COP 26 – the last best chance

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The United Nations Climate Change Conference has been touted as the “last best chance” to address accelerating climate change and the issues it poses to the future of humans and of all life on Planet Earth.

From October 31 until November 12, 2021, Environment Ministers and leaders from over 200 countries will meet in Glasgow, Scotland to debate, discuss, sabotage and support the plan of action that will attempt to address the climate emergency that was announced in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization. 33 years later …

COP 26, the 26th meeting of the Council of Parties, the countries who are signatories to the UN Framework on Climate Change, comes 6 years after their historic Paris Agreement in 2015. Unfortunately, only Morocco and Gambia have been able to meet the targets set at COP 25. Why?

There are several reasons. First, apathy and misinformation. Apathy from the general public who are failing to put enough pressure on their governments to fulfil their global commitments. This apathy is generally caused by a comfortable consumer society in the industrialized nations of the world, and the disinformation is developed by the ultra rich at the the expense of everyone else.

If you want to understand why there has been no significant progress by the wealthiest nations on Earth, then read Jane Mayer’s “Dark Money” and our own Chrystia Freeland’s “Plutocrats: the rise of the new global super-rich and the fall of everyone else” Both books document the impact of the 0.1% of the 1% on political and corporate decisions affecting everything from education to the environment. Mayer looks specifically at the insidious influence in the USA of the Koch brother’s cabal, including their far right media mouthpieces, while Freeland gives us a global perspective on the power of nationless oligarchs getting richer in every corner of the world.

Even before COP 26 began, it was revealed that oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia and coal exporters like Australia have been lobbying to water down commitments to move away from fossil fuel use towards renewable energy. Self-interest and greed are the operating principles of the Plutocrats. Whoever dies with the most toys, and the most tax-sheltering “philanthropic” Foundations wins.

If COP 26 is our “last best chance” as a global community to address the impacts of accelerating climate change, then exposing the tax cheating and lobbying impact of the ultra rich is critical to our success. Until the bullies are confronted, their insatiable greed exposed and reduced, we all will be dancing on the strings of the ultra-rich puppet masters to the tune of a plutocratic fiddler on the roof.

The way I see it.

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Skid Crease, Caledon

When Members of Parliament Fail

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Canada just had a federal election. I live in Caledon, a riding so safe for the Conservatives that the locals claim you could run a dead cow as the CPC candidate and it would win. The Conservative MP recently re-elected in my riding of Dufferin-Caledon is Kyle Seeback. This parliamentarian occasionally pens a column in the local paper entitled “Report from Ottawa” which one would suppose would be filled with vital information for the riding’s citizens. Alas, the column would better be titled “Raving Partisan Rants from Ottawa” filled with plenty of wistful speculations and accusations but nothing of substance.

The title of his latest “Report” was “It’s Time to Return to Work, Justin Trudeau” bemoaning the November 22 start of the 44th session of Parliament and complaining that it “is one of the longest delays in recalling Parliament after an election.” Now, Mr. Seeback should be aware that when, as an MP which his byline indicates, he addresses Justin, it should be respectfully as Prime Minister Trudeau. Seeback then boasted that “A Conservative government would’ve recalled parliament much sooner. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and immediately return to work in the House of Commons to address the priorities of Canadians.”

Whoa there, Kyle. First, the “if we’d won we would have recalled parliament sooner” is analogous to the old saying: “If my aunt had had  testicles, she would’ve been my uncle.” Secondly, thanks to Erin O’Toole’s waffling on mandatory vaccinations, your party isn’t even prepared to re-enter the House because of the Conservative anti-vaxxer MP’s who refuse to either reveal their vaccination status or get vaccinated in the first place. You’ll all have to roll up your sleeves to get a shot before you get to work for Canadians. One of the top priorities for Canadians is for government to do everything possible to get this COVID-19 pandemic under control, so get out and push, or get out.

Please, MP Seeback, tell us how you plan to do that so that we can get back to some sense of normal in both our humanity and our economy. Let us know how your party plans to cooperate with the other parties in Parliament to ensure this happens as efficiently and honestly as possible. All we have heard so far is that the CPC plans to be “The Party of NO” ready to shoot down any Liberal bills intended to get us out of this pandemic and back to life and work.

The recent federal election was intended to give Canadians a chance to clearly indicate the direction of their political compass for the next four years. Alas, the $600 million dollar gamble (taxpayer monies which would have been better spent fulfilling the “to do” list from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission) produced a minority government that looks a lot like the previous one. Minority governments can work beautifully, but only if all the parties involved come to the table ready to work with collaboration towards consensus on the actions that will benefit all Canadians.

“If we had won” is a vain fantasy Mr. Seeback. Your Party lost. You actually had less of the popular vote than in 2019 and are down 2 seats in 2021. Now, let’s make sure Canada doesn’t lose because of your right wing Conservative Party’s obstinate and antagonistic stance toward anything centre left. If Canadians had wanted the CPC to lead the country, you’d be the governing Party right now. You’re not. Quit whining and get back to work Kyle Seeback. On November 22nd we’ll see who has their sleeves rolled up.

The way I see it.

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Skid Crease, Caledon