One day to go and McCain (R-AZ) is re-branding himself the "coal booster" in a last ditch effort to pick up some support in coal States like Pennsylvania.

In a speech yesterday at the University of Scranton, PA, McCain stated that:

In what proved to be a doozy of a debate – not so much for its substance as for its theatrics and sound bites (who will ever forget “Joe the Plumber”?) – the topic of climate change was again sadly, though not surprisingly, missing in action.

With the discussion once again focused mostly on domestic issues – the economy and healthcare looming large – the candidates spent most of the time pummeling each other on taxes, trade policies and education. Mercifully, moderator Bob Schieffer, a CBS News anchor, mostly managed to avoid inserting himself into the debate, save for occasionally pressing a candidate on a particular question (though I noticeably winced when he said the words “climate control”).

 

Congratulations today to Stephen Harper, who has convinced a critical plurality of Canadians that he is more capable of leading the country through difficult economic times than Liberal leader Stephane Dion would have been.

Returning to belligerent reality, however, it's clear that Canadians who care about climate change have their work cut out for them. In his excellent new book, Hot, Flat, and Crowded, the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman says:

"It is much more important to change your leaders than your lightbulbs."

Having passed up this opportunity to change our leaders, the only option now is for Canadians to get those leaders to change.

If Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper is re-elected next week as Canadian prime minister, he will owe the biggest vote of gratitude to the New Democratic Party and its leader Jack Layton.

There has been comment enough about the lack-luster performance of Harper's most dangerous opponent, Liberal leader Stephane Dion, but the Liberals aren't losing this election because Dion lacks charisma. The Liberals are losing because the NDP has pushed tax-averse voters into Stephen Harper's lap.

After years in which North America was the leading international holdout against action on climate change, the continental tide appears to have turned — mostly. Only one leader still stands against the international consensus, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

From the Vancouver Sun

Although the Conservative government has argued that a critical Health Canada report on climate change impacts is “too large” to be made available online, the DeSmogBlog has sourced a copy that you can now access through these links.

The synopsis is available for download here - or you can opt for a copy of the entire report here.

The report warns of forest fires, drought, and increased deaths from smog, heat and disease - a grim scenario against which the Conservative government is taking virtually no action. In fact, the Harper government's principal reaction was to try to supress the report, now available only by snail mail, with delivery in “two to four weeks.”