If you follow any election across the globe, one key issue will be the prevention of further climate change. It has almost become a buzzword in any political campaign, whether they plan to curb its effects or outright deny it despite the mass of scientific evidence supporting its existence.
With the rise of social media, it is becoming increasingly easy for political parties to deceive voters to increase their likelihood of election or re-election. Many have hailed Trudeau as a climate change leader. He even told delegates at the Conference of the Parties that Canada “will take on a new leadership role internationally.”
The problem with Trudeau is that he loves to talk the talk, but doesn’t really like to walk the walk. Although he said that Canada is “here to help,” his actual commitment to prevent further climate change is seriously lacking. The greenhouse gas emission reduction goals set by the Trudeau government barely differ from those set by the Harper government. That’s right, the Harper government.
Besides his underachieving emission reduction goals, he continues to approve the creation and expansions of pipelines (such as the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline and Enbridge’s Line 3) and the growing of the Alberta tar sands.
Many have applauded Trudeau’s implementation of a carbon tax system. However, many question his willingness to actually stand against heavy industrial polluters as the federal government under Trudeau has injected over $3.3 billion in subsidies to fossil fuel industries in Canada.
Trudeau’s commitment to preventing further climate change is questionable, to say the least. With the rise of social media and instantaneous news, it is easy to be misguided by the Liberal’s incredible capability of playing their social media cards right. A selfie here, a selfie there and you’ve got yourself a new “progressive” prime minister. We must read beyond the headlines and the hashtags and continue to question and criticize Trudeau’s half-hearted commitment to the environment at all cost.
At this point in time, we are past trying to save the planet but trying to save humans from the powerful fangs of mass extinction, as we are not immortal.
Planet Raves is The Aquinian’s environmental column, featuring reflections from students in environmental studies classes.
