[Greens-Media] Canada-Australian Green Parties challenge Harper, Howard

[Bennett, Ebony (Sen B. Brown)]

Monday, 10 September 2007

Canada-Australian Green Parties challenge Harper, Howard.

Three tests await Prime Minister Harper's speech to the House of
Representatives tomorrow, Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown
said today.

"One: why has Canada failed so miserably to meet its Kyoto target cut of
6% in greenhouse gas emissions? Two: Exactly what failsafe method will
prevent Canadian uranium enabling more nuclear weapons to be
manufactured? Three: why did Canada block the agreement on the UN
Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?"

"Then, John Howard might address his role in failing the same three
issues for Australia," Senator Brown said.

Green Party leaders in Canada and Australia are warning the world that
their respective nation's Prime Ministers are deeply committed to
aborting climate action, while promoting unsound nuclear and uranium
exports.

"With Stephen Harper's love-in in Australia with his ideological twins
George Bush and John Howard, the world has become that much more
unsafe," noted Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada. 

"When the world's scientists advanced the minute hand on the doomsday
clock this year, they cited the increasing threat of the climate crisis
and the increased risk of nuclear proliferation.  In Australia at APEC,
both threats were exacerbated," said Ms May.

The APEC gathering of "economies" within the Asia Pacific region has
focused on trade, not poverty or protecting the environment. This
meeting was largely driven by the US President's agenda to undermine
Kyoto while advancing his so-called Asia Pacific Partnership for Climate
and Technology and to launch a new Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.

"Former US Vice President Al Gore has quite rightly called the Asia
Pacific Climate pact a 'fraud.' This APEC put back the agenda for
climate change action and forward the agenda for expanding dangerous
nuclear technology," said Senator Bob Brown, Leader of the Australian
Green Party.

"The threat to long term security for millions of peoples on this planet
is being jeopardized, while the leaders parade in matching coats. It is
time for the peoples of the world to demand that responsible governments
take meaningful action on these threats.  Leadership has not come from
APEC.  We must hope it can emerge, despite this week's sabotage, at the
upcoming UN meetings in Bali," said Ms. May.



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Ebony Bennett
Media Adviser
Office of Greens Senator Bob Brown
Mobile: 0409 164 603
Ph: (02) 6277 3170
Fax: (02) 6277 3185	

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