For a long time, the Harper Government has been justifying it's "do nothing" approach regarding the environment, claiming that they must "wait and see what the Americans will do".
Well the Americans, (President Obama and the EPA that is, heaven forbid a Republican should give a damn about what kind of planet our children will inherit) are now moving toward tougher new limits on green house gas emissions. So now it's time for The Reverend Harper, Protector of the Oil Sands to put his money where his mouth is, is it not?
Don't count on it. He's already making noises about "staying the course", thanks to his American cousins, the "publicans" claiming they will use their Senate majority to cut off funding to the EPA if it dares to impose strict new environmental regulations. So instead of following through with what he has claimed his policy will be, Harper is reneging on yet another promise. It appears that the Reverend's promises have about as much value as a Canadian Penny.
So with Tuesday's cabinet shuffle, it seems Harper's environmental strategy, at least in the short term, has become clear. With Peter Kent being selected as the new Conservative hand-puppet for that embattled ministry, it appears that the plan is not to have a better, more qualified Minister take the helm, just a better spokesperson.
The Financial Post trumpeted this move as a great day for the Conservative cause, claiming that as a previous newsman, Kent is calm under fire from the media and chooses his words carefully. All of which is likely true, but does this qualify him as a better steward of the environment, or just a better Tory Talking Head? My vote is with the latter.
So don't look for any new break through on the environmental front. In fact look for a whole lot more of the same. But with a more savvy pitch-man handling the heat, look for a slicker and more empty justification for The Reverend's Criminal actions regarding the Environment.
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