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Province of Toronto?

Posted by Joanne on 17 March 2010, 8:19 am

Maverick Conservative MP Bill Murdoch has caused quite a stir with his recent suggestion that Toronto part ways with the Rest Of Ontario (ROO) and become its own province.  Adrian MacNair touched on this yesterday.

As Lorrie Goldstein notes, “With 2.5 million people, Toronto is larger than six provinces — Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island.”

Goldstein is one of many on the Toronto side that seem quite happy with the idea.  They are tired of Toronto having to go begging to Queen’s Park for permission to make changes in areas such as bylaws, taxation and transportation and feel that Toronto needs more power given the size of the population.

And the rural side is just plain fed up with Toronto, and with  Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty who seems to pander to the large urban perspective on issues that directly impact the farmers and folks in smaller cities who have to deal with wind turbines, coyotes, and closed schools and hospitals.

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak doesn’t agree with Murdock that Toronto should separate but he acknowledges the frustration among those living in the ROO.

Bill Murdoch’s initiative is unlikely to be successful but it sure does have people talking.

Ultimately the challenge will be how to  reconcile these two Ontario solitudes.  It could even become an election issue.

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Update

Don Martin: Toronto — the province Canada loves to hate? – National Post. (The comments are better than the column.)

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Thursday Update:

MPP happy to have sparked discussion – Sun Times:

...Murdoch has recently taken issue with Queen’s Park’s lack of understanding on dealing with coyotes, a rural nuisance.

Murdoch also cited the Liberal-created Green Energy Act, along with the Endangered Species Act and Ontario Water Resources Act as causing hardship for rural Ontarians. He said his latest criticism of Toronto speaks to bigger concerns with democracy at Queen’s Park. Murdoch said the premier of Ontario’s office holds too much power. Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers and parliamentary assistants should be selected by caucus, he said, and MPPs should not be forced to vote as the party dictates.

Murdoch admits his desire for a Toronto-free Ontario is a “long shot,” but said he hopes his comments will lead to some positive change for rural Ontario.

Filed under Big Environment, Big Green, Dalton McGuinty, David Miller, Goldstein, Green Shaft, Liberal Party of Toronto, Nanny State, Ontario Politics, Ontario government, Premier Hudak in 2011, Tim Hudak, Toronto, Wind farms.
70 Comments

But can we wish away Al Gore?

Posted by Joanne on 2 March 2010, 7:54 am

There is no shortage of point-by-point criticisms of Al Gore’s New York Times Op-ed, We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change.

My first thought after reading his steaming pile of rhetoric was why did he set himself up for the inevitable drudging?   Or does he actually believe that we’re that stupid?

And how is it that the alarmists can continue to hold him up as some kind of prophet and still keep a straight face while they warn us all of impending doom?

Anyway, here are some of the better fisks that I’ve come across. If you find more please let share them in comments. Thanks.

Al’s latest global-warming whopper – Alan Reynolds, New York Post

Al Gore’s weird, disconnected op-ed on climate change – Rick Moran, American Thinker

Al Gore Comes Out of Hiding and Gets a Fisking – Bluegrass Pundit

EXCLUSIVE: Inhofe Blasts Gore Over Climategate – Connie Hair, Human Events

But in response to Gore’s statement that “what is at stake is our ability to use the rule of law as an instrument of human redemption”,   Bill Kristol said it most succinctly:

“Redemption comes from God, not Gore.”

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Related

More inconvenient news for the global warming alarmists:

UN’s climate link to hurricanes in doubt – Times Online

Cyclone climate link rejected – The Australian

El Nino killed Costa Rican toad, not global warming – Oneindia

British scientist in climate row admits ‘awful’ emails – Sydney Morning Herald

‘The Acceleration of Disbelief,’ Starring ‘Floor Mat’ Al Gore - Big Journalism (this is a must-read)

So is this one: Climategate: ‘a lot of common data’ – Phil Jones exposes AGW dominoes to Commons committee – Gerald Warner, Telegraph:

...And oh, yes – one further interesting fact emerged from yesterday’s Select Committee grilling. Professor Edward Acton, the Vice-Chancellor of the “University” of East Anglia, now thinks more money should be devoted to researching the Mediaeval Warm Period. So apparently it exists after all.

Who knew?

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Local ‘Green Energy’ issues:

Wind farm faces opposition – Guelph Mercury article via Windaction

Ontario power risk – Parker Gallant, Full Comment

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Wednesday Update

Welcome Jack’s Newswatch readers!  And please check out Crux of the Matter – Trust Conservative gov’t timetable to refute AGW.

Peter Foster: Climate snow jobs – FP Comment

Wind power the worst kind of mirage – Henk Tennekes, FP

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Friday – Saturday Update

Waiting to hear ‘we’re sorry’ – John Robson, Ottawa Citizen

Blowing away taxpayers – Michael Trebilcock, Financial Post

Filed under AGW, Al Gore, Arrogance, Big Environment, Big Green, Carbon Shaft, Climategate, Copenhagen, Dalton McGuinty, Follow the money, Global Warming, Ontario economy, Propaganda, Science/tech, UN, Wind farms, Your tax-dollars, climate change, economy, environment, environmentalists, scandals.
45 Comments

Why is the TRUTH so Inconvenient?

Posted by Joanne on 31 January 2010, 10:13 am

The global warming debate has really been heating up lately with the two opposing sides becoming increasingly fractious and combative.

Credibility in the Warming side is steadily breaking down and yet the proponents cling to their belief that the overall science is still sound. Most politicians are afraid to confront the new reality and seek refuge in the propaganda without giving more than a passing thought to the remote possibility that we may not be hearing the truth. In some cases they are even declaring war on the ’skeptics’.

Our Conservative Government seems to be seeking the mushy middle on this subject but still succeeds in getting reamed from both extremes of the AGW divide.

Frankly, I believe it is up to columnists like Lorrie Goldstein, Rex Murphy, Lawrence Solomon and Terence Corcoran to try to get the truth out there (with the assistance of bloggers and other social media, letters to the editor, etc.).  We need to communicate to the public that the science is at the very least somewhat questionable – that it is not settled -  and maybe we shouldn’t even be calling it ’science’ but rather intensive lobbying by various self-interested groups.  But the Warmists are hurting their own cause with the coverups and screwups.

Let’s just hope that the public starts tuning into the controversy as well.

I’ve heard the Warmist argument that we can’t afford not to act and so forth. Well if the science is indeed unsettled then we are in for a needless assault on our economy which is just starting to recover. At the very least why not try to get more information and plan to take action when the economy is stronger? And what about the unforeseen side-effects of the mindless accelerated push for green energy?

Let’s pressure our politicians, scientists and the media for all the facts – not just the ones that conveniently support their arguments and personal agenda.

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Update from the Department of Irony:

Now climate-change scientists say ozone hole stops global warming – M4GW

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More fallout from in-your-face political know-it-alls and lobbyists:

Lawn companies seek charges against minister, activists – CTV (H/T Musings of the Techical Bard):

…The activists worked with the Ontario government to ban pesticides using alleged false and misleading information to undermine the industry, Lowes said.

The documents filed on Tuesday allege the activists knowingly presented false and misleading information about the health and environmental risks associated with pesticide products, knowingly misled the public, lawn care industry and government officials, and impeded access to Health Canada approved pesticide products through fraudulent means.

The legal manoeuvre, if endorsed by the court, could result in federal charges being filed against Gerretsen and others by police or by a private individual, and there may be sufficient grounds for a criminal charge of fraud, Lowes said…

Will Dalton use our tax dollars to try and buy his way out of this one too? It worked in Caledonia after all.

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Update

How Many Climategates Are Needed? – CFP

Climategate: Is the British government conspiring not to prosecute? – James Delingpole, Telegraph

Climategate: Al Gore and the politicization of science – Roger L. Simon, Pajamas media

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Tuesday Update

The UN’s enviro-activist in-chief – National Post

Real deal on Canada’s environmental ranking: Goldstein – Lorrie Goldstein

Filed under AGW, Big Environment, Big Green, CPC majority solution, Canadian economy, Climategate, Copenhagen, Dalton McGuinty, David Suzuki, Follow the money, Global Warming, Global governance, Goldstein, Socialism, UN, Wind farms, environmentalists.
133 Comments

What’s Dalton’s game with Samsung?

Posted by Joanne on 21 January 2010, 8:03 pm

I won’t even pretend to understand all the ins and outs of this single-sourced deal with Samsung but my spidey sense tells me this is just another questionable decision by Dalton McGuinty that is going to cost us poor taxpayers big bucks one way or another.

PC Leader Tim Hudak feels that this should be vetted by the provincial auditor general. He warns that the Samsung  ’sweetheart deal’ will cost taxpayers $330k per job.

Adam Radnwanski tells us it’s likely about wanting to pull one over on gullible Ontario residents the messaging.

I don’t know about you but I just don’t need anyone else picking my pocket and Dalton is the worst culprit!

Thoughts?

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Related

Ottawa warns provinces will be cutting back, too – Ottawa Citizen

Quebec says it’s ahead of the curve - Globe:

Quebec is emerging from the recession in far better shape than most economies, says Premier Jean Charest, adding that he can avoid slashing government programs and elude major tax increases yet still achieve a balanced budget in four years…

Oh good. So what about those equalization payments, Jean?

‘Dalton Days’ still in mix for Ontario public unions – Ottawa Citizen

Win for Ontario in Samsung deal – Ontario Liberal Party Press Release Toronto Star editorial

First we had two-tier policing and now it’s a two-tier energy market:

…The generous deal announced Thursday has drawn fire from solar and wind proponents, who complain the province has undermined a once equitable marketplace.

“This throws the whole sector into turmoil,” said David Butters, president of the Association of Power Producers of Ontario. “Now we’ve got two classes of people: Samsung, and those who are left behind.”

Ah yes. The folks in Caledonia know how you feel.

More Ontario companies feeling as if they’ve been thrown under the bus by Dalton Quixote:    Samsung deal upsets homegrown competitors – Star:

…[President of Pro-Power and Energy Ltd. Jeff] Andrews is clearly frustrated. “We are the Ontario story. I know that sounds cocky, but we are. Our technology was developed and proven here in Ontario by Ontario residents. The patents were established here in Ontario.”

McGuinty justified the deal Thursday as a way to accelerate Ontario’s green economy, by drawing an “anchor tenant” that can stimulate jobs and exports much more quickly. The alternative, he said, is to “hope” our industry of smaller players will grow over time while the province misses out on export opportunities to a U.S. green-energy market ready to explode.

Ian MacLellan, vice-chairman of solar-cell manufacturer Arise Technologies Corp. in Waterloo, said that kind of thinking doesn’t work in the long run. “If you took that approach looking back 30 years to Silicon Valley, they would have funded Xerox and not talked to Steve Jobs.”

Dalton’s big green gamble – Toronto Sun:

...But as energy consultant Tom Adams cautioned, even where green energy manufacturing has succeeded in countries like Denmark, it still has to be heavily subsidized.

“The idea that we’re going to repeat the Danish success by following the same model here assumes that electricity consumers are prepared to put up with this kind of (subsidy) craziness for the long term, and I don’t see it,” Adams told The Canadian Press. “This idea that there’s going to be 50,000 green jobs is just a crazy fantasy that has no bearing whatsoever in reality.”

But Dalton just keeps on tilting at windmills – at our expense.

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Update

Please join the FUddle Duddle Dalton McGuinty Facebook Group!   —->  FUDM-11

McGuinty Liberals fear green-deal backlash – Star

Deal turns Ontario into Third World province - Randall Denley:

…Dalton loves the deal because it makes it look like he’s doing something. If other foreign companies want to line up to take Ontarians’ dollars, our premier is “all ears,” he says. No doubt, but it’s what’s between the ears that’s the problem.

Don’t protect us from our cash: Goldstein – Lorrie Goldstein

Persichilli: Dalton McGuinty’s shuffle is missing a few key cards – Star

Terence Corcoran:  Ontario puts $10B in the wind – Post:

…The Samsung agreement will also squeeze out other wind and solar power producers from the market, thus eliminating competition and fairness from a power market already grotesquely distorted by the Green Energy Act and the Feed-in Tariff scheme. So not only will the McGuinty energy regime plunder cash from electricity consumers, it will compound the economic mess by squeezing other energy producers.

That’s green energy in action: subsidies, distortion, trade battles, fake job creation and back-room political deals.

A messy deal for clean energy – The Record:

…So, Samsung will be paid the feed-in tariff rate for so-called green energy of 13.5 cents a kilowatt hour for its wind power and 44.3 cents a kilowatt hour for the solar power it generates. Those numbers are far in excess of the current market price of 3.31 cents a kilowatt hour for electricity and will add billions of dollars to the province’s energy bills in the coming decades even though Samsung will produce only 4 per cent of Ontario’s electricity.

But there’s more: Over the 25-year-life of this deal, Samsung gets $437 million in special incentive payments in addition to the feed-in tariff. That hasn’t been offered to anyone else and will cost every electricity customer in Ontario an extra $1.60 a year on his or her bill. When you add it all up, Samsung is guaranteed about $25 billion from Ontario hydro consumers over the life of this deal.

If the costs of this agreement are scary, the process that produced it was shameful: There was no public tendering for the production of clean electrical energy. There was no call for bids from Ontario’s renewable energy producers…

Filed under Dalton Days, Dalton McGuinty, Energy, Follow the money, Green Shaft, Just trust Dalton, Lemmings love Fiberals, Lemmings love taxes, Liberal arrogance, Liberal entitlement, Liberal machine, Ontario government, Ours to Recover, Premier Hudak in 2011, Shifty Green, Socialism, Tim Hudak, Wind farms, Your tax-dollars, economy, grassroots power.
23 Comments

Furious George runs for mayor

Posted by Joanne on 9 November 2009, 9:30 am

Please take one for for the team, Toronto.

We don’t want him back.

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Update:

‘Furious George’ Smitherman was the premier’s enforcer - Jim Coyle

…That Furious George was, as the Star’s Robert Benzie has reported, “gang-tackled” by his cabinet colleagues on the concessions he was making to Samsung was remarkable.

That word of this leaked out spoke volumes about the declining regard in which he was held…

Somewhat related - McGuinty blows smoke on wind – Lorrie Goldstein

(H/T)

Good Riddance, Smitherman. You can have him, Toronto. – Wind Concerns Ontario

And straight out of Bizarro World: Warren Kinsella votes Tory (Globe)

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Sunday Update:

Lobbyist played dual role – Sun:

The Toronto Centre Liberal riding association raised nearly $430,000 for George Smitherman in 2008 — the same year its president, Jason Grier, lobbied ministries Smitherman led for a long list of corporate and government clients.

The vice-president of Canadian communications consultancy firm Hill and Knowlton has been the volunteer head of the riding association since March 11, 2008 — where he oversaw a successful fundraising campaign that has made it by far the richest in the party — dwarfing even Premier Dalton McGuinty’s riding…

Filed under Dalton McGuinty, Energy, Goldstein, Ontario Politics, Ontario economy, Toronto, Wind farms, environment, health, scandals.
27 Comments

Show us the science

Posted by Joanne on 3 August 2009, 8:15 am

It’s interesting that the Sun’s  Lorrie Goldstein and the Toronto editorial board have both approached the wind farm issue from seemingly opposite sides and yet reached the same conclusion – more scientific study is needed to determine exactly what kind of negative health effects are produced by wind turbines.

The Star seems to be taking the stand that the backlash against wind farms is slowing down the implementation of certain aspects of the Green Energy Act and therefore the complaints by the anti-wind lobby should be addressed by scientific evidence as soon as possible so that the province can move on with the Green agenda:

…For renewable energy to have a future in Ontario, public support and confidence in wind farms is essential. The province should lead the way by ensuring that Ontarians have access to the most up-to-date research on the impact of wind turbines on public health.

In April, the government said it would fund a university-based research initiative “to examine potential public health effects of renewable energy projects.” But the initiative has not yet been launched. The province ought to make it a priority, with a special focus on wind turbines. That would ensure that Ontario’s regulations governing wind turbines are based on the best possible evidence.

Right now, unfortunately, there are concerns that Ontario’s proposed regulations for wind turbines are not grounded in science. Rather, the government appears to be attempting to placate an alarmist anti-wind lobby…

On the other hand, Lorrie Goldstein seems to be more sympathetic to  those people who have to live near wind turbines by at least agreeing that their concerns need to be addressed with some valid research, instead of taking the Star’s approach of finding something that will shut them up:

…Beth Harrington of Wind Concerns Ontario says anyone genuinely concerned about the potential negative environmental and health impacts of wind factories faces criticism that they don’t care about the planet.

Or ridicule that they’re “NIMBYS” suffering from “Not In My Back Yard Syndrome” — McGuinty’s allegation. In fact, the real NIMBYS tend to be self-described “green” urbanites, big on generating energy from wind — somewhere else.

There are sound reasons for local communities to be concerned about wind factories — noise, aesthetics, declining property values, traffic congestion on rural roads not intended for heavy machinery, the danger posed by turbine blades to birds and bats. (Given the huge national outcry over the deaths of several hundred birds landing on a toxic oil sands tailing pond in Alberta, why no similar concern that wind turbine blades have been chopping up birds for years?)

Put wind turbines in the wrong place and they’ll produce less wind energy over their lifetimes than the fossil fuel energy it took to build them. Given present technology, wind cannot be relied upon to provide base load or “on demand” power and must be backed by other forms of energy — not always green.

Wind Concerns Ontario wants the province to conduct independent, scientific research on whether wind turbine noise adversely impacts on human health and to determine safe setbacks from homes. The response from the government and the wind industry to date is that studies elsewhere show no ill effects, the implication being anyone who exhibits adverse symptoms must be nuts.

McGuinty, however, promised months ago to create an academic research chair to ensure Ontario has the best information available on these issues. But that hasn’t happened and wind factories keep expanding. The province says the chair will be established in the fall, but no firm date has been set…

We have had this discussion several times here at BLY, and recently Wilson found the name for a wind-turbine disease - Vibro-Acoustic Disease – VAD.

Why is the McGuinty government stalling on these very legitimate health concerns in Ontario, yet he bans homeowners and lawn care companies from using pesticides that are allowed by Health Canada and still used on golf courses and farms?

We deserve better.

*   *   *   *

UPDATE:

Are wind farms a health risk? US scientist identifies ‘wind turbine syndrome’ – The Independent (H/T Bourque):

…In a rare interview, Dr Pierpont, a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, told The Independent on Sunday: “There is no doubt that my clinical research shows that the infrasonic to ultrasonic noise and vibrations emitted by wind turbines cause the symptoms which I am calling wind turbine syndrome. There are about 12 different health problems associated with WTS and these range from tachycardia, sleep disturbance, headaches, tinnitus, nausea, visual blurring, panic attacks with sensations of internal quivering to more general irritability.

“The wind industry will try to discredit me and disparage me, but I can cope with that. This is not unlike the tobacco industry dismissing health issues from smoking. The wind industry, however, is not composed of clinicians, nor is it made up of people suffering from wind turbines.”

Filed under Dalton McGuinty, Ontario government, Wind farms, environment, health.
30 Comments

Who’s getting the Green Shaft?

Posted by Joanne on 29 June 2009, 10:45 pm

In his June 28th column, Lorrie Goldstein focused on the ‘cozy relationships‘ involved in the Green Movement. Specifically he was referring to Tom Adams’ YouTube video “Green Energy Act Paradox”.

Lorrie summarizes Tom Adams’ observations:

…He describes the “cosy relationship” that exists among governments that want power, energy companies that want profits and environmental organizations that want more renewable energy, but also consulting fees and government funding.

The way it works is governments hand out money to environmental organizations, who consult with and for energy companies, who together advise the government on what green energy laws should look like, and who then praise the government — ad nauseam — for the legislation they helped design when the government unveils it.

And who are the losers in this neat little drama, you ask?

Why, the public, of course, who are increasingly being presented with so-called “green” legislation in which all the key decisions have been made behind closed doors, long before the so-called public consultations begin…

Adams and Goldstein aren’t the only ones noticing this symbiotic relationship.

Back in early March, Terence Corcoran exposed the same bed partners:

Who’s pushing for all this? Not the people. The major backers of green power tax-and-grab regimes are hundreds of businesses that stand to collect billions in subsidies and tax benefits from solar, wind and other alternative energy forms.

Business groups, with major lobbying and legal backing, are in cahoots with green activists, who, in turn, are sleeping with government bureaucrats and politicians.

Let’s follow some money. There’s the Ontario Green Energy Act Alliance, the major lobbying effort behind the new green police state. It self-describes its origins: “The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA), together with other leading trade associations, environmental groups, First Nations, developers, manufacturers, farmers and landowners, is initiating a campaign to create the Ontario Green Energy Act.”

( . . . )

…In summary, the Ontario government pays millions of dollars to environmental activists and corporate interests to lobby the Ontario government and agitate for the Green Energy Act, which act serves the interests of the agitators…

Smells a little, doesn’t it?

Meanwhile the consultation process has been ongoing regarding wind turbines with varying degrees of success and satisfaction, for example in Port Elgin and Toronto.  Feedback will be accepted until July 24, 2009.

This is one of those areas where Joe Blow taxpayer might not get too excited until those wind turbines begin to negatively affect his property or health.

However we should all be concerned about these reports of cozy backscratching going on behind the scenes, with hands reaching deep into our pockets.

*   *   *   *

Tuesday Update: Springer just brought a very important article to my attention. Check it out at his blog:   The truth about global warming is out there…

Smitherman rolls dice on new nuke deal – Sun Editorial:

…Ontario’s original time line to complete the new Darlington reactors by 2018 — keeping nuclear power at its current level of supplying 50% of the province’s electricity, albeit more reliably than it does at present — was wildly optimistic.

And despite denials yesterday, the longer it takes to build the new nukes, the longer it will take to close Ontario’s coal-fired energy plants, which the province has promised to do by 2014.

Nuke plants, unlike coal, don’t emit greenhouse gases or air pollution.

But they do produce nuclear waste and are fiercely opposed by the same environmental groups Premier Dalton McGuinty has been relying on to sell Ontarians on expensive wind energy and industrial wind farms...

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Plastic-bag initiative fails to catch on – Post:

…The fees should not be allowed to “hide behind a green mask,” said Michael Flavell, a senior Ottawa-based trade and competition lawyer.

“This is a complex area that should be examined carefully,” Mr. Flavell stated. “The Competition Bureau must not hesitate to delve into the details of new ‘green’ initiatives to uncover their true intentions and consequences, and ensure they are not masking anti-competitive manoeuvres.”

A spokeswoman for the federal Competition Bureau responded to questions about the bylaw by saying only that “we are aware of the issue,” and said she could not comment further…

*   *   *   *

Speaking of the environment:

…Govind Rao of the Friends of Christie Pits told ctvtoronto.ca on Monday that his group sent an inquiry about what chemicals are being used to control insects and vermin at the temporary dump sites, one of which is in a hockey rink at Christie Pits, which is north of Bloor Street West and west of Christie Street…

But I thought McGuinty banned pesticides???

Filed under Flicking politicians, Goldstein, Ontario government, Wind farms, Your tax-dollars, environmentalists.
31 Comments
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