[This letter has been posted on behalf of the signatories and does not necessarily reflect the views of current and future youth delegations or the organizations that support them. If you would like to add your name or an organizational endorsement, please send us a message at a.possian@gmail.com]

August 9 2012

To :          Honourable Peter Kent, Environment Minister

                Guy St-Jacques, Chief Negotiator and Ambassador for Climate Change

We, former members of the Canadian Youth Delegation to United Nations climate conferences, noted the Government of Canada’s claim that youth groups involved in climate negotiations are ‘not well-informed’ when it comes to climate change.

We invite you to a public debate with young climate activist representatives, moderated by Professor Tom Duck of Dalhousie’s Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, to provide the public with a chance to evaluate exactly how we are misinformed.

We propose the debate be held as 1500 of Canada’s youth climate activists gather in Ottawa from October 26-29 to attend the PowerShift2012 conference.

We look forward to this chance for the Conservative government to educate us about climate change and its dire consequences for our planet, economies and communities, the most pressing issue of our age.

We look forward to your answer so that we may arrange this important debate.

Signed,

Lars Boggild
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 (UNFCCC)

Malkolm Boothroyd
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 & 17 (UNFCCC)

Matthew Chisholm
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 17 (UNFCCC)

Andrew Cuddy
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 15 (UNFCCC)

Brigette DePape
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 17 (UNFCCC)

Joanna Dafoe
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 14, 15 (UNFCCC)

Alex Doukas
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 14 & 15 (UNFCCC)

Kristian Gareau
Canadian Youth Delegation to COP 11 (UNFCCC)

Sonia Grant
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 17 (UNFCCC)

Cam Gray
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 (UNFCCC)

Maia Green
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 12, 14, 15, & 17 (UNFCCC)

Crystel Hajjar
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 17 (UNFCCC)

James Hutt
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 17 (UNFCCC)

Arielle Kayabaga
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 (UNFCCC)

Maggie Knight
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 (UNFCCC)

Stephen McGlenn
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 (UNFCCC)

Kaleigh McGregor Bales
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 17 (UNFCCC)

Hannah McKinnon
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 13 & 14 (UNFCCC)

Nicolas Nadeau
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 14, 15, & 16 (UNFCCC)

Emilie Novaczek
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 & 17 (UNFCCC)

PJ Partington
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 12, 13, & 14 (UNFCCC)

Tasha Peters
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 & 17 (UNFCCC)

Amara Possian
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 & 17 (UNFCCC)
Youth Delegate to Rio+20 (UNCSD)

Ben Powless
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17 (UNFCCC)
Youth Delegate to Rio+20 (UNCSD)

Marie-Marguerite Sabongui
Canadian Youth Delegation to COP16 (UNFCCC)

Cameron Stiff
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 11 & 12 (UNFCCC)

Yvonne Su
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 15 (UNFCCC)

Anika Terton
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 17 (UNFCCC)

Adam Thomas
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 (UNFCCC) 

Robin Tress
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 & 17 (UNFCCC)

Daniel T'seleie
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 15, 16, 17 (UNFCCC)

Thea Whitman                    
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 14, 15, & 16 (UNFCCC)

Devon Willis
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 15 (UNFCCC)

Audrey Yank
Canadian Youth Delegate to COP 16 (UNFCCC)
Youth Delegate to Rio+20 (UNCSD)

Leehi Yona
Youth Delegate to Rio +20 (UNCSD)

Organizational Endorsements
Indigenous Environtmental Network