Many Canadians, including The Star's Heather Mallick, are under the impression that the Liberals are a truly progressive party, intent on offering all of us a better future. Indeed, in today's column, she lambastes people like Jane Philpott, wondering if she is trying to get Andrew Scheer's Conservative Party elected as our next government. Mallick is disdainful of the former cabinet minister's claim that she is acting in Canada's interests:
People in her riding are the same as other Canadian voters. They want a stable future for their children, an effort at preventing and preparing for the climate change that is about to devastate us, good jobs, equity for women, fairness for Indigenous people, and a national pharmacare plan.A letter in today's print edition of The Star puts into a different perspective the notion that the Trudeau Liberals are making substantive efforts on the climate-change file:
Canada needs green deal to combat climate changeThe world cries out for real leadership to mitigate the climate disaster bearing down upon us. Sadly, our current government, with its penchant for pious rhetoric and pipeline purchases, is not providing it.
Toronto Star23 Mar 2019
According to UN scientists, we have just over 11 years to stave off the most devastating impacts of climate change.
A Green New Deal would create millions of jobs for Canadians. It would include: massive expansion of public transit, retrofitting of housing and rental units, and building communityowned renewable energy projects.
It is a bold and comprehensive plan to transition to 100 per cent renewable power within the decade, while also tackling social and economic inequality in the process.
The New Green Deal is far cheaper than dealing with unmitigated climate change. Global warming at or above 2 C will result in mass migrations, volatile weather patterns, increased wildfires, food and water shortages, damage to public infrastructure and severe loss of economic output for Canada.
Our community is ready for a climate plan that builds an equitable future.
Jordan Worona, Toronto
The future is getting darker, Lorne, and we continue to whistle past the graveyard.
ReplyDeleteTo be frank, Owen, I have lost hope of a turnaround being possible. As we quickly reach the point of no return, people insist on fixating only upon the coming week, not the coming deluge.
DeleteWe cannot continue as a petro-state intent on ramping up production of high-carbon bitumen, thermal coal and natural gas and meet the prescription for a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. No one can head in two directions at once. To blithely claim that we have no responsibility for those emissions once we export them offshore is utterly fatuous. 50 X 2030? According to Environment Canada this government is steadily falling behind in meeting Stephen Harper's laughable emissions cut targets.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to climate change, Heather Mallick, good as she normally is, is in some fantasy world. And, as for what she calls "preparation," that is to say adaptation, we're doing next to nothing.
"Nothing" is the operative word. We shall do nothing that, despite evidence to the contrary, might interfere with the economy or, gasp, cause us to abandon our pursuit of perpetual exponential growth.
Mallick is well-intentioned but ill-informed, making her something of a poster-girl for the general ignorance that has taken hold in our country.
I generally enjoy Mallick's work as well, Mound, but for her, as with some others who call themselves progressive, Trudeau can do no wrong. In that, of course, she is horribly mistaken.
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