. A sound system that did not, however, stop 3 invited Canadian industry representatives from giving presentations on carbon capture and storage, biofuels, and clean electricity generation technologies in the Minister’s absence.

3. The Minister refused to accept a petition from Canadians asking for action on climate change.

Tired of seeing our country lambasted by others for its inaction and attempts to block progressive elements of the negotiations in Bali the CYD, in collaboration with other organizations, distributed a petition which was signed by over 65,000 Canadians in 48 hrs. We attempted to deliver it, but after repeated attempts to contact the Minister he refused to meet with us (our delegation did however meet with the UK Environment Minister, the Ontario Environment Minister, the Alberta Environment Minister, the Indonesian Environment Minister, etc...) Minister Baird’s aide had this response to our petition: “65,000? That’s a big membership...” (dripping with sarcasm). Over 110,000 have now signed [you can too! ].

4. Canada’s climate change policies were widely criticized by the international community.
In Bali, the UN’s chief climate diplomat, Yvo De Boer, portrayed Canada as a climate change hypocrite, our government demanding emission cuts by Third World countries while at the same time saying that we weren’t going to meet our own targets and commitments. Rajendra Pachauri, the Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the leading scientific body on climate change research had this to say about Stephen Harper’s administration, “This particular government has been a government of sceptics...they do not want to do anything on climate change”.
Even the Chinese (who, in Bali, gave an indication of their willingness to set emission targets) slammed our government by saying that Canada and Japan were emerging as the most uncooperative nations at the climate talks, particularly for trying to stop references to binding targets for industrialized nations. The German delegation called Canada’s position “unconstructive” and a Bangladesh delegate called Canada’s position “immoral”.

Adding insult to injury, Canada tied with the United States for the most ‘Fossil of the Day’ Awards during the conference. These mock ‘awards’ are presented daily by international youth on behalf of the NGO group Climate Action Network to those countries who are acting the most to block the progress of climate change negotiations.

But the piece de resistance came on the last day of the conference when the USA and Canada made a last ditch effort to slow action on climate change by blocking any reference in the text of the final agreement to the science behind the targets needed to mitigate dangerous climate change. The US and Canadian positions were ultimately reversed by an overwhelming show of solidarity by the vast majority of the nations of the world. Being dragged kicking and screaming, Canada was forced to accept the ‘Bali Roadmap’ to future climate change actions.

At a time when most Canadians list climate change as their number one concern (even more than health care) the Canadian government’s inaction on the subject is disturbing. Change may be in the air however, while Minister Baird didn’t meet with us in Bali, Stephane Dion took us out for drinks and told us to expect an election over this issue shortly. Al Gore told us in Bali that even in the United States people are waking up to the climate crisis, all the more reason to hope that new years resolutions for a greener planet in 2008 will come true.

Adam MacIsaac was a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation to the Bali United Nations Climate Change Conference (www.cydbali.org) and is managing a youth climate change publication at Peace Child International. For more information about the Bali meeting visit www.unfccc.int.

We Call on the Conscience of World Leaders to Act to Protect the Youth and Children of the World

Friday, 14th 2007, Bali, Indonesia – As the negotiations reach their final day, international youth are gravely concerned for their future. Strong, urgent action must be taken by delegates. Inaction will have irreversible consequences. With the security of the world's future generations hanging in the balance, Youth delegates implore world leaders to move beyond the last-gasp delaying tactics of the United States, Canada, and Japan.

"It is humiliating to have to implore our leaders to take action and protect our futures. We have no options left but this one humble plea. Please. Please act." Kelley Greenman, 20, US youth delegate.

Over the past two weeks, youth from around the world have gathered to express their optimism about the process, highlight the potential for all nations to build upon global momentum, and forge a true Bali Breakthrough.
"Already, we are seeing the devastating impacts of climate change – and they are only going to get worse unless something is done immediately," said US youth delegate Matt Maiorana, 19. "The precautionary principle has been completely ignored. Negotiators are acting as though this is a political question, when it is instead a moral imperative. What are they doing to protect my future?"

"The negotiators don't seem to realize the consequences of the decisions they are making, they talk only about themselves and don't listen to others. It seems so selfish" said Indonesian delegate, Choiriatun Nur Annisa, 20, "These are human lives we are talking about, not numbers on a piece of paper. Please. Please, do everything you can. The world and our future depends on what we do now,"

Youth are calling for the recommendations made by the Nobel Prize winning IPCC to be adopted. To protect the next generation, developed countries need to reduce their emissions by at least 25 40% by 2020. As youth are the most impacted, the world must build an adaptation fund that is just and able to protect those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. To unleash the potential of youth in developing nations, technology transfer must become a priority to ensure the decarbonization of all countries.

As youth, we simply ask please.

As countries argue, time runs out. If the wrong decisions are made, there wont be time to undo them. Please protect our future.

The Environment Minister cancelled his appearance at a government-sponsored event yesterday at the UNFCCC in Bali, Indonesia.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/video/vs?id=RTGAM.20071211.wvbaird_climate1211&ids=RTGAM.20071211.wvbaird_climate1211

Tuesday December 11, 2007
Nusa Dua Indonesia

A UN audience was left in a lurch during a Tuesday evening event hosted by the Canadian government at the ongoing UN climate talks in Bali, Indonesia.

Youth joined a large audience anxiously expecting to hear the Minister of the Environment address Canada’s climate change policy. Instead Canadian industry representatives showcased new ‘clean’ technologies.

The audience was informed during the event that the Minister would not be speaking about his highly touted ‘Turning the Corner’ plan. “The side event was publicized as being a presentation of their policies, but nobody talked about this at all. Not the Minister or a representative,” said Genevieve Gilbert, 22 from Ottawa.

The presenters were forced to field questions and attempted to explain the Ministers’ absence. One presenter later expressed that he “felt hung out to dry.”

According to Adrianna Hoogenboom, 23 from Ottawa, “Baird arrived in flip flops, surveyed the room quickly and left after his handlers berated the conference staff for the quality of the sound system.”

According to Katrina Genuis, age 18 from Edmonton, “I came to engage with my government and they did not have the courage to present their plan and justify it, I found it disrespectful to the UN audience as well as to the presenters.’

Sentiments following the meeting echoed frustration and comments overheard included, “I am not even Canadian and I find this embarrassing.”

Although the overall message of the Canadian government has been disappointing youth will take this as an opportunity to hold their government accountable. “Youth will be stepping up our actions during these last three days of the conference. Canadians have a right to know about their government’s dismal performance in Bali,” summarized Rosa Kouri, 24 from Saskatoon.

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