Stand Up For Science: Canadian Rallies Against the Federal Government's Cuts and Censorship

Today, Monday September 16th, 2013, people across Canada are standing up for science against a federal government who has systematically eroded federal support for scientific research.

The campaign know as “Stand Up for Science” includes rallies scheduled for 14 cities across Canada. At these gatherings people will demand that the federal government stop their anti-science campaign and provide more support for science which is in the public interest.

Most Canadians want policy and legislation that is based on the best scientific research. However, under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper federally funded science has been decimated either through budget cuts or through communications restrictions. Their scientific censorship opposes basic freedoms and the public interest. Scientists should have the freedom to comment and help inform policy.

Video - Canadian High School Students Know more about Climate Change than Canada's Ruling Conservatives

Even high school students know that climate change has far reaching destructive impacts. In November 2012, less than a year before the historic floods in Alberta, a group of Grade 9 students addressed the issue of climate change and how it affects Canada and the world. Although the short video mentions natural cycles of global heating, it also makes the more accurate point that we are contributing to climate change and we all need to act. Canadian Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who hails from Alberta, can learn something from these students. Under Harper's leadership the federal government has withdrawn from the Kyoto protocol and enacted a number of policies that cut environmental funding and ultimately contribute to climate change. The Harper government has been a tireless advocate of Alberta's fossil fuel industry and the GHG intensive tarsands in particular. Many doubt the government will be able to meet its emissions targets due in large part to the expansion of dirty fossil fuels. The government of Canada is increasingly at odds with the rest of the world and Canadian public opinion on the issue of climate change.

Canada's Ruling Conservatives Take Another Swipe at Environmental Protections

Canada's ruling federal conservatives are once again taking the ax to the nation's environmental protections. In a bid to virtually eliminate government agencies that could stand in the way of fossil fuel extraction, The federal government is reducing the number of departments and agencies that can do environmental reviews from 40 to just three. The only federal bodies to carry out reviews will be the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, the National Energy Board and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

"We need to tap into the tremendous appetite for resources in the world’s dynamic emerging economies — resources we have in abundance," said Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver in defense of the move.

Report Urges Canada's Federal Conservatives to Regulate Oil and Gas Sector to Meet GHG Targets

The Pembina Institute is calling for Canada's ruling Conservatives to regulate the oil and gas industry so that the country can meet its greenhouse gases (GHGs) targets. According to a Tuesday April 2, 2013, report from the non-profit environmental group significant GHG reductions from the oil and gas sector are necessary if Canada is to meet its emissions commitments.

As it stands at present Canada is far from being able to meet its 2020 GHG targets which stipulate a 17 percent reduction from a 2005 baseline (equivalent to 113 million tonnes). In 2012, Environment Canada indicated that the country was not on track to meet its GHG targets.

Resistance to Cuts at Environment Canada

On July 5, nearly 50 civil society organizations sent a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper decrying the cuts to Environment Canada and outlining serious concerns about the impacts of the cuts.

As reported in rabble.ca, the letter was endorsed by labour, environmental, social justice, women's and First Nations organizations, including the Council of Canadians, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, International Institute of Concern for Public Health, Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council, Métis Women's Circle, Mining Watch Canada, National Council of Women of Canada, National Network on Environments and Women's Health, Polaris Institute, Public Service Alliance of Canada, and Sierra Club Canada.

Conservatives Cut Budgets and Slash Jobs at Environment Canada

In addition to cuts at the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and the NRC the Conservatives are also taking the axe to Environment Canada. Over $200 million is being cut from Environment Canada's budget which is resulting in the loss of services and jobs. Amongst the people being let go are those involved in climate change research and those responsible for contaminated sites. These cuts will result in the elimination of 1211 jobs (full-time equivalents) over the next three years. The 50 employees cut in June, include people working in the areas of water and atmospheric science.

Environment Canada is the leading organization related to the country's environmental agenda. They are charged with  a number of responsibilities including environmental protection and natural heritage conservation. They also provide meteorological information and science that informs the nation's regulations and legislation.

Canadian Conservatives Disregard for Canada's Environment

As Canadians celebrate Canada Day their environment is under siege. Under the newly elected majority Conservative government, concern for the environment -- as a political issue -- is all but dead.

Under the Harper led Conservatives, Canada has officially withdrawn their support for the Kyoto Protocol. Like many nations who signed on, Canada, did little to nothing to actually curb their emission of greenhouse gases. Canada's greenhouse gas emissions actually increased 24% since signing the agreement in 1997.

When it comes to the environment, Canada has no leadership at the federal level. However, to Canada's great shame, the country is a leader in other ways. According to an analysis by Climate Action Network, Canada is among the world's leading sources of GHGs. Canada is a global leader in historical emissions, absolute emissions and per capita emissions.

Under Tory leadership, the state of Canada's environment is degrading every day. According to a WWF Canadian Living Planet Report, Canadians are some of the biggest consumers of resources in the world. Canada is also one of the world's biggest energy consumers, burning the equivalent of roughly 8,300 kilograms of oil equivalent per person per year.

The Conservative government is aggressively pushing the expansion of the tar sands. Extracting oil from tar sands pollute the environment, waste huge quantities of water and release much more greenhouse gas (GHG) then conventional oil. This has prompting the Canadian NGO Environmental Defense to call the Alberta tar sands, "the most destructive project on earth."

Sadly, those concerned about the environment have little to celebrate this Canada Day as the Conservatives can be expected to continue their wanton environmental destruction for at least another four years.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Environmental Issues in the 2011 Canadian Federal Election

In 2008, the Conservatives belittled the opposition's green initiatives, and in 2011 the Conservatives continue to have very little for the environment. Conservatives are leading in the polls, but the platforms of the opposition are far greener.

Here is an overview of the environmental platforms of the major federal parties. (As a regional party the Bloc Quebecois has not been included in this review).

Conservative Party

Despite a deplorable track record on the environment, the Conservative Party is still trying to portray itself as green. The truth is they left Canadian oceans vulnerable to oil spills, made no progress on greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and blocked progress at international climate change summits.

The Conservative Party is nonetheless trying to take credit for establishing regulations on greenhouse gases and air pollution. They have preserved some land and marine areas, while banning toxic chemicals and creating new labeling guidelines.

Liberal Party

The Liberal Party has a comprehensive plan to create clean energy jobs. If elected, Liberals will make an historic investment in clean energy and energy efficiency, quadrupling Canada's production of renewable energy. They have also indicated they would create a cap and trade system with hard caps leading to absolute reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The Liberal environmental platform includes a commitment to protect Canada'a air, oceans, waterways, forests and Arctic.

New Democratic Party

The New Democratic party rejects the claim of a fundamental contradiction between environmental health and economic growth. They advocate developing green energy industries as an opportunity for job creation as well as encouraging environmental technologies and practices, which in turn help to foster innovations in manufacturing.

New Democrats believe that reshaping energy policy for the 21st century means moving away from fossil-fuel dependence toward a green future by investing in energy derived from solar, wind, wave, and geothermal. They support working closely with Canada's provinces and territories to share clean energy and ensure energy conservation in transportation and building methods. A New Democrat government will strive to make Canada a global environmental leader. They would achieve this goal by incorporating strong environmental standards in trade agreements and ensuring that Canadian companies operating abroad will be held to standards and practices that reduce their footprint and leave local ecosystems in good health.

Green Party

The Green Party's Elizabeth May has said "I hold a vision of this blue green planet, safe and in balance. At the end of the Fossil Fuel Era, we are emerging to a new reality. We are ready to make the next leap - as momentous as abolishing slavery or giving women the vote. We are ready to make the fundamental shifts that allow us to live in balance with our life support systems, respecting each other, achieving social and economic justice, peace and democracy."

The Green Party believes in sound fiscal management and strengthening the Canadian economy while ensuring that it is sustainable. They believe that government must provide needed social services while protecting our environment and human rights.

Conclusion

Elections in Canada are usually decided on economic issues, but what many fail to realize is that environmental concerns are also vital economic issues. A government that addresses the environment is positioning canada for a vibrant economic future. A government which avoids these issues is putting Canada at an economic disadvantge that will prevent the nation from being internationally competitive. Before deciding who they vote for on May 2nd, all Canadians should consider the environmental platforms of each party.

The budget that brought down the government offers insights into Conservative priorities. While the budget contained over one billion in oil and gas subsidies, it provides only $400 million for the ecoEnergy retrofit program.

As evidenced by their last five years in office and the budget, the Conservatives and environmental stewardship are like oil and water, they do not mix well.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Environmental Platforms of Canada's Federal Parties in 2008

Here is a condensed summary of the environmental platforms of the four major Canadian political parties in 2008. The Bloc Quebecois is not included in this list due to the fact that they are a regional party that serves explicitly regional interests.

Although all four parties vowed to reduce greenhouse gases, the Conservatives use 2006 as their baseline for improvement, while the other parties use 1990 levels. This amounts to significantly lower greenhouse gas reductions for the Conservatives compared to the other three parties.

Conservative Party

The Conservative Party’s 2008 election platform was released in a policy document titled The True North Strong and Free: Stephen Harper’s Plan for Canadians. The Conservatives committed to reducing Canada’s greenhouse gases by 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2020, and cutting air pollution by 50 percent by 2015 below 2006 levels. The government claimed these targets would be achieved through government laws imposed on industries, as well as national caps for industrial emissions commonly associated with smog and acid rain.

The Conservatives environmental policies include promoting smarter energy use through the ecoEnergy Initiative; a Chemical Management Plan to regulate chemicals harmful to human health and the environment; $1.5 billion over seven years for the production of renewable fuels; a commitment to ensure that 90 percent of Canadian electricity needs are generated through non-emitting sources by 2020; and additional government funding to acquire and preserve ecologically sensitive lands.

The Conservatives indicted they would cut the federal excise tax on diesel fuel in half, from four to two cents per litre. They said they would invest $113 million into an Environmental Enforcement Action Plan over the next five years and impose stiffer penalties for the most serious environmental crimes (up to $6 million for corporations and $1 million for individuals)while increasing inspection and seizure powers with the help of a team of specialized environmental prosecutors. Their legal efforts also included the creation of environmental laws that allow courts to compel offenders to remedy any harm to the environment and a searchable database that tells the public the details of a corporation’s convictions for environmental crimes. Under the Conservative plan, corporations would be required to tell shareholders if they were convicted of environmental crimes. The Conservatives indicated that they would prohibit the exportation of bitumen to countries outside Canada that do not have equivalent emission-reduction targets and re-affirm Canada’s position that the North American Free Trade Agreement cannot require Canada to export bulk water to other NAFTA countries. A $2-billion ecoENERGY initiative promotes smarter energy use, greater use of clean energy sources, and cleaner use of traditional energy sources. Finally, conservatives vowed to protect conservation areas, including freshwater.

Liberal Party

The Liberal Party outlined its 2008 election platform in a policy document entitled Richer, Fairer, Greener: An Action Plan for the 21st Century. The Environment was one of the core planks of the platform.

The Liberals adopted the Green Shift which involved a detailed plan for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, 40 percent by 2035, and 60 to 80 percent by 2050. These goals were to be achieved through a progressive carbon tax system, which would place levies on carbon emissions. The Liberals were also committed to creating a national carbon trading system, enabling companies to trade emission credits in order to meet targets.

Other Liberal environmental policies included a Renewable Power Production Incentive to encourage the development and use of non-carbon-emitting energy sources; providing incentives to Canadians for green home renovations; stiffer fuel efficiency standards for automobiles; the introduction of higher water and air quality standards to reduce pollution; a Toxic Substance Reduction Strategy for safe food products; and the development of a National Ecosystem Stewardship Strategy to protect Canadian wilderness, oceans, and endangered species.

For more information on the Liberal Party’s environmental policies in 2008 go to Liberal Party of Canada: A Greener Canada (PDF)

New Democratic Party

The New Democratic Party released a document outlining its 2008 election platform. The document focuses on the environment as one of three key policy areas.

The NDP promised to cut Canadian greenhouse gas emissions to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. This was to be accomplished through a combination of cap and trade, mandatory vehicle emission standards, and investing in renewable energy production and consumption.

The NDP also pledged to protect Canada’s water resources by placing some restrictions on the export of bulk water, encouraging more efficient water consumption, and improving water quality through stronger regulations. The NDP further pledged to complete the National Parks System; ensure the integrity of parks and protected areas are not compromised by industrial activity or inappropriate development; improve endangered species protection; and establish an Environment Commissioner as an independent Officer of Parliament to provide oversight on the government’s environmental performance.

For more information on the NDP’s 2008 environmental policies see New Democratic Party of Canada: A Plan for the Environment that Will Really Work

Green Party

The Green party released its 2008 election platform in a document entitled Looking Forward: A Fresh Perspective on Canada’s Future. The Environment was a central policy priority of the Green Party.

The Green Party committed itself to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050; introducing a carbon tax (to be offset by cuts in personal and corporate taxes); expanding research and development of low-carbon technologies; improving energy productivity through smarter regulation of large appliances and vehicles, as well as a national program to retrofit existing buildings; and participating constructively in global negotiations concerning environmental issues.

For more information on the Green Party’s environmental policies see Green Party of Canada: Environment.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Next: Environmental Issues in the 2011 Canadian Federal Election

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Canadian Conservatives Repudiation of the Environment in 2008

In the last Canadian federal election in 2008, Liberal leader Stephane Dion put forward a comprehensive plan called Green Shift. Dion's emphasis on things like carbon taxes and carbon trading were part of the most progressive pro-environment platform in Canadian history.

Prior to the 2008 election, Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion said "The time has come to do what is right – not what is easy – for our environment and for our future." Dion called his environmental platform, the Green Shift, a bold plan that put a price on pollution and positioned Canada to be a leader in the 21st century green economy.

Dion's plan was to cut taxes on things like income, investment and innovation, while shifting the tax burden to those that generate pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and waste. Dion's plan would have encouraged energy efficiency and discouraged pollution.

At the time of the 2008 Canadian federal elections, an Angus Reid poll indicated that Canadians considered the the environment to be one of their top three priorities (after health care and the economy). The vast majority of Canadians (88%) said the environment is very important or moderately important.

Despite Canadians support for the environment, in the 2008 federal election, Conservatives were elected on a platform that forcefully rejected major green initiatives. On October 14, 2008, Canadian voters re-elected Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. This election granted the Conservatives 19 more seats than they had after the last election in 2006.

The Conservative government made its attack against the Green Shift platform, a central part of its strategy. The Conservatives showed strong support for the fossil fuel industry and promoted things like the development of northern pipelines to bring fossil fuels to markets around the world. Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper quietly continued his tacit support for the environmentally destructive tar sands while calling the Green Shift "crazy" and "insane."

Although some saw the Conservative win as a repudiation of the Liberal's green platform, others attributed the victory to a successfully executed Conservative misinformation campaign.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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The State of Canada's Environment

Canada was once a global leader in environmental sustainability and the fight against climate change. Although the country is often viewed as synonymous with nature, the truth is that Canada is in serious need of environmental stewardship.

According to a WWF Canadian Living Planet Report, Canadians are some of the biggest consumers of resources in the world. Canada is also one of the world's biggest energy consumers, burning the equivalent of roughly 8,300 kilograms of oil equivalent per person per year.

In Canada, both oil production and gas emissions are expected to multiply as much as four times by the year 2015. One of the single greatest sources of environmental destruction comes from the Alberta tar sands (aka the oil sands). Canada's tar sands have oil reserves of 175 billion barrels which is second only to Saudi Arabia. This has prompting the Canadian NGO Environmental Defense to call the Alberta tar sands, "the most destructive project on earth."

Extracting oil from tar sands release much more greenhouse gas (GHG) then conventional oil, making it Canada's number-one source of GHGs. Alberta's tar sands have also created massive toxic lakes that are so big they can be seen from space. More than half of Canada’s total footprint is a result of their carbon footprint, mostly due to fossil fuel use.

A study by the European Climate Change Commissioner recently found the average GHG intensity of fuel derived from tar sands to be 23 per cent higher than conventional fossil fuels. As a consequence, Europeans are considering imposing penalties or restricting the importation of oil derived from tar sands.

There was a time when Canada was an environmental leader, but under the current Conservative government, those day are long gone.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Canada is a World Leader in GHG Emissions

Canada has the dubious distinction of being one the world's leading greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting nations.

Canada has a long history of leadership on critical environmental issues, but you would never know it if you were to take a look at the policies of the ruling Conservative party.

The Conservatives may not be leading the struggle to combat climate change but they should win an award for eschewing domestic and international opinion.

A recent analysis by Climate Action Network revealed that Canada is among the world's leading sources of GHGs. Canada is a global leader in historical emissions, absolute emissions and per capita emissions.

As the leader of the Conservatives, Harper appears oblivious to messages coming in from from all quarters. Harper has ignored messages to focus on a green economic recovery from international leaders in the UN, EU, as well as Nobel Peace Prize laureates and scientists. Most recently, as the host nation for the G20, Canada did not respond to member states repeated requests to discuss climate change.

Rather than showing the leadership required to make the necessary changes to lower GHGs, the ruling Conservatives have opted to ignore it and hope it wll go away. It won't.

Canada is a great nation, but Canada's greatness is undermined by a federal government that does not appear interested in the emerging green economy.
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Canadians Disappointed with Conservative's Lack of leadership at the Toronto G20 Summit

According to recent poll results, 78 percent of Canadians wanted Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to use the G8 and G20 summits ''to signal that Canada wants to be a leader in the global fight against climate change.''

Two thirds of Canadians wanted the Harper government to show leadership at the G8 and G20 summits. The same number wanted to see the Conservative government announce plans to eliminate subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.

The poll also indicated that 70 percent of respondents said they would somewhat support or strongly support government action to reduce those subsidies in Canada, estimated to cost taxpayers about $2 billion per year.

The survey, was commissioned for Climate Action Network. The poll was conducted by the Gandalf Group between June 17-22. The poll surveyed 1,158 Canadians and is considered accurate within 2.88 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

In a separate question, 65 per cent of respondents said they opposed the Harper government's strategy of waiting for the U.S. and other nations ''to develop their plans for climate change before it implements further measures to address climate change.''
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