As the saying goes,…

As the saying goes, elections have consequences. This is not one of the consequences or decisions we had in mind when we voted for a change of government. I could make this very long but won’t. I will just get straight to the point.
1. Why the rush? Good governance, would require due diligence and respect for the population. A government for the people would do its work, and propose an alternative and identify what the impacts of the alternative are. The government would contrast and compare the existing with the proposed and tell us how they think this is in the public interest. Instead, we are going to quash the existing and then at a later date introduce some new alternative. What message does that send to anyone? It says the environment is not as important as everyone is telling us it is.
2. The IPCC report is out – enough has been written about it. Environmental meetings just finished in Luxembourg and while the Europeans are working hard at trying to do something about the environment, we in North America have our heads stuck in the sand and pretending this is a hoax. The Europeans came away disagreeing about whether they are acting aggressively enough, we are here pretending nothing is happening.
3. Anecdotally, look at Hurricane Michael; see what is happening with flash flooding in Mallorca, Spain and France and Sardinia in Italy. Look at what just happened in Indonesia – again. We sit here and maybe we think we are immune. Why rush to send aid after these calamities when we can actually direct resources to address the causes?
4. Why can’t we have forward thinking and ‘global-citizens’ as leaders? Why can’t we back the comment that “we are worried about the future of our kids and grandkids”? Or do we actually think this argument of trying to reduce rates for consumers is sound policy? What is the opportunity cost in the long term of giving me a $1000 discount [assuming I am a millionaire] on gas, electricity or whatever only for me to have to deal with the impacts of these drastic changes? The impacts don’t have to be direct – and believe me, we will feel this soon on the North American continent. For now, it is happening elsewhere and my heart breaks cos all I can do is make a donation to the Red Cross to provide “relief, after the fact” and pretend I have done something. No, paltry donations are not what is required. As citizens we are demanding prevention, we are demanding fact-based approaches to addressing climate change – it is not a hoax. I am not sure how many more studies we need before we do something. The time to act is LONG OVERDUE!
5. I worked in New York/New Jersey when hurricane Sandy hit. The devastation and fear it caused, the trauma, the loss and costs to rebuild are all reminders that we need to wake up and act. We need true “LEADERSHIP”…
6. Don’t repeal the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-carbon Economy Act, 2016 (CCMLEA) till you have an alternative. Spend the time to consult on that alternative – maybe even have the guts and decency to call a referendum on this. True leaders should state the facts and get people engaged in the discussion. Let people have a discussion about what they want to choose – a discount on rates or a future that is non-existent? The technology and innovation are out there, why can’t we have a discussion on how we can leverage those to create jobs and protect the one and only planet we have?
Somebody, please give us a sound, well thought out and good reason for the proposed cancellation of CCMLEA – WHY?
• WHO WILL IT BENEFIT?
• WHO WILL IT HURT?
• WHAT ARE THE CHOICES/ALTERNATIVES WE HAVE AND WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF THOSE OPTIONS?
• DO WE ACTUALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?
That is how sound policy is made – in the interest of the people!