Canada's Conservatives Hit Road to Push Green Look

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Canada's Conservative government, keen to dress itself in a new green hue, sent its new environment minister Monday to tour damage from storms that have lashed Canada's Pacific Coast this winter.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Canada's Conservative government, keen to dress itself in a new green hue, sent its new environment minister Monday to tour damage from storms that have lashed Canada's Pacific Coast this winter.


In first major trip since last week's cabinet shuffle, Environment Minister John Baird lamented the hundreds of massive trees downed in Vancouver's landmark Stanley Park, and said Canadians were "loud and clear" they wanted more attention paid to issues such as global warming.


"We're all concerned about the freaky weather we've seen this year," Baird told reporters, calling it a "wake-up call" on the need to protect the environment.


While the Pacific Northwest has been hit repeatedly in recent weeks by heavy wind and rain, much of Eastern and Central Canada has basked in the unusually warm weather that has set records this winter in the Northeast United States.


Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan warned Baird that residents are worried the severe storm damage in the city's landmark park was "a demonstration" of what to expect if global warming alter's North America's weather patterns.


Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority Conservatives have been attacked by critics who have accused them of weakening the country's efforts to control greenhouse gases and abandoning its commitment to the Kyoto Accord.


Baird, who is known as one of the Conservatives' most feisty partisans, accused the former Liberal government of having ignored the environment.


He said the Conservatives had not pushed the issue while in opposition or when elected in January because voters were more interested at the time in ridding the government of corruption.


Baird made no mention of the demand by Jack Layton, leader of the small left-leaning New Democratic Party, which holds the balance of power in the House of Commons, that the government radically toughen its proposed environmental legislation as a condition of getting his backing.


Baird did not say what environmental policy changes were being considered by the government, but planned to meet in Vancouver - the birthplace of Greenpeace - with representatives of several environmental groups.


He said he has also taken time to watch the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth", made by former U.S. vice president Al Gore, on the dangers of global warming.


Source: Reuters


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