COPENHAGEN -- Another day in the Danish capital, another day of climate change activists lambasting Canada’s position -- this time with Toronto Mayor David Miller assuming the role of chief critic.

“Like most Canadians, I’m embarrassed. I’m embarrassed that our government continues to be one of the biggest obstacles to reaching agreement,” Mr. Miller said moments before accepting two new “Fossil of the Day” awards on behalf of Canada.

“I chose to come here to tell people that Canadians are acting despite the fact that Canada isn’t. They’re acting through their cities. The mayor of Copenhagen and I have convened a summit of mayors here next week. We have over 100 mayors. Cities are doing incredible things. Calgary’s rapid transit is all powered by wind, and Canadians themselves, are acting in their own lives as well, and so are many provinces.”

The tongue-in-cheek Fossil Awards are prizes given to countries seen as blocking progress at the United Nations climate summit. They are judged by a coalition of environmental groups called the Climate Action Network -- about 10% of which are Canadian organizations.

These two new Fossil awards, which were given based on comments made by federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice and Canada’s chief negotiator Michael Martin, bring Canada’s total to five (one earlier award was a group award, won by Canada and eight other industrialized countries).

Canada has been criticized before and during the Copenhagen summit for what environmental groups perceive as weak emission-reduction targets, and what they say is its obstructionist role in the talks to find a new climate pact. Canada also has been targeted for failing to meet its Kyoto commitments, instead seeing its greenhouse gas emissions increase between 1990 and 2007.

Addressing a large crowd Friday, Mr. Miller said he wanted to speak on behalf of Canadians.

“Canadians are environmentalists,” he said. “Canada should be a leader in these issues. In Toronto, we are.”

The two new Fossils were handed to Canada a day after Mr. Prentice told the National Post he was fed up with the antics of the Climate Action Network.

Speaking from London, Mr. Prentice said he is handing out his own awards in retaliation. The minister said he would give the inaugural Hot Air of the Day award to the Pembina Institute, an environmental think-tank, for its “tired and shopworn” criticism of Ottawa’s performance on the same day UN climate change chief Yvo de Boer said Canada has been “negotiating very constructively” in Copenhagen.

But on Friday, environmental activists struck at Canada’s policies and oilsands industry again, publicizing letters from 11 members of the European Parliament, who are calling on oil companies to pull out of the oilsands in northern Alberta. Hailing from countries such as Finland, France and the Netherlands, the European politicians wrote to executives at Shell, BP, Statoil and Total.

“The environmental and health impacts of tar-sand extraction are huge,” wrote MEP Kriton Arsenis of Greece.

“In addition to being two to three times more carbon-intensive than the production of conventional oil, the process causes severe air and water pollution, destroys livelihoods of indigenous communities and produces toxic waste. It is clear that this is not the way the energy companies should go. Instead, they should focus on the clean energy sources that have broken growth records year after year, even during the current recession.”