Canadian Government Slights UN Audience « It’s Getting Hot In Here

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday December 11, 2007
NUSA DUA, INDONESIA-

A United Nations audience was left in a lurch during a Tuesday evening event hosted by the Canadian government at the ongoing UN climate talks in Bali, Indonesia.

Youth delegates joined a large audience anxiously awaiting the Minister of the Environment’s address on the Canadian climate change plan. To the dismay of all in attendance, no delegates from Canada’s government came to present the policy, and the audience was instead left to listen as Canadian industry representatives showcased new “clean” technologies.

The audience was only informed during the event that the Minister would not be speaking about his highly touted ‘Turning the Corner’ plan. “The side event was publicized as being a presentation of their policies, but nobody talked about this at all. Not the Minister or a representative,” said Genevieve Gilbert, 22 from Ottawa.

The industry panel presenters were forced to field questions, and had to attempt to explain the Ministers’ absence. One presenter later expressed that he “felt hung out to dry.”

According to Adrianna Hoogenboom, 23, from Ottawa, “Baird arrived in flip flops, surveyed the room quickly and left after his handlers berated the conference staff for the quality of the sound system.”

Katrina Genuis, age 18, from Edmonton said, “I came to engage with my government and they did not have the courage to present their plan and justify it, I found it disrespectful to the UN audience as well as to the presenters.’

Sentiments following the meeting echoed this frustration, and comments overheard included, “I am not even Canadian and I find this embarrassing.”

Although the overall message of the Canadian government has been disappointing, youth will seize the opportunity to hold their government accountable. “Youth will be stepping up our actions during these last three days of the conference. Canadians have a right to know about their government’s dismal performance in Bali,” summarized Rosa Kouri, 24 from Saskatoon.

Contact info:www.cydbali.org e-mail: media@cydbali.orgMedia phone: +62 (0) 81337949749

About Sasha

Sasha is a member of the Canadian Youth Delegation to Bali. A Vancouver native, she is currently pursuing a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Her interests lie primarily with the intersection of transnational challenges, human rights, and international policy, with an emphasis on African affairs. Sasha has been engaged with environmental issues on many fronts, working with the Office of Sustainability Programs to draft greenhouse gas emission reduction policies for the University of New Hampshire, collaborating on sustainable development projects in West Africa, and deploying as a disaster relief worker to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. A self-proclaimed nomad, Sasha spent the summer of 2007 leading a backpacking expedition in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

It’s Getting Hot In Here