PM promises consultation on climate change plan

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is promising to consultnortherners and the provinces in the development of his government's "Made in Canada" plan on climate change.

Harper, on tour in northern Canada, was responding to concerns voiced recently by Inuit leaders, who say few people have been consulted about the plan, and the public seems to know little about it.

Harper said the jurisdictions will be included in the preparations.

"Our government will be consulting regularly with all provinces and territories," he told reporters at a news conference in Iqaluit on the weekend.

"There are important aspects of the plan that will require provincial and territorial co-operation in implementation so that will be done both through the Environment minister and also through the minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Mr. Prentice."

Harper said there will be major environmental initiatives in the plan,which willcomeoutthis fall.

The Conservative government has said it believes the international Kyoto Protocol sets unrealistic targets and is ineffective. Harper saidthat's why his government is coming up with a Canadian alternative.

Website cancellationchallenged

Meanwhile, a member of the Yukon Conservation Society saidthe federal government has so far been putting climate change issues on the back burner.

Lewis Rifkind pointed to the recent cancellation of a federalwebsite on climate change asa reflection of the government's attitude.

"When they redirect you to other websites — for example, the Environment Canada website or the Natural Resources website — there's not that much information to do specifically with climate change, it is to do with other environmental issues or other natural resource issues," he said.

"So by removing the website, they are removing an impartial source of information for the general public."

Earlier Wednesday, the prime minister continued his northern tour with a stop at the main venue for the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse.

Rifkind wasn't expecting to bring the issue up directly with Harper during hisvisit tothe Yukon capital. He was hoping Yukoners whohave a chance to meet the PM will keep climate change issues on theradar.

Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice was also in the city tomeetwith Yukon chiefs.

Harper is set to visit Yellowknife on Thursday.