Dion is certainly good at figuring out where the front of the parade is once the parade is over.

I disagree with Brian Fisher. It's Harper who found where the front of the parade is, and tried to get to it. Dion's been there all along, and I certainly will choose someone like Stephane Dion who advocates people-power and good sense over someone like Harper who thinks he know's what's good for us. Congrats Avaaz.

Historically, the best representative for the environment in Canada is the NDP. Jack Layton represents the voice of the working middle class in Ottawa, and neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives do. The Grits and the Tories represent the corporatist interests for profit.
It's like Pepsi and Coke - very little difference.
"la lutte continue" ("the struggle continues").

As chair of the UN climate change summit in 2005, Dion has been at the front of the "parade" for some time. I like Jack Layton too, but Dion's commitment to the environment is undeniable. He could do more as the p.m. than he ever could as environment minister.

"There is an urgent need to send a signal to the world about the future," the conference chair, Canadian Environment Minister Stephane Dion said, signalling his eagerness to kickstart a wider discussion of future commitments.

Let's not be so reductive as to compare a dymanic entity such as a political party to a soft drink. Analogies are rarely accurate in the important details.

"Despite an aggressive EU-led campaign to include specific emissions reduction targets for industrial nations - by 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 - the final road map has NONE." - CBC News. Emphasis added.
Bush and Harper got their way.

Jack Layton is a great whiner and complainer. Well suited to Opposition, where he has never, and will never have to take responsibility for any policy decision, action or opinion. The NDP has voted against just about every environmental measure that the Canadian Parliament voted on over the past 20 years. He is singlehandedly responsible for the death of many popular progressive policy initiatives like funding for the environment, child care, and an agreement to help Canada's Aboriginal population. Jack Layton is all talk. He will never be on the wrong side of any issue because he's always on every side of every issue. He has no experience making decisions, and he has never shown a lick of responsibility in his entire political career. And he will never ever sign on to any policy to reduce car emissions because he is beholden to the CAW and the auto sector interests.

Dion did a good job properly representing the ppl of Canada's and their (right) position on climate change. He went to bat when Harper tried to keep him on the bench. Personally, he's a good politician and would make an even better PM.

Excuse me? Jack Layton voting against child care funding? I beg to differ. After a year of work on that issue alone, I think you are spreading misinformation. He spent a good many years at the table as a Councillor in TO, so I wouldn't say he has no experience.

I wish everyone would stop being so critical, and have our side work together on the issues we all believe in, like climate change.

Great work Avaaz!!!!

I am with Michelle, lets stop being so critical. This is the big problem with partisan politics, everyone starts to argue with one another, and the good work of coming together to take action on issues we agree on stops or is forgotten.

It is obvious that the groundswell of public opinion along with just about every other country in the world represented at Bali was able to change the US position. I am really happy to have participated in the Avaaz petition and be a part of this! Thanks Avaaz!

With friends like Richard Greer,............... hang together or hang separately, we make the choice.

Jeez what's wrong with you people? All except 3 of you above had anything to say about the great success and victory for Avaaz at Bali! How about some congrats instead of bickering over good/bad politics. It's Not politicians who make a difference, it's you and me working together for a single goal.

I say brilliant and BIG congratulations to Avaaz and everyone who works damn hard for victories long time coming.

If any of you have ever worked for environmental causes, you'll know exactly where I'm coming from. This world needs more celebration and Please!! less bickering...

Im with you shiney pennie. lets make this the start of something worthwhile. and not just a lot of talk. Congratulations Avaaz a job welldone

I join Shiney Penny and Bill Ash in congratulating Avaaz for this victory in expressing people power.

The job of cleaning up our environment is just beginning. No specific goals has been set in the Kyoto Protocol. This is also expressed in a post by Andrew Phillip many hours ago.

Woo hoo! Awesome job Avaaz and everyone who helped MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! Yes it is just the beginning but the power is with the people, we've just gotta use it! *love and hugs to all*

I think it is increadible how we all came together and achieved our goal! Keep up the great work Avaaz!!
And to all those who participated in this vision keep on keepin' on and lets work together now, for a good future for all :)

One Love

Congratulation to Avaaz and other NGOs who worked hard on this campaign!

It is essential to understand that this is just a skirmish in the fight on re-definition of sovereignty, as an entity that sees no borders and national partisanship (or People Power, as someone here has put it). At this time sovereignty is still defined by national governmental powers, as their electoral or representational scope. These decision making spheres however are often tied to corporate interests and narrow national politics, and clearly fail to represent the basic interest on the global or common human level, on their own.

The global civil society has been first brought into the picture by former Secretary General of the UN Kofi Annan, who called for a participation of Non Governmental Organizations, as well as a “Peoples Assembly”, in the great decisions of our future world. It is that thrust, that has finally been seen practicaly in action at the Bali conference, where Avaaz and other civil society groups, loosely co-mingling with official political delegates, have formed a strong block of political pressure to achieve a shift in outcome.

There will certainly going to be further friction between the People Power, and national governments, who will no doubt try to curb the newly found direct influence of the people, bypassing their own authority. We will have to keep figuring out how to answer and also start building this People Power base, into a structured and consistent global entity, rather then dispersed individual campaigns.

Amos El-Roy

Yes, a big congratulations to Avaaz and all of us who helped make it happen.

In the interest of ongoing progress on climate change, and going back to political parties and the people being the ones who make it happen, we can all ensure that Canada becomes a model country in the future by doing what the trend is showing in the political landscape and that is by voting for none of the big 3 parties, who all have their strengths and weaknesses in their fight on climate issues. I think, and so do the polls, that it is time for the Green Party to share the stage with other Canadian parties, in the political debates as well as in parliament. The polls do show them at 13%, just behind the third place party and with such a significant portion of the electorate being behind them why are they not part of the debate. It seems that it would make the debate a much more well rounded forum, instead of giving only the usual suspects a widely broadcasted voice.

Scott Petrie

Je suis tellement heureuse bravo Avaaz travail merveilleux ! la Planète il faut en prendre soin.M.Stéphane Dion le Chef de l'opposition au Canada je le remercie ! Soyons unis défendre cette cause DROIT des humains de cette TERRE. Marie-Reine P. Paradis. Laval Québec, Canada.