Government at the Back of the Pack in Climate Talks, say Canadian Youth
Delegation

COPENHAGEN , Dec. 18 /CNW/ - On the 11th hour of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, as leaders continue to disagree on the framework for a real climate change treaty, concerned members of the Canadian Youth Delegation (CYD) continue to call for leadership. Despite Prime Minister Harper`s presence in Copenhagen , the CYD were dismayed to see the Minister of Environment speak on his behalf. "By not addressing the Assembly, by not being chosen to meet with President Obama , and by not being selected to participate in a late-night discussion amongst the thirty most important countries of the world, the Canadian government has lost its credibility on the world stage," said Rhiya Trivedi, member of the Canadian Youth Delegation.

The absence of leadership from the Prime Minister is not new to Canadians. Amber Church , Director of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition, recounts an important leaders meeting which Harper missed in September: the first time the UN General Assembly convened to discuss climate change. "While the rest of the leaders, including Obama, convened to discuss the urgency of acting on climate change, Harper attended a photo shoot. Obama was addressing the world, and Harper was at a Tim Hortons."

This afternoon, Canada was awarded the Colossal Fossil, a dubious honour given to the country that has accumulated the greatest number of Fossil of the Day awards. The latter is a shaming award recognizing the most obstructive countries at the negotiations on a daily basis.

Caroline Lee of the CYD explained the message of their action being that "there is no more time for Tim Hortons, we need climate leadership". Gillian Cerbu further explained, "This action is meant to highlight the Harper government's lackadaisical attitude towards global warming and lack of badly needed leadership in moving forward on a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate treaty."

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information: To contact (Anglophone): Gillian Cerbu, [phone], [email protected]; à contacter (francophone): Nicholas Nadeau, [phone], [email protected]