5 posts tagged “green party of canada”
'"The planet has reached its limit. The human-caused damage to our natural environment is devastating.
The most urgent issue facing our society and our government, indeed humanity as a whole, is the climate crisis. It has the characteristic of being irreversible, with every single year’s emissions constituting damage that will not dissipate for a century. We are, essentially, stoking the furnace for ongoing climate instability that threatens our children and grandchildren.
Currently, our two parties agree that urgent action is needed. So, too, do the vast majority of Canadians. Yet our electoral system could return to government the only political party that does not believe action is required urgently. In fact, its “climate action plans” will allow for increasing greenhouse gases, missing our Kyoto target by ever higher amounts of emissions, and stalling international progress to meet the challenge of this global threat.
As leaders of political parties, we realize that leadership implies responsibility. We each have a major responsibility to ensure that our respective parties do well in the next election no matter when it comes. Each of our parties will expect us, as Leaders, to fight for our beliefs and for our respective candidates from coast to coast.
We also have a responsibility to future generations. To protect our environment, to reduce emissions effectively while strengthening our economy, the composition of Canada’s parliament must change to a House of Commons full of MPs who recognize the serious threat of climate change and who are willing to work together to lessen it.
We have agreed that the country needs a strong signal that puts progress ahead of partisanship. To achieve Kyoto, Canada needs MPs and a government that actually understand the threat of climate change and the need for urgent action. This reality has impelled us to seek limited cooperation. While the need for cooperation may be obvious to the average Canadian, within political parties, one is not supposed to allow even limited cooperation.
We admit we are different from most adversarial, political leaders. We respect each other. We will always put the country and the planet first.
Out of respect for each other and out of our shared commitment to a greener Canada, we are not running candidates in each other’s ridings.
We recognize that a government in which Stéphane Dion served as Prime Minister could work well with a Green Caucus of MPs, led by Elizabeth May, committed to action on climate. On many issues, we would have policy disagreements; on others cooperation would be possible. Another issue where we believe progress could be made is in the potential for electoral reform.
No matter what the issue, we recognize that, although opponents in the political sphere, we are committed to doing politics differently. That means open and transparent, fair-minded communication.
Today there are larger issues at stake than the petty partisanship of politics. We are confident that Canadians will appreciate this shared commitment and our efforts to protect our children’s future."
It's a good thing I had my supper before reading this drivel otherwise I would have spat all over my computer screen.
I cannot even begin to dissect this nonsense because I simply can't. No wait, yes I can. Notice the paragraph that starts we recognize that a government in which Stephane Dion served as Prime Minister could work well with a Green caucus. Baloney. Yes they would work well if it was a minority situation, they would have to. One commentator asked the question if the Liberals would endorse all the policy, even the one that calls for the pulling out of NAFTA, the Free Trade Agreement, which was brought in by Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
Stephane wants different politics, I will believe that when I see it, and to me this smacks of political opportunism.
Elizabeth, break the agreement now, get it annulled. Dont' make the Green Party beholden to the Liberals. They only enter partnerships when there's a big fat I.O.U. that someone has to pay, and it's never them.
So I opened my web browser and read this story. I nearly fell out of my chair. To sum it up, the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada has decided not to run a candidate in the riding of Central Nova. The reason for this riding, is that Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party of Canada is running. The hope is that with no Liberal candidate, all those Liberals will throw their vote to Elizabeth and she will get elected.
As part of the agreement, the Greens will not have a candidate in M. Dion's riding, so his election success is guaranteed.
In case you're not sure what my feeling is about this new partnership, it's this. Are we Greens nuts? Do we honestly believe for one moment the Liberals honestly care for the environment. Listen, the Liberals are interested in only one thing and that is regaining power. There is no other issue with this party. They had 13 years to demonstrate a concern for the environment and all they did was sign the Kyoto Protocol. After signing, did they impliment policy which would have led to success meeting the needs of the Protocol? The answer, no. In fact, greenhouse emissions increased during their stay in office. In an ironic way, the best thing to happen to the environment was the Liberal defeat last year.
This same party rolled back the funds for the Ministry of the Environment when they took power in 1993 and have gone downhill since.
I do support Elizabeth as leader of the Green, but I caution her on any partnership or deals with the Liberals. They want to use us to make themselves look good. When they get what they want, we shall be discarded as last week's trash.
We don't need the Liberals to win seats. We need to stay the course and present our policies as viable to the electorate. The Liberals are desperate and instead of giving them a rope, we need to give them a very large weight.
I mentioned Friday that my membership was coming due for the Green Party of Canada and wouldn't you know it, I got a telephone call asking me to renew. My response was an immediate "Yes". The fellow who made the call was almost flustered, he said I was the fastest response he had received. I told him I was watching An Inconvenient Truth and was reminded of the fact that something has to be done. I know the issue of Global Warming is a controversial one in some circles but it is something we need to consider. It comes down to one simple question, do you believe we are by our behavior having an aberrant effect on the Planet. If this is true, then is there anything in our behavior we need to change and how can we bring about the change? It is that simple. If by our use of carbon based fuels pumping more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and therefore bringing about a climate change by making the planet hot, not scorchingly hot, but rather enough of a temperature increase to make an impact. If this is so, then we need to consider our carbon dependency.
So I renewed my membership and even sent a donation.
I'm also becoming convinced that Big Carbon may be the New Luddite. The mainstream and the supporters of Big Carbon have been saying that environmentalists are Luddites because we want to stop progress, but if you consider the first part of the definition of Luddite is: " any opponent of technological progress". You must ask the question who is opposing technological progress? Is it Big Carbon, are they the ones who are pushing through more subsidies for the Oil, Gas and Coal Industry? Are they the ones impeding the progress into alternative fuels? The fellow I talked to told me of another documentary. It's entitled who Killed the Electric Car?. I'm going to have to find more information about it and its availability.
The bottom line is we need to get off the carbon diet and consider using new technologies that are not as harmful to the Planet.
Just a couple of thoughts for Friday afternoon.
1) It's January and the temperature is 10 Celcius. It's overcast and been raining on and off for the last couple of days. If anyone thinks global warming is a good idea, move to this part of the world. The weather blows and there is a lake developing in my backyard. Give me a cold winter with snow and clear skies any day of the week and year.
2) Canada's Junior Team just won the Gold Medal at the World Juniors, way to go guys, you've done you country proud.
3) Is it me or has San Francisco become the capital of Web 2.0. I'm amazed at the people and companies that are happening in San Fran. I guess it hit home when I purchased the book, "Eastern Standard Tribe" by Cory Doctorow. He is a writer of books, involved with the EFF and the wonderful website BoingBoing. As I read the cover, it mentioned that Cory, who was born and raised in Toronto, now lives in San Fran. Also San Fran is world headquarters of TWIT and DIGG. I believe Vox is a San Francisco based company. I could go on and perhaps I'm wrong but it just seems the Web 2.0 has a strong SF presence. The world is shifting to the west coast again.
4) I've got to send in my membership dues to the Green Party of Canada. If there ever was a time to get involved with an environmental party, it's now. We're screwing the Planet, it's time to get involved in stopping this nonsense. Join your local green party.
5) The Christmas Lights are coming down this weekend. Time to move on.
6) Got some good deals on books at Indigo Books. Besides the already mentioned Eastern Standard Tribe, which cost me Two Dollars, I got the book Eclipse, for a dollar. Then I bought the Dilbert book, What do you call a Sociopath in a Cubicle? There's another Dilbert book I think I'll buy.
7) I can't wait to re-install Ubuntu Linux on my laptop. I called Best Buy and the motherboard is in. Apparently the recent power-outages fried it. Yes I use a surge protector, but I learned you need to change them every so many years because it weakens from the surges.
I think that's enough. Plus if I say anything more, I'll just have to find more links.
I thought I'd say a few words about Elizabeth May. She was elected as the new leader of the Green Party of Canada.
To be honest i did not support her in the recent leadership election, I supported another candidate, however the purpose of this blog is not to engage in sour grapes. what differences of opinion is now irrelevant, she is the new leader and requires the support of all Green Party members.
The primary goal of the new leader I believe is simple, articulate the Green Agenda in such a way so that it is understandable to the average Canadian voter. In one way this should be simplle since most people are concerned about the environment. What is needed is to allow the voter to understand the Green party is not a fringe party of the granola and ex-hippy group. It is not composed of tree-hugging extremists but rather people who have a green outlook on all issues of life. When you get to it, the environment impacts everything and if we continue to screw with it, things will just get worse.
There was some concern with the fact that Elizabeth just recently became a member of the party and that she was friendly with Bill Clinton. Well, those are side issues. What matters is the fact she needs to be an articulate spokesperson for the party and work hard to get Greens into the House of Commons. All we needs is one or two and all things will change.
If you want more information go to Green Party and read all about her.
The next thing you can do, is plunk down your ten dollars and become a member.
The third and fourth things are, invite others to join and then
vote Green in the next election.
Peace
