Call for emergency debate endorsed by Liberal, NDP and Green Party Members of Parliament
Ottawa, ON – Following requests from New Democrat, Liberal and Green Party MP’s for an emergency House of Commons debate on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.5ºC, people across Canada are calling the Speaker of the House to express their support for such a debate.
“Last week, thousands of people from across Canada told federal party leaders they wanted to see a debate on the IPCC’s new report, now MP’s from three parties are calling for one,” says Clayton Thomas-Muller, Stop-it-at-the-Source campaigner with 350.org. “We want to know how our government plans to act when this report has been crystal clear that we need to stop expanding fossil fuel projects, build a 100% renewable economy that works for everyone and do it all faster than anyone had previously predicted”.
Emergency debate requests are heard, and decided on, by the Speaker of the House – the Honourable Geoff Regan. The criteria for an emergency debate includes the importance of the issue and the jurisdiction of the federal government.
“When the world’s best scientists tell us that we have a little more than a decade to get a handle on climate change, I’d say that qualifies as an emergency,” Thomas-Muller explains. “I was there in Paris when Justin Trudeau not only agreed to, but championed a 1.5ºC climate target and I was there when Indigenous peoples and communities made the same conclusion as the IPCC that 1.5ºC isn’t just a number, it’s a red line for the survival of people and communities all around the world”.
Since the release of the IPCC report, there has been no comment from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna told the Canadian Press that “we all know we need to do more” but offered no new policy commitments.
“People across Canada, and around the world, deserve to know if Justin Trudeau is really serious about his climate promises,” says Thomas-Muller. “An emergency debate is a great way to answer that question”.
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Contact:
Cameron Fenton, [email protected], 604-369-2155