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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, January 7, 2010 · 14 Climate change is a human rights issue Continued from page 13 Canada was awarded the Colossal Fossil Award for the second year in a row. The award is handed out each year by the non-governmental organization known as the Climate Action Network to the country, which in their opinion did the most to hinder and obstruct progress at the conference. Trivedi noted she wasn't quite sure how to act when the Canada-slamming announcement was made. "It's really, really unnerving," she said. "We'd be cheering at the fossil and then you would kind of see people getting puzzled and you'd have to step back and say, `Wait, should I be crying or laughing right now?' At what point do you say this is the worst thing ever?" Trivedi said during the conference, she would encounter youth delegates from other countries who had actually come to support their governments because of the innovative methods they are using to take on climate change. Trivedi's reaction to meeting these people was intense jealousy. "We just wanted to be them," she said. "The fundamental thing is it is so unCanadian not to care about climate change. Canada is not this isolationist, individualist, heavy consumer, energy Megan McKeen intensive country or at least that's not the identity that I was under the impression that we had. We've been the architects of human rights and climate change is a human rights issue. Where is the disconnect?" As this was her second time attending a United Nations conference on climate change, Canadian Youth Climate Coalition delegate Meagan McKeen, 18, of Oakville, said she was not surprised by the Canadian government's behaviour at the conference, but still found it frustrating. McKeen, an environmental science student at the University of British Columbia said Canada displayed no leadership during the conference and failed to even be a follower as it is the only G7 country without a renewable energy plan. "The one thing that really rang true for me was that in almost any other setting, you would be insanely proud of your country and it's very hard to come into a scenario like this where Canada is the bad guy," said McKeen. "The government that was negotiating certainly does not represent me. It's really important that, as Canadians, we think about things like this when we vote and how we want to be represented on the international stage when it comes to negotiations like these. Hopefully, we can see some changes for next year." While her own government's performance may have been disappointing, McKeen noted the conference was not a total loss as the climate change agreement, while not legally binding, is a step in the right direction. "It's really important to note that we're not finished yet. There's still a lot that needs to be done," said McKeen. "I think we saw it coming that our world leaders are really not ready for a legally-binding agreement and that's the sad part, but we're going to keep working and pushing for it. It's important that when we do have a legally-binding agreement, it's set up properly with the right framework so we're not legally bound by something that is not going to help us." Juniper and Bigda also saw shades of hope in the Copenhagen agreement as it included heavy emitters like India and China. These two emerging superpowers were left out of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The next United Nations Climate Change Conference will take place in Mexico City in November of 2010. For more details about Oakville's youth delegates to Copenhagen, visit http://haltondoescopenhagen.wordpress.com. Sweet.Sparkling.Sensational! Canfoot Laboratories INC ONE WEEK ONLY January 8 - 16, 2010 OFFERING CUSTOM ORTHOTICS * SOFTWALK © 1 pair $ 299 00* (2 pair $500.00) Twenty Valley Winter WineFest The "not just icewine" Festival Main Street, Jordan Village /January 16 & 17 / noon-5 pm FREE ADMISSION Enjoy an enchanting winter afternoon with cozy open fires, live entertainment and sensational tastings. This year, icewine will share centre stage with sparkling and premium VQA wines from 28 of the most celebrated wineries in the Twenty Valley. Sip and savour from a list of specialty and reserve wines not offered at any other wine festival! twentyvalley.ca 905.562.3636 Certified suppliers of Softwalk© * Offer applies to one person same order only * Insurance eligible * Payable in full at time of order. Cash/cheque only * By appointment only CALL CENTRAL BOOKING FOR RESERVED ASSESSMENT AND FITTING TIME (905) 464-3080 Office located at Winston Churchill and QEW OAKVILLE