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RELEASE, 14 Dec. 2009 - Blue Green Canada will be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen calling on the Harper Government to support a strong international agreement to address climate change that will result in good green jobs for Canadians.
The delegation of labour and environmental representatives will be led by Ken Delaney, Assistant to the National Director of the United Steelworkers Union, and Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence.
"We want a strong international agreement," said Ken Delaney, "but, even in advance of this, the Canadian government can be doing much more to facilitate the transition to renewable energy now. We can immediately increase our investment in public transit, in building retrofits and other projects that will create good green jobs and contribute to slowing climate change."
Blue Green Canada is promoting a set of Cap and Trade Design Principles for Canada that call for controlling carbon emissions and supporting a transition to a sustainable economy. These principles include:
 Setting a hard emissions cap that is based on science and will reduce total global emissions
Covering as many emitting activities as possible and rejecting all loopholes in any cap and trade system
Investing in green Canadian jobs
Reducing emissions globally rather than shifting carbon-emitting industries offshore
Regulating emissions from Canada's oil sands
Directing cap and trade revenues to public benefit and supporting clean economic development in emerging economies
The full document can be downloaded from www.BlueGreenCanada.ca.
"Instead of receiving more Fossil Awards in Copenhagen, the world could be congratulating Stephen Harper for bringing Canada back on track with serious greenhouse gas reductions targets," said Dr. Rick Smith. "This means cleaning up the tar sands."
Blue Green Canada is hosting a Labour-Environment Reception in Copenhagen on December 17, 2009 at 8 pm (2:00 p.m. EST) Co-sponsoring organizations include the US-based Blue Green Alliance, USCAN, AFL-CIO, Change to Win, SustainLabour and UNEP. The event will be held at the Mogens Dahl Koncertsal, Snorresgade 22, DF-2300, Copenhagen.
While in Copenhagen, Blue Green Canada representatives will be posting blogs on www.BlueGreenCanada.ca.
Blue Green Canada is an alliance between the United Steelworkers Union and Environmetal Defence.
For further information: or to arrange interviews: Jennifer Foulds, Environmental Defence, (416) 323-9521 ext. 232, (647) 280-9521 (cell); Bob Gallagher, United Steelworker Union, (416) 544-5966, bgallagher@usw.ca
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BLUE-GREEN ALLIANCE
