Waiting and Watching

The Globe and Mail suggests that the Conservative government is cutting funding to the one-tonne challenge. Meanwhile the Chronicle Herald in Halifax suggests that the government is still making up its mind, although at least one group (in Quebec) has been guaranteed continued funding.

Personally, I never liked the one-tonne challenge much myself. I'd rather see concrete measures such as expanded subsidies for renewable power, specific mandatory agreements with emitters, market-based initiatives like a carbon tax or an emissions trading program, or a reallocation of infrastructure spending from fossil fuel uses (highway widening, pipeline construction, etc.) to more constructive uses (transit spending, hydro infrastructure subsidies, etc.)

But it's worth noting that this is not a difference of intention between me and the Liberal policy, but rather one of tactics.

If the Conservatives do cut funding to Liberal climate change initiatives, because of a difference in tactics, and they come up with an alternative plan, than we can discuss that.

But if they cut funding to Liberal climate change initiatives because they don't believe the planet is warming or because they think the warming is not our fault, or because they don't think it is worth doing anything about it, or simply because it won't fly with their head-in-the-sand base, that will be a clear sign that the Conservatives have vacated the reality-based community and can't be trusted to run this country.

So for now it's just waiting and watching.

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hat-tip to Sinister Thoughts