...than Dion. From a COMPAS Poll conducted for the Financial/National Post:
On a 100-point report-card-style scale, business leaders gave Mr. Dion a grade of 38 on his past performance as Canada's environment minister. Present minister Ms. Ambrose does not fare much better, with a 43.
The poll is mostly depressing reading. For example, only 9% of our financial poobahs support Dion's promised resurrection of the Kyoto accord. But we must find Hope where we can, and there is a little in the survey:
1) 72% rejected the idea that environmental policy should be constrained by its impact on the oil and gas sector. In other words, if the oil patch has to take a hit, so be it.
2) 38% strongly rejected the idea that Canada should wait for more evidence before making a large effort to stop greenhouse gases, while 25% embraced it strongly. Only 9% adopted a middle position. A plurality think that enough evidence is in to act.
The Natty Post article ends with one of the survey participants taking a shot at the notion of a scientific consensus:
Remember at one time the leading scientists had a consensus that the Earth was flat.
To which the proper response is that leading scientists now have a consensus that the Earth is round. I wonder if anyone would ready to suggest that the FlatEarthers had it right in the first place?
Maybe one of our business leaders?
Is it scary that only 9% supported Dion's idea to bring back Kyoto, or scary that 91% of the population disagrees with the Liberals on this issue?
ReplyDeleteThe Kyoto Accord failed in Canada because of the Liberal party, and now they are trying to resurrect it only to make Harper look bad for doing his own plan.
I wonder if the business leaders polled are actually more against the idea of an old Chretien goon, Dion, implementing the plan. They know what kind of track record Chretien's inner circle has on almost everything they ever did. Big business supported the Liberals because they slayed the deficit, and this was a very good move for Canada. Today, though, the party is tired, old, and does not have the better plans. I'm glad people are finally waking up to the fact that Liberals do not perform well, and it's time to give someone else a chance.
http://torontotories.blogspot.com
Is it scary when you take into consideration that the COMPAS poll is comprised of "an essentially hand-picked sample" of 139 with a margin of error of 8.3% 19 times out of 20?
ReplyDeleteNo, not so much.
COMPAS pdf
Thanks Alison, for doing my research for me. I hadn't seen the actual survey.
ReplyDeleteYeah, well you can see how NaPo might not have wanted to lede with "139 biz guys don't think about the environment too much"
ReplyDelete"leading scientists now have a consensus that the Earth is round. I wonder if anyone would be ready to suggest that the FlatEarthers had it right in the first place?"
Killer.
I would also point out that Canada is a first rate country with a second rate business class.
ReplyDeleteThe next big thing in business is going to be environmental technology as peoples' concerns about climate change and the environment inevitably increases.
If we had a business class worth a damn they would see that opportunity and pursue it with gusto. Instead they are afraid of the possibility of damage the resurrection of Kyoto might have on their bottom line.
Probably within the next decade a "Bill Gates" figure will produce a revolutionary environmental technology that will launch an entire industry as Microsoft did but it will not happen in Canada.
Cow 'emissions' more damaging to planet than CO2 from cars - The Independent
ReplyDelete"Meet the world's top destroyer of the environment. It is not the car, or the plane,or even George Bush: it is the cow.
A United Nations report has identified the world's rapidly growing herds of cattle as the greatest threat to the climate, forests and wildlife." A UN report so it must be right.
KILL ALL THE COWS
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2062484.ece