The entire “Green Movement” is basically a new religion. It has to be.
When we consider that Glabal Warming is in fact more related to the Sun itself producing more sun spots (flares) than in the last 50 years and that all of the planets are warming, not just earth, then we must assume that the Eco Fascists are devotees of blind faith…religion, based on half truths and junk science. Unfortunately like all “blind faith” religious movements this one will have the effect of reducing us all to “heretics” should we take an opposing / scientific stand. God help us if these left wing socialists actually get into power.
Go Libertarian.

JC Hester, Calgary

The environment is a concern, air quality is a concern, potholes on our streets are a concern. A big concern.

The real issue in my opinion is whether people are willing to pay even more taxes to look after some basic necessities in our country. I say no. Enough is enough. It’s time the government looked within it’s own operations and begin eliminating, replacing or reallocating resources.

Let’s face it, we are very aware of the waste within government. We are very aware of the size of government. And we are also very aware of programs that no longer meet the needs of the majority of our taxpayers.

I suggest we eliminate programs, reduce the size of government and duplication of government services, continue to reduce our debts and begin using the savings to address basic needs regarding our environment, including clean air, clean water and proper management of our resources. Allan Johnson

I agree that most Canadians (more than half) are so myopic they can barely see past the end of their nose. When asked if they think we should work to meet our Kyoto pledge they will say yes because they believe that it will not require much effort of their own. They think it means cleaning up industry such as the Oilsands development in Alberta. It doesn’t mean getting rid of their gas guzzling vehicles, cutting down on driving, turning off lights, forsaking air conditioners, etc. There are 4 times as many vehicles in Ontario and Quebec as in Alberta and BC but no one has mentioned that as a Green House Gas problem but conveniently point to the high profile oil sands development as the main GHG culprit. The lefties such as Suzukiites, Sierra Club, CanadianWilderness Society use the obvious bad guys to advance their cause. Little do people realize that it is all just a ruse so they can raise funds (Suzuki Foundation and Sierra Club both engages in political activity which is illegal under the charitable societies regulations) and have more money directed towards “environmental” causes. When people find out that oil companies will pass on the cost of meeting Kyoto targets they will blame the oil companies for making excess profit rather than on the cost of meeting environmental regulation. Most people have not yet added up the fact that meeting Kyoto will cost them a lot more especially the cost of fossil fuels which will double and triple in the next 10 years as politicians stumble over themselves to be greener than the next party. Their argument that going green will hatch new job opportunities will be small comfort to the people caught in the transition squeeze. Meanwhile the really bog world polluters China and India have no Suzuki Foundation chasing them to “clean” up. In fact if we meet Kyoto we will make less than a 1% difference in the world reduction of GHG while China laughs at us for being boy scouts. The lefties want us to be “leaders” to show the rest of the world but that achievement plus $4 might get you a cup of Java at Starbucks. I am in favor of reducing our environmental footprint but not at the expense of people and livelihoods. Wake up everyone and see what the left is trying to do! (not likely until it is too late)

Thank the lord that Stephen Harper and the Tories are recognizing the hopeless scenario of Kyota and its strain on Canada unless at least slowed. The world should be aware that whatever little Canada does for the environment will be far diminished in value by particularly China and India. Neither of those abusers of environmental issues have the slightest intention to worry about the consequences if it effects their economies. Let’s get our heads out of the sand.

Re Light bulbs (and other claims) We really need to examine the claimed savings. eg I may have 100 light bulbs in my house, but most are used a few hours per year - are their calculations base on every bulb being used 9 hrs per day, or 12, 15, 24?

We’ve been through this whole scenario before during the energy crisis of ~1974. All kinds of programs were implemented with no measurable results.

As we know this will cost us all money and achieve virtually nothing.

There are just too many persons and/or oganizations waiting to dive into this “new money” barrel of ongoing research, meetings. transportation to and from etc., etc. to get involved in any long term “cleanup” campaign. The first thing you know we’ll have a “Globescam” rather than an “addscam.” There is now a big push on about global warming but parts of the country are experiencing the coldest conditions they’ve ever seen and there is no mention of this by the so called “experts.”

Amen to all that! Its high time Canadians began to really isten to the other side of the Gore/Suzuki propaganda and not pressure politicians into taking drastic actions that are unlikely to affect climate change but will certainly reduce Canada’s competiveness in global markets and adversely impact most Canadians’ pocketbooks. Three cheers for the National Post for having the guts to publish what many highly competent “deniers” have to tell us about the current politically correct versions of the nature and cause of climate change. And a furthwe round of applause for the Surrey school board that insists on a dispationate study of Gore’s Hollywood extravaganza before allowing the freely distributed DVDs of “An Inconvenient Truth” to be played in our schools.

I saw Suzuki debate Rushton back in early 90’s at Univ of Western Ont. and saw Suzuki’s double mindedness on his world view . He pounded on Rushton for postulating that Blacks Caucasians and Orientals have evolved at different stages stating Orientals or Asians are at the top of development scale , Caucasians second and blacks a distant 3rd . I realize this is ridiculous but if evolution is true as Suzuki hammers on why not the possibility of this theory ? Suzuki treated this professor as if he was an intellectual idiot only to expose a glaring contradiction in his own way of thinking . I really have no respect for the guy . . and him trumpeting this Kyoto and environmental cause to me is for his personal gain . Yes we need to work on greenhouse emissions and always teach and promote taking care of our environment - hopefully the hike in gas prices will get us out of cars and back onto bikes or get us working more from a computer at our homes - which is a positive thing .

Also I was in the Donetz valley near the Black sea in the northern part of Ukraine in late 80’s . Now the environmental condition of that area was aweful . To see what communism has done to that region and many areas around the northern part of the Black sea was appalling . Pollution everywhere . We in Canada are doing a good job to maintain our environmental standards . There is always room to improve . Lets send Suzuki over there to battle the problems in those regions of eastern Europe and Russia

There are ways to improve the environment without increased taxes and user fees. The government should look at the cost before making any drastic decisions.

All governments have done a very poor job on educating the public on the sources of GH gases. This should be done by country worldwide and then broken down in Canada. The result will show that the individual is the culprit.

Secondly the Feds need to spend time to clarify the difference between polution and GH fas.

As I said before loan Suzuki and May to China. India or Russia to get them on track and certainly no phony Purchasing of green House points

Link Byfield was absolutely correct when he stated that the Conservative Government should have called for a review of Global Warming with Parliamentary hearings (or a Royal Commission) to ensure that the Canadian public and businesses were not being forced to bear the costs of bad science. The hearings should provide an opportunity for both sides of the subject to state their case.

I have had it with the Conservatives over this issue, the Income Trust reversal and their recent Liberal Budget. I am no longer financially supporting the Party, renewing my membership or voting for them in the next election.

Gordon Lang
Stpringbank, Alberta

Th evidence is clear. Governments don’t listen to anyone but environmental nuts.

We have enough taxes now. What we need is less taxes, less government and more efficiency in government. There is too much waste and corruption in all levels of government. Spend and tax is so easy when it is not their money. Governments should work for the people and not for their parties.

I thought we would have a better and a smaller government but it hasn’t turned out that way. Quebec has been the biggest beneficiary of this govt. to buy votes but unfortunately western votes are being lost now. You have gone too far. The Fuhrmans’ in Kelowna.

Is it just my imagination or does this whole GH gas issue smell a lot like the hysteria around Y2K 7 years ago. The world didn’t come to end then,

For years now environmetalists have been screaming at us to use less energy. We’ve done that with more fuel-efficient cars, energy efficient appliances, turning off lights, turning down thermostats etc. Like extremists of any stripe nothing is ever good enough for these people.
To add insult to injury, the less we use the higher the price of all forms of energy goes so we end up paying more. In other words, we can’t win.
Stop listening to these clowns, forget political correctness and get on with common-sense solutions like nuclear generating stations.

i am a construction contractor, and cannot drive to work every day on a bicycle, for the simple fact I carry about 500 pounds of equipment and materials .

The high gas prices are very hard to bear, made my bids about 30 cents a litre ago, and now have no choice but to take the loss.

Canada is a net petroleum producing nation, and we have to change the rules, so we can benefit from it. Watching the government take in more revenue, and urinate it away into black holes, while we suffer, is growing old fast.

You have my vote to reject the junk science and avoid the stampede after Chicken Little.

Unfortunately, in order to do the right things, a government has to first get into power. No-one understands this more than Harper and the Conservatives after being forced to spend years in the political wilderness while speaking up for the right things.

Right now, the order of the day is to first get elected even if that means banning incandescent light bulbs!

The Suzuki guy asks: “Why would the majority of people say they’re concerned about the environment and not want anything done? I mean, that doesn’t make any sense.”

There are a number of explanations. Check the one that makes the most sense to you:

1) They don’t really believe all the environmental hyperventilation, but claim they do to avoid being labeled politically incorrect.

2) They believe it, but don’t think it should be them that has to change in order to deal with it. They think it is someone else that is the problem and that someone else has to change, eg. oil industry, other big industry.

3) They believe in a technological fix that will allow them to continue living the way they do, but miraculously deal with the issue they claim to be concerned about. This is an alternate religion to Kyotism.

4) They just don’t think about it all that much. Not every Catholic is as Catholic as the Pope and not every greenie is as fanatic as the Goracle or Dr. Fruit Fly.

As for the current government’s plan, I agree with the Kyoto culters that it’s a bad plan, but for very different reasons.

1) Although it’s not “Kyoto compliant” it still addresses concerns which have yet to be borne out by science, notwithstanding the the rantings of those who deny alternative explanations for the current warming cycle.

2) Even if there is a case for human caused global warming, it addresses the wrong actors. Instead of banning a technology such as incandescent bulbs, a sensible regulatory regime would set target efficiency standards and let the market develop the technologies. Instead of putting the entire burden on industry to comply, it would impose carbon or similar taxes on the final consumer and let them make the choice among alternatives.

I don’t know what Suzuki’s real interest is in global warming but Al Gore’s is making money. He could buy wind powered electricity for his hime but he does not. He is buying carbon credits from his own companies hopeing that his hysterical comments will stimulate the market for carbon credits.
His aim is not to save the planet but to become a billionaire.Carbon dioxide makes up just .04% of the atmosphere and of that at least 95%
is formed naturaly, forest fires, decaying plants,volcanoes and releases from the oceans and of the 5% , and of the 5%Canada produces just 2%.
which is just .02% of the man made carbon dioxide. For Dion to make such
a big deal of just .02% of the world’s carbon dioxide is purely political ranting. However, the public has been so convinced that global warming is going to destroy the planet that it would be suicidal for any government to ignore it. The people are going to be paying billions of extra dollars so a few can make billions .

I agree with Harold and felus that politics drives the agenda rather than science Since Suzuki is an evolutionist his ranting make sense from his perspective. What I have not seen from the Greenies is that recognition that CO2 is a naturally occurring substance that is required in the circle of life. They harp on what they perceive to be the GH gases going into the atmosphere but we have to remember that the NET amount remaining is not increasing. Less than 0.04% does not have much effect on the planet. I am not in favor of reducing our GHG drastically so that we become the poster boy of the world while the big polluters do not make any efforts at all. We live in a system where Dr. Suz can influence public policy and yet our efforts will be dwarfed by systems that are autocratic and cannot easily change. What are chances that China will fall in line just because Canada achieved its dumb ass Kyoto agreement that Jean Chretien committed us to meeting? He mistakenly thought that we would get credit for having large forests that act as carbon sinks. The rest of the world was not so dumb that they would let us off that easy. Instead of looking like a genius, Chretien looks like fool. I hope that the counter-green movement will get going once we find out that meeting Kyoto will drive gasoline prices to double or triple the current price. If you think the call for an investigation into excess profits is ongoing you are right, led by Dan McTeague, one of the Liberal front guys. Man these guys just do not pass up any opportunity to make political points. What part of running a successful corporation do you not understand? Make a product, calculate the unit cost and add on a profit margin. Then sell it for whatever the market will bear and hopefully that price is higher than the unit cost. If it is not then the company will eventually go out of business. All the costs of meeting GHG sequestration will be passed on to the consumer. If you put a producer out of business, supply decreases. Demand remains the same and prices go up. Economics 101. Kyoto is going to cost and Dr. Suz will be on the receiving end of a huge gravy train.

Sirs

Ignore the environmentalists at your own peril. Switching lights is easy, cheap ( replaced less often ) and costs significantly less on your hydro bill. Any improved technology that is environmentally friendly will catch on quickly. Light sensitive switches that turn on and off appliances, etc.

If Mr. Harper ignores the issue or downplays it, the cost will be another minority government. No one who comments on Kyoto has ever tried to read the agreement ( it’s almost impossible to comprehend ). Forget the detail, play to the easiest commitments and demonstrate “practical” actions. The cost of gas and oil in Canada is the lowest in the world. We can and will pay more ( but lets put it into government action - not Exxon shareholder pockets ). LNG will allow us to bypass a pipeline through North America - get on with it.

Intelligent leadership, with technological savvy is needed in Ottawa, not further meaningless promises or posturing. The Conservatives can lead, not be dragged along - let’s move onward.

I don’t think most people think the environment is that scary as the opposition is trying to make out. They just want to frighten people. NO ONE IS GOING TO CHANGE MOTHER NATURE. Polution is something else. The opposition is scared because they may never be able to govern again. At least never like they have before. Mr. Harper is doing a lot better with a minority government that the Liberals ever did with a majority.

From the many people I’ve spoken to, environment is a concern to them, whether that be clean drinking water, pollution, or global warming. I think that environment is what impels us to lead better lives, whether it be for ourselves, our children, or our friends and family. I don’t agree with gas taxes or light bulb changes either, but certainly something must be done for air quality in Toronto, or water quality in the Great Lakes. Environment is more than just a synonymous buzzword for global warming proponents.