Conservatives tout former government's climate change action as their own [2]
In reaction to the criticism leveled at the Canadian government today [7] over massive cuts to climate change research, Environment minister John Baird defended his government's record by touting climate research programs initiated, not by his party, but by the former governing Liberals.
Baird stated:
they are sponsoring projects such as $150 million in funding for Arctic research for the International Polar Year and more than $1.5 billion in spending for new technologies."
But a quick check [8] of the "Arctic Research" program referred to by the Minister shows that it began requesting proposals on December 19, 2005 - the Conservative party did not come into power until January 23, 2006.
Baird went on to say that his government was taking concrete action to respond to "world class scientific evidence" that suggests we should be… lowering greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial polluters."
Canadian scientists are calling the Minister on his bafflegab. [9]
Top Canadian scientists are reporting that the Canadian government is shutting down a federal climate change research network and blocking new studies on the impact of rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
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