I am dissapointed to be missing Tim Ball’s breakfast meeting with the Victoria Conservative Party this morning, but delighted to be in good company.

 Federal Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn, whose Saanich-Gulf Island riding is one of those sponsoring Ball’s appearance, told Peter O’Neil of the Vancouver Sun yesterday that he had no intention of attending the event, either.

Of Ball’s climate change denial – or his periodic comments that climate change would be good for Canada – Lunn said: “Absolutely it does not reflect the views of the (Conservative) party in any way shape or form,” adding “you know, the next speaker will probably be on the other side of the issue.” Right.

O’Neil used the occasion of this increasingly controversial Ball appearance to press other Tory climate policy insiders on the government’s attitude and intentions. For example, he quotes MP Mark Warawa (Langley), who is Parliamentary Secretary to Environment Minister Rona Ambrose, as saying: “We take seriously the issues of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in our air.”

But then Warawa offers this advance description of the Tory’s new “made in Canada” climate change plan – the vaunted alternative to taking action under Kyoto. Warawa says:

“We will reduce smog, infant death, blindness, childhood asthma and lung cancer because of our actions.”

Woefully, no mention of reducing greenhouse gases. Just what we thought.