Canadian federal budget a step forward on climate change
Ottawa, Canada, March 29, 2012: “The International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) congratulates the Government of Canada for removing from the federal Budget the misleading language of previous Budgets concerning clean air and climate change,” said Tom Harris, executive director ICSC which is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. “In past years, this serious science mistake, appearing repeatedly in such an important document, contributed to public confusion about the distinctly different approaches needed to address these two issues. This mistake has now been corrected and therefore a more productive debate about environmental protection will be possible moving forward.”
“We also express our support for the elimination of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE),” stated Dr. Tim Ball, ICSC science advisor and former climatology professor at the University of Winnipeg. “The NRTEE’s biased approach to the climate issue, looking at the impacts on Canada of warming, but ignoring the far more dangerous, and more probable, cooling, contributed to a distortion of the discussion about how best to prepare for future climate change.”
“While we are unable to assess specific climate-related Budget details until the Estimates are released in May, it is encouraging to see essentially no references to the mistaken concept that humanity’s carbon dioxide emissions have a substantial influence on global climate,” said Harris. “This is different to past Budgets where climate change was highlighted as a major factor driving a number of federal initiatives. We encourage the government to now also change the emphasis of their Clean Air Fund and clean energy generation projects to focus solely on the important topic of air quality. Adaptation to climate change is also important, but it is unrelated to clean air so must be treated separately.”
The ICSC is a non-partisan group of scientists, economists and energy and policy experts who are working to promote better understanding of climate science and related policy worldwide. We aim to help create an environment in which a more rational, open discussion about climate issues emerges, thereby moving the debate away from implementation of costly and ineffectual “climate control” measures. Instead, ICSC encourages effective planning for, and adaptation to, inevitable natural climate variability, and continuing scientific research into the causes and impacts of climate change.
ICSC also focuses on publicizing the repercussions of misguided plans to “solve the climate crisis”. This includes, but is not limited to, “carbon” sequestration as well as the dangerous impacts of attempts to replace conventional energy supplies with wind turbines, solar power, most biofuels and other ineffective and expensive energy sources.
For more information about this announcement or ICSC in general, visit http://www.climatescienceinternational.org
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Bravo, some sanity in an insane world.
That’s why Globemedia onwed by the green Thomson Reuters group and Tides Canada are now teaming up against the Harper Government as seen by the increase of coverage given to Tides contributors in the Globe and Mail. All initiatives such as LeadNow.ca, OpenMedia.ca, The Tyee, the NotOurBudget.ca protesters who interrupted the budget today that is powered by LeadNow, are all funded by Tides Canada.
For the past few weeks, in fact since the Gateway pipeline affair and the exposed funding of envrionmental groups by US “charities”, Globemedia has been lining up with Tides astroturfed initiatives.
Tides and the David Suzuki Foundation are concerned that their charitable status is examined closely and might be revoked in light of their open and/or covert political lobbying that has nothing to do with charity.
Let’s hope the Canadian government will go further and strip these lobbyists of their favorable tax status that make them obtaining favors on the back of all Canadians!
Canada might also change to smarter rules for fish habitat:
“Fisheries and Oceans Minister Keith Ashfield said the existing policies go “well beyond what is required to protect fish and fish habitat.
“Last year in Saskatchewan, a long-running country jamboree was nearly cancelled after newly flooded fields were deemed fish habitat by fisheries officials,” said Ashfield in response to Donnelly. “In Richelieu, the applications of rules blocked a farmer from draining his flooded field. We are looking at the policies, but there has been no decision made.” ”
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=6302730
“The budget also has tax-code changes that relate to political advocacy that will affect green charities. Currently, a charity can devote 10 per cent of its budget to political causes. That won’t change, but the Canada Revenue Agency will now get new auditing powers to ensure charities are sticking to the 10 per cent.”
“The government is also eliminating another agency Guilbeault says was a thorn in Ottawa’s side. The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, which conducted regular studies on subjects like the possible effects of a warming planet on the Canadian economy and how to deal with reducing greenhouse gases, will be eliminated.”
“Major resource projects like the Northern Gateway pipeline in British Columbia will complete environmental reviews in less time under new timelines introduced in Thursday’s budget.
Currently, major resource projects can take as long six years to approve.
Under the new rules the whole process will take no more than 24 months.
The speedier assessments are part of the government’s plan to encourage economic growth through resource development.”
“Environmentalists worry that is code for gutting the environmental assessment process.”
🙂
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/03/29/federalbudget-flaherty-environment.html
The Environmentalists, NGOs and socialists in general really hate the Canadian government 🙂
Something good in the budget after all, sadly we still fund CBC and the UN.
Oh Canada!
It is so nice to see a sane govenment in action. I hope the politicians in the USA take notice.
Just checked out ICSC at http://www.climatescienceinternational.org; a good site to mark in Favourites. Noted WUWT is listed on the “Must Read Sites” in the left-hand margin. All in caps too.
I’m Proud to be a Canadian these days. The Conservatives have warts, blemishes and screw ups but compared to any other government in the world they are the best! for the people of Canada, even our massive leftist population are benefiting (though they squeal like pigs at the trough), the economy is in reasonably good shape and the world is looking at our economic model with envy!
Thanks to Prim minister Harper!
the US needs to follow suit.. to include a lot of funding for the crap science…
We all need to go toward an “ecological footprint” rather than
the “carbon footprint” we’ve been following. Homo sapiens
is killing off the other 6,999,999 species too fast. Can’t
the added CO2 in the atmosphere help? I think so.
Good. now if those fools in Washington would only admit the game is over.
I can’t resist this opportunity to boast that my riding’s Member of Parliament (Eglinton-Lawrence), whom I’ve had the pleasure to meet and share a sip of single malt with after he spoke at our synagogue, is the Honourable Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. Today he spoke at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and said that “Canada is facing tremendous opportunity to capitalize on natural resource development and stimulate jobs and growth in a period of global economic uncertainty.” It sure is and we’ve been doing quite well lately too.
And these here are mild-sounding, deceptively soft words, as expected of a Federal Minister, but they signal a sea change in Canadian policy: “Regulatory modernization is an economic fundamental we have to get right and that means the responsible development of our resources while attracting capital to build up our infrastructure.” “Responsible development” and “regulatory medernization.” I like that. The Greenies, the tax-eaters and seat-warmers don’t and they are panicking, because they don’t mean “sustainable development,” more bureaucratic red tape or calling the UN for advice.
See, fellow Yanks, Brits and Aussies? It can be done. Dump your own drones and blood-suckers and let’s get moving before things get worse for all of us. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, really.
JRR Canada says:
March 29, 2012 at 7:33 pm
Something good in the budget after all, sadly we still fund CBC and the UN.>>>
Conservatives can’t deal with a lot of change all at once. Besides, they’re looking for buyers…
Andrew30
Currently, major resource projects can take as long six years to approve.
Under the new rules the whole process will take no more than 24 months.>>>>
Yes! Under the Liberals, projects were carefullyt scrutinized for 6 years and then approved anyway. Under the Conservatives, projects will be carefully scrutinized for 2 years and then approved anyway.
After listening to Sun Media, Ezra Levant. Tides Canada should be investigated for infringing into national security and issues within Canada’s sovereignty as a country. There’s a fair bit of interference from outside of our country being exerted into Canadian policy which comes through donations and support from foreign questionable sources.
Acorn1 – San Diego says:
March 29, 2012 at 8:25 pm
We all need to go toward an “ecological footprint” rather than
the “carbon footprint” we’ve been following. Homo sapiens
is killing off the other 6,999,999 species too fast. Can’t
the added CO2 in the atmosphere help? I think so
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I’ve read your comment several times and cannot decide if you are serious, cleverly saracastic, or just a nut.
The Edmonton Journal published a letter by Tom Harris on March 19.
For the complete letter, see
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Dangerous+diversions/6322998/story.html
“We are told that several leading climate scientists have an association with The Heartland Institute, an American free-market think-tank. The inference is that Canadians can-not trust these “skeptics” and their scientific views may be ignored.”
Way to G “Oh Canada”!
Many leftists in Canada. Or so it seems on the surface. When pressed they can be shrill…but at the same time they seem to want to retain the trappings. Funny old world. I’m glad we have a majority government….it means stability, no matter what your stripe.
Hey I like the CBC even though parts are feel good questionable. I don’t care listening to shrill caffine hyped DJ’s all the time on other stations. Go Harper, I don’t agree with everthing you do, but far better than the alternative by a long shot.
DavidMHofer at 906pm..
I am serious..
There are some seven million species and we’re but one.
We are killing them off because we have taken a large percentage
of the Earth’s land for food.
CO2 is beneficial to food production. Crops grow 10-60 percent
faster now than 100 years ago. Its effect on weather, climate, is
nil….or almost so…forget carbon footprints.
Homo sapiens are so many, we need to use those large brains to
control ourselves.
Thanks for listening…
The Harper Conservatives have generally been competent and have avoided the deep, incestuous corruption that characterized the Chretien Liberals (who, btw, signed the odious Kyoto Protocol).
The Chretien Liberals loved any new large government program like Kyoto, because it enabled them to place a few favorite sons at the top of the new organization and skim large sums back into the pockets of the Liberal Party of Canada and its cronies.
The great folly of Canada was to sign the Kyoto Protocol; but then we were wise enough to not act on it (generally – Doltan McGuinty’s Ontario being the notable exception).
Those foolish countries that did take Kyoto seriously are now saddled with useless, costly “green energy” projects like grid-connected wind and solar power that reduce grid reliability and drive up electricity costs.
__________________________
In other important budget news, Canadians will have no more shiny new pennies…
http://www.bdo.ca/library/publications/tax/budgets/2012/Federal-Budget-Report.pdf
“The government also announced the withdrawal of the penny in order to cut costs, with distribution of the penny to financial institutions to cease in the fall of 2012. The penny will, however, retain its value indefinitely and can continue to be used.”
The CBC, aka “Pravda Canada” has always been a Pavlovian supporter of the Very-Scary Global Warming movement.
Is it not strange that a question of science should be so deeply divided along left-right political lines? The truth is, science left the building long ago, when CAGW became a political mania.
The CBC is dominated by woefully ignorant leftists, who truly believe that if we all worked for the government then somehow the country would run a lot better.
One suspects that the one remaining worker in Canada who produced something of value would have to put in quite a bit of overtime to support the rest of us.
The CBC should simply get out of politics altogether, or be abolished.
“… it is encouraging to see essentially no references to the mistaken concept that humanity’s carbon dioxide emissions have a substantial influence on global climate,” said Harris. “This is different to past Budgets where climate change was highlighted as a major factor driving a number of federal initiatives. We encourage the government to now also change the emphasis of their Clean Air Fund and clean energy generation projects to focus solely on the important topic of air quality. Adaptation to climate change is also important, but it is unrelated to clean air so must be treated separately.”
One of the BIG LIES of the Global Warming Movement has been the attempt by NGO’s and their CAGW government sympathizers to link the 0.04% of colorless, odorless CO2 in the atmosphere with real air pollution – principally NOx, SOx and particulates.
This is a CAGW tactic that has worked well with technically uninformed people, who form a significant portion of the voting public. It is, however, a bold falsehood – a blatant lie.
This is wonderful stuff. The world really is turning away from the insanity. Yes, yes, I know it will take time yet, but – wow – is it good to see! 🙂