Canada will adopt climate-change regulations comparable to those of the United States – including new rules for oil sands producers and refiners – to avoid punitive “green” tariffs, Environment Minister Jim Prentice says.
In an interview Tuesday, Mr. Prentice said it is too early to predict whether the bill that narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives last Friday will be adopted in its current form by the Senate, where it faces a rougher ride.
But he said Canada will bring in regulations to match new U.S. laws governing greenhouse-gas emissions – and vowed to be as tough on Canadian industry as the U.S. government is on its big emitters.
Under the American Clean Energy and Security Act, all U.S. industrial emitters will need permits for every tonne of greenhouse gases they send into the atmosphere. The U.S. oil industry argues that the bill will hammer the refining sector by forcing companies to pay huge fees for the permits, while other industries – notably the power sector – would receive free permits to cover a portion of their current emissions.
The Waxman-Markey bill (named for its co-sponsors, Democrats Henry Waxman of California and Edwin Markey of Massachusetts) also contains measures that would penalize Canadian exporters if Washington determines that Ottawa’s regulations are less vigorous than those adopted by the United States.
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Updates:
7:15 pm EDT, July 1st, 2009 — Canada and Japan blocking climate-change deal
I think that is a big mistake !! Are we now taking policy direction from the US ??
He has been lobbied hard by the Suzuki Foundation and that is a fact.
This is a major boondogle waiting to happen. I am deeply disappointed with Minister Prentice.
This will destroy what econemy is left and derail any recovery. All to satisfy a few mislead zealots.
I agree. Perhaps our Finance minister should put a halt to this socialist wealth redistribution scheam
Big mistake. Anyone want to start a new political party?
Maybe we should just skip Canada day and celebrate 4th of July? Jim Prentice can bring the Kool-Aid and we’ll all have a scavenger hunt looking for our Environment Ministers balls.
I wish they would just quit calling themselves “conservatives”. Perhaps they could call themselves the “Progressive Opportunists.”
mid island mike
@Ken: You are disappointed in Minister Prentice? Come on man, we all know that there’s no way in the world that Prentice would make such a statement without being told he could by the PM.
With any luck some people in the U.S. Senate will grab a brain and vote this one down. Hopefully the U.S. voters are giving their reps an earful right now.
Then we won’t have to go along with this abomination.
I’m not very excited about this because to the best of my knowledge the changes don’t come into effect until 2012. By then it will be all changed again.
It’s just one of your normal garden variety political stunts.
Its time for the Conservatives to take an honest stand on AGW. It is bullshit and everyone – especially those that promote it the most -knows it.
This is not 3 years ago when the issue of global warming/climate change was a ready made platform plank for Stephane Dion, and opposition to it at that time likely would have ended up with the Conservatives losing power if they opposed it. So they played ball.
Its a different environment now, and its about time Canadians had a choice of whether they want Carbon Taxes or not.
How about a referendum on the issue, or failing that an election.
I think i like a referendum on this issue.
I don’t care if Oboma wants it or not….. The left always howled when we agreed with GWB…
So where are they now ????
If the leftards want this so much it cans be good
I say Cap and trade referendum !!!!
@ward: I absolutely agree that a referendum would be a good thing, but when was the last time a federal government had the gonads to ask the people a single straight forward question and agree to be bound by the outcome?
Election is a very bad way to decide this, Prime Ministers, politicians, and the political parties they belong to, have a very long track record of lies and weasel wording – why would this time be any different?
I agree with Ken and Stageleft. A referendum is the way to go if it is required. Please remember much can change in the next couple of years and I expect it will begin in the states. Let’s wait for it.
Breaking news — entry updated.
The federal lieberals certainly dont believe in referendums. We didnt have one for one of the most divisive Truedough policies that still haunts us to this day and that was his “official languages’ fiasco.
http://www.languagefairness.ca/
When was the last time federal Conservatives held a referendum UV?
…..exactly….. your comment is a simple hyper-partisan “lets crap on the other guys because that’s what we do” tripe.
The fact is that issues of this magnitude should be put to a referendum but no federal government has the balls to do so because it means that they have to give up decision making authority, and that means a loss of power, and what government is gonna do that?
…. exactly
October 26th, 1992 Stageleft. The Charlottetown Accord and the move was defeated.
Stageleft – your right of course but its what we Canadians are stuck with. Heck, even our MP’s cant stand on their own to represent their constituents. Their merely voting blocks there for the use of their leaders/ Party Whips. One might say ‘its a party dictatorship’ political system, even at the provincial level.
So whats the alternative? I share your frustration.
Change Public opinion is the only way
This whole cap and trade is because of the perceived global warming threat.
That has been disproved already.
In the US, they are estimating that their Cap and trade tax bill will cost 2.5 million jobs a year.
And if fully implemented will only reduce global temperature by 9/100 th of one degree.
Hardly measurable.
The truth is this is a very bad idea… and i believe we are better off cleaning up the environment
reducing smog and pollutants. Sure lets make more efficient vehicles but let the MARKET decide ….