Dear Editor,
A concerned friend over that way alerted me to an appalling meeting that took place in Owen Sound May 25, via a link to a Sun Times article.
A group of informed, intelligent, very concerned residents wanted to inform their elected representative that we have no time left to screw around about climate change. It is real, getting worse, and very dangerous. Kill people because of extreme weather events dangerous. And they wanted to demand that more be done to avoid it. Immediately.
Unfortunately, because we live in Grey-Bruce-Owen Sound, they had to meet with MP Alex Ruff.
I have zero sympathy for Conservative MPs. When a Conservative MP walks out his or her office door to meet constituents armed with science, reality, and the truth about Climate Change, every Conservative MP faces the exact same decision. Do I repeat the lies provided by the Party, sourced from oil and gas funded think tanks, that I am ordered to learn by rote and not stray from, and end up sounding like a Chatty Cathy doll that just had its ring pulled? Or should I use my own brain, demonstrate some personal integrity, and come away looking like I can both think and actually care about my constituent’s welfare?
MP Alex Ruff chose poorly.
He actually said “world emissions would fall if they burned Canadian oil and natural gas because its production is relatively cleaner.” Whether he is aware of it or not, this is repeating an obvious lie. Apparently, Mr. Ruff has made it this far in life without ever hearing about the Oil Sands.
He actually said, “media reporting/some activists have taken one portion of the report that talks about the worst-case scenario and that is all that is being amplified/messaged.” About the latest IPCC Report on Climate Change.
Earth to Mr. Ruff. Mr. Ruff! Are you in there? First, that is absolutely untrue. Whether you are aware of it or not, you were repeating another lie. EVERY scenario the Report looked at was bad. Dangerous. Closing fast. The worst-case scenario would make you want to crawl into a hole and drink yourself insensible.
How could one MP be that out of touch with reality? Oh. Yeah. Sorry. Conservative.
It will come as a huge shock to Mr. Ruff to hear we Canadians are 0.48% of the world’s population but are ranked the #10 country/region in the WORLD for greenhouse gas emissions as of 2019. Out of 195 countries. Which is why it is both spectacularly uninformed and offensive when Mr. Ruff repeats his Conservative Party talking point, “Canada is responsible for 1.6 per cent of global emissions and so what’s done here “won’t change anything” when “China’s putting more coal plants online every month.”
When we’re polluting the atmosphere with something that we know will no doubt kill millions of people in the future, quibbling about where you currently stand on the list of the worst polluters is not a good look for someone who was elected to protect us from harm. #10? #11? #12? Really, Mr. Ruff? You want to play that game?
I invite Mr. Ruff, you, and your Readers to participate in a one question quiz.
Find a difference, any difference, however tiny, between the following “logic” applied by an actual Canadian Member of Parliament and the 3 unfortunate sadly misguided souls who follow him:
1) Canada is responsible for 1.6 per cent of global emissions and so what’s done here “won’t change anything”.
2) My neighbour drives drunk 100 times more than I do. Why bother me if I drive drunk just an average of 1.6 times a month?
3) I barely murder 1.6% of the people my neighbour does. Why are you on my case?
4) I defraud people of less than $1.6 million a year! My neighbour does $100 million annually! What’s your beef with me?
We are almost out of time.
And our MP and his sorry excuse for a political party are a huge part of the problem.
Bruce Mason , Meaford
