Feature story - December 4, 2009
Just three days before the UN climate change summit opens in Copenhagen, Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Beijing, where he received a surprise visit at the Canadian embassy from Greenpeace China and two polar bears.
Greenpeace climate campaigner Liu Shuang stands outside the Canadian embassy in Beijing with two polar bears to protest against Canada’s mining of its tar sands.
Greenpeace China climate campaigner Liu Shuang delivered a
letter to the embassy for Harper. Flanked by two polar bears with
signs reading: "Mr. Harper: Tar Sands = Climate Crime," Liu Shuang
took the opportunity to tell Canada's government what Greenpeace
China thinks of what is calls the "criminal decision" to mine tar
sands, one of the most environmentally destructive projects on the
planet.
The letter urged Harper to repair Canada's sullied international
image by taking the leadership role he should at the UN climate
summit next week in Copenhagen.
From the letter:
"Canada is becoming a symbol of everything that stands in the
way of urgent action on climate change."
"Tar sands revenue and oil industry lobbying have seriously
undermined Canada's international reputation."
"Prime Minister Harper, we need a genuinely clean energy
revolution, one in which Canada plays the leadership role it is
supposed to play. We urge you to rise to this challenge. The time
is now."
The tar sands barons have held Canada
to ransom
British environmentalist George
Monbiot summed Canada's climate change problem aptly in a recent
Guardian newspaper column, headlined: "Canada's image lies in
tatters. It is now to climate what Japan is to whaling."
"The tar barons have held the nation
to ransom," wrote Monbiot. "This thuggish petro-state is today the
greatest obstacle to a deal in Copenhagen."