News Release

VANCOUVER – After much anticipation ahead of today’s First Ministers’ Meeting in Vancouver, the Premiers and Prime Minister of Canada have failed to come up with a meaningful national plan to put a price on carbon to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Canada will never act on climate if we continue to play to the lowest common denominator,” said McCartney. “We need aggressive climate action and what we got today was vague aspirations.”

The First Ministers promised “carbon pricing mechanisms adapted to each province's and territory's specific circumstances,” which can be open to interpretation.

During the 2015 election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to introduce a pan-Canadian climate action framework within 90 days of the Paris climate summit. But after today’s meeting, it appears Canadians will have to wait until fall 2016 for details about how each province will tackle emissions reductions.

“It’s like our house is burning down and we’re still trying to decide whether or not to call the fire department,” said McCartney. “Our climate crisis is worsening every day – we need to put out this fire.”

McCartney will be joining Wilderness Committee representatives and other environmental allies at a climate rally outside the Vancouver Convention Centre this afternoon at 4:30 p.m.

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For more information, please contact:

Peter McCartney | Climate Campaigner, Wilderness Committee
778-239-1935, peter@wildernesscommittee.org

Photo: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discusses climate action with Premiers at the First Ministers' Meeting in Vancouver, March 3, 2016. (BC Government via Flickr)