An Ipsos Reid poll finds 57% of Canadians want serious action on climate change now, even if it means higher deficits. From the G&M:
“With the economic recession, it's expected that concern for the environment versus the economy would drop off. Canadians are saying, ‘No, it's still important, the government should still be focusing on the environment even though it has to stabilize the economy,'” said Sean Simpson, research manager at Ipsos Reid.
Across the country, support for environmental policies tends to increase the further one gets from Alberta. The oil-rich province, which has been hurt by the recent fall in commodity prices, is about 10 per cent out of step with the rest of the country on every environmental question, Mr. Simpson said.
Overall, 64 per cent of Canadians say development of Alberta's oil sands should be halted until a clean method can be found, as do 47 per cent of Albertans.
“They're saying maybe we can have the best of both worlds,” Mr. Simpson said. “Maybe instead of creating jobs in the tar sands we can create them in the environmental sector.”
Iggy would do well to remember his own words, "You've got to work with the grain of Canadians and not against them." That applies even when they don't agree with you, Mikey.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090227.wclimate28/BNStory/National/home?cid=al_gam_mostview
To paraphrase what you said at my place, MoS - it is now the LPC's turn to have its very own impulsive, arrogant, autocratic leader.
ReplyDeleteAnd there I thought Dion was a champion of triangulation ...
I'm sure being put in my place now, eh?
(sigh)
Are you listening Iggy? "64% of Canadians say development of Alberta's oil sands should be halted until a clean method can be found, as do 47% of Albertans". There is currently no technology available to clean up this nightmare. So why are you selling out Dion's vision of a greener, fairer Canada to win a few Conservative votes out west?
ReplyDeleteThe answer is in your question, LMA: "to win a few Conservative votes our west" - the west in question being Alberta. Both of BC is fiercely pro environment and anti tar sands.
ReplyDeleteSo much for Iggy's intellectual smarts and for his understanding on what Canadians value! No surprise, of course, given his spending the largest chunk of his adult life outside the country.
I don't think Mr. Ignatieff is particularly attuned to Canadian public opinion any more than he understands traditional Liberal values. That's reflected in how he's trying to transform the LPC into some weird, shadow-Conservative party.
ReplyDeleteIgnatieff may have an intellectual ability but his political acumen is tragic. I don't see this guy having a great shelf life as Liberal leader.
He's the sort of guy you're apt to like a lot more before you get to know him.
He's very pro-free trade and foreign investment, from a global stand point of course. It's like he doesn't understand that Canada does have some policy instruments and laws to effect change in resource development. He truly believes that tar sands/oil patch development hinges on what the US wants. Sorry, but that is not a leader. And seems to be a "carbon" copy of Harper's stance on the environment in general.
ReplyDeleteI also think his intellectualism is over-stated. He actually stated in one of his many Bush apologist sermons in the NY Times that the US constitutional powers give the executive (President) the right to make decisions contrary to international law and without approval of both legislative houses.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteYou may be interested in the blog of 'The Peckham Rifles'
http://peckhamrifles.blogspot.com/
As well as a fun adventure story it's a satire of the current environmental situation in Guatemala, Central America
Cheers,
Gary