Ending Greed

Someone told me one day (maybe my mom) that in a democracy, we have the politicians that reflect who we are… If so, can we stop to be that much greedy, let’s say for the next 50 years…?

The Conservative are heading towards a majority government in Canada and the Republicans in the US might keep the Whitehouse for another 4 years. Both elections this year looks like a gong show about who are going to lower taxes the most; which party is going to bring you the most money into our pocket. As Canadians, do we really need all those extra dollars?? We were taught to vote for the politicians who will best represent my interest. So it could have nothing wrong with having more money to spend, but where in our democracy are we caring about the next generation? We got from my grandparent generation polluted rivers and lakes from pulp mill, manufactures and mines. My parent’s generation will give us depleted oceans, more polluted rivers with industrial agriculture, a bunch of toxic waste from large scale industrial complex and most likely catastrophic climate change.

Could my generation aims giving back rivers and lakes that you can swim into without fearing about your health; a stable climate, where people can live with secure food and housing; clean air where you can bike to your school or workplace, without inhaling dangerous smog or poisonous gas or particulate matters? Could we accept that doing this won’t be easy and will cost money, but what a good investment for the future?

There is a good website about how to vote strategically next elections, and avoid a Conservative government holding a majority…
www.voteforclimate.ca
Other interesting website:
http://www.voteenvironment2008.ca/
http://www.powerupcanada.ca/

Fall political season is ON

The fall political season is getting exciting and/or depressing. We are going to be experiencing elections both in Canada and in the US.

On this side of the border, the next government will likely be either a second Harper government with its friendly oil lobby, or less likely a new Dion government, with a Green Shift program. Unfortunately for the green advocates, Dion’s party is very week in many part of Canada, especially in Québec. The oil lobby might get even stronger in Ottawa for the next 4 years, and the climate change activists will probably be very busy with protests and petitions.

On the South side of the border, Republican John Mc Cain just picked a human induced climate change denier as his running mate. The irony is that Mrs. Palin is the governor of Alaska, where climate change is and will be the most visible. I’m hoping that the hotness of Mrs. Palin won’t seduce America too long and the Artic Wildlife Refugee will stay wild, free of oil drilling.

If both Harper and Republicans win this fall, it will be a huge blow on the moral of those friendly climate change activists but more dramatic, quite a set back for our planet.