Canada: ... and back home in Denierville [2]
Science Denying Tory MP Can’t Get Anything Right
The Conservative Member of Parliament from Okanagan Shuswap, Colin Mayes, writing in an error-ridden email to a constituent (reproduced in full below) has questioned the human contribution to climate change.
“Climate warming is happening,” Mayes said. “Just what the cause is has yet to be substantiated. Is it Co2 in the atmosphere, sun activity, or cyclical? Is this a trend that will change as we have seen recently in cooling of temperatures and rebuilding of ice caps?
“A good book on this issue is “Climate Confusion” written by a Climatologist in the US. It’s worth the read.”
Climate Confusion is, in fact, not worth the read [7]. It’s author, Roy Spencer [8], is an increasingly embarrassing scientific outlier.
But it is Mayes general incompetence that is an even greater concern. For example, he tells his constituent that “40% of Canada’s GHGs come from the tar sands,” when the correct number is closer to 5%.
We, of all people, are not here to defend the tar sands, but you’d think a Conservative MP who is trying to block action on climate change might get his facts right on the single biggest Canadian contributor to the problem - not overestimate their impact by 800%.
Mayes says he doesn’t want to “spend billions of taxpayer dollars because a few scientists say CO2 is causing the planet to warm.” Against the findings of the Nobel Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, against the opinion of the Royal Society of Canada, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and all the other science academies of every major nation on earth, he distinguishes himself as a shockingly ill-informed representative.
That, perhaps more than all of the obstructive things that Canada has done in Copenhagen, might explain why Canada’s government is taking such an irresponsible position on this issue: they have been bamboozled completely by the denial industry. They have accepted the ridiculous, anti-science line of oil industry shills like Dr. S. Fred Singer [9], who tell us that tobacco smoke is safe, the ozone hole was a natural phenomenon and climate change is a natural event.
No wonder Canada has been dismissed from the climate talks. We have earned the international status of science buffoon.
From: MayesC@parl.gc.ca [10]
> To: (Constituent)
> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:19:05 -0500
> Subject: RE: Copenhagen
>
> Ms. Stockdale,
>
> Thank-you for your email.
>
> First, I would like to mention that when we became government there was no plan or initiatives to meet Kyoto. We were already 35% over the targets that Canada signed on to meet.
>
> Second, Canada only emits 3% of the world green house gases so our Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, has worked through the G8 and G20 to try to get all developed countries on a common page to lower GHGs.
>
> Our focus as a new government was to address the quality of our air, water and natural environment. We introduced a Bill to eliminate Mercury from our environment. We brought in the Chemical Management Program that identifies chemicals in the products we use and the food we consume. We are the only country in the world to actually ban the use of certain chemicals. We also started work on a national water shed plan in a effort to protect Canada’s water sheds.
>
> We have spent billions on renewable energy development and research. By 2012 96 % of our electric power generation will be emissions free. We have invested in solar, wind, and biomass electric generation.
>
> Our government set exhaust emission targets for the auto industry with mandatory compliance in 2010. Furthermore we have invested hundreds of millions in carbon capture development with the Alberta government in a effort to reduce GHGs at the tar sands development. 40% of Canada’s GHGs come from the tar sands.
>
> Climate warming is happening. Just what the cause is has yet to be substantiated. Is it Co2 in the atmosphere, sun activity, or cyclical? Is this a trend that will change as we have seen recently in cooling of temperatures and rebuilding of ice caps?
>
> A good book on this issue is “Climate Confusion” written by a Climatologist in the US. It’s worth the read.
>
> With oil prices up, this will force more development of alternative energy, cut the waste of energy and make people more aware of their carbon foot print. I also believe that as temporary citizens of this planet we should be good stewards of all that has been given to us and make every effort to protect the natural environment.
>
> Saying this I am careful not to over react and spend billions of taxpayer dollars because a few scientists say CO2 is causing the planet to warm. Scientists, when I went to school, said that there was a coming ice age. They also said that the ozone layer was disappearing over the Arctic. (Remember the “Black Hole” that ended up being just the 24 hour sunlight (Ultra violet light) breaking down the ozone layer in summer? Then this was reversed during the 24 darkness of winter. This proved to be a natural occurrence). This resulted in millions spent on observation and scientific research. Scientists theorise many things, some prove to be true some not. I want to make certain when I vote my vote is supported by sound scientific facts and less media hype.
>
> I will continue to be vigilant on the issue of the environment and do all I can to ensure cleaner air, water, and the elimination of toxins in our natural environment.
>
> Thanks for writing.
>
> Colin Mayes, MP - Okanagan Shuswap
>
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: (Constituent)
> Sent: December 17, 2009 12:31 AM
> To: Mayes, Colin - M.P.
> Subject: Copenhagen
>
> Canada’s postion on climate change has been obstructive and dismal. We as a people should feel a sense of responsibility for our high emissions and make every effort to reduce our CO2’s. Our children face a future that we can’t even imagine. With 350 ppm as our goal, even this may not be enough. Think of a world without fossil fuel dependency. Our environment would be clean, our oceans better able to support fish, our forest and lakes unpolluted. The greatest sin our generation will commit will be the willful contribution to species loss. Now we can add humans to that list. By this time next century we will be reduced to a fraction of our present numbers, and my grandchildren’s children will only ask, Why didn’t they do something when they knew about global warming and had opportunities to make changes. You Colin Mayes and your Conservative Party are Canada’s only hope. You need to act now before it is too late. Take the leadership role and commit Canada to meaningful reductions. Judy Stockdale
——— End of Forwarded Message
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