With a Straight Face

I wonder what it is going to take for someone to actually confront this guy when he spouts off his bafflegab. In fact, when is someone going to credibly question his Climate Change Hoax?

It's incredible really to witness the daily attacks by right-wing opinion writers on the Green Shift, yet none them explain the Conservative plan, but then again, most of them don't believe in Climate Change so perhaps they don't support their master's plan either.

More important though than the opinion writers, are the journalists. They report on the Green Shift and Dion's tour which is good in terms of publicity, but in general they speak to it being a 'tough sell'. Why? Because the Con interpretation of it seems to be the base from which they operate. Does anyone remember such scrutiny and reporting on the Con plan? I surely don't.

Here's the thing. Baird is running around saying things like:

"A company could simply buy their way out of the problem by simply paying the tax and continuing to go forward, putting carbon into the atmosphere," Baird told reporters in Vancouver on Friday.

Note, he told this to reporters, more than one. Why wouldn't at least one of them refer to the Con program that says this:

Making contributions to a technology fund. Firms could meet part of their obligations by contributing to a fund that will be used to develop and deploy technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions now and in the future.

Domestic emissions trading. Firms that do better than their targets will receive credits that could be sold to those who are unable to meet them. Credits could also "banked" for future use.

Offsets. As part of the domestic emissions trading, firms could acquire credits by purchasing emissions reductions from activities that are not regulated (e.g. emissions from agriculture). This is a way to engage other sectors of the Canadian economy to make greenhouse gas reductions.

Aren't those ways to buy your way out of actually changing behaviour?

The other thing that Baird and others often spew is how the cost to consumers will increase as a result of industry passing on increased costs to their customers.

Why don't journalists refer to another point in the Con plan?

Canada's New Government understands that Canadians are concerned about climate change and air pollution on a local, national and global scale. But Canadians cannot expect others to act unless they are prepared to share the responsibility and take significant action at home.

We have developed a plan to implement mandatory reductions in emissions and which targets all of the major sources of greenhouse gases and air pollution: industry, transportation, and consumer and commercial products. It will deliver significant emissions reductions but it can also lead to noticeable price increases for consumer products such as vehicles, natural gas, electricity, and household appliances.

The economic costs associated with this initiative are real but manageable.

It truly is astonishing that the two major points being criticised by the Con's are also a part of their plan, yet no one in the media is speaking to that fact. Why?

One final point about this Canadian Press piece. When speaking to the Green Party the journalist was told this:

Adriane Carr, deputy leader of the federal Green Party, was skeptical about both federal parties' plans.
She said the best solution is a combination of taxes and emissions caps.

"We need both," she said. "He's making it sound like it's one or the other."

Who's he? Baird or Dion? The journalist doesn't tell us but implies through the sequence of preceding quotes that he/she means Dion. Why isn't it pointed out that the Lib's agree completely and intend to implement a cap and trade system as well. Is the journalist schooled enough in the Green Shift to be asking questions about it?

The lack of scrutiny into the NDP plan is equally pathetic. Their plan will also increase prices obviously, but that is never mentioned.

So every one's plan will increase prices for consumers and only one will mitigate that reality for Canadians, the Liberal plan. Have you seen that written in any newspaper? I haven't.

Wouldn't it be nice to have the full story once in a while?