Scheer Putting Canada on Death Watch

Oh these petro-pimps just don't stop. After Justin Trudeau wallowed in it, groveling at the feet of the Fossil Fuelers and their pipeline to "tidewater," now it's Andrew Scheer's turn.

The Tories new climate change policy - "you first."

The party’s newly released environmental plan has a variety of proposals that try to exploit Canadian technology and resources the party says could have a big impact on worldwide carbon emissions. 

The Conservatives argue, for example, that if Canadian natural gas replaces a coal plant in China, then Canada should get a little bit of credit for that contribution to the global battle against climate change. 

“Canada must look beyond our own borders and confront the climate change reality: it is a global problem, for which global solutions are needed,” the Conservative plan reads.

Yes, we do need global solutions, but the heavy emitters must lead. The petro-states and the industrialized or developed world are responsible for the great majority of the CO2 atmospheric loading that created today's existential threat and they must bear the brunt of slashing emissions. Canada is very much in that top tier.

Canada's overall emissions, despite our tiny population, rank in the Top Ten of all nations. Our per capita emissions, depending on the report, may put us in the Top Three, ahead of the US and Australia. And, when this diabolical pipeline is up and running - should that ever happen - Canada will be the energy superpower of Harper's dreams and will easily rank fourth for overall production of oil and gas.  We are not a nation that should take our lead from others no matter how that sniveling puke Scheer sees it.

That "Death Watch" reference may seem a tad hyperbolic, especially if you haven't read the latest warnings from the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC. The IPCC, best known for its demonstrated history of seeing climate change through rose-coloured glasses, recently warned the world has until 2030 to slash greenhouse gas emissions by half and then until 2050 to decarbonize our economies and societies if we're to have a reasonable chance of averting climate catastrophe.

Scheer, like his Liberal adversary, shows no interest in that warning, no hint they would do anything to meet the cuts needed. Canada, a genuinely "major emitter" on every score isn't up to averting climate catastrophe. After all, we're bent on rapidly ramping up production of the filthiest, high-carbon, high-cost, low-value ersatz oil, bitumen, and flooding it onto world markets.

I know it may sound nihilistic. It is. We've declared a state of climate emergency less than one day before approving a climate killing pipeline and in the same week that the Tory leader says "meh" to the existential threat facing our kids and grandkids. I know that may sound mad. It is. You've got to be damned near choking on cognitive dissonance to implement policies that we're getting from Scheer and Trudeau.

There are some among us who go on about our 'cherished Canadian values.' There they are.