Monday, December 11, 2006

Is Rona Ambrose For Real?

All I want for Christmas is a cabinet shuffle, or better yet an election call. The steady diet of ridiculousness(is that a word?) coming out of Rona Ambrose's office is staggering:
OTTAWA (CP) - Environment Minister Rona Ambrose wants the auditor general to review all federal climate programs to determine whether the public is getting value for its money.

The audit could renew attention on the flawed Liberal record on climate change when the Conservatives are having trouble with their own agenda on the issue.

Some opposition critics say the timing of the audit is absurd, since the Conservatives have already cancelled most of the climate programs which existed under the previous government.

I agree an audit is absurd, given the circumstances, but even more mind melding is the fact Ambrose misleads by suggesting we don't have comprehensive, independent conclusions.

Let's use the cancelled Energuide program as an example. Environment Commissioner Johanne GĂ©linas:
"Our audit was limited to three programs managed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan): the Wind Power Production Incentive program, the Energuide for Existing Houses program, and the Ethanol Expansion Program. Each received $100-million or more in federal funding. We examined what greenhouse gas emission reductions the three programs had achieved, what they have cost, and how NRCan monitors and reports on program results and spending.

"We found that each of the three programs had made progress. As of March 2006, the programs had achieved about 22 per cent of the 4.8 Mt reduction that NRCan expected the programs to achieve by 2010.


The Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. 2006, from the Auditor General website:
The EnerGuide for Existing Houses program was introduced in 1998 and aimed to improve the energy efficiency of existing houses and reduce residential consumption of heating fuel and electricity. Before it was cancelled in spring 2006, the program had two components: home evaluations and grants for renovations.

What we found. Natural Resources Canada surpassed this target. In its Report to Parliament under the Energy Efficiency Act for the Fiscal Year 2004–2005, Natural Resources Canada reported that energy consumption was reduced by an average of 27 percent in renovated homes.

Last week in committee, Liberal Senator Grant Mitchell:
Since the Conservative government took power it has cancelled a number of energy conservation programs aimed at consumers, including the One-Tonne Challenge, an advertising campaign, and EnerGuide, which provided subsidies for home-owners to upgrade their houses.

Liberal Senator Grant Mitchell asked Ambrose for any studies to support the government’s contention that those programs weren’t working.

Mitchell quoted from a Natural Resources Canada memo he obtained under access-to-information law, which gave the programs high marks.

“All NRCan programs were assessed to be on track to meet or surpass their objectives,” says the memo which Mitchell provided to reporters.

“The energy conservation and renewable programs were found to be effective in stimulating emissions reductions. They will contribute over 20 (megatonnes) in reductions by 2010, mainly at a cost of less than $10 a tonne which is extremely cost-effective.”

How about a review of Rona Ambrose by the auditor general "to determine whether the public is getting value for its money?" If bullshit was gold.

UPDATE The gift that keeps on giving.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

She's following the Luntz script, remember that?

"Luntz urged them to keep digging up dirt on the Liberals over the coming year and counselled them on how choosing the right words can shape public opinion. He recommended the Conservatives focus on things such as accountability and tax reduction, as well as tap into national symbols like hockey a formula the Harper government appears to be following."

From http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=c4a55c5d-1686-4e7b-b6e5-405bffce4748&k=14446&p=1

Anonymous said...

Apparently, Ambrose's personal popularity could fall way more before she'd even be worried about losing her seat. She has the safest Con seat in Alberta (suburban and semi-rural), which means she probably has the safest Con seat in all of Alberta. She was probably choosen for this role because she can't possibly fall over it.

Walks With Coffee said...

Will the CPoC try to fire the auditor general when she returns with the same conclusion: the programs were working - either on target or ahead of schedule. Whatever will the CPoC say?

This auditor general is not going to be bullied into a false report just to suit the CPoC.

Fraser Macdonald said...

Here's a hot tip for all you Liberals who still can't grasp the fact that your party did nothing on the environment. Not only did they do nothing, but they also wasted an enormous amount of money. Maybe Rona Ambrose stumbled upon another Gomery. Anywhere where there are huge cost overruns, there seems to be Liberal party sleaze nearby.

Just today another report came out about breaking the rules when it came to native funding. I think we have to assume Ambrose wants an independent investigation with a lot more credibility than Conservatives just saying "Liberals are corrupt" again like they have been.

The Luntz script is good politics, because Liberal treachery seems to know no boundaries. The arrogance you all display when you think it's ok for this to happen just to keep the "natural governing party" in power is disgusting.

http://torontotories.blogspot.com

wilson said...

''This auditor general is not going to be bullied into a false report just to suit the CPoC.''

Then what are Libs worried about?

The clock is ticking, on that nasty rule/reg that prevents punishing wrong doers if you wait too long. It's 3 years, if I remember right.

Steve V said...

fraser

"Ambrose wants an independent investigation"

Apparently not, because she has already had several. What she wants is a smear campaign to detract from her own incompetence.

dana

The Luntz model gets more tiresome with each day. The blaming the Liberals line doesn't work anymore.

Monkey Loves to Fight said...

She is incompetent for sure, but more importantly she is a puppet of King Stevie and does whatever he says. I suspect her environmental policies would be lousy, but not quite as lousy if she was able to decide things on her own rather than have her boss approve everything

kenlister1 said...

1. Rona's riding of Edmonton Spruce Grove is a very safe seat no doubt, but is nowhere near the safest seat in Alberta, so give your head a shake.
2. What happens if the review says Canadians were get fair or very good value for their money in the one tonne challenge or any other program cut?!?!

Anonymous said...

ktr, there's possibly a couple of safer seats, but suffice to say, Rona probably isn't worried.

No need to shake any heads, thank you very much.