"Catherine McKenna Pushes for 1.5 C Target in Paris Climate Talks"

"PARIS — Canada has endorsed a call from small island nations to hold global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, putting Ottawa out of step with the United States, which has maintained a 2 C target.

In a closed-door session Sunday, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said the 1.5 C goal should be reflected in the final accord, though the United Nations has said the emissions-reduction commitments from countries attending the Paris climate summit would fall well short of what is needed to achieve even the 2 C limit.

The Environment Minister’s backing of the aggressive global-warming goal marked a sharp departure from the position of the Harper government."

Shawn McCarthy and Eric Reguly report for the Toronto Globe and Mail December 6, 2015.