Tories Put Forth Argument for Inaction

Thu, 2007-04-19 09:36Richard Littlemore
Richard Littlemore's picture

Tories Put Forth Argument for Inaction

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government is once again investing all its energy in arguing against taking action on climate change.

The Tories commissioned a report - and then solicited a credible second opinion- on the likely effect of an emergency effort to meet Canada's Kyoto commitment. (It's an emergency because the previous Liberal administration did too little and the Tories have done nothing at all.) The reports, which appear to overlook the opportunity to buy carbon credits on the international market, suggests that such an effort would cripple the Canadian economy.

Tactically, this looks like a clever move on the Tories' part. The Liberals, the Bloc Quebecois and the New Democrats recently overwhelming the Conservatives in committee and rewrote Harper's hopeless Clean Air Act to include a demand that Canada meet its Kyoto obligations. That gave environmentalists a momentary lift, but it also handed the Tories an opportunity to suggest that the other parties are being reckless and impractical. The charge is especially effective against the Liberals, who still have not apologized for their own poor performance on this file.

Now the Tories are trying to shift the argument - again - away from science and responsibility and toward a short-term economic debate that overlooks the gathering and compounding threat of climate change. This is, again, tactically clever, if incredibly cynical. But if the Tories prevail politically using such tactics, we all will lose.

Tags: 
Stephen Harper
clean air act

Comments

Thu, 2007-04-19 10:59 — Stephen Berg

Remember what Han Solo said in Star Wars: "What good is money if I'm not around to use it?"

I think that applies here. What good is an economy if we're not around to use it.

Thu, 2007-04-19 12:02 — Karlin
Stalling is what this is. PM Harper cannot tell Canadians that global warming is not real, so the tactic is to stall on any initiatives to make emissions reductions. FEAR is a good stalling technique, and economic fear is what he is using here. It is not true either. Gore and Gates and others with 'good economics experience' tell us that there would be a positive economic benefit in develping the new industries of renewable energy and emissions reductions. Any and all economic activity helps the overall economy. The problem for the Wealthy Elites who are running the show, and telling Harper what to say, is that they will lose their position of 'economic and political dominance' that using fossil fuels exclusively gives them. Ironically, it is these same wealthy elites who are paying for the denials that will surivive the catastrophic consequences of global warming, if no action is taken soon. Lets take them down now so we can all experience global warming's worst effects together. We do that by embracing renewable energy, and we save ourselves in the process - do you have your solar panels yet?

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Thu, 2007-04-19 12:12 — Steve Tsuida
While it's probably an exercise in futility, I just joined an opposing party and plan to help campaign against Harper's re-election in my riding, Calgary West. Enough!

Thu, 2007-04-19 13:54 — Kevin Grandia

Validated Results by the Returning Officer
Validation Date: July 2, 2004
38th General Election
Calgary West
Alberta
Electoral District No. 48009
 
Valid ballots: 56,032
Rejected ballots: 184
Total ballots cast: 56,216
Candidate Party Votes
Rob Anders Conservative Party of Canada 31,322
James S. Kohut Canadian Action Party 315
Tim Patterson New Democratic Party 3,632
Danielle Roberts Green Party of Canada 4,274
Justin Thompson Liberal Party of Canada 16,402
André Vachon Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada 87
Total number of validated votes:

Thu, 2007-04-19 14:27 — VJ
It's not certain that Anders will finally be nominated again in that riding. It would be nice if there was a Conservative candidate with some shreds of progressivism left.

Fri, 2007-04-20 10:52 — Steve Tsuida
No doubt. I'm thinking a measure of success this time will be to reduce total vote percentage down from 56% to perhaps 50%. Stephen Harper seems to pay attention to intensity levels. At the end of the day if he wins but becomes more responsive/representative, then I don't care who's sitting where in the House for me.

Fri, 2007-04-20 11:16 — VJ
Good luck. You might want to check out Vote Out Anders

Thu, 2007-04-19 13:53 — John Lefebvre
I don't suppose it will “manufacture a recession” when 10s of millions of 3rd world folks are forced inland by rising waters. But hey, that's their problem. Am I my brothers' keeper?

Thu, 2007-04-19 14:30 — VJ
They might not say it aloud, but it seems many of these people are quite willing to let people die elsewhere, as long as they are comfortable here.

Thu, 2007-04-19 14:46 — juniper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy49c9XaehU

Thu, 2007-04-19 15:35 — Kevin Grandia

Fri, 2007-04-20 10:55 — anonymous
We know that he knows the language...listen to him use it when it comes to Afghanistan. He'll talk about doing our part, living up to international commitments, stickin in there for the long term, building our nation's character, etc. So when it comes to killing people in far-off lands for vague reasons where experts disagree and with poor public support he's very, very, "CAN DO!" But then it's all "CAN'T DO!" on saving people from a clear danger where both true experts and the public are in agreement on the need for real action. So doubly disappointing when we're surrounded by massive win-win opportunities that he's apparently not even open to considering.

Fri, 2007-04-20 11:27 — VJ

Here are a couple of blog reactions to Baird's speech, with interesting links:

Peace, order and good governemnt

"...Now if your government would stop cutting programs that might provide useful information and actually talk to people whose work might form the basis for calculating the costs of not taking action, we might be able to have a useful discussion..."

The Gazetteer

"...But, when you see and hear Mr. Baird reel off his codswallop for the sound-bite Minstrels who refuse to do the legwork to either validate or refute Baird's ludicrous claims, you may wish to remember the following......

And that is that Mr. Baird has pulled this type of stunt before..."

[x]
Harper Government Keeps Details Of $16.5M Oil Industry Ad Campaign Under Wraps
Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver

This week, under questioning from opposition MPs, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver confirmed that his department intends to spend up to 16.5 million dollars on advertising in the upcoming year. Further details on how this taxpayer-funded PR campaign for Canada's natural resources will be run were lacking.

Mike De Souza writes for Canada.com,...

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