In recent years, Canada has gone from 
being an environmentally focused, human rights concerned country, to an oil focused, petro-state, hell bent on destroying the environment.
This is all thanks to Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The son of an oil executive, Harper’s political career was supported by the big oil companies, and, as a result of this, became the leader of the conservative party. In 2006, he became the Prime Minister, and this is when things started going south.
Harper has been notorious for ignoring environmental issues and funding big oil companies.
The most recent showing of Canada’s lax stance towards curbing climate change was at last year’s COP17 climate talks in Durban. Their Environment Minister, Peter Kent announced that Canada would be abandoning the legally binding Kyoto Protocol.
Minister Harper has also announced big tax cuts and subsidies for big oil companies, leading to further exasperation of climate change and environmental destruction. In the last decade, the Canadian government has given more than $14 billion worth of subsidies to big oil companies.
Canada’s biggest contribution to climate change comes in the form of tar sands oil deposits. It is a 142, 000 square kilometre area, rich in oil deposits. See why the oil companies promoted Harper? Currently only 602 square kilometres have been unearthed. The tar sands are highly destructive, with as much as four tonnes of soil and forest being removed for every barrel of oil being produced. A picture of the tar sands can be seen on the National Geographic website.
This debacle has sparked outrage from the citizens of Canada, many of whom have expressed that they are against many of these regulations.
It is up to the citizens of a country, especially here in South Africa, to ensure that destructive policies are not passed. If every person stands up to do their part and, if needed, protest against laws favouring polluters like the big oil companies, we can carve out our own future. A better, brighter and cleaner future is only possible with YOUR help.
(This is a post by Kristian Meijer)
(Image by sundstrom, via stock.xchng)
