It was no great surprise to the citizens of Canada, and to the world, that “Our Government™” once again missed it’s obligations to the inhabitants of planet Earth. In whatever rarified media room the Harper government creates its fantasy kingdom, it is far removed from the realities of accelerating climate change. Again, we missed our promised global climate emissions reduction plan deadline.

According to NASA, 2014 was the warmest year on record since weather records have been kept. 2015 also saw the Arctic ice set new records for minimum winter ice pack and researchers are waiting to see what the summer thaw will bring. And with greenhouse gases hovering at 400 ppm, we have reached our threshold for atmospheric overload.

All of this scientific information should lead an environmentally literate government to begin urgent dialogue with the provinces, and then enact federal policies on carbon taxing, sustainable green cities infrastructure funding, and investments in research and development for renewable and low-carbon energy sources.

Alas, “Our Government™” has not even begun the provincial dialogue, and Harper recently stated that regulating the oil and gas industry would be “crazy”. Well, crazy is as crazy does.

There is simply no understanding, or will to understand, the co-benefits of dialogue with provinces, municipalities, First Nations, and concerned citizens that would result in new research, infrastructure support, and weaning off the corporate teat of uneccessary oil and gas pipelines that force unwanted industrial assaults on Canada’s peoples and places.

Paris is coming, and our current Prime Minister is incapable of leading us into the future.

On this Easter weekend, let us all pray for the resurrection of Canadian intelligence, and the election of an environmentally literate leader in October. Of course, that means we will all have to become media literate to read past the distractions of terror, trials of Senators, tax-break promises for hard-working families, and rural voter end-runs.

And don’t forget that $7.5 million going into “Our Government™” advertising during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Oh, so crazy … like a fox.

Our current Prime Minister’s “Best Before” date expired a long time ago. Time for some serious spring cleaning. It’s going to be a long, hot summer.

*****

Skid Crease, Caledon