Just before Christmas, Canada announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Indonesia that we are investing an additional $86 million over four years to help Canadians address this worldwide concern.

Minister of Environment John Baird told the delegation that prevailing scientific evidence shows that even the most ambitious efforts on fighting climate change cannot prevent short term warming. Canada’s government is responding to the international call to action and fully intends to work with the rest of the world to lessen the impact of global warming.

There is ample evidence in Canada’s own backyard that warmer temperatures are affecting our ecosystems.

The pine beetle infestation has ravaged our northern forests and melting permafrost is destabilizing building foundations in some northern schools and homes.

Canada will be putting in place programs to:

• research to improve climate change scenarios;
• assist northerners in assessing key vulnerabilities and opportunities to adjust climate change;
• develop a pilot climate and infectious disease alert and response system to protect Canadians’ health; and
• provide risk management tools to help develop and implement regional programs.

The government is addressing the situation with its new program, Turning the Corner Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution. This is the toughest set of regulations in Canadian history. It puts Canada on the path to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and by 60-70 percent by 2050. This is a responsible pace for improving the environment without sacrificing the economy in the process.

We are providing a united front with the combined efforts of several government departments that include Environment, Natural Resources, Indian and Northern Affairs, and Health Canada. Investing money now will provide a better future for all of us.

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