There have been so many developments on the climate front of late that, collectively, give us a pretty stark warning and yet the media, the public and our political leadership are tuning out. We seem to be culturally embracing a sort of Andean fatalism that seems to precede abrupt civilizational
Continue readingTag: harper contempt for the environment
Politics and its Discontents: Has Harper Betrayed The West? A Mound Of Sound Guest Post
Recent summer flooding across southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba seems to be bringing the reality of climate change home to the people of the prairies and it’s drawing some unwelcome attention to prime minister Harper. Look, it was bound to happen. You can’t have once-a-century weather disasters arriving every two
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Guest Post From The Mound Of Sound
Steve Harper and his chums have transformed cognitive dissonance from an affliction into an art form. Harper’s prime directive, his overarching quest, is to get as much Athabasca bitumen as possible to foreign buyers as quickly as pipelines and tanker ports can be built. Now square that single-minded purpose with
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Calling Stephen Harper
It is always heartening when young people get involved in issues that should matter to everyone: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: It’s Not Either/Or
Those who have more than a passing acquaintance with federal politics are likely aware of the false premises and logical fallacies Stephen Harper and his wrecking crew regularly use to advance their mad agenda. There was, of course, the famous Vic Toews’ declaration about either standing with the government or
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Canaries In The Coal Mine, Dinosaurs On The Hill
We are still out West, but I can’t resist putting up a few letters from The Star that raise awareness not only of environmental perils but also, concomitantly, of the dangers of saurian political representation, as epitomized by the current regime in Ottawa: U.S. coal cut tests Harper, Editorial June
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Forecast: Very Cloudy Indeed
Mike de Sousa is a former Post Media reporter now operating his own website continuing his investigative work into energy and the environment. He is well-worth paying attention to. His latest piece, Government’s weather forecasters shouldn’t discuss climate change, says Environment Canada, while perhaps not breaking any new ground, is
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Don’t Let A Culture Of Defeat Hold You Back
That’s right, folks. There are untold opportunities to enhance both your gross domestic product and your wallets through the scourge gift of oil spills, as oil pipeline company Kinder Morgan recently explained. But of course, that ‘leftie’ Rachel Maddow looks a gift horse in the mouth as she continues to
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Happy Earth Day
I truly wish there was something to celebrate. Take a look at my previous post and the commentary from the Mound of Sound that accompanies it; then watch this short video. Their commonality? A rapacious industry and an economic system that disdains impediments to their profits, and a federal government
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Words Fail Me Here
Unequivocally evil is the only phrase I can think of to describe this ecological and environmental outrage. Read the story and draw your own conclusions: Ottawa removing North Pacific humpback whales from list of ‘threatened’ species Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: A Tale of Intimidation At TransCanada Corporation
Despite the best efforts of the Harper government to make its own addiction to the fossil fuel agenda the Canadian people’s as well, increasing numbers are voicing their concern and opposition to the expansion of the Alberta tarsands through new pipelines. And evidence is mounting that those concern are wholly
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Of Course We Could Ignore This
But are we willing to pay the ultimate price? Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Apocalyptic Scenes
While the fossil fuel companies and the governments that protect them continue to draw in record profits and conspicuously blockade any amelioration of carbon output, the real world pays the price: Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: If Only We Could All Take This To Heart
Then where would the Harperites be? Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: It’s Definitely Not Democracy
That’s the conclusion fundraising expert Harvey McKinnon draws in this interview during which he discusses the Harper regime’s targeting of groups that oppose the Tory policy of environmental despoliation, about which I wrote previously. McKinnon also offers this startling information: Statistically, one in 100 charities are audited each year. This
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Another Informed Star Reader
Christine Penner Polle of Red Lake offers some observations that I suspect few but the most ardent ideologues would dispute: Re: Ottawa plans cuts to climate programs, March 12 Have we Canadians fallen down the rabbit hole? We are living in a Mad Hatter world where our federal government is
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: An Evening Reminder Of Just How Hostile Stephen Harper Is To Canada’s Long-Term Interests
For more information, this link is a good place to start. Recommend this Post
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Each Day Seems To Bring A Fresh Outrage
I am someone who believes people should never be too happy or contented. Such states breed a complacency that can lead to an indifference, if not downright disengagement, from the pressing issues that citizenship demands. That being said, however, there are days when I almost wish that I could be
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Some Days A Reactionary Just Can’t Catch A Break
At least if you are a reactionary in the Harper vein. First came the bad polling news showing increasing numbers of Canadians growing increasingly suspicious and weary of the relentless divide-and-conquer tactics of the so-called master tactician. Then came some stinging rebukes from that old icon of conservatism, Preston Manning,
Continue readingPolitics and its Discontents: Not Everyone Has Drunk The Kool-Aid: A Doctor Speaks Out On The Health Effects Of Tarsands’ Development
As reported in The Vancouver Observer, grave health risks from the Alberta tarsands are both statistically significant and deeply disturbing. A northern Alberta doctor, John O’Connor, was invited to Washington to brief two U.S. Senators who are against the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline that would carry bitumen from Alberta
Continue reading