The R Rated Blogger

Al Gore took Canada's Environmental Minister John Baird to task for mischaracterizing his words. Last week in an attempt to defend the Harper government's Environmental record, Baird said the following in the House Of Commons:

The Leader of the Opposition can quote Goldman Sachs. I can quote someone speaking about Canada's environmental role in the world:

--Canada, once again providing leadership in the world, fighting above its weight class and showing moral authority to the rest of the world. That's what Canada's known for.

Do we know who said that yesterday? Al Gore.

Al Gore issued the following statement regarding Baird's "mischaracterization" of his words.

February 12, 2007

Statement from Former Vice President Al Gore

I understand that last week Canada's Minister of the Environment, Minister John Baird, mischaracterized comments I made last summer as praise for the Harper government's actions on global warming.

The comments I made were designed to encourage the Harper government not to abandon Canada's tradition of fighting above its weight class on the world stage as part of the Kyoto process.

It is my experience that other nations do look to Canada for moral leadership. Canada's position and actions on climate change matter a great deal. Nothing less than the future habitability of the planet is at stake. I urge the Harper government to do the right thing.

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