The climate cultists are finally beginning to admit that the concepts they endorsed are mistaken. Pictured: Mark Carney. Photo Credit: Mark Carney/X.
As the old saying goes, never let a good crisis go to waste. That certainly is true for Canada facing tariff threats from U.S. President Trump, as there is opportunity in this unfortunate development. One of the most damaging policy thrusts of the Trudeau government has been the array of measures pursued to basically shut down Canada’s oil and gas sector in the name of the climate. Added taxes and regulatory hurdles to that sector’s development have hobbled an industry that has been a major contributor to Canada’s prosperity for decades. Foregone economic opportunity has been measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars – funds that could have helped Canadians weather economic storms from the pandemic to the current tariff threats, as well as enabled tax cuts and other measures to boost our standard of living.
The U.S. threats have led to an apparent softening of federal Liberal views on the so-called climate crisis, which has never actually been a crisis at all. It is therefore a perfect time to put the various climate myths to rest and work on focussed solutions that directly help the environment with tangible measurements and objectives. The first falsehood is that “net zero,” the notion of achieving a target of zero greenhouse gas emissions globally by 2050, is possible. Many learned scientists have shown how this is in fact impossible, yet trillions of dollars world-wide continue to be wasted in the pursuit of this goal, inflicting economic pain and poverty in the process. Net zero needs to be abandoned. In Canada, that is unlikely to happen with Mark Carney, the global architect of net zero, soon to be at the helm of the Liberal party.
Another myth is that the carbon tax is reducing emissions. Once again, facts belie this claim. The only time emissions have been significantly reduced in Canada over the last decade was during the pandemic when the economy was virtually shut down. It’s unlikely that Canadians will see that as an experience to repeat in future so our emissions reduction goals can be met.
Now that public opinion has turned against the consumer carbon tax, Liberal Carney has tried to dance around the issue. Carney now claims he will get rid of the consumer carbon tax but maintain some kind of shadow carbon tax on industry. He states that such a tax will somehow not end up being paid by consumers, which will magically be the first time in history that a tax on business has not ended up in consumers’ lap. Carney also supports the practice of trading carbon credits, which has been rightly called “the mother of all Enrons.” Current plans are that the carbon tax will once again increase – by just under 20 per cent – in less than a month on April 1.
If the Trudeau government was genuine in wanting to help Canadians deal with the Trump tariff threat, one thing they could literally do overnight is to eliminate the consumer and industrial carbon taxes. This would effectively blunt the impact of tariffs on Canadians while being much preferable to the imposition of self-destructive retaliatory tariffs and increasing our national debt by spending money we don’t have on increased EI or bailing out affected businesses.
Other climate myths include the statement that an energy transition in underway despite all evidence that Canada and the rest of the world is just as dependent upon fossil fuel energy as we ever were. It is also true that natural gas will remain a key and necessary component of our energy mix for the foreseeable future, no matter how much some climate advocates pretend otherwise. Contrary to Trudeau’s prior claim that “there is no strong business case for LNG (liquid natural gas) exports”, many other countries have proven him dead wrong at the expense of Canada, which could have profited greatly from such exports and reaped environmental gains as well by replacing coal use in Asia by cleaner natural gas.
It has also become clear that there is no bonanza of highly-paid “green” jobs as was promised by so many of the climate advocates. Nor can fossil fuel energy effectively be replaced by alternate sources such as wind and solar power without risking blackouts and much higher energy costs. Experience has shown that alternatives to fossil fuels are not affordable, reliable or viable at scale. It is also important to note that neglecting our fossil fuel wealth in Canada is not just a problem for Alberta and Saskatchewan, but affects our entire national economy. Many businesses across Canada are reliant upon the oil and gas sector for their existence and the good jobs they provide, not to mention the billions of tax and royalty revenues paid to governments.
The fact that our current crisis with the U.S. seems to have triggered a change of heart among many Liberals is a good reason to permanently debunk the myths they have been promoting for years. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson was recently heard commenting that Canada would be reliant upon oil and gas resources for many years to come – something we never would have heard even a year ago despite it being a fact. There are many sensible, measurable and tangible things that can be done for the environment with real results – things such as better forest management to avoid wildfires and expand forest carbon sinks, measures to adapt to climate change and the enforcement of current laws on water pollution and clean air standards. Better to pursue those types of practical policies than taxes and heavy-handed regulations that just punish average Canadians with no upside for the climate.
It’s appalling that so many Canadians have tolerated the punishment that the federal Liberals have inflicted on them for years in the name of climate. The federal NDP and most provinces need to shoulder some responsibility as well, as they have continued to support the fictions of net zero, the ongoing expansion of alternative energy sources and the utility of EVs, among other crusades, and spent copious amounts of our tax dollars in the process. Now that some of the most ardent acolytes of the climate cult are admitting that many of the concepts they have endorsed for years are mistaken, we need to seize the opportunity to put a stake through its heart for good.
She has published numerous articles in journals, magazines & other media on issues such as free trade, finance, entrepreneurship & women business owners. Ms. Swift is a past President of the Empire Club of Canada, a former Director of the CD Howe Institute, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages, past President of the International Small Business Congress and current Director of the Fraser Institute. She was cited in 2003 & 2012 as one of the most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network & is a recipient of the Queen’s Silver & Gold Jubilee medals.
