laggard

Friday November 12, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday November 12, 2021

Yes, Doug Ford’s government has a ‘cohesive plan.’ No, it’s not for the environment, critics say

Critics of the Ford government’s environment plan say a recent pledge to build highways in Ontario is the latest in a series of moves that signals it does not have a real plan to tackle climate change. 

November 13, 2020

“We’re losing ground,” said Laura Bowman, staff lawyer with the environmental law firm Ecojustice. 

Bowman said Premier Doug Ford’s government is making development a priority with its promise last week to build Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, two controversial highways in the Greater Toronto Area. Critics say they’ll add more vehicles to the roads when they’re completed, which will pump more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and make it much more difficult to meet the province’s emissions targets.

The Progressive Conservative government counters by saying the new highways will help lessen gridlock and cut commute times, thereby cutting emissions from idling vehicles stuck for hours in traffic. But environmentalists don’t buy that argument and say the PCs do not have a history of taking the climate crisis seriously.

“The current government’s track record has been one of rapidly dismantling environmental protection,” Bowman told CBC Toronto Friday.

October 16, 2020

Since taking power, the PCs have made several changes to environmental policies, including the Endangered Species Act, scrapping carbon pricing and electric vehicle rebates. 

But the government has also repeatedly said it is tackling the climate crisis. Environment Minister David Piccini is attending the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. His office said he is there to “build international partnerships for Ontario’s clean industry, explore emerging best practices, and contribute the province’s voice to the global conversation.”

When questioned about why its fall economic statement last week just mentioned climate change only twice, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy pointed out his government is investing $295 million to upgrade Ford’s Oakville assembly plant to make electric vehicles, matching the federal government’s contribution.

“That’s going to reduce emissions,” he said. 

He also pointed to his government’s investments in expansive transit projects, namely in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The province is budgeting $61.6 billion for transit over the next decade, three times more than the $22.9 billion allotted for highways. (CBC) 

 

Friday May 26, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 26, 2017

Trudeau praises benefits of NATO intelligence sharing amid anger at U.S.

February 22, 2017

Canada’s deeply entrenched role in the fight against global extremism is more focused these days on intelligence-gathering — and sharing — than on putting more boots on the ground in the Middle East, Justin Trudeau suggested Thursday.

“The track record has shown that collaboration and co-operation between allies, friends and partners has saved lives and keeps all of our citizens safe,” Trudeau said at the outset of a daylong NATO meeting in Brussels.

October 6, 2014

“We are going to continue to collaborate and to work together to ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep citizens and our communities safe.”

Trudeau suggested the role that Canada now plays in fighting terrorism is through its membership in the so-called Five Eyes, an intelligence-sharing alliance that also includes the U.S., the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.

February 22, 2005

“We continue to be an important and trusted ally in the global intelligence community,” said Trudeau, who noted he would not go into detail.

“There are many, many occasions upon which we have directly participated and in other occasions directly benefited form information-sharing between security agencies and at the highest level.”

And while NATO agreed to assess its “level of support and the future of the mission” in Afghanistan, Trudeau betrayed no enthusiasm for sending soldiers back.

July 22, 2013

“We have no troops in Afghanistan at this time, but we are happy to be supportive in other ways.”

Trump has also been vocal about his demand for the other members of NATO to pick up their fair share of the tab when it comes to defence spending. Canada spends just over one per cent of its GDP on defence, just half of NATO’s target.

The Liberal government says its contribution is bigger than the numbers suggest, citing its commitment to send up to 455 troops to head up a multinational mission in Latvia, as part of efforts to curb Russian aggression in the Baltics. (Source: Toronto Star)

 

Wednesday February 22, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday February 22, 2017

Trudeau says Canada one of NATO’s ‘strongest actors’ without committing more money

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke about Canada’s diverse contributions to the NATO partnership without committing to up its defence spending when he addressed a news conference in Berlin.

Trudeau and Angela Merkel addressed reporters Friday following their morning meeting and an impromptu dinner Thursday at the German chancellor’s invitation.

Trump has called the 28-country alliance obsolete and U.S. Defence Secretary James Mattis told his fellow defence ministers in Brussels this week that while the United States still holds NATO in high regard, it expects its allies to start spending more on defence or the Trump administration will “moderate its commitment.”

Germany has signalled it will heed the warning and make attempts to boost defence spending, which Merkel brought up when asked about it on Friday.

But in Ottawa, there’s little indication that any increase in NATO-specific defence spending is on the horizon.

‘Germany and Canada have always been among the strongest actors in NATO.’- Justin Trudeau

Canada currently spends 0.99 per cent of gross domestic product on defence. That’s below the NATO target of two per cent of GDP, which only a handful of alliance countries have met.

On Friday, Trudeau said that two per cent target is one all NATO countries agreed to, but there are many ways of looking at a country’s contributions to the alliance.

“When you look at the countries that regularly step up — delivering troops, participating in missions, being there to do the heavy lifting in the alliance — Germany and Canada have always been amongst the strongest actors in NATO,” he said.

He made the case that Canada is leading the battle group in Latvia, and working to procure more aircraft and ships for its military as two examples.(Source: CBC News)