Al Gore in Toronto

Gore urges Canada to hold politicians accountable on environment:

"The federal budget this week dismantled the preceding Liberal administration's $4-billion commitment to the Kyoto treaty, proffering instead what it called a $2-billion 'made-in-Canada' plan that included, among other things, a tax credit for public transit pass-holders.

When read the 'made-in-Canada' quotes from Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, Mr. Gore rolled his eyes and made a flag-waving gesture with his hand.

'And they were elected because of issues that had nothing to do with global warming and the climate crisis, and now they're pretending to have a mandate to abandon Canada's historic commitment to playing a leadership role in cleaning up the world's environment.'"

For any nativists decrying Al Gore speaking out like this, I think as one of the world's leading environmental figures, he's earned the right. Could very well be the next President, if he runs in '08. The world would be fortunate to have such an intelligent, capable, and decent man as the next leader of the U.S. Someone who has been on this issue for over 20 years and could really make a difference in the world for the better on it.

For us, it's time to stop shoving this issue aside, by cutting funding for environmental programs in half and marginalizing it as a fringe-leftist low priority issue. What else are we to make of these cuts? This is a sleeper issue that could come back to haunt the Tories as it appears they're making their choice to cut back on Canadian environmental efforts. These are clearly not your Mulroney Conservatives.