Our Prime Minister's Commitment to Climate Change

laker1963

Harper skips Canada's climate conference speech to dine with leaders Published: Thursday, December 17, 2009 | 2:18 PM ET Canadian Press THE CANADIAN PRESS COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Gordon Brown, Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - and Jim Prentice? While dozens of other world leaders took to the podium Thursday to address delegates at the Copenhagen climate talks, Prime Minister Stephen Harper sent his environment minister in his place. Prentice was to give a short speech Thursday night outlining Canada's stance on climate change to representatives from nearly 200 countries. Harper had other plans - he was joining leaders at a dinner hosted by the Queen of Denmark. Prentice said Harper asked him to deliver the address and he was happy to oblige. The environment minister has been in Copenhagen for the last week working with Canada's negotiating team. Harper isn't alone in skipping an address. Seventy nine of the 136 leaders sent someone else in their place. That includes the United States and China. © The Canadian Press, 2009