The battle for PM is closer than we think
'When Parliament resumes in, oh, maybe September, we will be only 13 months from an election.
The Conservatives are in objectively better shape now. Wright is cleared of wrongdoing and heading back to gainful employment. The government’s next budget will be balanced for the first time since 2008.
Harper has won by reaching out to moderates, not by working himself into a truly bizarre snit about them. If he remembers that, he’ll win again. And if not, not.
I think you’d be crazy to dismiss the NDP’s chances in 2015.
Trudeau’s Liberals have been ahead of the other parties 14 months in a row." FULL article
Time to get the NDP Liberal and Green party leaders to cooperate in this election! Sign the open letter:
We urge Opposition leader Thomas Mulcair, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, and Green Party leader Elizabeth May to put the interests of the country above (apparent) party advantage. We call on them to cooperate to the extent necessary in the next federal election to ensure the election of a government representing mainstream Canada, and a commitment to bring in proportional representation to avoid such abuses in the future.
Urge them to work together and bring us Proportional Representation and action on climate change!
A Public Letter to Candidates in the Toronto Municipal Election
(We are re sending this as our friendly subscribers told us that the link to this open letter in our last newsletter did not work.)
..ask candidates for Councillor and Mayor to support a comprehensive study to determine the full costs of the recent extreme weather events in Toronto
.. ask the candidates recognize that climate change is an emergency that affects all of us and that they support measures to make our city a leader in the fight for a stable climate, with the added benefits of diversifying our economy, creating jobs, and improving public health.
Sign the letter
From David Suzuki Foundation
Addressing global warming is an economic necessity Those who don't outright deny the existence of human-caused global warming often argue we can't or shouldn't do anything about it because it would be too costly. Take Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who recently said, "No matter what they say, no country is going to take actions that are going to deliberately destroy jobs and growth in their country."
"Climate change poses a severe risk to global economic stability," "We believe it's possible to reduce emissions and deliver jobs and economic opportunity, while also cutting health care and energy costs."
If our leaders can't comprehend that, let's find some who can.
Here's to a radical Canada
Canada was once seen as a country where respect for each other and our land, air, water and biodiversity were valued. Now, some government leaders and their industry and media supporters threaten those who dare question the mad scramble for short-sighted, short-term profits at the expense of the environment, our health and the world's climate systems, and label us "radicals".
Germany debates new fracking ban
World leaders should lead. A nice step to move forward!
German Ministers laid out plans to ban hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) for shale gas. MORE
Here’s Why Al Gore Is Optimistic About the Fight Against Climate Change
Research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts renewable energy will account for 49 percent of the world’s power by 2030...
Gore is right that solar is driving the shift away from fossil fuels..
..individuals around the world can make a difference with their personal power choices. According to BNEF, much of the solar energy to be generated over the next 16 years will come from solar panels installed on residential roofs. MORE
From the vatican
Statement of the Joint PAS/PASS Workshop on Sustainable Humanity, Sustainable Nature: Our Responsibility
Problems have been exacerbated by the fact that economic activity is currently measured solely in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and therefore does not record the degradation of Earth that accompanies it nor the abject inequalities between countries and within each country.
the world’s governments called for the adoption by 2015 of new universal goals, to be called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to guide planetary-scale actions after 2015. To achieve these goals will require global cooperation, technological innovations that are within reach, and supportive economic and social policies at the national and regional levels,
Pope Francis calls destruction of nature a modern sin
Francis said Earth should be allowed to give her fruits without being exploited.
This is our sin, exploiting the Earth and not allowing her to her give us what she has within her