What will we do now about climate change?
By Letter to the Editor on June 3, 2019.
We have been told that Canada is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world and northern Canada is warming at three-times the rate. Our forests are burning and yes some of the reason is that people are living closer to forests and some of the reason is because there is fuel in our forests but our forests are burning also because of climate change. Prof. Mike Flannigan of the U of A has made this quite clear. So what are we going to be doing about climate change now that the carbon tax is gone? Yes, we are phasing out coal and yes, we will keep the tax on the oilsands emissions, but where will we get the money to promote the transition to renewable energy. The Notley government was to collect $5.4 billion over three years in carbon tax money that was being put into green infrastructure, energy-efficiency programs and rebates to low and middle income families. It was a levy which did not go to general revenues. About 50,000 households took advantage of rebates for renovations and appliances. About $200-million went to small renewable energy projects such as communities establishing solar and wind projects. Hinton was doing a geothermal project with abandoned gas wells with the University of Alberta. Solar panels were being installed on schools and on First Nations lands. CNRL was getting funds to promote a project to eliminate tailings ponds. Many solar companies were installing solar for houses and organizations because of the rebate. What now, Jason Kenney? This morning the Air Quality Health Index at my home was more than 10 which is the highest reading on the scale and Calgary is 1,000 kilometres from High Level. Is this to be our new normal? When Kenney spoke about the wild fires he was careful to omit climate change as the reason for wild fires but I hope Albertans know better and I hope that we will find our way clear to transition away from fossil fuels for the sake of our health and our beautiful province. Jean Blackstock Calgary 8-7
Well said Jean. Cutting $40 million off our education system to pay for Kenney’s War Room is just the start of what Albertans can expect. He doesn’t give a damn about who loses their job. With his cutting of red tape a lot more disasters like the Orphan Wells mess, that Klein created can be expected, and people who shouldn’t have a driver’s license will continue to kill people on our roads, like the semi-truck driver, running the stop sign, killing 16 people did.
It was Ralph Klein who stated in 2006 “Albertans aren’t smart enough to understand our plans for healthcare reform, so we aren’t going to tell you what they are”. Apparently Albertans aren’t any smarter today. You have certainly proven you don’t care about your children’s future or what it will cost you while Alaska and Norway build up their huge savings accounts for their children’s future.