Frustrations abound. Lots of people are jumping on the anti-Harper, anti-Conservative bandwagon. If people think the NDP or Liberals would come up with something different, think again. There is only so much we can do with Canada, and like it or not, Harper is doing the right things. Canada must be globally competitive in growth and economics or we will simply be run over, becoming the united state of Canada or another Russian province. We have to exploit our natural resources in order to remain competitive and we have to do that quickly, hence Bill C-38. Sadly this means many sacrifices, yet in order for Canada to remain Canada, these things must be done.
Granted, we could be focusing more on environmentally sustainable techniques and alternate technologies, yet until we maintain our global stability, we cannot. Hopefully once we assert ourselves properly on the world stage, we can relax a bit and do just that, but until then we have to do what we have to do, and right now the federal government is doing just that. Unfortunately, the only thing holding our nation together at this time is the oil sands. If we stop using them and do not expand their use, we will be overrun.
Personally, I prefer that if we are to exploit our resources to remain competitive we do it in a decidedly Canadian way. For if we don’t, we can expect the Americans or Russians to walk right in and do it their way. Humanity is growing exponentially, so unless all of humanity stops breeding like rabbits and we outlaw marriages having kids and start sterility clinics we have to do what we have to do or the rest of the world is going to run us over like a semi-truck. Unfortunately, this means cultures will suffer, the environment and ecologies will suffer, etc., yet it is what it is unless we depopulate on a global scale. Humanity fails to manage itself correctly as there is no economic gain in doing so.
All the environmentalists, cultural leaders and such have my full respect, for without them asserting themselves it would be a complete free-for-all. Canada is Canada because we have people that care for our environment and ecosystems, hence if we do exploit our resources we do it as safely and sustainable as possible. Yet, if we don’t do things quickly, we will lose our global stature in a very short time. It’s all about balance and doing things right, and in a Canadian fashion. Like it or not, Harper is doing just that. Granted other political platforms may go about things differently, yet the end results will be the very same.
It does not help the policy process any when we have activists making a federal case (pardon the pun) out of the smaller details without first taking the time to envision the global spectrum. I am as justifiably mortified by some sections of C-38 as everyone else, yet realizing the global stage, these things must be done, sad as that is. Everyone, including environmentalists, ecologists, cultural leaders and members of opposing parties and activist groups, must endeavour to take in the bigger picture before going off the deep end and activating the people for what will turn out to be nothing but a colossal waste of everyone’s time, making public fools of themselves and in essence, stalling the inevitable, which in turn, just opens our country up to possible foreign invasive actions.
Regarding the marathon overnight vote session on C-38: This amounted to nothing less than frivolous grandstanding on the part of the opposition. A point to ponder, the bill passed unamended and it could only have done so if the majority voted in favour.
Charles W Stewart
Penticton