Just before I get down to business, I know that all environmentalists will be saddened that a former member of the group, Patrick Moore, allegedly got stiffed by a client for $120,000. I hate to sound like a “Johnny-come-lately” with good advice but, Pat, there are some professions where it’s wise to get your money up front.
Those who specialize in conspiracy theories – I’m a sometime member but inching closer to full membership – might wonder if the despoilers of our environment are ganging up on us. This thought came to me as someone representing yet another very worthy cause came to me asking for advice – this one was on the “smart meters” proposed by the bankrupt BC Hydro, which somehow has a billion plus rattling around in their jeans. This is interesting because the difference between this and a tax is invisible and the Campbell/Clark government hasn’t even bothered to go through the motions of putting it to a vote in the Legislature – in addition to removing oversight authority from the public’s supposed watchdog, The BC Utilities Commission (also stripped of authority over Site C Dam and private power projects).
The fish farm debate heats up, if that’s possible, as we learn the scientist who advised the provincial government – standing against all other fish biologists dealing with this subject – was practicing voodoo science. That’s not quite what a colleague said about Dick Beamish but one must infer it from what he did say as he dissociated himself from anything Beamish said or did.
We have Independent power being proved by the hour to be an environmental catastrophe as well as being fiscally mad as they drive BC Hydro over a financial cliff.
And what is the latest cost of the original $1 billion dollar Site”C” at now? Did I see $8 billion with independent estimates topping $10 billion all for power we won’t need but is deliciously placed to extract natural gas and “mine” the biggest polluter on the planet, the Tar Sands?
We still have the Fish Lake (Prosperity Mine – don’t you love the PR slant on that name) supported by Premier Clark.
We have a brand new environmental threat in what is called “fracking” where gas is “mined” horizontally with enormous amounts of water taken out of an already overburdened supply. We haven’t even considered the NAFTA ramifications.
We have Premier Clark, if not approving pipelines from the Tar Sands to Kitimat and greater capacity of the Kinder Morgan line to Burnaby certainly not disapproving even though the record of the companies involved is appalling. On the same subject, the Campbell/Clark government some years ago wrote the feds saying that they didn’t oppose large oil tankers plying the most spectacular and dangerous waters in the world. The Campbell/Clark crowd are utterly unfazed by the fact that spills on land and sea are not “risks” but mathematical certainties.
While all this is going on, the C/C government is paving farm land and threatening wildlife sanctuaries.
It’s hard not to sniff a corporate/government conspiracy, with the government thinking they can pile so much on us at one time we can’t get our acts together.
They are wrong.
Donna interesting tibit!! Research who discovered acid rain and it’s effects on the oceans and specifically the Great Lakes!
A further comment and a minor correction:
This link shows the pictures and rhetoric being applied.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Ethical%2Bcampaign%2Baims%2Bsilence%2Bcritics/5176068/story.html
The correction is our oil funds peacekeeping and foreign alternatives fund “terrorism” versus “war” as I originally stated.
Below I include the other “visual baseball bats to the head” as stated in the opening paragraph in the Calgary Herald piece which is as follows: ”
“When rational arguments and facts don’t work, sometimes you need to deliver a visual baseball bat to the head.”
Those include”
Conflict Oil = Forced Jobs versus
Ethical Oil = Good Jobs
Conflict oil = Dictatorship versus
Ethical Oil = Democracy
Conflict Oil = Prosecution versus
Ethical Oil = Gay Pride
All of which stems from the former Tobacco apologist turned right wing pundit with National platform, Ezra Levant’s Ethical Oil screed. Most of which has been thoroughly endorsed and adopted by professional communicators at the highest level in our Country, not to mention the underlings who happily sing from this mythical song sheet of pure deception and subversive technical application.
Part of this is based in the traditional political cycle.
Which is to say the newly minted majority has long prepared the ground for their new found majority status and will now move forward with a full court press on their energy agenda early in their mandate. This is tried, tested and true in the political arena as a means of getting all the dirty work done well before we return to the polls.
Also, the strategy of moving on several files all at once to overwhelm opposition is nothing new. We are in the early stages but you can bet this politically shrewd, corporate driven strategy will crank up the agenda with overwhelming force as we are seeing with the introduction of a new national energy strategy.
Hold on because its gonna be quite a ride.
All available tools in the tool kit will be applied, many if not most are communications tools so your work is going to be cut out for you Rafe.
A prime example can be found here where the rhetoric is that our oil funds “Peacekeeping” and the foreign alternatives fund “War.”
http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Corbella+Ethical+campaign+aims+silence+critics/5176068/story.html#ixzz1TWl9vaVP
The game is quite clearly on!
Scientists also discovered acid in the ocean, right up to BC’s shores. The coral is bleaching white. The acid will eat the shells off the crustaceans. Scientists say, the Great Barrier Reef, will be gone within twenty years. The ocean has absorbed, all the carbon monoxide, from burning fossil fuels it can bear. Our oceans are dying.
Harper has forbidden scientists, to publish their results. It has been said, Harper’s head has swollen, three times it’s size. He has visions of, him being a super power, because of, Canada and BC’s vast natural resources. Harper so badly wants to bask in his glory, he will kill the entire planet, if that’s what it takes.
We were warned, if Harper wins a majority, we can kiss Canada good-bye. Harper has no interest in, saving our salmon, our oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams. He wants all of that, lovely power and glory. He just hasn’t caught onto, the many other country’s laughing at him behind his back. Harper has been an embarrassment, to Canada and the people, far too long.