Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Trudeau Lends Tories A Hand

I quick scan of the various news sources are all touting this aspect of the Clean Air Act:
The Conservative government plans to breathe life into 25-year-old automobile fuel-efficiency legislation that has languished unused in the lawbooks, a key component of their Clean Air Act to be introduced Thursday.

A senior Conservative insider said the 1981 Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption Standards Act, along with myriad other existing pieces of environmental legislation including the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, will be combined with new laws as part of the Tories' green plan...

But the legislation is only a framework, and will require the government to develop its own efficiency standards, which is sure to involve competing pressures from industry and environmentalists.

Ambrose will pull the dust off this legislation to create the illusion that this government has the fortitude to use it, while others have failed. Problem one, Ambrose has already said nothing will happen until 2010, at which time "negotiations" with industry will begin- am I the only one who noticed the smiling auto execs leaving their meeting with Ambrose, or Hargrove saying "he felt a lot better" after hearing Ambrose. Cough, hack. Problem two, the legislation has no teeth, the government still needs to set the regulations. This legislation is still dormant until they come up with parameters, so why announce as though you have decided to do something?

A quick glimpse at how demanding the new regulations will likely be were offered here:
Protecting the environment is important, but it shouldn't come at the cost of Canadian businesses, says federal Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn...

"You have to be pro-environment, but it's also necessary to go ahead in a flexible, measured manner so that businesses don't start an uproar," Blackburn told The Canadian Press.

That explains the smiling.

It looks like the Conservatives will bombard us with a mirade of "measures", in the hopes the mirage will get lost in the perceived weight. I have to admit, the Conservatives are doing a masterful job of appearing relevant, while simultaneously doing nothing. The key will be, are Canadians attentive to the details?

5 comments:

Olaf said...

Oh my,

Citizens are not attentive to the details at all, which is why reducing smog is such a winner, despite being toothless on global warming. It's all about framing.

I know us political bloggers get caught up in our own little political worlds, but talk to someone who is less interested in political issues and you would be surprised how little they know or care, and how easily swayed they are by effective PR.

Not to say we're all brilliant, far from it, but it takes a real interest to be attentive to details, and interest that many don't have. The majority, I'd venture.

Anonymous said...

Were you aware that the US Environmental Protection Agency is shutting down its regional & local libraries?

http://thiscanadian.typepad.com/this_canadian/2006/10/farming_out_the.html

I wonder why, with OIL being endangered, the US is turning to COAL.. with a greedy eye...

so you think anybody RATTING OUT pollution in the States or Canada might be 'endangering' a Bushevik 'ally'? hum, I wonder if corporations count as ALLIES if they have PERSONAL RIGHTS?

http://thiscanadian.typepad.com/this_canadian/2006/10/dead_rabbits_so.html

just wondering.


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Anonymous said...

oops, that was silly
sorry!


EPA: http://tinyurl.com/ybjrdp
New "I'll torture & detain anybody I want" Law signed: http://tinyurl.com/ykqzgf

Meanwhile, Ike Strike group moves in on Iran
http://tinyurl.com/ylsxb3

& Korea & the UN are up in the air...
http://tinyurl.com/ym9jpk
http://tinyurl.com/yg3bkd

http://tinyurl.com/yftytl

sweet dreams


Spread LOVE!,
BlueBerry Pick'n
can be found @
ThisCanadian DOT com
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"

gfdgfdfd said...

The Harper Tories are incredibly regressive. In their world view, the environment is simply a threat to big business and the economy. Instead of finding a pragmatic balance, the government is pitting the two issues in a simplistic, zero-sum relationship, where one must dominate and suppress the other.

Mind boggling.

Steve V said...

"Citizens are not attentive to the details at all"

I am starting to think this government operates with this premise as a starting point.