If you haven’t heard, the Conservative Government of Canada has quietly pulled the plug on the highly successful federal EnerGuide program which promotes energy efficiency. Specifically this program provides cash rebates to encourage consumers to buy energy efficient appliances, hybrid vehicles and improve on a home’s heating and cooling systems and insulation.
I guess this shouldn’t be a surprise after all the Harper Government is soft on environmental issues and has turned Canada into a joke by basically backing out of Kyoto. Well it hasn’t done that officially the Conservatives are developing a “Made in Canada” plan. Sounds like what the American’s are doing, at least the Conservatives are not claiming that global warming is a myth.
Another embarrassing note, Canada’s Environment Minister Laurel Broten is chair of the UN Conference on Climate Change. Yeah I’m sure the rest of the world will take her and Canada seriously…
I know the Liberals environment record was poor but this is just terrible.
“The government’s cancellation of these popular, effective programs is very bad news for residential energy efficiency in this country,” said Clifford Maynes, executive director of Green Communities Canada, a Peterborough-based group of environmental service organizations.
“I am baffled by the decision because it seems to be exactly what they say they want,” said Mary Jane Patterson, manager of the Residential Energy Efficiency Program in Waterloo. “It’s a Canadian program through and through. It’s very accountable because of the (energy) evaluations. The grants are based on results” and the project is effective in reducing pollution, she said.
Source – The Star
If you’re considering getting new appliances for your home or a new car, please do not let the cancellation of EnerGuide discourage you from buying something energy efficient. It might cost more in the short term but what you save in the long run well makes up for it and helps the environment. Every little bit does help, do your part!
Now don’t go making the Liberals into Environmental champions just because they didn’t have the balls to outright say they didn’t want anything to do with Kyoto. Outside of dropping out of the agreement alltogether, they did everything they could to make sure Canada’s commitments were never met: that is, absolutely nothing.
The Conservatives are simply doing what they do best, finding all the half-assed jobs the Liberals did and getting rid of them, good parts and all, and replacing them with tax cuts, corporate control or empty rhetoric (another Liberal strength).
Like the Americans though, we deserve what we voted for. We voted for inaction for 12years, then brought in people whom we knew full well would destroy any progress made in that time. People ask me why I’m bitter all the time. This is why.
Haha while I’m a LIberal guy I have to agree that their environmental policy was quite lousy. I was upset at the party for signing on Kyoto and ignoring our respondsibilities but realistically the Conservatives are worse.
You know, the Conservatives won the last election but they’re still ripping the LIberals instead of trying to move ahead on real issues which seems like an election campaign. I hope that the electorate realizes that they’ve done nothing but complain since they’ve been in office.
I agree with you though, we voted them in (I voted Liberal)… I guess the appeal of tax cuts was simply too much, ooo 1% on the GST, yeah that’ll make a big difference.
That’s just it: the Conservatives are still campaigning. They know that they can’t do any real damage until they have the majority, so they’re biding their time and pushing key issues like softwood lumber (BC) and equalisation payments (QC) so they can get the votes they need for the next election.
You’ll note that they’ avoiding Ontario. I think they’re going to try to take a majority without any support from this province — which, as a BC’er brings a smile to my face… even though I’m aware of the implications.
Heh Harper is already running things like he has a majority, during the last election, he was relatively warm and open and once he’s in power, we see he’s still the same cold guy.
They’ll never win a majority without the support of Ontario. While they might be making inroads in Quebec, their support will not eat enough BQ seats. In a way I’m almost glad they’re neglecting Ontario, hopefully next time around less people in this province will vote for the “Conservatives”.
I wonder how long this government will last… Minority governments usually last between 18-24 months, you think this one has enough to get that long? 😉
The next government will be a Conservative majority and the election will be called exactly when the Conservatives want it to happen.
My guess is that they’ll bring up some high-profile “sounds good on the surface” legislation and try to push it through with some ugliness attached to it (for example a fixed elections act with some sort of restriction on the non-confidence vote). The Liberals and NDP will have to fight it, and the Conservatives will make it a confidence vote. The ensuing election then will be filled with propaganda claiming that the NDP and Liberals “don’t support democracy” etc. etc.
These people aren’t stupid, and they’re WAY more organised than any of the other parties.
Hmm, I have a hard time seeing any party winning a majority the next time around. Haha as a BC’er, I guess you’re sorta happy that it’s the Reform, I mean Conservatives in power. 😉 In any case the next election will definitely be a scary time and the thought of a majority Conservative government makes me shutter.