Commentary
Canada is not immune to the dire challenges of a world gripped by the first European war since World War II, with nuclear threats from an irredentist Russia, a destabilizing energy crisis, a looming global recession brought on by central bankers aggressively raising interest rates to combat galloping inflation which they had previously underestimated, unprecedented public debt, and a lingering global pandemic.
The stock markets wild volatility reflects these forces, with a chilling US$9 trillion drop in global stock valuations in the third quarter and uncertainty whether the most recent upswing is sustainable or a bear trap.
In spite of overarching challenges, Prime Minister Trudeau and his ministers remain obsessed with a climate emergency, a fixation that is unjustifiable for at least four reasons.
First, Canada represents only 1.5 percent of global emissions and the oilsands are a minuscule 0.1 percent, so the government is powerless to impact warming here or anywhere else. Second, global GHG emissions are up over 60 percent in the past 20 years because other countries, especially those with the most rapidly growing emissions, are doing precious little to decrease them, notwithstanding all their impassioned rhetoric. Third, the attempt to achieve net zero by 2050 would cost Canadians a crushing $2 trillion, according to RBC Economics. Fourth, Canada is blessed with some of the most abundant proven oil and gas resources in the world, yet Liberal policies block their huge potential for employment, economic growth, and public funding for critical social programs like health care.
What will Trudeau say to Canadians when a recession likely hits them next year, which could have been precluded or at least mitigated by the development and sale of oil and natural gas? Like a man falling from a skyscraper reassuring himselfSo far so goodhe will soon hit the pavement. Most countries couldnt care less about a wealthy countrys self-harm, regardless of its high-minded motivation. However, there are two exceptions: European allies who urgently need energy resources, and fossil fuel exporters like Russia and other autocracies that benefit from reduced competition.
While our PM boasts about the nobility of his intentions and the moral superiority of his wokeness, Canada has become a vainglorious model of wasted potential and uselessness.
By imposing punishing taxes including a carbon tax, rigid production caps, and other draconian regulations like the Clean Fuel Standard, the government effectively precluded over $150 billion in gas and oil projects and strong-armed provinces to move to intermittent renewables that require backup from natural gas, which it also discourages. Eventually net zero can be achieved, but not at the targeted pace. Furthermore, the cost will be very onerous, especially for the least economically advantaged here and in the poorest countries. However, true believers do not question whether the headlong rush is justifiable or even achievable and whether there are better alternatives, including adaptation and more emphasis on scientific research.
Meanwhile, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts is predicting a colder winter with less wind and rain than usual, thereby reducing the generation of renewable power. Energy prices in Europe rose over 40 percent in September, driving inflation to 10 percent. The Brits and Dutch are returning to high-emitting coal and wood pellets to heat their homes. In Germany, nuclear plants may operate longer and the coal phaseout may be delayed. Twenty-seven EU energy ministers are backing emergency measures to cut power use and tax windfall profits of energy companies to reduce the burden on individuals and businesses.
U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss advised King Charles to stay away from the upcoming COP27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, since she does not want the new monarch to mouth off about a far-off climate emergency. Her government is focused on citizens who are confronting a heat-or-eat dilemma, prompting her to lift a moratorium on shale gas extraction that could eclipse North Sea production in 15 years. Furthermore, Truss appointed appointed Jacob Rees-Mogg, a well-known climate skeptic, as business secretary, and Suella Braverman, her powerful home secretary, questioned the wisdom of the net-zero goal.
President Biden keeps spouting environmental fealty, even as he opened 62 million acres of federal onshore and offshore lands to fracking. The Republicans seem poised to win a majority in the House of Representatives in the midterms and possibly the White House in 2024, which would change the direction of American climate policy.
Between 2015 and 2021, the United States reduced its emissions by 6 percent, mainly by moving from coal to natural gas. However, wealthy countries represent less than one-third of global emissions, so Americas improvements will be swamped by increases in India, Africa, and especially China that, during the same period, increased emissions by 11 percent. Furthermore, China is planning or building coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of at least 100 gigawatts, enough to power 77 million homes. Xi Jinping was clear: We cant be detached from reality. We cant toss away whats feeding us now while what will feed us next is still not in our pocket.
There was never a basis for the oft-repeated claim that 97 percent of scientists agree about a climate emergency. Now the much-vaunted scientific consensus is increasingly questioned. As just one example, over 1,400 scientists and professionals from 55 countries signed the World Climate Declaration asserting there is no climate emergency; warming has both natural and anthropogenic causes, it is far slower than predicted and has not increased natural disasters; CO2 is not a pollutant but rather the basis of all life; and climate policy must respect scientific and economic realities.
A dispassionate public discussion, without acrimony, insults, and threats, is long overdue about a public policy issue that some consider to be existential. So far that has proven to be impossible because of people like United Nations spokesperson Melissa Fleming, who proclaimed at a World Economic Forum meeting that We own the science.
On one side of this debate of the deaf are passionate believers in the imminent irreversibility of an apocalyptic climate emergency. The groupthink of quasi-religious adherents holds enormous sway in the corridors of political power, media, academia, and in the public square. On the other side are pragmatists who rely on facts over faith, data over ideology, and historicity over revisionism. We may finally be at a turning point as a result of scarce energy, galloping electricity prices, pervasive inflation, and compromised national security.
Its time for adults in the room who will act on scientific, economic, and geopolitical reality. Mind you, no one could credit our government with political maturity, an ability to competently deliver on its core mandates, or effectively respond to opportunities and threats outside its ideological bubble.
And the band played on.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Follow
Joe Oliver was the minister of finance and minister of natural resources in the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Canada.
Read the rest here:
- Have the Liberal Arts Gone Conservative? - The New Yorker - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Letters to the Editor: 'I see myself in Katie Britt' what liberal critics missed in the senator's response - Los Angeles Times - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Even when it criticizes Israel, the liberal world is not against us - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Former Trump Aide Alyssa Farah Griffin Becomes a Liberal Favorite - The New York Times - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Renowned author, liberal arts proponent to deliver annual Lester Lectures - Mercer University - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- NYU to Host Zaheer Ali at the Annual Liberal Studies Student Research ColloquiumApril 5 - NYU - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Power to the Neighborhoods!: New York City Growth Politics, Neighborhood Liberalism, and the Origins of the ... - Joint Center for Housing Studies - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Canada's Conservatives back NDP-Liberal anti-scab legislation that undermines the right to strike - WSWS - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- The Surprising Left-Right Alliance That Wants More Apartments in Suburbs - The New York Times - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- PARKER: Clarence Thomas, liberal racism and the ongoing denigration of Black conservatives - Kankakee Daily Journal - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Liberal Media Scream: Hollywoods freaks over Trump - Washington Examiner - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Why liberals failed in the fight against antisemitism - JNS.org - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Liberal Renew manifesto sneak peek and bits from Bucharest congress - EURACTIV - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Katie Britt calls on liberal media 'to pay attention' to border - 1819 News - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Liberal truck wash cited $171k for OSHA violations - KSN-TV - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Over 30,000 Killed in Gaza, but Even Israel's 'Liberal Left' Says: That's War - Opinion - Haaretz - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Liberal Man Injured in Beaver County Accident - KSCB News.net - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- What is the Market's View on China Liberal Education Holdings Ltd (CLEU) Stock's Price and Volume Trends Monday? - InvestorsObserver - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- German liberals send defence expert into tripartite EU election leadership team - EURACTIV - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Ramaswamy warns liberal justices 'buying political latitude' with 9-0 ruling as more Trump cases lie ahead - Fox News - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- How much of this is propelled by white liberal guilt from executives?: Gutfeld - Fox News - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Liberals and the Libel of Christian Nationalism - The Imaginative Conservative - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Liberal Arts & Science Academy - Austin extends home winning streak to seven - MaxPreps - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Liberal Racism and the Denigration of Black Conservatives - Daily Signal - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Watchdog group exposes radical, liberal ideology of school-based health centers - The Lion - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- What happens when a liberal learns her family owned slaves? - Leader & Times - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Is it Liberal Arts, Without the Arts? - Xavier Newswire - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Quebec Liberal Party would be more popular with Denis Coderre at the helm: poll - Montreal Gazette - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Maine's Liberal Members of Congress Stand by Biden After Disastrous, Confused Press Conference - The Maine Wire - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Liberal Media Scream: Kristen Welker likes to lecture Republicans, too - Washington Examiner - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Australia's only Liberal government lives on - for now - Yahoo News Australia - February 11th, 2024 [February 11th, 2024]
- Liberal institutions are the threat to liberal institutions Claudine Gay is warning about - Washington Examiner - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Elon Musk, the "free speech absolutist" kicks liberal journalists off Twitter - Daily Kos - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Liberal Arts and studies in humanities under attack on college campuses - The Community Word - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Liberal candidate for federal byelection planned to run for Conservatives last year - National Post - January 10th, 2024 [January 10th, 2024]
- Bill Barton: 'The Liberal by the Bay' - Redheaded Blackbelt - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- OPINION | Female-dominated liberal arts imperative in male-dominated tech world - Tulane Hullabaloo - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts job with Tarleton State University | 37572379 - The Chronicle of Higher Education - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Laughing Stock: 'A liberal agenda' may not be what you think - Tucson Weekly - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Justin Trudeau plays the Trump card - POLITICO - POLITICO - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Norman Lear, Producer Of TV's 'All In The Family' And Influential Liberal Advocate, Dies At 101 - Newstalk 750 - 103.7 ... - KFQD - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Kremlin Taps Liberal Businessman to Oppose Putin in 2024 Election Report - The Moscow Times - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Norman Lear, producer of TV's 'All in the Family' and influential liberal advocate, has died at 101 - WV News - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- MoveOn Carries Out Layoffs as Liberal Groups Struggle to Raise Money - The New York Times - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Norman Lear, producer of TV's 'All in the Family' and influential liberal advocate, has died at 101 - El Paso Inc. - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- UW System President suggests universities with high numbers of low income students should shift away from liberal arts - Wisconsin Examiner - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Norman Lear, producer of TV's 'All in the Family' and influential liberal advocate, has died at 101 - The Caledonian-Record - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Israels representative in New York resigned to protest Netanyahu. Now hes got some tough words for liberal New York Jews. - Forward - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- Neal Milner: Watch That Swinging Door, Liberals, Lest It Hit You On The Way Out - Honolulu Civil Beat - December 7th, 2023 [December 7th, 2023]
- The Liberal Answer to Cancel Culture - Manhattan Institute - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Study: Liberal US priests facing 'progressive' extinction - The Pillar - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Liberal Jewish U.S. Groups Are Walking an Oh-So-Thin Tightrope - The New Republic - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Why a liberal arts degree is often a ticket to career success - USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Open Forum: In their time, founding fathers were liberal - The Winchester Star - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Liberals announce National Campaign Committee Co-Chairs - Liberal Party of Canada - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- UT College of Liberal Arts hosts panel about Senate Bill 17 - The Daily Texan - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Liberal Arts student uses platform to educate others on the ... - Pennsylvania State University - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Stanford celebrates 50 years of Structured Liberal Education ... - Stanford University News - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Brookline homes: One wealthy liberal town reckons with its past - The Boston Globe - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- The Value of a Liberal Arts Degree: Whats the Return on Investment? - The New York Times - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- California Police Say Investigation Ongoing into Death of Liberal Pro ... - Crime Report - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Liberal Arts, IST student scores sports technology internship with ... - Pennsylvania State University - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- And the award for the worst Liberal Party leader goes to... - The New Daily - November 8th, 2023 [November 8th, 2023]
- Street fights over prayer offer liberal Israelis a chance to define a Judaism they can believe in - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Unmasking Hinduphobic Cartoons: The Liberal Media's Double Standard - The Jaipur Dialogues - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- UC presents lecture on liberal arts featuring Michael W. Twitty - University of Cincinnati - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- ISU makes progress on liberal arts cuts through incentivized ... - The Gazette - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Investing in the future of the liberal arts | Binghamton News - Binghamton - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Challenges to Liberal Democracy on Global Scale Is Topic of 2023 ... - University of Idaho - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Liberal Democrats edge ahead of Labour on charging, with free ... - Disability News Service - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- Kerry Washington Creates $1 Million Earl and Valerie Washington ... - GW Today - September 29th, 2023 [September 29th, 2023]
- LILLEY: Justice Rouleau may have old Liberal Party ties but he's not Justin Trudeau's uncle or related at all - Toronto Sun - February 20th, 2023 [February 20th, 2023]
- Brian Lilley: Justice Rouleau may have old Liberal Party ties but he's not Justin Trudeau's uncle or related at all - The Province - February 20th, 2023 [February 20th, 2023]
- force.com - November 27th, 2022 [November 27th, 2022]
- Liberal Party SA - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From ... - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Ex-VP Hamid Ansari's 'Challenges to a liberal polity' book review: The politics of being Indian - The New Indian Express - November 7th, 2022 [November 7th, 2022]
- English | Liberal Arts | UT - Austin - November 5th, 2022 [November 5th, 2022]
- Liberal values are absolute - The Tribune India - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Fixing another liberal tax burden - The Hill - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]