Update: Some several hours after the Star filed the story referenced below, Environment Minister Prentice’s office sent a copy of the photo to the left. Note there is absolutely no evidence that Secretary Chu is there under duress. (But the photo is not of sufficient quality to tell whether they have been photo shopped into the same room.) (Kidding. We’re kidding.)

U.S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu stiffed Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice today, refusing to help him “change the story” from the embarrassing spoof press release alleging that Canada was going to take a responsible position on greenhouse gas emissions.

The Toronto Star reports here that Prentice’s staff was desperate to get a photo op with the Energy Secretary, but that Nobel Laureate Chu has higher standards.

Serves Prentice right on a couple of counts, one of which is that he used this alleged media availability” as an excuse to cut short an earlier news conference. He said he would be “available” again later, but didn’t mention that he would only be available to shutter bugs, not to anyone who actually wanted to ask him a question.