Feds plan to make West foot bill for Kyoto fiasco
November 7, 2005
Bull's-eye on our backs
Feds plan to make West foot bill for Kyoto fiasco
By Ezra Levant
While the nation's eyes were on AdScam, federal Environment Minister Stephane Dion quietly made an announcement about the Kyoto Protocol.
Quebec, he promised, will only have to bear 7% of Canada's pain to implement the pact.
Quebec makes up 24% of Canada's population, but it is guaranteed 33% of the seats on the Supreme Court. Quebec receives 45% of Canada's equalization payments. Fully 62% of the Liberal MPs from Quebec are cabinet ministers or parliamentary secretaries. The Canadian prime minister has come from Quebec for 96% of the last 37 years and 100% of the last 12 years.
But when it comes to lifting the load, well that's another story. That's why Dion announced -- in Quebec and in French of course -- that Alberta and Saskatchewan would be picking up most of the tab on Kyoto.
Dion aide Brigitte Caron, expanded on the theme. "The minister wants to demonstrate that no-one wants to demand more from Quebec (than of other provinces)." Well, he demonstrated that -- by painting a bull's-eye on the back of each Albertan and Saskatchewanian.
What's ironic is Quebec has been one of the loudest voices for the Kyoto Protocol. Its premier, Jean Charest, was once a pro-Kyoto federal environment minister. The Bloc Quebecois has been one of the biggest pro-Kyoto tub-thumpers in Parliament.
Yet, when it comes to implementing Kyoto, they expect the burdens to be borne by others -- others who oppose Kyoto. It's the same logic of most green activists: They demand lower use of fuels, but squawk when the price of gas goes up. They want to be environmental, but at someone else's expense. Scratch that: They don't even want to be environmental -- they just want to be environmentally self-righteous.
This, by the way, is the second part of the National Energy Program two-step. The first part is the desire to grab the West's oil wealth; the second is the means.
The first part was also articulated in French, in Quebec, by a Liberal cabinet minister. In August, Quebec's senior Liberal, Jean Lapierre, announced the intention to "even things out" with Alberta.
"The federal government has the duty to be a real partner (to Quebec), especially since as a government we benefit from the West's wealth," Lapierre told the Sherbrooke Tribune. "So we have to redistribute the wealth. After all, the good fortune of the West could become a disaster for the East."
That's the desire -- the envy. If you need more convincing, ask the federal Liberal campaign co-chair in Quebec: Marc Lalonde, Trudeau's energy minister from the NEP days.
The means to achieve this desire is the Kyoto Protocol. When listening to Liberal denials that they plan to bring in another NEP, it's best to listen as one would to, say, Bill Clinton. Look at the precise choice of words.
When Clinton claimed he "did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky", he pretended he was telling the truth, because he didn't consider what he and Lewinsky did to be "sexual relations".
When today's Liberals say they would never bring in the National Energy Program again, they make the same mental reservation. They'll bring in a National Environmental Program that has the same effect. But it will be about Kyoto, they'll say. Totally different, they'll say. They weren't lying, they'll say.
In August, Lapierre explained the desire: Take the West's money. Last week, Dion explained the plan: Make Alberta pay for Kyoto. Anyone still think they don't mean it?
Levant is Publisher of the Western Standard
Bull's-eye on our backs
Feds plan to make West foot bill for Kyoto fiasco
By Ezra Levant
While the nation's eyes were on AdScam, federal Environment Minister Stephane Dion quietly made an announcement about the Kyoto Protocol.
Quebec, he promised, will only have to bear 7% of Canada's pain to implement the pact.
Quebec makes up 24% of Canada's population, but it is guaranteed 33% of the seats on the Supreme Court. Quebec receives 45% of Canada's equalization payments. Fully 62% of the Liberal MPs from Quebec are cabinet ministers or parliamentary secretaries. The Canadian prime minister has come from Quebec for 96% of the last 37 years and 100% of the last 12 years.
But when it comes to lifting the load, well that's another story. That's why Dion announced -- in Quebec and in French of course -- that Alberta and Saskatchewan would be picking up most of the tab on Kyoto.
Dion aide Brigitte Caron, expanded on the theme. "The minister wants to demonstrate that no-one wants to demand more from Quebec (than of other provinces)." Well, he demonstrated that -- by painting a bull's-eye on the back of each Albertan and Saskatchewanian.
What's ironic is Quebec has been one of the loudest voices for the Kyoto Protocol. Its premier, Jean Charest, was once a pro-Kyoto federal environment minister. The Bloc Quebecois has been one of the biggest pro-Kyoto tub-thumpers in Parliament.
Yet, when it comes to implementing Kyoto, they expect the burdens to be borne by others -- others who oppose Kyoto. It's the same logic of most green activists: They demand lower use of fuels, but squawk when the price of gas goes up. They want to be environmental, but at someone else's expense. Scratch that: They don't even want to be environmental -- they just want to be environmentally self-righteous.
This, by the way, is the second part of the National Energy Program two-step. The first part is the desire to grab the West's oil wealth; the second is the means.
The first part was also articulated in French, in Quebec, by a Liberal cabinet minister. In August, Quebec's senior Liberal, Jean Lapierre, announced the intention to "even things out" with Alberta.
"The federal government has the duty to be a real partner (to Quebec), especially since as a government we benefit from the West's wealth," Lapierre told the Sherbrooke Tribune. "So we have to redistribute the wealth. After all, the good fortune of the West could become a disaster for the East."
That's the desire -- the envy. If you need more convincing, ask the federal Liberal campaign co-chair in Quebec: Marc Lalonde, Trudeau's energy minister from the NEP days.
The means to achieve this desire is the Kyoto Protocol. When listening to Liberal denials that they plan to bring in another NEP, it's best to listen as one would to, say, Bill Clinton. Look at the precise choice of words.
When Clinton claimed he "did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky", he pretended he was telling the truth, because he didn't consider what he and Lewinsky did to be "sexual relations".
When today's Liberals say they would never bring in the National Energy Program again, they make the same mental reservation. They'll bring in a National Environmental Program that has the same effect. But it will be about Kyoto, they'll say. Totally different, they'll say. They weren't lying, they'll say.
In August, Lapierre explained the desire: Take the West's money. Last week, Dion explained the plan: Make Alberta pay for Kyoto. Anyone still think they don't mean it?
Levant is Publisher of the Western Standard
posted by Gerry Surtees at Saturday, November 19, 2005
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