Canada’s largest newspaper chain promotes climate change denial and works to elect right-wing politicians, even Danielle Smith who a Postmedia columnist admitted was surrounded by “guaranteed chaos.”
In a piece promoting Smith and her bizarre UCP colleagues, a former Sun Media senior editor, and now spin doctor and part-time Postmedia scribbler, warned about the danger of electing Rachel Notley as Alberta Premier. Chris Nelson wrote:
The stakes are even higher now, given how both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh seem bent on dragging our province into some net-zero, carbon-emission wonderland.
The world’s climate scientists could only wish that Trudeau and Singh were dragging fossil fuel producing provinces into “some net-zero, carbon emission wonderland.” Were that true, lives would be saved.
Instead, Canada’s federal government is spending tens of billions of dollars to promote expansion of climate damaging industries. STAND.earth reminds us of the scale of just one subsidized boondoggle, the Trans Mountain Pipeline:
Recent reports have confirmed that the Trans Mountain pipeline project costs have ballooned to over $30.9 billion. The company admitted in recent financial materials that due to the high level of debt, there are significant doubts as to the corporation’s ability to continue as an ongoing concern, and that the company will likely have to take on more debt to complete construction of the pipeline. This makes it very likely that the government is going to have to write down a large portion of their investment in order to find a buyer for the project, which means taxpayers will see money that could have been spent on growing renewables or helping community-based climate solutions get flushed down the toilet.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) reported:
Government support for pipeline construction can extend and expand the development of fossil fuel production sites within Canada that would not otherwise have been economically attractive. This can result in large increases in carbon emissions that last for decades, undermining climate action and Canada’s own positive green recovery actions. Support for pipelines could also hinder economic recovery and transition, especially if Canadian governments are not able to recoup the full costs of their investments.
Chris Nelson was echoed by another of Postmedia’s far-right proselytizers. (In 2019, Canadaland’s Sean Craig reported Licia Corbella had been a card-carrying member of the United Conservative Party.) Her bombast this week aims to teach Albertans their province would be turned into a barren gulag if Rachel Notley succeeds Danielle Smith.
Corbella’s Postmedia rant included:
The Alberta NDP is a party chock-a-block full of anti-oil and gas protestors, not to mention pro-communists . . .
Independent energy reporter Markham Hislop — an actual journalist — noted important oil industry statistics during the Alberta UCP’s four years:
- 1.5x as many jobs lost as Notley’s Alberta NDP government,
- Capital expenditures by oil and gas companies 50% of the 2014 peak,
- No new pipelines or shipping capacity,
- Higher oil and gas emissions.
Hislop wrote about industry reactions during NDP administration:
“I think she [Notley] has taken some sound decisions in Alberta’s interest. So, I think when you sum it all up, as it relates to the energy file, she has been very solid,” said Dave Collyer, a long-time Shell Canada executive who was CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers from 2008 to 2014 and served as co-chair of the Oil Sands Advisory Group.
Categories: Climate Change, Journalism
IN-SIGHTS 
Sadly, the Tyee is submerging into the Postmedia disease, printing news to fit its base. The “Eye’s friend got banned by the Tyee because he dared to say that the bicycle Lobby has done great damage to long range regional transit plans.
The problem for media is that the must sell advertising and news printed tends to support what the advertisers want. The Tyee suffers from the same phenomenon as it news stories must placate the far left or else donations cease.
News in the 21st centruy is merely a show and the news reported is incidental.
As FOX news has demonstrated, it is not the news that is important, rather it is the ratings.
In a way, George Orwell predicted this in 984. “Who controls the past, controls the future.”
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$30.9 Billion is a lot of loose change. Spending it on a pipeline didn’t make sense. The country could have used that $30.9 Billion to build affordable housing. Would have created more jobs and had a positive impact on taxpayers oh and the enviornment. we needed another pipeline like we needed another migraine, heart attack, un drinkable water, forest fires for miles and flooding elsewhere.
All those billions being used to subsidize companies which make billions upon billions doesn’t make economic sense to me. Now the feds are going to subsidize a plant to build electrical engines???? that on its own is not going to help the enviornment.
Never did figure out why its O.K. to spend tax dollars on financial assistance to corporations who already make a shit load of money but its not O.K. to spend money on children to ensure their being able to eat decently and regularly, have good health care, and live in decent housing. Oil companies will never care about whomever is in government once they have served their purposes. Children however, are our future. They grow up to be adults and if their childhoods went well, they usually become taxpaying citizens.
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I came across a report this morning predicting that the Tar Sands will expand from 3.2 million barrels per day to 3.7 mbpd by 2030. That’s a 15 per cent uptick. By then Mr. Trudeau’s pipeline should be online.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/canada-oilsands-outlook-gets-first-upgrade-in-five-years-amid-global-energy-crisis/ar-AA1bK2G7?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=118d7a5aeac0442bbe92ba18e8951f6c&ei=11&fbclid=IwAR17woiWtbU4CZuoGs39A2UT3ApagCF0yCKkTEgoZI8iCI8gI5SF8R9M7y8
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Looks like Texas is in (and is) a shallow state.
https://www.reformaustin.org/texas-legislature/texas-senate-moves-to-shut-down-renewable-energy-permanently/
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It seems that PP and his merry band are concerned about foreign interference with our elections. Maybe the question should be asked about certain members our mass-media (post-media) is owned by a Hedge fund from New York? Are they too having an influence on our electoral system?
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I forgot to mention about domestic political interference . Remember Robo calls? I’m sure PP could enlighten us on some of those details. I wonder where that Conservative fellow, who was convicted and jailed of electoral interference, has gone? Can he enlighten us some of the players of that episode in Canada’s domestic political interference?
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While I’m sure Covid had a lot to do with escalating most mega project budgets well above the stratosphere…..
$30 billion buys a lot of friends and favours.
Besides. It’s not like its coming out of the Liberal’s pockets.
We’re paying for it.
One wonders how much of the $30 billion went to Liberal donators.
Was SNC Lavalin anywhere near this mega project?
Anyone in the Liberal party outside the PMO’s inner circle wouldn’t dare ask that question after seeing what happened to Jody Wilson Raybould.
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