Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 29/02) - Ratification of the Kyoto protocol is a federal issue. But Yellowknife city council jumped into the national fray Monday night when it endorsed the 1997 protocol on greenhouse gas reduction.

The resolution passed by council cites a number of possible consequences of climate change, including drought and permafrost melting, and their potential economic impact. The resolution will be communicated to federal, territorial and other municipal politicians, to encourage forward movement on the Kyoto. But it didn't pass without contest.

"I haven't studied (Kyoto) in depth at all," said Coun. Alan Woytuik. "But I believe there are governments that have studied it, such as the U.S. government, who determined that the negative economic impact of this was not worth the benefit. I'm going to put my faith in their judgment."

"Just because the United States refuses to sign on is no reason for our country to be taking marching orders from the U.S.," countered Coun. Kevin O'Reilly.

"All of the European countries are going to be ratifying it."

Coun. Dave McCann, who voted against the motion, said he was concerned most citizens are not interested in reduction of emissions.

"I, for one, cannot get over the number of vehicles we have in Yellowknife driving around at 8:25 a.m. and 5:03 p.m. five days a week with one person in the vehicle and some of them with throbbing V-8s as well," he said.

"The mindset of many of our citizens is not in this - along this line at all. I think the problem with Kyoto is that it sets targets that Northerners and Yellowknifers would find impossible to live with."

Blake Lyons supported the motion, and added a word of warning. "I don't want to see any Canadian city become another Los Angeles, and Toronto's coming very close to that," he said.

Council eventually passed the motion with McCann, Woytuik and Ramsay voting against it.