I Hate That, Despite the Lofty Promises, Canada Remains a Climate Pariah

Liberal or Conservative, it doesn't make a whit of difference which party governs. Canada remains in the grip of petro-pimps and, yes, that includes the current Liberal government.

The National Observer has an analysis piece showing that Canada, in the midst of the pandemic, is supporting fossil fuels at 10 times the G20 average.

There are rumours that the Trudeau government is on the verge of going all progressive on our arse. Yeah, right. This would be the same, progressively-inclined regime that's pushing through the massive, overpriced, no longer needed Trans-Mountain pipeline expansion even as foreign investors and energy companies are abandoning the Athabasca Tar Pits, openly declaring bitumen a "stranded asset." What's that line about, when you're trying to get out of a hole, you must first stop digging?

The world, but especially the affluent, developed nations, has a deadline coming up. We must cut our greenhouse gas emissions from all sources by half by 2030.  Canada hasn't said we'll do our part to meet that target. We're not even on track to meet Stephen Harper's promised emissions cuts.

Deeds, not words. This government got the words part right when the prime minister and his then enviromin took the floor at the 2015 Paris climate summit to boldly proclaim "Canada's back." They basked in the welcoming glory and then put that promise, like so many others, in the circular file.

This '50 by 30' business isn't some Kumbaya, feel good, deal. It is what must be done if we are to preserve a liveable world for future generations. It's as real as concrete. It is a matter of life or death, potentially for billions.

So, please, don't sit by while Justin or the Tory that succeeds him blow smoke up our backsides. There's no time for that nonsense, no time left that is. This is the time for Ottawa to show some spine, put some honesty in its promises, and, for starters, end all subsidies of every description for high-carbon, low-value fossil fuel production.

It's time to stop being a climate pariah, a global embarrassment.