For those wondering what they can do - consider signing this petition

I am reposting a letter sent out over the Avaaz listserve earlier today. Avaaz is a great group that does a lot of outstanding work, particularly when it comes to mobilizing citizens to send a strong message to government. Read the letter, check out the sites, and consider adding your name to the petition!


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Dear friends,

Canada is blocking crucial UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen and secretly rolling back our efforts to fight climate change. A massive national outcry has stopped Harper before, the planet needs us now.

Enough is enough. As the world enters a desperate 36 hour effort to stop catastrophic global warming in Copenhagen, Canada is receiving the global "fossil award" for wrecking this crucial summit! And new leaked documents show that while the entire world is increasing cuts to carbon emissions, the government is rolling back ours.

A massive national outcry forced Harper to stop blocking the Bali talks in 07. But Harper's friends in the oil companies know that Copenhagen is the make or break moment for climate. It will not be easy to win this time, but to save the planet and our country we have to.

Let's mount a tidal wave of pressure on Harper with the largest petition in Canadian history - click below to sign, and forward this email to everyone. We have 36 hours:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/harper_enough_is_enough

The petition and names of the signers are actually being read out by youth in the summit hall, and another group of youth have done the same in Harpers own office! The Canadian delegation has become the object of international disbelief and ridicule in Copenhagen, but we can show the world that the Canadian people still hold our values of being good neighbours and global citizens.

Harper is undermining our deepest values and proudest traditions. But this is about more than our reputation. Studies show that climate change is already taking up to 300,000 human lives a year through turning millions of farms to dust and flooding vast areas. We can no longer allow Harper to make us responsible for these deaths, or put Canada's economic future in jeopardy by sacrificing our green competitiveness for a brown economy based on the dirtiest (tar sands) oil in the world.

Copenhagen is seeking the biggest mandate in history to stop the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. History will be made in the next 36 hours, and our country is the problem, not the solution. How will our children remember this moment? Let's tell them we did all we could.

With hope,

Ricken, Laryn, Anne-Marie, Iain and the Avaaz Canada team

More information at these sites:
CBC -- "Tories pondered weaker emission targets for oil and gas": http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/12/14/greenhouse-gas-emissions.html

Mail and Guardian -- "Canada's climate shame": http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-12-04-canadas-climate-shame

Toronto Star -- "Who are the Yes Men and why did they punk Canada at Copenhagen": http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/738933--who-are-the-yes-men-and-why-did-they-punk-canada-at-copenhagen

Macleans -- "Suddenly the world hates Canada": http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/12/15/suddenly-the-world-hates-canada/3/

Fossil of the Day Awards: http://www.fossiloftheday.com/