CANADA'S NEW ENVIRONMENT MINISTER HITS THE GROUND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 OTTAWA 000189 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS WHITE HOUSE PASS CEQ STATE FOR WHA/CAN, G, EB, OES DOE FOR POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL STATE PLEASE PASS TO EPA WASHDC EPA FOR OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2112 TAGS: SENV PGOV PINR ENRG CA SUBJECT: CANADA'S NEW ENVIRONMENT MINISTER HITS THE GROUND RUNNING Classified By: Classified by Economic Minister-Counselor Brian J. Mohler for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Canada's new Environment Minister John Baird seems delighted to have responsibility for the politically charged environmental portfolio which is expected to be a key issue in the national election anticipated for later this year. Already, he has demonstrated his skills on the floor of Parliament strongly defending the Conservatives' environmental program from the rhetorical barbs of the new Liberal leader and former Environmental Minister Stephane Dion. Baird told the Ambassador during a courtesy call that he "loves" partisan debate. Most observers felt that Baird's predecessor, Rona Ambrose, had not been effective in defending the Harper policy in Parliament. The Minister said that although the Conservatives reject Kyoto as unworkable, they do care about the environment and want to put into place effective programs that go beyond neutralizing the issue and help Canadians. The new Minister confirmed that Canada wants to join the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) as well as the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT). Baird said he had been impressed by the CAFE standards the President announced in his State of the Union speech and applauded the White House's skill in marketing some of Bush's proposals in ways readily understandable by the public. As a Minister new to his portfolio, Baird said that he would go to Paris to attend the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) meeting to learn about the scientific basis of global warming. In an aside, Baird expressed strong support for the Canadian military effort in Afghanistan. Comment: Baird is a young, ambitious and dynamic minister who should be one of the Conservatives' top leadership prospects in the future. It is clear that Baird hopes a strong performance handling the politically sensitive environmental file will eventually be rewarded by his appointment to an even higher profile Ministry. End Comment and Summary. A New Minister Happy in His Job -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador, accompanied by Economic Minister-Counselor, paid a courtesy call on newly appointed Environment Minister John Baird at his Parliamentary office on January 31. Baird came to the meeting after enduring a tough grilling on the Harper government's environment policy during the daily Question Period in the House of Commons. Although he had fielded 25 opposition questions on his portfolio, he was energized by the experience. Embassy comment: Baird clearly enjoys and is comfortable with the rough-and-tumble of Parliamentary debate in contrast to his predecessor Rona Ambrose. End comment. The Minister commented that he "loves" partisan debate. During Question Period, he had countered many questions from Liberal opposition leader Stephane Dion and others by quoting back to them their own past statements (Kyoto will be much too expensive for Canada to implement, etc.) which undercut their Qexpensive for Canada to implement, etc.) which undercut their pro-Kyoto arguments and by questioning the Liberals' own record on the environment during their 13 years in power. The Conservative Environmental Game Plan -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Baird said that he is working hard to get NDP support for the government's clean air legislation. This has not been achieved yet, but he was hopeful. The Harper government sees the environment as a potential political winner for the Conservatives. Although they reject Kyoto as unworkable, the Conservatives do care about the environment. Baird wants government to act and not be satisfied by simply neutralizing the environment as an issue. ¶4. (C) The Minister recently saw Al Gore's environmental film and thought it was a great example of effective publicity. But he thought that the former Vice President was being disingenuous about the need to adhere to Kyoto since President Clinton never moved the agreement to the Senate OTTAWA 00000189 002 OF 003 where he knew it would not be ratified. The Conservatives, Baird continued, do not intend to mention Kyoto any more and will ask the Canadian voter to judge them on what they are doing, including the Clean Air act and the eco-ENERGY initiatives recently announced. Baird sees his Ministerial job as 51% developing good policy and political strategy and 49% selling the Conservative environmental agenda to the public. Surprised To Be At Environment -------------- ¶5. (C) Baird volunteered that he had not asked to be environment minister. He had been happy as Treasury Board President where, as a fiscal conservative, he could cut "stupid" spending. When the Prime Minister called Baird to 24 Sussex Drive before last month's Cabinet shakeup, he would not have chosen the Environment Department as his next portfolio. Now that he has the job, however, he's delighted by its challenges. He regards it as a "first-line" Ministerial position and recognizes that the environment and Afghanistan may be the two most important issues in the next election, which he does not anticipate happening before the fall unless one of the opposition parties makes a tactical mistake and forces an election no one wants now. APP --- ¶6. (SBU) The Minister said that Canada is interested in joining the U.S. and other nations in the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) and appreciates the U.S.'s support. Harper, he said, is interested in environmental work being done by non-Kyoto signatories, including China and India. Baird disclosed that he discussed the matter by phone with Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chairman Jim Connaughton a few days ago. CAWT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Baird confirmed that he had received a letter from OES A/S McMurray, asking him to help launch Canada's joining the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) at the UN Environmental Program General Council in Nairobi on February ¶10. He said that Parliamentary business will prevent him from going to Nairobi, but confirmed that Canada will join the CAWT. Impressed by U.S. Energy Initiatives -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The Minister was especially interested in President Bush's State of the Union announcement to increase CAFE standards for cars. He said that the GoC is under a lot of pressure to align its fuel efficiency standards with those of California, but implied that this may be more than the Conservatives could stomach. His staff is working with the Prime Minister's Office on Governor Schwarzenegger's spring visit to Ottawa. Baird said that he was impressed by the simplicity of the message of some of the President's energy initiatives, especially the "20 in 10" proposal (reducing gasoline consumption by 20 percent in ten years). He thought that this kind of catchy phrase using benchmarks everyone understands is more tangible to the public than vague Kyoto pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a given percent. IPCC -------------- ¶9. (U) Baird said that he would go shortly to Paris to attend Q9. (U) Baird said that he would go shortly to Paris to attend the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (Baird flew to Paris on February 1.) He said that as an Environment Minister new to this complex file, he wants to talk to scientists and get educated on the science behind global warming. Afghanistan OTTAWA 00000189 003 OF 003 -------------- ¶10. (SBU) As the meeting ended, the Minister recounted his December trip to visit Canada's forces in Afghanistan. He sees Canada's involvement in the NATO force fighting the Taliban as an essential national commitment and is impressed by the high morale and determination of the troops he visited. He also applauded the great cooperation with the USG on this mission. Baird described how he spent a cold night trying to sleep in a tent with the soldiers and said that he was proud to fire an artillery piece (although he did not think that the shell had caused casualties). He quipped that when he was called to the Prime Minister's residence shortly after his return, he wondered whether he would be switched to the Department of National Defense in light of his Afghan trip. He got Environment instead, but was not dissatisfied. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS