Dear Editor
Stephen Harper continues to show no interest in dealing with climate change as he goes through five environment ministers in five years.
The latest one takes the position we need only to change the image of the tar sands. This approach is addressed in a book by historians, Conway and Oreskes, called “Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming”.
The book reads how institutes are founded with impressive titles to refute scientific evidence with unscientific propaganda. Proponents of smoking formed the Tobacco Industry Research Committee to disseminate misinformation and gave the impression among the public there was a scientific debate about whether cigarettes actually cause cancer. Now those same con artists work for oil companies casting doubt on the issue global warming. (Despite recorded evidence 2005 and last year were the two hottest years ever.)
Leaders like Harper have faith in one god, The Market. So as the Arctic melts (just ask any polar bear) oil companies are urged to drill for more oil rather than try to find alternative forms of renewable energy. If we feel conned with this approach remember our government is building more prisons.
Larry Mackillop
Nanton
