Sir: Another federal election campaign is underway and every voter in the nation has a decision to make.
What does each political party believe in? What are their respective platforms and proposed policies?
What are the issues of the day and where does the truth end and the rhetoric take over?
I believe the environment is an immediate and serious issue. With all of the alleged fake news and claims of reporter bias, I’m not sure how anyone can honestly believe that the global destruction of our environment is not a hard and cold fact. One that, if unchecked, might truly jeopardize the lives of future generations.
For proof positive, regardless of the editorial spin, just look at the aberrations of the weather and the impact its having on people and infrastructure: typhoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, winds storms, heat waves, melting ice caps, as well as the destruction of tundra and rain forests, etc. All of it front and centre on the nightly news and media outlets.
Locally, look at the wacky weather we’ve had over the last decade or two and the impact on soil, crops, water sources, modified winters, hotter summers, etc.
You can’t pick up the local newspaper without a report of how Chatham-Kent suffers an unusually higher than average percentage of heart attacks, lung disease and cancers. Our roads and infrastructure are falling into the lake because of erosion and much of our well water is undrinkable.
Air pollution! Water pollution! The destructive weather patterns! How can anyone possibly doubt that addressing the present environment is not a legitimate priority, whether it be nationally, locally or around the world? This brings us back full circle to the current federal election campaign now underway.
The first television coverage I saw was Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer state in a news segment that his first priority if he became prime minister would be to cancel the carbon tax.
Had he said something to the extent he’d instead make it tougher for polluters.
Do something, absolutely anything except cancelling it just because it is a Liberal idea. That partisan attitude simply panders to the fossil fuel industry, foreign owned companies, Jason Kenny’s Conservative Alberta and their investors.
Considering the state of the globe right now, not to mention Chatham-Kent-Leamington, fining polluters and taxing carbon sounds reasonable to me, especially if it works to help clean the environment.
I am of the mind that taxes are inevitable and arguing that the fines for carbon pollution are too high, discourage investors or hurt the economy are not relevant at this time. If taxes increase, small price to pay to extend people’s lifespans.
If there is no comprehensive alternative that is better than what we have, and Andrew Scheer’s Conservatives have not offered one. Let’s stick with the carbon tax and hopefully it will work to benefit present and future generations.
Dan Kelly
Chatham
