BANFF, Alta. (CP) - Environmental lawyer Robert Kennedy Jr. says U.S. President George W. Bush is the greatest threat facing the planet's environment. Kennedy also says Canada has its share of "little George Bushes" who look at natural resources only as commodities that can turn a profit. "That's about the worst thing I could say about them," said Kennedy, who is one of the hosts at a star-studded celebrity fundraiser in the Rocky Mountain resort of Banff for his Waterkeeper Alliance. The alliance fights to protect the health of waterways worldwide.
Kennedy stopped short of naming those he believes aren't properly protecting the environment, but he did give some hints. "There are people like that, I'm sorry to say, in Canada and in the governments of Alberta and British Columbia and many of the other provinces."
Kennedy, the son of slain U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy, has criticized environmental efforts north of the border before. During a 2002 visit to Alberta, he locked horns with former environment minister Lorne Taylor over the province's pollution laws. At the time, Taylor said rich Americans didn't have any place criticizing what they don't know. Kennedy said every country has people who believe the planet should be treated as if it were a business, liquidating and converting natural resources to cash as quickly as possible.
"You can do that, you can generate an instantaneous cash flow and the illusion of a prosperous economy, but our children are going to pay for our joyride," he said. But the scion of the powerful Kennedy family saved his harshest words for the U.S. president.
"In the United States, we have a president who has launched a jihad against the American environment and the world environment . . . by walking away from global treaties such as Kyoto." | Hummm, I believe your Uncle Ted was one of those who voted 95-0 against that in the Senate back in 1997. Of course, he could always claim he was drunk at the time. |
Kyoto is the global climate change accord requiring countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"We used to have the best laws in the world and over the last four years this president has just eviscerated them." Kennedy said that five years ago, environmental groups would have been hard-pressed to choose between acid rain, overpopulation or global warming as the biggest challenge.
"Today, they'll all tell you it's George Bush," he said. "All of our problems are solveable. We have the technology to fix all our environmental problems. The only question is whether we have the political will." | So, how's that wind power generating plant in Nantucket Sound coming along........oh that's right, can't build one there, it would spoil the view from your compound. |
Kennedy has no meetings planned with politicians during his current Canadian visit. His plants included giving a speech in Calgary on Sunday about local environmental issues. |