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Media Centre
August 12, 2008 OTTAWA - Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn has chosen to pander to the fast food industry over the facts of scientific evidence and the interest of Canadians' health by tampering with the ministry's website, Liberal Natural Resources Critic Omar Alghabra said today. "Six months ago Natural Resources Canada was warning that emissions from idling cars can lead to serious health problems and even death," said Mr. Alghabra. "Now the health warnings have been completely removed from the website, and recommended standards for idling cars have been significantly weakened." Media stories this week report the changes to the Natural Resources Canada website came after a meeting in which Minister Lunn was told by the fast food industry that strict idling standards were bad for business - particularly drive thru business. The original site warned that air pollution causes thousands of deaths annually in Canada and recommended that cars only idle for a maximum of ten seconds when not in traffic. In a private meeting with the Minister in February the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association called those recommendations too strong. The day after that meeting the site was shut down, only to reopen later this summer with a compromised message that accepts idling lengths of up to one minute rather than the previously recommended ten seconds. "Science tells us that thousands of deaths are caused by air pollution each year in Canada, and that vehicle emissions are a major cause of that pollution," said Mr. Alghabra. "Clearly, Mr. Lunn preferred to pander to the interests of an industry instead of looking at the hard evidence and defending the health of Canadians." This is the latest in a string of decisions in which the Harper Conservatives, and this Minister in particular, have ignored scientific advice in the name of playing politics. Minister Lunn was at the centre of a controversy that resulted in an experienced public servant and nuclear safety expert being fired for providing fact-based advice to her political masters. . |
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