May 31, 2012

[Art] Digital Comic by Franke James

This latest art piece by Franke James, titled What is Harper Afraid Of? is really worth checking out! Well illustrated, well-written, and poignant! What a freaking mess we're in....

Check out Franke James' piece here.

A little taste:

March 02, 2012

[Embarrassment] My Government's Approach to Environment is Subversive and Incompetent

As a Canadian citizen I want to apologize to citizens of the world out there... for my government's dysmal, deficient, incompetent, underhanded approach to all environmental matters. I've blogged recently about how since the rise of Stephen Harper's Conservative Party the government has had trouble even upholding its own environmental laws, and has become a shameless apologist for corporations exploiting Alberta bitumen. Two news stories today only add to my embarrassment of being affiliated with these incompetent rulers who have completely destroyed the reputation Canada once had as a nation concerned about our collective socio-ecological future.

The first is a news story in The Calgary Herald titled "Secret memo warns oil sands damage may be irreversible". Not only does it turn out that development in the tar sands - contrary to propaganda of the corporate developers - will likely "permanently damage Alberta's landscape" (something we all knew anyways), but high level officials have consistently warned our political 'leaders' that this is the case. Yet even though the 'secret' documents given to decision-makers has only corroborated the findings of numerous climate scientists, ecologists, First Nations, medical professionals and other researchers, the government still tows the blind ideological line of pursuing continued growth in the megaproject.

The second is an appeal by one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world, Nature, to the Harper government, asking for environmental scientists on the public service payroll to be allowed to share their findings with the rest of the world (read a news story about this here). It turns out the Harper government is so intent on controlling information in this country that several scientists have been muzzled simply for speaking about their research! Nature notes how over the last few years Canada has taken on the anti-science stance of the Bush Administration, while in the U.S. Obama has luckily cleared a more open setting for environmental research dissemination. As CBC has reported, the appeal from Nature "reveal[s] the Harper government has little understanding of the importance of the free flow of scientific knowledge."

Clearly there is something rotten in our federal government's approach to environment. As a Canadian I must share some responsibility for this. To those of you from elsewhere I can only say "I'm sorry"... I will try my best to reminding my fellow citizens of the crimes against nature committed by the Conservatives. I can only hope people will come to their senses in time for the next election, and realize that a future without a thriving socio-ecological balance is bound to end badly for humans.

January 10, 2012

[Hogwash] On The Minister of Natural Resources Open Letter to Canadians

Yesterday the Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver, published an open letter to Canadians on the Ministry's Press Room Website. It was also published on numerous official government websites, and throughout the day sound bites were played on the news in which the Minister essentially claimed thus:
The Canadian regulatory review system (in particular the review of Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway pipeline) is being 'hijacked' by 'environmentalists and other radical groups' who are being funded by 'foreign', 'American billionaire socialists'! 
This is truly amazing rhetoric coming from a member of the cabinet! It's truly amazing (and completely inappropriate) for a number of reasons:

First, it's completely inappropriate for a high-ranking Minister to announce the day a review begins that the very process carrying out that review is illegitimate and flawed. One might expect these kinds of reactionary ideological rantings from some anti-government bully like Ezra Levant or something, but the Minister of Natural Resources!? Really? What a horrible precedent, to decry the legitimacy of the very processes which you've been elected to protect and carry-out!

Second, by decrying how long it takes for the 'approval process', the Minister is very clearly stating the government has already approved this project - that the review is basically just a rubber stamping procedure. Yet, with no sense of the sheer hypocrisy found in his own words, the Minister writes in his letter that "Our regulatory system must be fair, independent, consider different viewpoints including those of Aboriginal communities, review the evidence dispassionately and then make an objective determination." By 'objective determination' we already know he means siding with Big Oil, ignoring any alternative perspectives, and approving the project.

Third, by suggesting that the review system is being 'hijacked' by radical environmentalists and 'foreign' interests, he draws an association between environmental justice groups and terrorists. The use of the word 'hijack' is very strong language, and completely inappropriate for a public announcement of this sort. To suggest that pacifist environmentalist groups who care deeply about the future of this country and the planet are 'hijackers' is quite off the mark, and completely unfair. The idea that stakeholders who may not agree with the project shouldn't be allowed to have their voice heard at such review hearings is yet another indication of the backwards understanding of democratic governance held by the Conservative Party.

Fourth, but certainly not least, the complete absurdity in the concept of 'American billionaire socialists' intervening in Canadian sovereignty seriously calls to question Mr. Oliver's capacity to understand reality. Not only do some of the Canadian environmental organizations he refers to receive the vast majority of their funding from domestic sources (read this article), somehow he fails to mention the billions of dollars used by foreign oil corporations that will go into pushing through these projects, through endless lobbying, advertising, flying in 'experts', bribes, etc.

What a disgrace we have for a Minister of Natural Resources. We may as well change his title to Minister of Corporate Propaganda.