Well, I just finished watching "An Incovenient Truth". Without a doubt, the most important film my generation (or any other for that matter) will see. Shocking facts and figures, which quite simply, I was unaware of prior to seeing the film. I knew, of course, that global warming was a serious issue (I have never been one of those doubters) but I had no idea that the problem was as advanced as it is...I suppose that the smoke screen raised in popular media by the "powers that be" was doing what it was intended to do - hide the bare facts. Thanks to Al Gore (I will never laugh again at those old Bloom County cartoons that mock him or Tipper) the truth has been put out there, in a very popular and widely embraced movie.
Of course, the back issue, which is hinted at, but never fully developed, is that there are forces at work (in the USA, and elsewhere - I do feel shame in my own pathetic Stephen Harper led government, and their "environmental" platforms) that are actively trying to stall the global warming movement in an effort to create personal gain. Political practises are currently in the hands of big business, big oil, and other such powerful lobby groups. In Canada, the discovery and subsequent oil boom in Alberta have shaped our nations environmental policies for the last few decades; after all, it would be a shame to miss out on the fortune in the sand before it was completely used up, environment be damned - there is money to be made in those tar sands, and if we suddenly lowered our oil demand (with cheap hybrid cars, or hydrogen cars, and so on), that cash cow would become lean indeed, and a great many rich and powerful people would lose out of their "due"...say, isn't Harper from Alberta? No, I am sure that it has no sway on his political agenda...fucking American puppet...
Before I lose myself completely and go on at great length in an angry tirade about the state of our global environmental situation (it makes me so angry, and yet makes me feel so impotent), I will say this - at least with the weather we have had this year, the Canadian people have "woken up" (except maybe in Alberta) and have made the environment our top national issue...which has made the Conservatives shit themselves, as they had no set platform set up, outside of raping every resource they could lay their hands on...so, they are attempting to come up with something to pacify the people, while still trying to kybosh our commitment to Kyoto...and ITS NOT WORKING. It looks like in the upcoming budget, they will recieve a vote of non-confidence in the House, and that will force an election in the spring. There is a god!
All we have to do now is hope that their successor gov't will not squander the responsibility that they will be entrusted with. Oh, for the days when we had politicians who did what was right and good for no better reasons than that, rather than do what they think will be popular with whomever they serve (which is not always the people)...yes, I for one miss the days of Pearson and Pierre. Men who had the courage to face the tasks we have ahead of us now...lets hope a new Trudeau shines for Canada before it is too late! He had what it would take...is there another like him in Canadian (or even international) politics today? We shall see...
