Just Add The Environment To Mom, Apple Pie, Etc.

Because bottom line is you are not going to make any significant impact on "global warming" unless all industrial countries are on board and the citizens of those countries, especially North American and Europe, are willing to make what seem like sacrifices.

EDITORIAL: We've got questions about Kyoto
By SUN MEDIA

Here are some questions we'd like the leaders of Canada's three national political parties to answer about Canada's participation in the Kyoto accord on global warming.

To Prime Minister Stephen Harper:

You say the Conservatives support Kyoto, but that we're going to miss its 2012 greenhouse gas emission target by 50%.

Question: How can you support an international treaty on global warming and ignore its key provision?

Doesn't this mean you don't support Kyoto and shouldn't you say so?

And how about explaining to the public that Kyoto is a toothless tiger?

That nothing happens if we don't meet our 2012 target, other than we'll get even tougher targets, that, based on our record to date, we'll continue to ignore?

To Liberal Leader Stephane Dion:

You portray Harper and the Tories as dinosaurs on global warming, yet your party, which signed Kyoto in 1998, did nothing to implement it.

By the time you were tossed from power last year, you were already 35% behind Kyoto's 2012 target.

So how can you self-righteously suggest the Conservatives are dinosaurs on Kyoto when you and your party, to use your rhetoric, are just slightly older dinosaurs?

To NDP Leader Jack Layton:

You keep talking about holding corporations responsible and making them pay for cutting their greenhouse gas emissions.

Question: What magic formula do you know by which a private company hit with increased costs doesn't pass them along to its customers?

And since the public will ultimately pay, why don't you just say that so people will understand the real choices and costs they're facing?

Finally, a question for all three leaders:

While we appreciate hearing from the Conservatives that they're going to reactivate feel-good PR stuff like the Liberals' EnerGuide program they just killed, such measures are window-dressing.

They're fine as far as they go, but they're mainly intended to make the public think government is doing something, as opposed to doing it.

The only way to get people to immediately and dramatically cut their use of fossil fuels -- which is what we would have to do now to meet Kyoto's targets -- would be to dramatically ramp up their prices -- meaning Canadians would face huge, new bills (and taxes) for gas, heat, electricity and almost everything they buy.

So, since all three of you say you're serious about implementing Kyoto, which one of you is prepared to do that?

Anyone?