New Kid on the Block

So Michael Byers has apparently decided to run in the next election, for the NDP, in Vancouver Centre.

He's a good catch for them and in fact on Human Rights issues I tend to agree with him often. He's also obviously well versed on the Arctic and the environment. It is for that reason that I find this comment by him, odd:

I’ve studied the various federal party policies on climate change. The NDP policy makes the most sense. And it respects individual citizens. The Liberals want to force Canadians to change their behaviour through taxes; the NDP wants to help Canadians to change with solutions.

He's obviously already got the language of a politician down pat as he ignores the fact that the NDP Cap and Trade plan takes longer to implement and that it too will place a price on carbon that consumers will feel. He also fails to acknowledge that the Lib's will help consumers to adjust to new habits by easing the pain at the front end through income tax cuts and the NDP have no such plan. He further fails to mention that he previously didn't seem to have any aversion to a carbon tax. Here for instance.

At the same time, Harper argues that a carbon tax and other market-based measures for curbing emissions would somehow damage the Canadian economy. But Norway, a major oil and gas exporter, introduced a carbon tax in 1991 and has seen its economy grow faster than Canada's ever since.

For this reason, one can't help but think that the Prime Minister is trying to create a wedge between the Conservatives as defenders of skeptical self-interest and economic responsibility, and the Liberals, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Greens on the side of environmental alarmism and fiscal imprudence.

Whatever his motives, Harper's stance is downright nasty. For rather than simply sitting on the sidelines, he's actively seeking to block urgent action on the part of other countries.

Or here.

On climate change, geography gives us the potential to be a leader in wind, solar, geothermal and tidal power. Let's change our tax system to favour sustainable energy sources, and stop the lunacy of unrestrained development in the Alberta oil sands. Let's recognize – as the Danes and Germans have – that those who make technological advances first, reap the greatest gains.

Fair enough, perhaps he changed his mind, or perhaps he just found his ideological fit in a broad sense and now must repeat their speaking points. Interestingly enough though, he has in the past described himself as a Red Tory, (in the tradition of John A. MacDonald and Diefenbaker), who now finds himself on the right-hand side of the NDP. I'm not sure that I follow that logic.

He's an interesting (though not a surprising) addition to the NDP team and I'm certain they are pleased as punch.

Now, let's see how he's treated by the press, specifically on the environment. Conservative columnists will be salivating to both attack and defend him, because after all, he's anti-Dion. Tough choice guy's. My bet is they'll ignore the story or twist it in such a way that they may want to consider a career change.

Pretzel makers are in demand I hear.

Update - It looks like Byers maybe had a change of heart when a seat wasn't guaranteed to him by the Lib's.