Baird on the world stage with his head firmly up his ass.

Steve V puts the only label applicable to Canadian Environment Minister John Baird's latest little announcement. Damage Control.

Canada's environment minister has announced money to help communities deal with the effects of climate change.

Environment Minister John Baird has used a U-N climate-change conference as the backdrop for his announcement of 85.9 (m) million dollars over four years.

That would be the sideshow of Harper's so-called world stage, where he has incurred the wrath of the world for an intransigent act of denial of the facts.

What's even worse is that these guys seem to think Canadians have no memory beyond the last time the beer bottles were recycled.

The plan replaces one the Conservatives killed after they took office.

[...]

He brushed off the criticism and said he didn't come to Bali to play politics.

Which is unmitigated bullshit. First is the fact that, after watching polls, Baird realized Canadians aren't terribly happy with the international reputation the Conservatives are building for Canada and regurgitated a program they trashed. Add the fact that this announcement has no international interest whatsoever but was made from an international conference says one thing: Baird is playing politics.

And he's not even good at it.

Baird appeared caught off-guard when asked how the program will differ from the one his government killed.

He said he'd check the details.

I have a better idea for Baird. Don't bother. We can do that for you and not have to listen to the lies.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Baird, who broke a long standing tradition of allowing opposition critics to accompany ministers to international conferences, has decided to fly the true colours of the Conservative Party. I know that Baird is an asshole, but this is little more than him thumbing his nose at Canadians.

After banishing environmentalists and opposition MPs from Canada's delegation to the Bali climate conference, Ottawa has decided to allow an oil company and several business executives to join the official delegation.

Two companies from Ottawa, where Environment Minister John Baird is an MP, have been allowed to join Canada's official delegation to the climate-change conference, according to documents obtained by The Globe and Mail.

A major oil and gas producer, EnCana Corp. of Calgary, was also permitted to join the delegation.

Isn't that special. They're not even trying to hide it anymore.

Among those included on the Canadian delegation are four executives of Iogen Corp., a biotechnology company that produces cellulose ethanol, and PlascoEnergy Group Inc., a waste conversion company.

Both are based in Ottawa, and both have received substantial federal money. Iogen was given $7.7-million by the federal government last February, while Plasco has received $6.5-million from the federal government.

So, the way this little enterprize works is that you set up a company, get Conservative corporate welfare, and...

By joining the official Canadian delegation, the companies will gain a series of privileges, including access to government briefings and closed-door sessions at the Bali conference.

A nice cozy little arrangement fit only for Conservative Party supporters.

Something to keep an eye on: Who paid to have these corporations accompany Baird to an international conference he clearly intended to de-rail?

Baird should take a look down for a moment. That world stage he's standing on is made of rotting planks.

Required reading:

Far and Wide

Big City Lib

Scott's Diatribes (particularly the footnote)