Madam Speaker, Kyoto might wind up cooking Canada's goose, but it could also be the goose that laid the golden egg for the Prime Minister.
No doubt many Canadians have heard the rumour that the Prime Minister cooked a little deal in Johannesburg wherein he promised that he would ratify Kyoto if they promised he would be appointed the Secretary General of the United Nations in 2004 when Kofi Annan retires.
We are not gullible, but nor do we ignore the rumours of backroom deals like this being made. The Prime Minister is well known for making sure his constituents are well looked after. Would we expect him to care any less for himself? Among many Canadians there is a suspicion that the PM sees Kyoto as a means of transferring wealth from industrialized nations to the less developed. It is called his Africa agenda.
Is this his contribution to levelling the international playing field? Is it so important to him that he would risk Canada's economic future? Is it that important to the Prime Minister that he secure his future and his legacy by selling Canada down the river in exchange for a high profile position at the UN?