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Wednesday November 8, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 8, 2023

Pierre Poilievre’s Climate Strategy: More Rhetoric Than Real Solutions

July 22, 2023

Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader, might be adept at crafting catchy slogans like “Ax the Tax,” but his energy and climate proposals fall notably short in addressing Canada’s commitments to the Paris Agreement and the urgent need to combat climate change. His staunch opposition to carbon pricing, while championing a plan focused on technological advancements and the expansion of certain energy projects, raises serious doubts about its efficacy and long-term impact.

In his pursuit to dismantle the carbon tax, Poilievre champions an alternative approach emphasizing technology-driven solutions. He touts small modular nuclear reactors, hydroelectric dams, and tidal wave power as the key to an emissions-free energy future. However, his strategy lacks a comprehensive roadmap to meet Canada’s Paris Agreement targets or effectively combat the escalating climate crisis.

News: NDP-backed Conservative motion to expand carbon tax carve-out to all home heating defeated in the House 

March 23, 2021

Poilievre’s ambiguous stance on the Paris Agreement’s 2030 targets, coupled with his criticism of Trudeau’s carbon tax efforts, lacks a concrete alternative to address the pressing need for immediate and aggressive climate action. His reliance on technology as a panacea fails to acknowledge the urgency of transitioning away from fossil fuels. This neglect of substantial measures, such as wind and solar power, in favor of bolstering oil and gas production, reveals a lack of alignment with globally recognized climate objectives.

While the cost of carbon pricing may become more noticeable for Canadians, it remains a crucial mechanism to steer individual decisions towards greener alternatives, as exemplified by the surge in electric vehicle sales. However, Poilievre’s adamance against carbon pricing as a deterrent for burning fossil fuels overlooks its effectiveness in reducing transportation emissions, especially evident in the latest figures.

Moreover, his proposal to expedite project approvals without a clear framework on safety and environmental standards raises concerns about potential trade-offs for expedited progress.

September 23, 2014

Poilievre’s plan mirrors a concerning trend within the Conservative Party’s approach to climate change. While there’s acknowledgment of the issue’s reality, the proposed strategies lack the necessary depth and feasibility to tackle the impending climate crisis effectively. His continued dismissal of carbon pricing and heavy reliance on fossil fuel expansion in an era demanding a swift transition to renewable energy casts serious doubt on the Conservative Party’s commitment to genuine climate action.

Opinion:  Where are Pierre Poilievre’s climate change policies?

As Canada stands on the brink of surpassing critical climate thresholds, Poilievre’s strategy falls short of addressing the imminent catastrophic consequences forecasted by experts, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the loss of Arctic ice.

July 29, 2023

With global temperatures escalating and the urgency to mitigate climate change growing more pressing, Poilievre’s proposition of technology over taxes appears more as a political ploy than a sincere effort to combat the impending climate catastrophe. Canadians should scrutinize these proposals, demanding a more comprehensive and robust climate strategy from political leaders rather than empty rhetoric and slogans.

Ultimately, the looming question remains: Can Poilievre’s proposed plan truly deliver on Canada’s obligations to combat climate change and meet international commitments? It seems, for now, the answer remains elusive and doubtful. (AI)
September 27, 2023 – What can we do to continue our progress to decarbonization?  Spotlight by Fady Jameel.

Wednesday March 29, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 29, 2023

Canada’s Refugee Policy Takes a Hit: The Impact of Biden-Trudeau Border Deal and OHIP Cuts

March 3, 2023

Canada has been praised for its openness policy to refugees and asylum seekers in the past, but recent developments suggest this may no longer be the case. The recent border deal between Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau will see Canada officially accept 15,000 asylum-seekers from the Western hemisphere while also giving Canada the right to send back migrants who attempt to enter the country through unofficial crossings. Migrants were reportedly stunned by the new deal, which took effect immediately without notice. Migration advocates and experts warn that the amendment will drive asylum-seekers underground and could lead to increased deaths. Meanwhile, the Ford government in Ontario has ended OHIP health care coverage for undocumented migrants, making it more difficult for them to access healthcare. Critics say the changes are part of a trend of rich countries trying to ensure asylum-seekers never get to their borders. However, Christopher Sands, director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center, says there’s a sound political logic to the deal. It will alleviate pressure on the US border with its acceptance of 15,000 asylum-seekers while closing unofficial crossings, which may play well for the Liberals and the Democrats with their voters. (AI)

Trudeau to announce US-Canada asylum deal after Biden talks

Ford government cuts off medical funding for the uninsured — and a doctor finds it ‘shocking’ 

 

Friday December 16, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 16, 2022

‘Stand on the side of the common people,’ Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tells caucus

In a speech to his caucus ahead of the holidays, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said it is his party’s job to “stand on the side of the common people.”

Ahead of a closed-door meeting, Poilievre spoke to Conservative parliamentarians in front of the media, telling his MPs and senators that it is their job as the Official Opposition “always to stand on the side of the common people.”

“Their paycheques, their savings, their homes, their country,” Poilievre said, asking his caucus to spend some time during the break reflecting on how Conservatives can do that in the new year.

“I hope you have a wonderful break with your families, a time to renew and rebuild your energy to come back in fighting form on behalf of Canadians,” Poilievre said. “But it’s also a time over Christmas to think of the less fortunate, those who have less, those who are struggling more. Unfortunately, those people are more numerous than ever before.”

September 3, 2021

During his remarks, delivered first in French and then in English, the Conservative leader capped off his first fall sitting at the helm of the party by delivering a laundry list of ways he thinks Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal Liberals are failing.

From the cost-of-living crunch prompting some Canadians to turn to food banks, to young Canadians “stuck in their parents’ basements” because of housing unaffordability, Poilievre called for “legal limits” on federal spending to try to bring down inflation.

“The cost of government is driving up the cost of living,” he said, repeating one of his most-used talking points since becoming party leader.

Poilievre also spoke about public safety concerns, from the growing number of drug overdoses in Canada, to the ongoing contention over the Liberals’ gun control legislation Bill C-21 and their push to considerably expand the number of firearms that would be prohibited.

September 5, 2019

“So instead of putting time, money, and resources into attacking Indigenous people, hunters and farmers, Conservatives will protect those people’s rights and go after the real criminals to keep Canadians safe,” said Poilievre.

The Conservative leader also spoke about his concerns over the state of the Canadian health-care system, which he said was coming apart “at the seams.”

“It boils my blood to sit in a waiting room with my daughter, who’s got from time to time a migraine headache, while she waits and waits along with the other little children because of doctor shortages,” he said. Poilievre vowed that if his party was in power he’d work with the provinces to allow more qualified immigrants to practice medicine, more quickly.

“It is true that Canadians are hurting, but it is our job as the Official Opposition to turn that hurt into hope. To inspire people that a real improvement in their lives is possible, that the dream that brought them here as immigrants or the dream with which they were raised when they were born here, can be rekindled,” Poilievre said. “That is our purpose my friends.” (CTV) 

 

Friday April 30, 2021

April 30, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday April 30, 2021

Cabinet’s ability to award Buy American exemptions ‘strenuously limited,’ Biden says

President Joe Biden set some Canadian pulses racing again Wednesday with more tough Buy American talk, telling Congress he has “strenuously limited” cabinet members from granting exemptions to the 88-year-old protectionist doctrine. 

February 23, 2021

In the same breath, however, the speech marking Biden’s first 100 days as commander-in-chief offered a measure of comfort by suggesting Buy American would not offend the terms of trade deals like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. 

“American tax dollars are going to be used to buy American products, made in America, to create American jobs. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, and it will be in this administration,” Biden declared. 

The notion of keeping U.S. government spending on American soil, a philosophy that dates back to 1933, will be the “one principle” guiding the $2.2-trillion infrastructure package dubbed the American Jobs Plan, he added. 

“I might note, parenthetically, that does not violate any trade agreement. It’s been the law since the ’30s,” Biden said through sustained applause in the House chamber, where COVID-19 allowed only a relative handful of lawmakers to attend. 

September 17, 2020

“I’ve made it clear to all my cabinet people: their ability to give exemptions has been strenuously limited. It will be American products.”

Much of what Biden said on the subject, including mention of trade agreements and cabinet members, did not appear in the prepared version of his remarks distributed to reporters before the speech. 

And it offered little solace or clarity for Canadian stakeholders still smarting from the punishing steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by Biden’s stridently protectionist predecessor, Donald Trump. 

“Those policies continue to concern us — ‘Made in America’ failed to embrace the integrated nature that we have in the steel business,” said Catherine Cobden, head of the Canadian Steel Producers Association. 

“Protectionism between neighbours and allies hurts everyone. We’re really hopeful that that’s not the way this plays out.”

The picture is likely to become more clear by midsummer, when an internal review of the existing rules — including how domestic content is defined and whether information and communication technology should be covered — is due. (Canadian Press)