OTTAWA - Not enough time remains for the Canadian government to do the work needed to ratify the Kyoto climate change accord by mid-year, Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal said last week.
It was the first clear declaration on the part of the federal government that nothing would be ready by June. There had been speculation the government would like to ratify it in time for the June 26-27 summit of the Group of Eight leading countries that Canada is hosting. "Let me clear on this point. I don't believe that we'll be able to do all the due diligence that's required to sign a deal in June," Dhaliwal told reporters.
"I think we're looking at a later date, but no way we'll be ready to make a decision by June of this year."
Business and conservative opposition politicians have urged the Liberal government either not to ratify or to be very cautious, so as not to put Canada at a competitive disadvantage with the United States, which has decided not to ratify.
The 1997 Kyoto protocol obliges those who ratify it to cut emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, held responsible by many scientists for global warming.
The government has said it would consult with provinces and business to make sure that the burden does not fall unequally, and it has also promised a study on the costs of Kyoto. It also needs to pin down agreement on its plan to take credit for clean energy exports to the United States and other countries.:
