Alas, Canada’s 40th election, I suppose, is not the environmental election I was hoping for but simply the carbon election of 2008. For most of us small ‘g’ green voters, an important issue has been twisted for partisan gain and has drowned out a much larger agenda that Canadians deserve to see debated.—It’s the environment, stupid. Not just carbon taxes
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The Sierra Club focuses exclusively on Global Warming in their voter guide (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/09/05/reportcard.html) for a good reason.
If we fail on this issue, we fail at being green. No amount of conservation or chemicals management will be as important as the climate impacts of unchecked global warming.
Simon Jackson wants to see his favorite charismatic animal saved by setting aside more land. Land mass won’t suffice in the face of climate chaos. Entire species can die because of unanticipated effects: see e.g. http://climateprogress.org/2008/09/16/oldest-utah-newspaper-bark-beetle-driven-wildfires-are-a-vicious-climate-cycle/
The Sierra Club used to have a laundry list of goals, with suspect grading. This is a better strategy: politicians can’t get cheap points for regulating chemical Z, or setting aside a few more parks. They pass or fail based on the one issue that overwhelms all others – and presently, the Conservatives are leading Canada to be one of the world’s worst and most embarrassing failures.
And, sadly, will keep failing if poles are to be trusted. :(
Speaking of which, coalition governenments can happen here right?
As far as I know, there’s nothing preventing a coalition government. That would require the Liberals to work with the NDP and/or Bloc and maybe the Greens – unlikely, but it would be very interesting.