Conservatives tout former government's climate change action as their own

onNov 5, 2007 @ 12:04 PST

In reaction to the criticism leveled at the Canadian government today over massive cuts to climate change research, Environment minister John Baird defended his government’s record by touting climate research programs initiated, not by his party, but by the former governing Liberals.

Baird stated:

they are sponsoring projects such as $150 million in funding for Arctic research for the International Polar Year and more than $1.5 billion in spending for new technologies.”

But a quick check of the “Arctic Research” program referred to by the Minister shows that it began requesting proposals on December 19, 2005 – the Conservative party did not come into power until January 23, 2006.

Baird went on to say that his government was taking concrete action to respond to “world class scientific evidence” that suggests we should be… lowering greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial polluters.”

Canadian scientists are calling the Minister on his bafflegab.

Top Canadian scientists are reporting that the Canadian government is shutting down a federal climate change research network and blocking new studies on the impact of rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.

By Kevin Grandia

Kevin is a contributor and strategic adviser to DeSmog. He runs the digital marketing agency Spake Media House. Named a “Green Hero” by Rolling Stone Magazine and one of the “Top 50 Tweeters” on climate change and environment issues, Kevin has appeared in major news media outlets around the world for his work on digital campaigning. Kevin has been involved in the public policy arena in both the United States and Canada for more than a decade. For five years he was the managing editor of DeSmogBlog.com. In this role, Kevin’s research into the “climate denial industry” and the right-wing think tank networks was featured in news media articles around the world. He is most well known for his ground-breaking research into David and Charles Koch’s massive financial investments in the Republican and tea party networks. Kevin is the first person to be designated a “Certified Expert” on the political and community organizing platform NationBuilder. Prior to DeSmog, Kevin worked in various political and government roles. He was Senior Advisor to the Minister of State for Multiculturalism and a Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Asia Pacific, Foreign Affairs for the Government of Canada. Kevin also worked in various roles in the British Columbia provincial government in the Office of the Premier and the Ministry of Health. In 2008 Kevin co-founded a groundbreaking new online election tool called Vote for Environment which was later nominated for a World Summit Award in recognition of the world’s best e-Content and innovative ICT applications. Kevin moved to Washington, DC in 2010 where he worked for two years as the Director of Online Strategy for Greenpeace USA and has since returned to his hometown of Vancouver, Canada.