“This will actually screw everybody across the country.”
– Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Happy 141
st
birthday Canada. The planet may be
edging toward an environmental crisis — the United Nations Environment
Programme calls climate change “…one of the most critical global challenges of
our time.” — but this is the level of public debate in our country. The
prime minister calls the Liberal party’s proposed Green Shift “crazy economics.
It’s crazy environmental policy.”
This is from the same man who is suing the Liberal Party over
allegations he lied about his involvement in the Chuck Cadman affair. What
leader in a British parliamentary system sues the opposition?
Of course, “leader” has been a quaint, archaic term in Canadian
politics for some time. We’ve been through many leaders in recent years but few
that truly led the country. Most were satisfied with managing Canada and
maintaining an up to date accounting of votes so as to stay in power.
But as the country prepares to celebrate its 141
st
birthday next week it could use some true leadership. As the population ages
and the shortage of skilled labour becomes more acute, as the disparity between
rich and poor continues to grow, as the economy teeters and inflation
threatens, and as our reliance on carbon-based energy continues to damage the
planet, there has been little in the way of vision or leadership from federal
politicians.
Instead, we get attack ads.
Politics, like other sports, is mostly about winning. It is for
Stephen J. Harper just as it was for John A. Macdonald, and for the 20 prime
ministers in between them. A majority government is the real goal; leading the
country is just an occasional, annoying secondary requirement.
But at certain times in Canada’s 141 years there have been
opportunities to do more than just manage, more than just count the votes and
the victories over the opposition. This would appear to be one of those times.
In the last two years, since climate change has become accepted
as fact by all but the most mule-headed right wingers, polls have consistently
shown that Canadians are concerned about climate change and the environment and
want something done. But — quel surprise, these are Canadians being
polled — there is less enthusiasm for doing something when it is
perceived to have a negative impact personally. Hence, as we get closer to July
1 and the introduction of the British Columbia Liberals’ carbon tax that
received such favourable reviews in February, there is more grumbling and
increased resistance.
The B.C. Liberals’ carbon tax, like federal Liberal leader
Stéphane Dion’s proposed carbon tax, is not a perfect solution. There are
multiple faults with both. But both move in the direction that virtually
everyone recognizes we have to go.
Everyone expect Prime Minister Pander.
With his offhand, condescending remarks about Stéphane Dion’s
proposed Green Shift — a tax on carbon emissions that the Liberals say
would produce $14.5 billion in annual revenue in four years, and would be
offset by $14.5 billion in tax cuts — Stephen Harper’s arrogance is
showing, again. And M. Dion seems only too willing to take the bait.
Dion has challenged Harper to a green debate. In the 21
st
century it’s not who is bigger but who is greener. Stand up before the country,
drop your rhetoric and show everyone what ya’ got.
Of course it won’t happen, partly because the Conservatives
don’t have much to show on the environmental front.
They plan to
investigate
a cap-and-trade system.
Money for research into carbon capture and storage technology
has been promised.
Last fall’s Speech from the Throne called for a 20 per cent
reduction in Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. But the Throne Speech
also acknowledged that by the end of 2005 Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions
were 33 per cent above the Kyoto commitment. Kyoto may have always been a goal
too lofty, but a 20 per cent reduction in 12 years when we were already 33 per
cent above what we were targeting three years ago shows very modest ambitions.
“Strong Leadership” was the title of the 2007 Throne Speech but
there was precious little shown.
Canadians complain about the skyrocketing price of gasoline — which would not be taxed under the federal Liberals’ plan — although it is still cheaper here than in most European countries. But instead of complaining about the immediate costs we need to modify our behaviour to preserve the long-term health of the planet. Delivering this message, and a plan to achieve it, requires some vision. Many governments are formulating ways to do this. The Canadian government is not, and the country will eventually be left behind by this lack of leadership.
