Worse Than Ambrose

It's hard to believe but you can go from the frying pan into the fire according to the latest poll.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper shuffled his cabinet in January, naming Baird to the environment portfolio to replace Rona Ambrose who had received disastrous reviews and criticism after tabling the government's clean air legislation in the fall. Wright said the latest poll numbers suggest Baird has made matters worse for the government.

"I think that this is seen as a greater disappointment for the simple reason that the environment has been ratcheted up so much in the last six months," he said. "It's taken on a sense of priority and a sense of mission which hasn't been reflected in what the public expected the government to do."

He said it's clear that the public is willing to go farther than the politicians on the issue, and it believes the Conservative government is delivering policies that are designed to protect industries such as the oilsands in their Alberta base.

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Harpers Alberta Green Plan

Economist Trashes Made In Alberta Green Plan

Environment Minister MIA

Baird

Ambrose


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Buzz and Stephen

He quotes Buzz, out of context, in the House but will he take his phone call?

Right Hon. Stephen Harper (Prime Minister, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure I have anything to add to this subject at the moment, but I would hardly want today to pass without a rare chance for me to quote Buzz Hargrove on the good work that the Minister of the Environment is doing.

Buzz Hargrove said:

I believe [the minister] tried incredibly hard to find balance between the economy, the concern working people have for their jobs and the environmental concerns that concern every Canadian. I think he took a major step forward today that will deal with some of the environmental concerns that will not throw tens of thousands of Canadians out of work.

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Buzz the Protectionist

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Buzz the Protectionist

First he sucked up to the Liberals now he is sucking up to the Conservatives. Despite his 'I am more socialist than you' rants, Buzz Hargrove is simply a good old fashioned protectionist. But now the Tories like his protectionism, whereas they opposed him over Free Trade, and will again as they try an pass a bilateral free trade deal with Korea which he opposes. Strange bedfellows indeed.

Buzz Hargrove agreeing with the Conservatives and the Conservatives agreeing with Buzz Hargrove?

Maybe there is something funny with the environment after all.

But Buzz and the Tories think the only thing that's funny is with the crazy so-called environmentalists' ravenous quest for pushing Global Warming Doom -- all at the cost of the Canadian economy.

"Everybody is chasing this new idol called the environment without any thought of how we got here," the CAW president said yesterday. "I am not buying the argument myself."

But he does believe tens of thousands of jobs will be lost if the movement continues at this pace. "I think people have to recognize this problem is serious," he said.

And it's not global warming he's referring to. It's a Canada and Ontario without an auto industry he's worried about. If Al Gore and David Suzuki get their way, Buzz said, this very well could be the result. "The rhetoric is worrisome," he said. "We have got everything working against us right now."

Unrealistic environmental goals, unfair trade deals and out of control inflation don't add up to good times for automakers --not to mention related industries.

But the Tories, said Buzz, get that. And their plan is a proper response.

"It's realistic. They understand it is going to have to be a long-term solution that will take some time," he said.

He thought Al Gore's comments that the plan the Tories introduced was a "fraud" was out of line.

"I think John Baird is right on the money," said Hargrove. "Al Gore was vice-president for eight years and in the senate before that where they voted against (environmental reforms). So I don't know where he gets his credentials to come in here and lecture."

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Fat Boy Needs Election

To lose weight.

Don't Let Them See You Sweat: Harper didn't look Healthy

Otherwise he gets portly in office, much like Henry VIII sans the wives.

Baby Fat

Of course since he shares his wife with John Baird he may just be trying to look like him.

During elections he loses weight, after all politics is the other sport of Kings.
















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Baird Misquoted Me Says Gore

Well I am glad to see Al Gore is clearing the air about being associated with Conservatives, even if it was only by being quoted by Harpers mouth that roars; John Baird.

Former U.S. vice-president Al Gore has denounced the federal Conservatives for twisting what he terms words of encouragement into an endorsement of the government's work on climate change.

"I understand that last week Canada's Minister of the Environment, Minister John Baird, mischaracterized comments I made last summer as praise for the Harper government's actions on global warming," Mr. Gore, who has become one of the world's best-known environmental activists, said in a statement yesterday.

"The comments I made were designed to encourage the Harper government not to abandon Canada's tradition of fighting above its weight class on the world stage as part of the Kyoto process."

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Baird

Environment



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Green Baird

The only thing Green about the new Conservative Environment Minister John Baird is his tie. No carbon tax, international carbon trading, Baird says

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Baird

Environment

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Anti-Intellectual Tories

Remember this; "There's been a lot of research," Oda says. "So when you look at millions of dollars that has gone to studying, we believe that now is the time to start doing something about the facts that we know."

Well its the same argument John Baird used in the House yesterday justifying cuts to environmental research in Canada.

Northern Climate Exchange

Hon. Larry Bagnell (Yukon, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, the greatest impact of climate change in the world is on Canada's Arctic.

The Conservatives have claimed they are now finally concerned about the impacts of climate change, but on March 31 the government will close the Northern Climate Exchange which does important tracking and research both nationally and internationally. Why is the government again turning its back on the north?

There is still time for the minister to reverse his ridiculous decision. Will he commit to do that today?

Hon. John Baird (Minister of the Environment, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, the government recognizes the importance to act on greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change is having a huge effect not just on Canada, but particularly in our Arctic.

However, this government believes that the time has finished to talk about things, to study things, to reach into promoting things. The time has come to act. That is why this government is taking real action on climate change reduction. We introduced equal energy initiatives, more energy efficiency and more clean energy.

The Reform/Alliance/Conservative party has always had a bee in its bonnet about academic research, along with their pals in the National Citizens Coalition (NCC), Harpers former employer.

When they were in opposition MP John Williams published an annual review of government waste, which often focused on humanities research grants to academics.

And now they are the New Government in Canada they refuse to fund academic research that conflicts with their social conservative agenda.

When the Tories take 'action' it results in cuts to vital ongoing research.

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Status of Women

Bev Oda

Tory Cuts

Baird

Environment



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Gore Quote

As I reported yesterday here is John Baird quoting Al Gore.

Hon. John Baird (Minister of the Environment, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, I think that was an excellent description of the previous Liberal government.

Let me say to the Leader of the Opposition that when he says we should have acted one year ago, I say he should have acted 10 years ago.

The Leader of the Opposition can quote Goldman Sachs. I can quote someone speaking about Canada's environmental role in the world:

--Canada, once again providing leadership in the world, fighting above its weight class and showing moral authority to the rest of the world. That's what Canada's known for.

Do we know who said that yesterday? Al Gore.


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Baird

Environment



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Al Gore A Tory?

File this under all is fair in love and war and politics...

In answer to a question in Palrliament today, Environment Minister, and Mouth that Roared, John Baird, he who is never without a newspaper to quote from, quoted Al Gore saying that Canada punched above its weight when it comes to championing the environment.

(source unkown and you will have to wait till tommorow for the exact quote to appear in Hansard)

My, my will wonders never cease. It's the Jolly Green Make Over of the Tories.

Of course we know this is all this recent conversion on the road to Paris, they still deny Kyoto, is superficial.

After all remember the last time a Tory Minister quoted Al Gore.

I hope they all plan to attend this event, if not to embrace Gore at least to get his autograph,

Former US vice-president Al Gore will give a public lecture at the University of Toronto Feb. 21, addressing the threat of global climate change. ...

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Baird

Environment



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Environment Minister MIA

I am having a flashback.

The new Conservative Environment Minister has become just like the old Environment Minister.

John Baird has bowed out of appearing before the Parliamentary Environment Committee, twice now, reports CBC reporter Julie Van Dusen on Newsworlds QP.

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Baird

Ambrose


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John Baird In Exxons Pocket?

Is Harpers new Environment Minister, John Baird in the pocket of Exxon Mobil? After all their Canadian anti-Kyoto lobby is run by Barry Cooper part of the Calgary School which Harper is a graduate of. We will find out soon enough as he goes to Paris for the UN Climate Change Report.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has maintained any environmental plan for Canada must balance the need to reduce greenhouse gases with the need to profit from the country's vast energy resources.

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Environment



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