jimf

Eloquence from the Trudeau..........

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/no-fuddle-d...201130259.html

MikeUK

I read this and though here we go into the “warming” debate.

But the reality is that at a governmental level Canada only works for votes, how could we expect a government that is shallow enough to run and fund an asbestos mine, give one iota about the environment and its future. Throw in the failing 1st nation reserve system, what Canada does well is hide its problems, it doesn’t attempt to solve them it just hopes they go away.

Canada may have a postive enviromental image, but that's all it is, an Image

iaink

Does it? From a tourism view point canada has beautiful images of snow capped mountains, polar bear tours and lakes surrounded by fall colours, but from an environmental view point Canada is tar sand, strip mining, seal culls and now the Kyoto business.

JonboyE

This makes sense.

I know it is probably only one small part of the overall debate, but the interview I heard seemed more about a global redistribution of wealth, resources and opportunities than any care about the future of the planet.

MikeUK

Yep... remind me of taking a detor off the main highway on one of the cross Canada trips

From pristine view's of lakes and trees and snow capped mountians, its a short drive to industrial clear cuts and muddy logging roads..

Almost Canadian

How short of a drive?

Perhaps Google could assist you with a demonstration of the distance between lakes, trees and snow capped mountains and industrial clear cuts and muddy logging roads.

Is Canada the only country where such can be found?

Almost Canadian

All of which, of course, is the fault of the Harper Government. Is that how the argument goes?

MikeUK

It endemic of the Canadian government over many parties..

Both the conservatives and liberal are guilty, turning a blind eye is something Canadians in general seem to be good at, be it crime, poverty, environment, etc
I’d suggest out of sight, out of mind seems to fit a lot of the problems in this country

MikeUK

1. about 5kms

2. Depends where I chosse to look, in some places we coudl be 1000kms, in others and matter of meters,

3. Not the only one, but as major timber exporter, one of the worst ones outside of south america

Almost Canadian

So you don't want Canadians to log nor, I assume, to extract oil. I also assume ditto for salmon fishing and cattle farming. In light of the way that farmers use pesticides and other nasty things, I assume that arable farming is also out.

How are Canadians supposed to feed themselves and make money in your world?

iaink

Look what happened to the liberals when they did made an effort with the "Green Shift". Handed their areses by the electorate. No mainsteam canadian party is going to travel that path again in a hurry.

Jingsamichty

If you, in your capacity as a thinking and concerned human being, are waiting for global political will to change that which you can see with your very own eyes, then you will be in fo a very long wait indeed.

Instead of bemoaning Canadian politicoes withdrawing from Kyoto, or wailing that Big Oil is destroying a forest that you can't get to, ask yourself... what are YOU as a person doing about it?

Look around you... big detached house in a country that's either too hot or too cold? Vehicle with worse fuel economy than you would have in, say, the UK? How many flights have you been on this year?

Perhaps politicians aren't hypocrites... maybe they really do represent the real disinterested attitudes of their constituents...?

iaink

Personally the ones I am in business with use their brains to figure out how to add value to lumps of metal and ceramic and then sell them at a profit to other people who need them to keep airplanes in the air...

Its called "manufacturing" I believe, but its rather out of fashion at the moment.

As for agriculture, they could always try doing it on a smaller scale, more locally to the end user, and live with a lower yield.. its money that drives high yield industrial agriculture. As a nation of the obese we could consider consuming less too

iaink

The reality is that its not what people as individuals do that will make a difference, the vast majority of man made emmisions are industrial, and that will only be addressed when legislation makes it economically worthwhile for them to change.

Sure, individuals should do what they can, both in terms of personal consumption and in smart ethical investment to prevent them financially supporting the worst industrial offenders but government action on a global scale is imperative if there is to be any hope of a real reduction in greenhouse emissions.

Personally I think its now too late to effect the necessary political change of will, and that my childrens children will be living in a much less stable world as a result.

Lord Vader

christ, give your head a shake.