As was the case during an earlier reading in October, the federal Conservatives were embarrassed by opposition parties who successfully banded together to pass a bill forcing the government to meet its international Kyoto commitments. The Liberals, Bloc and NDP all voted in favour of the private member bill, passing it through Parliament by a vote of 161 - 113 Wednesday evening.
The bill is expected to easily pass through the Liberal dominated Senate and come into full legal force. Once this occurs, the Conservatives could face a potential challenge in the courts or a non-confidence vote in Parliament if they fail to act on it.
The bill, which was introduced 10 months ago by Liberal backbencher Pablo Rodriguez, gives the government 60 days to table a detailed plan outlining how Canada will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Whether or not the Conservatives face these consequences will largely depend on the opposition's desire for an election. However, even if the Conservative minority government is allowed to stand, the bill should at the very least push the Tories towards more aggressive measures to tackle global warming. If they fail to do this much, then the they will run an ever increasing risk of becoming politically irrelevant, as the provinces and the opposition continue to move forward in favour of greater action on climate change.
Either way, the environment and earth conscious Canadians will be the winners thanks to today's events in Ottawa.
