Feature story - September 26, 2008
A Greenpeace campaign coordinator was roughed up outside an event for Prime Minister Harper as he tried to display a sign reading "Stop Global Warming: Support KYOTOplus".
Dave Martin, climate and energy coordinator with Greenpeace, detained following a protest at a Harper rally in Etobicoke.
Activists were at the event to peacefully protest the lack of action by the government on global warming
Dave Martin, climate and energy coordinator with Greenpeace, wasknocked to the ground by security officials, pinned down, handcuffedand taken to a police car. Laura Severinac from Greenpeace was also detained. Both werereleased an hour later without charge, after Harper departed thecampaign stop at Tory headquarters in the west-Toronto riding ofEtobicoke North.
The manhandling of Martin came on the same day that Greenpeacelaunched its own election push to encourage Canadians to elect afederal government that will take meaningful action to stop globalwarming.
"Stephen Harper can't hide the truth that he refuses to take the climate change crisis seriously," said Martin.
Greenpeace wants to see a government ready to take action on climatechange in place before the world gathers next year in Copenhagen todecide on a post-Kyoto climate treaty. Greenpeace and 30 other groupshave called for a strengthening and extension of the Kyoto Protocol -KYOTOplus. The UN climate change conference is widely anticipated to bea historic watershed in the fight against global warming. Thegovernment elected on October 14th will represent Canada on this worldstage.
Before the election, the leaders of all four opposition partiessigned a pledge to support the KYOTOplus targets to reduce greenhousegas emissions by at least 25 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020. OnlyPrime Minister Harper refused to sign. His government set a 2020 targetthat is less than three per cent below 1990 levels.
"The next federal government will make decisions on global warmingthat will affect an entire generation of Canadians," said Martin "Thiselection will determine whether Canada supports a strong, post-Kyototreaty through to 2020, or whether our children will be left to mop upour mess."
Dave Martin, detained at Harper rally.
27 September 2008