Tag: Climate Change

Lowered political temperature bodes poorly for warming climate

Lowered political temperature bodes poorly for warming climate

Posted by | Dec 1, 2019 | |

The sweet sounds of reconciliation between the re-elected Trudeau government and the leaders of the oil-producing provinces, which began immediately after the fall election, are continuing apace. After an earlier meeting in Ottawa with Scott Moe during which he delivered a conciliatory message to the truculent Saskatchewan Premier, Justin Trudeau last week sent his ministers on mollifying missions to the lions’ dens of Calgary, Regina and Edmonton. Very little has come out about the Edmonton tête-à-tête between Jason Kenney and Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland. The news clips, which looked tame enough, were mostly about the now-settled CN Rail strike...

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Despite Sustainable Development Act rhetoric Nova Scotia coal use increases

Despite Sustainable Development Act rhetoric Nova Scotia coal use increases

Posted by | Nov 13, 2019 | |

I don’t know enough about our provincial Liberal government’s overall record on the environment to pronounce on it with any confidence. I have, however, been following their performance on climate change. I know how I feel about it, but finding the right word is a challenge. Perhaps adjectives like “duplicitous” or “contemptuous” are too strong. But consider this. A couple of weeks ago the legislature approved the Sustainable Development Act. Introduced and passed over a mere five sitting days, it was panned by the opposition as a step backward for overall environmental stewardship but touted by the government as...

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Greens should run from Conservative climate policy fiasco

Greens should run from Conservative climate policy fiasco

Posted by | Aug 29, 2019 | |

With almost two months to go before the federal election the mainstream media are already into full horse-race, horse-trading mode, frantically reporting who’s up and who’s down and who might be willing to make a deal with whom. On the weekend, following a withering attack by Elizabeth May on Justin Trudeau’s handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair, the Globe and Mail’s John Ibbitson epitomized the speculative genre with this offering: “If the Conservatives were to secure a narrow plurality of seats in the House of Commons, and if Mr. Scheer were to make the right promises, Ms. May and her...

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NDP and Green climate plans gloss over emissions from oil and gas production

NDP and Green climate plans gloss over emissions from oil and gas production

Posted by | Jun 8, 2019 | , |

A while back I surmised that a return to politics by Svend Robinson would mean the NDP carrying a tougher position on climate change into the federal election campaign. Although that still could happen, last week’s campaign-style release of the party’s 22-page Climate Plan “Power to Change, ” put that idea in jeopardy. In January this year Robinson marked his return to electoral politics with a statement that is simply common sense if this country is serious about living up to its decade-old commitment of reducing its GHG emissions by something in the order of 30 per cent over...

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Climate chaos: Kenney aims to make a bad situation worse

Climate chaos: Kenney aims to make a bad situation worse

Posted by | May 7, 2019 | |

Among the several examples of foolery – cutting off oil to B.C., a referendum on equalization – that accompanied his swearing-in as Premier of Alberta last week, one statement by Jason Kenney stood out. The man who had pledged to spend multi-millions on a war room to attack those who say anything negative about the oil industry declared the need “to strike the right balance between environmental protection and economic growth.” In a story under the headline “Kenney vows to restore balance,” the Globe and Mail reported Kenney’s assertion that “there is no balance in Alberta right now” but...

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Richard Starr, The man behind the Point

About Richard

RICHARD STARR has had careers as a journalist, public servant, broadcaster, political staffer and freelance policy adviser. He is author of numerous newspaper and magazine articles, appearing in everything from Atlantic Insight to Atlantic Progress. A lifelong student of Maritime history, Starr is married to playwright and former MP Wendy Lill. They live in Dartmouth.

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