We have to modify our profligate habits of consumption if we are to reduce carbon emissions but politicians are afraid to tell us that. In addition, the carbon industry has an immense amount of lobbying power in Canada. It effectively bankrolled the creation of the Reform Party, where our current prime minister apprenticed in politics.
The title is "Make climate change an election issue", and I guess my question to Mr. Gruending would be "How?" He mentions 80 people in a church basement who are advocating prayerful contemplation, but I guess they have faith that I do not. Unfortunately, I think Jeffrey Simpson has our current situation pegged pretty clearly, at least for the election cycle now underway.
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The Liberals cap and trade policy seems to be a step in the right direction, with monies paid by top emitters being administered by the federal government and diverted to new technologies to reduce emissions, regulate Tar Sands environmental damage, and develop renewables. Both Liberals and NDP are pushing to cancel tax breaks/subsidies to the Tar Sands oil companies and that is also positive.
If Canadians don't care about climate change, surely they must care about the ever increasing pollution of our water and air? We simply can't continue to burn fossil fuels, spill oil and release radioactive water into the ocean without dire consequences.
We simply can't continue to burn fossil fuels, spill oil and release radioactive water into the ocean without dire consequences.
No, we can't. People tend to think of the world as unchanging, and they don't dwell much on the consequences of their actions.
I'm starting to think we have to go far past the tipping point (if we're not already there) for people to take the situation seriously. It's a depressing thought, especially if you've ever happened to have read Collapse by Jared Diamond.
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