The Livable Blog

I’ve just joined David Suzuki Foundation supporters and millions of people all over the world who want world leaders—including Canada’s Prime Minister—to sign an ambitious, fair and binding agreement to safeguard our future at the crucial UN climate change summit in Copenhagen this December

But I also want real action on the ground to stop actions that make the climate crisis worse. That is why I have adapted the standard letter on the website to read:

Right Hon. Stephen Harper

Like many other people, I’m calling on you as Canada’s Prime Minister and on all world leaders to sign an ambitious, fair and binding agreement to safeguard our future at the crucial UN climate change summit.

Climate change is a serious threat to our prosperity and our future. But, the greatest threat is our own inaction. That is why I want you to stop funding all urban roadway expansion plans, such as the South Fraser Perimeter Road riverfront freeway planned for Metro Vancouver. And I would like you to re-allocate the billions of dollars saved each year to cost-effective public transit improvements and electrifying our national rail network.

Transportation amounts to about half of Canada's Carbon footprint, [including our share of upstream emissions from the tar sands]. We need action now, not just empty promises in Copenhagen

cc:
The Honourable Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
The Honourable Gilles Duceppe, Leader of the Bloc Quebecois
The Honourable Jack Layton, Leader of the New Democratic Party

Sincerely
Eric Doherty

You can send a customized letter with your own message about freeway expansion at http://www.DavidSuzuki.org/Climate_Summit/

Feel free to cut and paste from mine, just make a significant change, including to the title, so it will get counted as a real letter rather than a form letter. It just takes a minute, do it now!

[I added the bit about the tar sands in square brackets as an afterthought, to illustrate the difference between carbon footprint and tailpipe emissions]