rwmtest

While researchers noticed the trends relating to greenhouses and the possible impacts on climate in the 1970's, it wasn't until the 1990's that computer modelling allowed a consensus position to form:  greenhouse gases were deeply involved in most climate changes and human-caused emissions were bringing discernible global warming. It was in the 1990's that I took notice, and recognized that artificially cheap energy was always going to be far more costly than the promoters advertised.  This is the case for fossil fuel based energy, as well as nuclear.  The only viable future was one in which the full costs of energy was paid by the consumer, preferably with costs included directly by the producer with minimal or no exceptions.  The goal is energy efficiency, and not continuously switching between false claims of "too cheap to meter". Due to the undue influence of the energy sector on the federal government, there has been considerable delay in doing anything. ...

I've commented on the political right and center , and will offer some personal comments on the federal Canadian left. As I mentioned with the first posting, I don't vote along party lines.  My vote for a candidate nominated by a party, or even a financial contribution to a candidate, is not in any way an endorsement of the party.  I believe nearly every party has great candidates (some of which I hope become or remain MPs), and they also have horrible candidates (who I hope don't get re-elected or elected).  Party affiliation alone doesn't mean anything to me. New Democratic Party I have donated hundreds of dollars to NDP nominated candidates because I wanted them to continue to sit in parliament, and I have donated to the campaign of an NDP nominated candidate who was the most likely candidate to oust a bad candidate (who happened to be nominated by the Liberals). Of the parties long-term parties that nominate candidates where I live (PC which morphed into Conservati...

I posted earlier on the right-wing parties and leadership , and will continue my thoughts on the central parties and leadership. Justin Trudeau, and the Liberal party of Canada Rina Sen, Russell McOrmond, and Justin Trudeau (July 18, 2010) I met Justin Trudeau in 2010  at his constituency office, before he became leader of the Liberal party.  I felt quite optimistic from that meeting, and at the time thought his stance on bringing young people into politics would be positive. When he became Prime Minister after the 2015 election, he likely came in with the most optimistic feelings about him, and the most political capital of any Canadian Prime Minister. He and his closest advisors then burned through that political capital as if it was worthless, and the Liberal party is back in a campaign where the best they have to offer is that they aren't the Conservatives. I have come to think that Justin Trudeau took his self-granted "Minister of Youth" title more seriously than the...

While partisans from opposition parties and supportive multi-partisan interest groups have their own take on what went wrong with electoral reform after the 2015 election, I'll offer a non-partisan take on what Justin Trudeau did wrong. Platforms are increasingly decided by an inner-circle within the bureaucracy of a political party, in close consultation with the party leader and executive.  It is therefore appropriate to focus blame for failures on those few individuals, rather than all candidates or elected members with that party affiliation. We should start with a reminder of what was included in the 2015 Liberal platform We will make every vote count. We are committed to ensuring that 2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.  We will convene an all-party Parliamentary committee to review a wide variety of reforms, such as ranked ballots, proportional representation, mandatory voting, and online voting.  This commi...