(Ottawa) On the eve of the G20 meeting in South Korea 18 leading organizations from across the country are calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister Jim Flaherty to follow through on their G20 promise to end tax breaks to oil and gas companies.

Read the letter here.

“Prime Minister Harper has left a trail of broken promises on this issue, the G20 meeting is an opportunity for him to finally follow through on his commitment to end tax breaks to rich oil and gas companies,” says Graham Saul of Climate Action Network Canada. “In an era of fiscal responsibility and a growing climate crisis, giving a free ride to these companies is irresponsible.”

Recent reports from Climate Action Network Canada and Greenpeace International show how the government has intentionally tried to minimize its commitment to end subsidies to fossil fuels and continues to give around $1 billion in tax breaks to oil and gas companies each year, some of the richest companies in Canada.

“Prime Minister Harper hands out more money in tax breaks to oil and gas companies every year than the entire operating budget of Environment Canada,” says Steven Guilbeault of Equiterre. “This is part of a broader recklessness that this government demonstrates in terms of dealing with climate change.”

The letter, launched today, will welcome organizational sign-on on an ongoing basis during the lead up to the 2011 federal budget. In the 2011 budget, organizations hope to see the federal government taking immediate and meaningful action to end these tax breaks.

Cathryn Atkinson

Cathryn Atkinson is the former News and Features Editor for rabble.ca. Her career spans more than 25 years in Canada and Britain, where she lived from 1988 to 2003. Cathryn has won five awards...