Harper 'fanning flames' of controversy, says May
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 2, 2007 | 10:50 AM ET
CBC News
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May fired back at Prime Minister Stephen Harper Wednesday, accusing him of fanning the flames of controversy to distract people from criticism of his environmental plan.
May has been in the headlines for comments she made on the weekend that compared the government's approach to climate change to former British prime minister Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of the Nazis.
Speaking on CBC Newsworld, May said the comparison was not her own, but came from British journalist and author George Monbiot.
May said she included it in her address in order to illustrate international opinion of Canada.
"In citing that, what I was saying was, 'Look how far Canada's reputation has fallen, look at how the world is now looking at us for violating our international commitments on Kyoto,'" she said.
"I thought that was worth Canadians knowing."
PM desperate to distract: May
Harper raised the issue during question period on Tuesday, saying May's remarks drew criticism from the Canadian Jewish Congress.
He also invited Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion, who recently reached a deal with May not to run candidates against each other in their respective ridings, to distance himself from the Green leader.
May said Harper and Environment Minister John Baird are "fanning this into something I didn't say."
"I never drew any comparisons or diminished the Holocaust in any way. I would never do such a thing," said May.
"It's a desperate effort to distract attention from [Ottawa's] own abdication of responsibility in choosing not to even try to reach Kyoto targets."
May said Dion likely didn't know what she actually said in her weekend address at the London, Ont., church when he called on her to withdraw the comment.
May stands by comment
May blamed the London Free Press, which covered her address, for what she said was a failure to mention that she noted she was quoting Monbiot.
In its April 30 report, the newspaper wrote: "Borrowing a quote she said was made by a foreign dignitary about Prime Minister Stephen Harper, May said his stance on climate change 'represents a grievance worse than Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of the Nazis.'"
May said she stands by the "appropriateness of quoting George Monbiot."
"I do not think what I said in any way is inflammatory," said May. "I think it was the misreporting that led some to dive for cover."
Prince Charles and British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett recently likened the need to fight climate change to Britain's efforts during the Second World War, said May.
"This is the central issue of our time, whether we are able to take up our responsibility … to protect future generations," she said.
May said she left out a portion of Monbiot's article, in which he says U.S. President George W. Bush, Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Harper will be remembered as the new "axis of evil" for failing to meet the environmental challenges of the day.
