DO: Multiple actions to support Climate Change Bill C-311

From Cheryl McNamara Please write to Senators to support Bill C-311, the Climate Change Accountability Act. Senators resume debate on the Bill on September 28th.

Why it’s important: If passed into law, the Climate Change Accountability Act will set science-based emissions reductions, require the government to produce five year target plans, establish independent reviews, and punish polluters who break regulations. It will also position Canada as a global leader, along with the European Union, in the transition to a low carbon economy.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is calling on its members, many of which are fossil fuel companies, to lobby the Senate to oppose the Bill. Furthermore, Harper has stacked the Senate with Conservatives. The Bill needs 53 Senators to pass. Of the total 105 Senators, 52 are Conservative (most are Liberal with two Progressive Conservatives and two Independents). Remember, the majority of elected MPs passed Bill C-311. Now it’s in the hands of unelected officials.

Here are sample letters to Senators, and their email addresses as well as to key Chamber of Commerce members (like insurance companies that are already sounding the clarion call on climate change) to lobby the Senate in support of the Bill.

Here are targeted messages to Liberal Senators, the two Progressive Conservative Senators, the two Independents and any Conservative not appointed by Harper. It is more effective if you write to each Senators (i.e. Dear Senator Mitchell), otherwise I provide emails of the Liberals (49 of them) to simply cut and paste in the bcc box. Click on the following for the targeted messages (they include contact info) – Liberal Senators, Progressive Conservative Senators, Independent Senators, Conservative Senators.

Here is a sample letter to the CEO of insurance companies. Click here for a sample letter to the CEO of financial firms. Contact mailing addresses follow. Print out the letters, sign your name, and mail. Insurance companies are very nervous about climate change, and banks should be too. The UK economist Sir Nicolas Stern provides strong evidence on how climate change will seriously compromise the global economy.