Forget Trudeau's Greenwashing. Deeds, Not Words.


The Dauphin has his fanboys swooning over his choice of a climate activist, Steven Guilbeault, as environment minister.  Is Mr. Guilbeault the real deal or just window dressing for a prime minister expert in greenwashing, one who prefers words, not deeds.

Trudeau, disingenuous? Who says?

G20 leaders will be gathering in Rome this weekend, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will arrive with a new record in hand: Canada has given more from the public coffers to the oil and gas industry than any of its peers.

The new analysis from Oil Change International and Friends of the Earth U.S. found from 2018 to 2020, G20 countries provided at least US$63 billion per year to the fossil fuel industry. Over that same period, Canada was found to have given at least $11 billion (about C$13.6 billion) to the oil and gas sector, mostly through Export Development Canada, representing nearly 20 per cent of the G20 total.

Canada “is clearly a huge laggard on this file, which does track with other ways to measure leadership on climate,” said Oil Change International’s public finance campaign manager Bronwen Tucker.

The report found Canada, Japan, Korea, and China to be the worst offenders, providing to the fossil fuel industry US$11 billion, $10.9 billion, $10.6 billion, and $7.3 billion per year, respectively. Japan also found itself among the top three spenders on renewable energy, along with France and Germany, which provided $1.3 billion, $1.4 billion, and $2.8 billion, respectively.

As for Mr. Guilbeault, he's been quick to assure the oil patch that the exigencies of the new job means he'll put aside his opposition to bitumen and pipelines. A guy's gotta do what a guy has to do.


Comments

  1. TrailblazerOctober 28, 2021 at 6:59 PM

    We; Canada are becoming an embarrassment to those that believe in AGW.
    The land of clean mountain air, crystal clear lakes the list of deflections of truth are many.

    Perhaps Trudeau could sway us by giving Canada , not just Provinces, a national resource royalty programme?
    I fear that to do so would create an imbalance of power that would not be political but between political doners and elected officials.

    TB






    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Disaffected LibOctober 28, 2021 at 11:03 PM

      Many of us don't want to know, Trailblazer. We cling to the Canada the Good image we were brought up with and there was a time when that was at least arguable. When the image became blemished it wasn't always easy to accept.

      For me the worst was when Canada stopped trying to be the 'honest broker' to the world. There was a time when, for example with Israel, we allied with neither side in order that we might serve as an intermediary that could be trusted. Lester Pearson is the leader best associated with this but PET pursued the same basic goal. Few nations in need of that facilitator see us as an honest broker any longer.

      Delete
  2. Northern PoVOctober 29, 2021 at 6:48 AM

    Steven Guilbeault. Yet another fallen hero.
    (lie him down next to May, Weaver Dr Patrick Moore and many more)

    As I said over at the Northern blog:

    What's the point of power if, after achieving it, you betray your basic cause?

    (Mark 8:36 anyone?)

    Brings to mind the more recent advice from a revered poet:
    "Don't follow leaders, watch the parkin' meters"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGxjIBEZvx0


    Give the keys and alarm codes to Greta and her friends and get out of the way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Disaffected LibOctober 30, 2021 at 8:08 AM

      If there is any reality to these dire warnings about running out of time and what awaits slackers, a lot of these charlatans will stand exposed. Eventually their words won't matter as their deeds are felt.

      In a way we're already nearing that 'deeds not words' era. The climate impacts of this summer - heat domes, drought, wildfires, and, more recently weather bombs and atmospheric rivers - show that the consequences of our leaders' failures are tangible, visible. Now it's easier to believe the predictions of a more difficult time ahead.

      Even on GHG emissions, the current government has nothing to boast of as we go to Glasgow with a miserable record under Liberal rule. Mr. Trudeau's most ardent followers content themselves with the sizzle because there ain't no steak to go with it.

      Delete

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