Saturday May 14, 2016

2016-05-14Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday May 14, 2016

Trudeau tours Fort McMurray, promises to help

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with firefighters and other emergency crews in Fort McMurray on Friday, before touring the burned-out rubble left behind by last week’s wildfire.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Saturday April 23, 2016 Justin Trudeau signs Paris climate treaty at UN Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the Paris agreement on climate change during a ceremony at the United Nations in New York City this morning, giving his word that Canada will harness the power of renewable energy as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. "Today, with my signature, I give you our word that Canada's efforts will not cease,"ÊTrudeauÊsaid Friday. "Climate change will test our intelligence, our compassion and our will. But we are equal to that challenge.Ó TheÊCanadianÊgovernment has committed to reducingÊgreenhouse gas emissions byÊ30 per centÊfrom 2005 levelsÊby 2030ÊÑ a goal set by the previous Conservative government. Ê The Trudeau government has saidÊthis objectiveÊis a "floor" rather than a "ceiling" for what can be accomplished.Ê During his opening remarksÊat the UN ceremony on Friday, Trudeau saidÊthe Paris agreement will be tabled in Parliament next month and will be formally ratified later this year. The Liberal leader saidÊthe business case for investing in cleanÊenergy was clear, with nearly a third of a trillion dollars invested in renewable powerÊglobally last year. "That's a trend that will continue to grow, and it's one that represents a tremendous opportunity for Canada.ÊOne that we cannot ÑÊand will not ÑÊignore,"ÊTrudeauÊsaid to rousing applause from the UN assembly. Trudeau drew further applause from the crowd when he defendedÊdeveloping countries who are facing extraordinary challenges. "They shouldn't be punished for a problem they didn't create, nor should they be deprived of opportunities for clean growth that developed nations are now pursuing." TrudeauÊtold the UN that the Liberal government hasÊcommitted to investingÊ$2.65 billion over the next five yearsÊto help developing countries fight climate change. "We're not making theseÊinvestments simply to be nice,Êalthough I know Can

April 23, 2016

Trudeau arrived via helicopter Friday morning and gave a short speech in which he thanked Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and “courageous” first responders for “an extraordinary response.”

“I was not able to get here until now, so I was following all the updates and watching the images on TV, and just seeing the scale and the scope of this,” the prime minister said.

“I don’t think Canadians yet understand what happened here,” he went on. “They don’t yet understand that it wasn’t a fluke of rain or wind or luck that happened,” he added, referring to the fact that about 90 per cent of structures in the town were saved.

Trudeau vowed that “all of Canada” is going to be involved in the next phases of cleanup and rebuilding.

“For many years, Fort McMurray contributed huge amounts to Canada’s well-being, to the growth of our economy,” he said. “Now this community needs help and I can guarantee you Canada will be here.”

Trudeau’s tour guide was Darby Allen, who oversaw last week’s firefighting response. The two met earlier Friday in Edmonton.

“I heard there were situations and peculiarities in this fire that give us pause for reflection on how we move forward,” Trudeau said to Allen.

Trudeau also said that he is “very interested” in what can be done to “minimize” the impacts of another disaster – “because it will come.” (Source: CBC News)