The Calgary Herald reports today that, “Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent says the oilsands have been unfairly demonized, trumpeting the resource as ‘ethical oil’ and as an economic boon for the entire country. …He said labels such as ‘dirty oil’ and claims that bitumen extraction is the most destructive industrial activity on the planet are overblown. …’There has been a demonizing of a legitimate resource. It is ethical oil. It is regulated oil. And it’s secure oil in a world where many of the free world’s oil sources are somewhat less secure’, (Kent said). …(And) Kent…dismissed the notion that Canada lacks a climate-change plan. He noted Ottawa has implemented regulations focused on emissions from cars and plans to introduce draft regulations targeting heavy-duty vehicles later this year.”
Jeffrey Simpson writes in the Globe and Mail that, “To be minister (of environment) in a government whose principal environmental preoccupation is to do as little as possible on the most important international environmental file, climate change, and to protect the oil/tar sands at all costs gives new meaning to frustration. With serious action ruled out in advance, the Harper government’s environment minister must be a smooth talker. He must be prepared to repeat things that are demonstrably false – as in Canada will reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 from 2005 levels – with a straight face while all those around you are cracking up in derision. When necessary, the minister must bluster. Peter Kent, a former television presenter, should therefore fit the definition splendidly of what is required of a Harper government environment minister.”
The Calgary Herald article is at http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/environment+minister+calls+oilsands+ethical+source/4068082/story.html. The Globe and Mail editorial is at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/a-changing-climate-just-not-in-cabinet/article1857951/.
