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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