The constant engineering towards a different society by loosening and dismantling environmental protection and muzzling science, among other things, are definitely trademarks of the Stephen Harper “neoconservatives.”
That seems to be the case as well for the Yukon Party’s politics. The industry-leading approach by the select committee regarding the risks and benefits of hydraulic fracturing makes it clear again how interested they are to protect our water, and how serious they are to include the public in any decision making.
The Yukon government’s disregard for the environment and the Peel watershed commission’s recommended plan is also well documented. In rejecting the commission’s regional plan for the Peel watershed, they clearly prove again that they don’t care about the democratic process and that they cannot be trusted with the responsibility to protect the quality of Yukon’s natural environment and the rights of First Nations.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, they know there are still some “nasty” difficulties to overcome yet, but they are well on their way to pave the road for corporatist dictatorship and total exploitation of our natural resources, mainly for exports, more speculation and greed.
It is not about Canadian energy security, or to invest in renewable energy after all. This approach can only lead to disaster for us as Canadians and our life-supporting ecosystems that we depend on.
Lately, they have also used the words “fiscal responsibility” quite often, which on its own is not a bad thing at all, but I wonder what they actually mean by that. Is it that we have to tighten our belts while multinational corporations exploit our country to feed giants like China? Is it that our taxes can only go up, while the corporate sector pays next to nothing in taxes and royalties and hide their money in offshore accounts, while our pension and health-care funds get depleted?
Do they act like true Canadians - do they protect Canada’s people, environment and resources - or are they first puppets for the corporate world?
On the territorial and federal level their moves can be clearly identified. When all the land and resources are allocated to big corporations and all trade barriers are removed, with dictated obligations for Canada to deliver, we have nothing left to bargain with and real democracy cannot function any more. After all point, we will have greatly diminished our resources, that we might need for our own future requirements.
The only freedom still around will be the corporate “freedom” to dictate policy and prices for the rest of us. It seems they are already halfway there, and I for one hope that they never reach their goal. We can do our next part at the polls to prevent this scenario from happening.
Reiner Rembe
Watson Lake