A few years ago, I felt…

A few years ago, I felt hopeful when I saw various governments in Canada looking as if they would do something meaningful to reduce the amount of carbon that gets produced and contributes to the increasingly dangerous conditions associated with climate change. It looked as if governments were finally waking up to the reality that climate change is going is becoming a serious economic and health issue that will significantly increase government expenditures - a reality that any government that is to be a true leader will have to grapple with.

As such, I can't express how disappointed I am to see governments, especially in Ontario, backing away from their responsibility to lead in this area. The idea that doing nothing to reduce carbon production in our atmosphere is somehow better for us as citizens is truly insane. Bill 4 might reduce the amount of taxes I pay but as floods become common, and forest fires rage, and as crops become harder to grow, and as security becomes more of an issue because of social stability, I find it hard to accept that somehow I will be better off.

So far, I have seen nothing from the Ontario government to suggest that they are taking any kind of leadership role with addressing climate change. Cancelling the Cap and Trade Agreement is a step in the wrong direction. Cap and Trade systems at least have some good evidence behind them to suggest they can be effective and doing so without offering anything better to replace it, is truly disappointing to me... and frightening when I consider the future prospects of humans. And it is insulting to all of us to think that we would bring about our own demise so as to save a few hundred dollars in taxes.