Forget Paris: Justin takes LNG, Kinder Morgan over climate, democracy

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Justin Trudeau joined by Canadian premiers at Paris climate talks in 2015 (Province of BC/Flickr)

Justin Trudeau is not as young as he looks – obviously. If he was, he would have noticed a sea change in public attitudes that this old man, more of his father’s generation, has not just noticed but takes as obvious and natural.

Prime Minister, lets take just a very short look down the road and start with parliament. You are in the lull before the storm, sir, and you would be wise to  think about it, not only in your interest but that of the country.

Canada is a complacent place. It doesn’t like change. We always avoid it by making perfection the enemy of improvement. That’s what happened in 2005 when BC narrowly defeated a new electoral system more because opponents cast doubt than demonstrated flaws in a governance method that worked fine elsewhere.

Please pay attention here, Mr. Trudeau. People are slow to react to injustice if it’s not accompanied by serious pain and people have become accustomed to what pain there is. But eventually the dam breaks and when that happens, all political hell breaks loose. I think – and I’m far from alone in this – that moment is nigh.

First, let me deal with the “democracy deficit.”

Government for and by elites

We’re taught to believe that the people, through their MPs, run parliament and pass laws for the general good of the people. That, sir, is demonstrable nonsense.

Parliament is run by the elite of the nation for the benefit of the elite who control the power structures – industry, organized labour, major lending institutions and, most notably, the editorial offices of the Mainstream Media. In fact, the elite have become so used to getting their way that they usually don’t even trouble themselves with parliaments – they just get you to  declare the desired policy. Tell me,  Mr. Trudeau, when did the people have that debate and vote in Parliament on the proposed LNG plant in Squamish? How about the Kinder Morgan pipeline? Or Site C Dam?

In all likelihood, a civic council proposing a crosswalk will have public hearings, a passionate debate, and a proper vote. You simply casually let it be known that a $15 or 20 billion project will take place and that no genuine public consultation, much less approval, will be sought. The press applauds like trained seals and those who will profit handsomely sing your praises while the public can only scowl in frustration.

Do you think this will go on forever, Prime Minister?

You have sung such lovely songs about climate change and became a world star at the Paris Conference, saying, “Today, with my signature, I give you our word that Canada’s efforts will not cease. Climate change will test our intelligence, our compassion and our will. But we are equal to that challenge.”

When President Trump opted out of the Paris agreements last June, your criticism was scathing. Your words were almost warlike!

[quote]We are deeply disappointed that the United States federal government has decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. Canada is unwavering in our commitment to fight climate change and support clean economic growth. Canadians know we need to take decisive and collective action to tackle the many harsh realities of our changing climate.

While the U.S. decision is disheartening, we remain inspired by the growing momentum around the world to combat climate change and transition to clean growth economies. We are proud that Canada stands united with all the other parties that support the Agreement. We will continue to work with our domestic and international partners to drive progress on one of the greatest challenges we face as a world.

This is not only about the huge economic opportunities of clean growth and the need to address the pressing threats of climate change. This is about an ambitious and unshakeable desire to leave a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet for our kids and for generations to come.

We are all custodians of this world…[/quote]

That’s been the talk, Mr. Trudeau, let’s look at the walk.

Where the rubber meets the road

From the moment you returned from Paris you have passionately supported the refining, use, and sale of LNG, the worst of all the fossil fuels in terms of impact on the atmosphere. You forced Woodfibre LNG in Squamish on us based upon fraudulent Environmental Assessments or, in the critical matter of fitness of Howe Sound for LNG tankers, no assessment at all and even contrary to industry standards.

Your consultations? None with the House of Commons, none with the public, indeed you didn’t even bother to inform the local Liberal MP!

Kinder Morgan protest in Vancouver (Photo: Lu Iz/Facebook)

Kinder Morgan. You have placed critical areas of British Columbia into certain disaster in Burrard Inlet, the Salish Sea, the Gulf Islands, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and beyond and threatened to use force on any who get in the way. This is your position: revive the filthy Tar Sands, use the sensitive coast of BC as a sewer, ship the highly toxic bitumen to Asia where it will burned, the resultant methane poison pumped into the atmosphere to pollute the entire world including Canada, all while you praise the business acumen and patriotism of Alberta and call British Columbians bad Canadians and threaten them.

And then there is Site C, not only an environmental disaster to all affected but a financial boondoggle of the first order.

I’ve warned you in the past and warn you again that if you do these things, you will split the country, if not politically, in terms of loyalty. We have values that all Canada once had – apparently we are now alone.

A new era

I warn you of this too: The chickens will soon be home to roost. People are waking up. The environment is no longer the private preserve of long haired youth. You wouldn’t have noticed, Prime Minister, but that summer day in 1993 in Clayoquot Sound when 900 so-called “tree huggers” were thrown in jail, British Columbia lost its virginity and came of age.

The public are not only noticing your assault on our wondrous, precious legacy but you’re doing it as a dictator. When I compared the ability of our Liberal MP to the effectiveness of a fencepost with hair, I was flattering her.

There have been two books – about to be three – on the market exposing this, the first two in 2014; the allegations have never been denied, much less disproved. The first, in time, is Tragedy in the Commons by Alison Loat and Michael MacMillan (Random House, 2014).     

It relies upon the evidence of 50 retired MPs and it tells how useless and powerless MPs have become, down to being little more than ombudsmen for the bureaucracy, ensuring that pension cheques arrive on time and that sort of thing. They jealously guard the right to personally deliver cheques of any size even when they are routine government payments they had nothing to do with. These payments always have the local press there, complete with cameras. 

The second, Irresponsible Government (Dundern 2014) is by Brent Rathgeber, an Edmonton lawyer who left the Harper government in disgust over the very matters I have mentioned here. Both books are easy-to-read, compelling presentations and from those who have seen the inside and know how to report. I personally felt a strong sense of déjà vu reading each of thess highly readable and irrefutable stories of prime ministerial dictatorship in action.

The third book is called POLITICALLY INCORRECT: How Canada Lost Its Way and The Simple Path Home. I wrote it and it will be out later this month.

There will be more. So my point, Prime Minister, is that the jig is almost up and soon the entire country will see that it’s been cheated of its prize possession – the right to govern itself. How the country handles that, Prime Minister, depends on how the elite handle it.

Perhaps my book will pass unnoticed but I can tell you, Mr. Trudeau, just as sure as God made little green apples, the story it tells will not go on untold much longer.

And your legacy will be secure – the last, arrogant tyrant to tromp his jackboots over this glorious province of ours. 

I pray that I’m still around to join nearly 5 million other voices yelling “good bloody riddance”.

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About Rafe Mair

Rafe Mair, LL.B, LL.D (Hon) a B.C. MLA 1975 to 1981, was Minister of Environment from late 1978 through 1979. In 1981 he left politics for Talk Radio becoming recognized as one of B.C.'s pre-eminent journalists. An avid fly fisherman, he took a special interest in Atlantic salmon farms and private power projects as environmental calamities and became a powerful voice in opposition to them. Rafe is the co-founder of The Common Sense Canadian and writes a regular blog at rafeonline.com.

15 thoughts on “Forget Paris: Justin takes LNG, Kinder Morgan over climate, democracy

  1. I thought it might take two terms in the PM Office before enough people became predictably disgusted with Justin Trudeau’s performance on delivering the “Real Change” that he so disingenuously promised to bring about. However; if the first half of his mandate is any indication, it may only take the one.
    This is, of course, a legitimate cause for concern, as I fear that the impending demise of the current Liberal brand will be immediately followed up by a mass-amnesia induced return to power of the #*&@ing Conservatives! I literally shudder at the thought of there ever being a Prime Minister, Andrew Sheer.
    Please, people! Let’s not allow that happen. If it’s real change that we’re seeking, then we need to change not only the way that we vote but also, the way that our government functions – and it should be abundantly clear by now that these things will not change if we keep voting in one or the other of these two parties who’ve become virtually indistinguishable from one another at any time other than during an election campaign.
    Remember these things when you vote and don’t be fooled again by flashy campaigns filled with lofty promises.

  2. A picture tells a thousand words.

    http://www.bcferries.com/about/history/arch_bennett_on_ferry.html

    Tired WAC taking time out aboard Queen of Victoria?, reflecting upon job as Premier. As my dad said “WAC Bennett was the best NDP premier BC ever had”.

    Mr. Horgan and Mr. Weaver, you big shoes to fill.
    I pray both you have really big feet cause going to need them.
    Take my advise, look at this picture every day and you can’t go wrong.

  3. You totally aced it Raif – this is excellent! One thing tho – why are you giving JT a heads up? Are you hoping to wake him up? shake him up, or do you think he’s too entrenched with all his elitist friends?

    I’d like to think he’ll read this, pay close attention, and smarten his ass up –
    but I doubt it!

  4. Justin is merely further evidence why politicians are sometimes referred to as used car salesman/women. Whatever it takes to be elected…whatever it takes to be elected again. Thanks Rafe. History repeats. My faith in Canada’s democratic future is waning. With (“No National Identity Justin”) at the helm some day we may just regress to a nation of tribes.

  5. Trudeau is a master at saying one thing while doing the opposite. Does he think that if he says he supports climate change, that Canadians will believe him.

    With his neoliberal policies and his U.S.support in dictating Canadian foreign policy, to his constant promotion of “trade” deals, to his grade 8 speeches to the Canadian public.None of his policies serve Canadian interests and even though he says they do, he knows they don’t. They serve the corporate/financial/military elite domestically and globally.

    Trudeau and his liberal minions have turned over the governence of Canada to a necon elite. They are also Trudeaus advisors.Harper has not left the building, he is alive and well and posing in the body of Justin Trudeau. Trudeau appeases the conservatives and ignores the people who voted for him. Our government once again has been hi-jacked.

    Trudeau can only perpetuate this sovereign destroying fraud for so long, because hopefully on mass, Canadians will throw him out in the next election.

    One final thing, Trudeau can lie with the best of them, in fact he pretty well lies about everything.

  6. I expended a lot of time (almost nine years), money (not so much), tears, rage and energy trying desperately, it ofttimes seemed, to convince family, friends, neighbours and anybody and everybody within earshot or exposure to my myriad online comments aimed at ridding me and my country of the evil that was Steven Harper.

    I suspect I was being heard because I started getting a lot of solicitations from all the opposition parties and a goodly number of mp’s. Hell, I even was asked to ‘friend’ my local mp and our current pm on Facebook!

    Thank the stars we finally did excise the disgusting head of the cancer but too much residual festering is still infecting our country.

    I voted for my local mp and was thankful he won and the Libs soundly defeated the Harpercons and the future for my country was looking brighter.

    Sadly I feel that British Columbia is about to be thrown to the wolves again because the rest of Canada either doesn’t know the political hell we’ve been through for the last sixteen years or they just don’t give a rat’s patou.

    If we have to stand alone again we will.

    We the peoples of British Columbia will physically stop Kinder Morgan, Site C, LNG, Foreign Fish Farms, Gold mines and all the other fronts the robber barons would have us defend. While we’re at it we will take back our stolen railroad and all the other jewels taken by the likes of Morgan, MacLean, Edwards, and all the former lickspittles (thanks for that one Raif) that were friends of the Campbell Clark Conspiracy and are still reeling in lucre from the phony Run of the River hydro projects and God knows what other schemes the former government created.

    If the current federal regime intends on sticking to their misguided guns they are in for one helluva fight and all those ‘newly’ minted federal Liberal MP’s had better decide whose side they are on quickly and start making some noise in Ottawa that all of Canada will hear.

  7. Both federal and provincial politics would be better suited to Las Vegas; their magic and illusion acts are full of trickery. Like the bcndp and minimum wage deception.

  8. Justin Trudeau has been a monumental disappointment. His environmental credentials once suspect have now been confirmed – he cares not a whit for the environment in any way, shape or form, except to the extent that he can extol its virtues before ululating audiences while deliberately bringing about its destruction, as enumerated in this article by Rafe Mair and more. Already those who voted for him before now are saying more and more strongly that they will not vote or him and the Liberals who, if they did not actually lie to the public and break myriads of promises, led them down a stinky garden path. Definitely an emperor with no clothes!

  9. ……support clean economic growth.

    ……transition to clean growth……

    ……huge economic opportunities of clean growth…

    ??

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