JustEarth letter to Senators, June 2021

Dear Senators

JustEarth: A Coalition for Environmental Justice, has sent the following brief to the Senate committee studying  Bill C-12 and asked to appear before it. JustEarth is  an environmental NGO based in Toronto, a member of the Climate Action Network.

We argue that, while the bill was improved in the House committee studying it, yet it still lacks key measures to achieve the GHG emission reductions needed.  We seek further amendments and urge that you, as Senators, adopt them and press the House of Commons to accept them.

So doing would give the Senate an excellent opportunity to redress the damage it did in 2010, when it defeated, at second reading, Jack Layton’s private member’s bill, the Climate Change Accountability Act, which had been adopted by the House 148 to 116. You may share with us the view that that vote was a disgrace, not only on account of the need to reduce GHG emissions, but also the fact that it was adopted by the elected House.

The Senate has since changed greatly in its membership and mode of operation. We urge you to use your good judgment to move on this vital matter.

We append a table showing Canada’s (poor) record on GHG emissions, compared with the successful reductions made by prosperous G-7 members, notably the U.K. and Germany.

Yours sincerely

LLyn Adamson, Karen Buck, Yvonne Buckingham, Rose Dyson, Dorothy Goldin Rosenberg, Joyce Hall, Lynn McDonald, Ronny Yaron