Action Alert

Canadian Biotechnology Action Network - Take Action Today on Biofuels Bill C-33

Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources held one hearing on Bill C-33 on biofuels - the Senate was supposed to hear from the Minister of Agriculture and two other government employees. This may be the only hearing in the Senate on the issue unless we ask Senators to call for more witnesses and to discuss this urgent and important issue more in depth. The Committee is still discussing this Bill and no decision has been made yet.

Please email Senators (see below for sample letter and contacts) TODAY and ask them to discuss Bill C-33 in-depth.

As you will recall, Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act would allow the federal government to implement regulations requiring 5% average renewable content in gasoline by 2010. Subsequent regulations would also require 2% average renewable content in diesel and heating oil by 2012.

Sample Letter:

Email Subject Heading: Hearings on Bill C-33

Dear Senator,

I am extremely pleased to hear that the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources will be holding hearings tonight on the important issues raised by Bill C-33.

It is particularly important that the Senate Committee discuss the urgent issues raised by biofuels and Bill C-33, as a great deal of new information and analysis has come to light since the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food examined the Bill in hearings. Since that time, there has been a global UN Summit on the food crisis and the debate in Canada has progressed along with more public discussion and information.

I hope the Committee may engage in a more in-depth discussion and hear from many more voices on this critical issue.

Senate Committee hearings on Bill C-33 at this point would allow for a continued national discussion that could consider some of the new evidence on the impacts of biofuels. This is particularly important at this time when new information is continually being brought forward.

I look forward to watching and reading the proceedings of diverse and in-depth Committee hearings.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

Senators:

Senator Grant Mitchell
mitchg@sen.parl.gc.ca
Telephone: 
613-995-4254
Fax:  613-995-4265

Senator Tommy Banks, Committee Chair
agautht@sen.parl.gc.ca
Telephone: 
613-995-1889
Fax:  613-995-1938

For a list of Senators in the Committee, click here.