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Notes for remarks

by

The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of the Environment

To introduce Stephen Lewis, Keynote Speaker
2006 Natural City Conference: Success Stories

Isabel Bader Theatre, Victoria College
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

(Check against delivery)

Thank you Dr. Stefanovic

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

It is with tremendous privilege that I Introduce our keynote speaker — Stephen Lewis.

Stephen Lewis has been known for a wide range of roles … politician, academic, writer, broadcaster, ambassador and companion of the Order of Canada.

Although we take pride in claiming him as one of our own, a Canadian and Ontarian … it is much more accurate to describe him as a citizen of our planet. According to last year’s Time Magazine — he is one of the world’s most influential people — in the company of the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela.

Just like those two esteemed leaders — Stephen Lewis is an outspoken advocate for environmental protection, human rights and social justice.

As UN Special Envoy for HIV/Aids in Africa, Stephen has dedicated himself to easing the suffering and anguish that AIDS has brought to communities all over the continent.

En tant qu’envoyé spécial des Nations Unies pour le VIH/sida en Afrique, Stephen Lewis s’est attaché à alléger la souffrance et la peine qui prévalent dans les collectivités de tout le continent affectées par le sida.

Stephen’s work in Africa is both haunting and inspiring. We are shaken by the reality of this massive tragedy and loss, but at the same time, hope for a better future for a continent with so much promise.

As we think about the future a bit closer to home, we know that we cannot have sustainable cities without addressing air pollution and climate change.

When Stephen was the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, he chaired the first international conference on Climate Change, which drafted the first comprehensive policy on global warming. Stephen Lewis was creating policy on climate change long before “global warming” was a frequent headline in the newspaper or the subject of many documentaries.

Eighteen years have passed since the political leaders, ambassadors, scientists and environmental activists joined Stephen in declaring what remains one of the best, though starkest, pronouncements ever about global warming, which declared:

“Humanity is conducting an unintended, uncontrolled, globally pervasive experiment whose ultimate consequences could be second only to a global nuclear war”.

Stephen speaks eloquently and passionately for those who have no voice … he speaks up loudly in the face of injustice … he rails against complacency and hypocrisy.

I am often awed by Stephen’s ability to link complicated social justice issues, like pollution, HIV/AIDs, poverty and women’s rights, together

He has made it clear that the pandemic of HIV/AIDs is ferociously killing women. That it selectively isolates the most productive age group of a human family, those between 15 and 49, and then attacks women first and foremost, gaining its foothold as a result of gender inequality and misogyny.

And that as a result — children have been orphaned and left without a mother to raise them, care for them and love them.

As a new mom of eight-month-old twin boys, the picture Stephen paints is a disturbing one to accept.

Premier McGuinty gave me a tough post last June — and an amazing opportunity to turn a year and a half of hard work into a lifetime commitment to clean air and clean water.

I am proud of the environmental accomplishments of our government. Whether it’s our investment in public transit, our promise to stop burning dirty coal and build a cleaner energy system, the protection of our vast water resources, or the new Greenbelt, our commitment to working towards building strong, healthy cities and rural communities for all of our sons and daughters, husbands and grandparents, wives and sisters to enjoy, is real and will make a difference in their lives in years to come.

I started this introduction with a story about the conference you chaired 18 years ago on global warming.

Stephen, 18 years from now, when my boys are grown, I want them to be able to breathe clean air, dip their hands in Lake Ontario to drink clean water, and travel to Africa, as I have had the privilege to do, to meet the generations that we collectively helped save because of leaders who had the guts to tell the truth and who are working today, to ensure sustainability for tomorrow.

I look forward to hearing your vision for our cities and your thoughts on how we can continue to create sustainable, ecologically-friendly urban success stories in Canada well into the twenty-first century.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming … Stephen Lewis.

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