Statement on New Federal Government’s Cabinet Appointments

Positive signal that Canada will do its fair share on climate change

OTTAWA – The appointments today of Catherine McKenna as Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Stéphane Dion as Minister of International Affairs signal the potential for Canada to take on its fair share in helping solve climate change.

“We welcome today’s appointments of two ministers with such a commitment to social justice and human rights, as well as United Nations and climate change experience,” said Louise Comeau, Executive Director of Climate Action Network – Réseau action climat Canada (CAN-Rac). “There is hard work ahead, but today we are pleased to see these appointments.”

The new Government and its Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and International Affairs have very little time to prepare for upcoming UN-related climate meetings and negotiations. CAN-Rac has asked for meetings with both Ministers and will emphasize the need to:

1. Promise the world that Canada will improve on the previous government’s climate change commitments for the Paris negotiations, including taking near-term action toward 2020, 2025 and 2030 targets.
2. Offer a substantial financial package that assists developing countries reduce their carbon pollution, switch to clean energy and manage losses and damage relating to climate change impacts.
3. Support a package of measures in the Paris Agreement that ensure a robust assessment mechanism that keeps the world moving toward cuts in carbon pollution that keep the world safe from climate change.

For more information, contact:
Louise Comeau
e-mail: lcomeau@climateactionnetwork.ca
phone: 506-238-0355