Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Listen to Scientists, Not Activists

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Listening to the Speech from the Throne Tuesday, one could be forgiven for thinking that the Conservatives were copying Stephane Dion’s leadership campaign tactics of 13 months ago. In Dion’s case, he took his climate change phraseology essentially verbatim from a David Suzuki report. In the case of the Harper government, they appear to have lifted most of their assertions from a wider selection of environmental groups, but the messages are equally unfounded nonethe-less.

First, the government tells us that “Threats to our environment are a clear and present danger that now confronts governments around the world.”

“Clear and present danger” is a popular phrase used by environmental activists when speaking about climate change, Al Gore-trained Desiree McGraw of Montreal and Ralph Torrie, whose company produces greenhouse gas emissions software, being typical examples.

Read the rest of Tom Harris’s article in the Canada Free Press entitled ‘Now is the time to listen to climate scientists, not activists.’

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. SJT says

    ““Greenhouse gas emissions” sounds dangerous but, in Canada and most of the developed world, it is essentially code for carbon dioxide, a benign gas the restriction of which is entirely unnecessary.”

    Yeah, thanks, I think I’ll listen to the scientists and not populist windbags.

  4. Woody says

    Al Gore will want to require that everyone (exept in China and India) to start exhaling oxygen only. Maybe he will set the example for the rest of us.

  5. Schiller Thurkettle says

    The real clue is in this phrase:

    “clear and present danger that now confronts governments”.

    That is to say, it’s a government political issue–normal people don’t need to worry about AGW unless someone (government/activists) cozen them into worrying. Which is in the best interests of activists and “governments around the world.”

    Sometimes these freaks and flaks are honest–but as this instance illustrates, it’s by accident.