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Perhaps Kyoto is Japanese for (Canadian) Hypocrisy ... Rex Murphy
CBC ^ | December 6, 2005 | Rex Murphy

Posted on 12/08/2005 7:40:31 AM PST by NorthOf45

Perhaps Kyoto is Japanese for hypocrisy

CBC
by Rex Murphy
December 6, 2005

It's been a strange week.

I've been wondering why the global warming conference in Montreal is getting relatively little attention.

Probably because of the cold weather.

It's odd for another reason. Ten thousand people have come to Montreal, ten thousand. For a conference on reducing energy consumption. Now, ten thousand is a large number, elephantine, in fact. I don't suppose many delegates walked. As conferences go, this one is a real Leviathan.

Just think of the Montreal summit's ecological footprint. Is there really a need to fly ten thousand people from 189 countries to a cold city to exchange ideas? Is there no e-mail? Are the phone lines down? Does no one own a Blackberry?

Well, I suppose in this matter, ecology is not really different from politics. High on sermons, low on example. Maybe it's low-key because the celebrity attendance is sparse.

There are not many rock stars there. What's an environmental summit without rock stars? Are they all worn out after making poverty history? That was their summer project, remember.

But still, where's Bono? Is he still crushed, or in some sulk from his disappointment with Paul Martin? I'm not sure anymore that Canada is allowed to take on international commitments unless it's alright with Bono. Canada used to be an independent country. Now we're just part of an entourage.

There was a Canadian Press report from Montreal whose lead sentence could have come straight out of Alice in Wonderland. It read "Tens of thousands of people ignored frigid temperatures Saturday to lead a worldwide day of protest against global warming." Wearing earmuffs while chanting, "It's getting hot in here" might be homage to Nellie, but it's not effective salesmanship.

At the same demonstration on that brutally cold day, one of the Greenpeace high priests offered a brilliant synopsis of how comprehensively the concept of global warming applies.

He said, and I quote, "Global warming can mean colder; it can mean dryer; it can mean wetter." Well, if warm can mean cold, if warm can mean wet, and if warm can mean dry, is it fair to ask if warm still means warm? This is the beauty of global warming. It's a theory that covers every possibility. More of a tent than a thesis.

The bigger disconnect at this monster seminar goes further than rhetoric, however. It's that Canada's the host of this sequel to Kyoto, and that Canada's performance since Kyoto – and remember, we signed on – is at this date, 24 per cent higher than our 1990 levels. According to our commitment, we're aiming for six per cent lower. So as of 2005, there's a 30 per cent spread from what we've promised and what we've done so far.

The U.S., which didn't sign on, is only thirteen per cent higher than its 1990 levels. Still, around the world, the U.S. is the villain for not signing on, while countries like ours, who talk a virtuous environmental line and host King-Kong-scale conferences to celebrate our commitment, pose as the planet's dearest lovers. Perhaps Kyoto is Japanese for hypocrisy.

For The National, I'm Rex Murphy.


TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: canada; kyoto; rexmurphy
Atta' boy Rex.
1 posted on 12/08/2005 7:40:32 AM PST by NorthOf45
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To: Clive; GMMAC; fanfan; timsbella

Rex Murphy Ping


2 posted on 12/08/2005 7:41:15 AM PST by NorthOf45
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To: NorthOf45

"I've been wondering why the global warming conference in Montreal is getting relatively little attention."

Because only the extreme wacko's are attending and if these people were put on tv and allowed to preach their idology the entire world would abandon them and that would make the left wing media look bad.


3 posted on 12/08/2005 7:42:56 AM PST by edcoil (Reality doesn't say much - doesn't need too)
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To: NorthOf45
Canada's performance since Kyoto – and remember, we signed on – is at this date, 24 per cent higher than our 1990 levels.

The U.S., which didn't sign on, is only thirteen per cent higher than its 1990 levels.

Those evil Americans. </canuck>

4 posted on 12/08/2005 7:47:06 AM PST by AZLiberty (She couldn't control Biil's zipper. She wants to control the nation.)
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To: NorthOf45
The bigger disconnect at this monster seminar goes further than rhetoric, however. It's that Canada's the host of this sequel to Kyoto, and that Canada's performance since Kyoto - and remember, we signed on - is at this date, 24 per cent higher than our 1990 levels. According to our commitment, we're aiming for six per cent lower. So as of 2005, there's a 30 per cent spread from what we've promised and what we've done so far.

The U.S., which didn't sign on, is only thirteen per cent higher than its 1990 levels. Still, around the world, the U.S. is the villain for not signing on, while countries like ours, who talk a virtuous environmental line and host King-Kong-scale conferences to celebrate our commitment, pose as the planet's dearest lovers. Perhaps Kyoto is Japanese for hypocrisy.

I saw this on the news last night. Martin was teeing off on the USA and then the CBC of all channels used these numbers. Then I flipped over to the CTV late night news and they were slamming Martin for using a gas guzzling plane that spews out significant more greenhouse emissions than the opposition planes.

The liberal government in Canada is despicable.

5 posted on 12/08/2005 8:00:37 AM PST by hawkaw
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To: NorthOf45
Gee, and I'd always though it meant something along the lines of:
'keep vigil at Karl Marx's grave until all economies dragged down to third world levels'.

Silly me.
6 posted on 12/08/2005 8:01:54 AM PST by GMMAC (paraphrasing Parrish: "damned Liberals, I hate those bastards!")
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To: hawkaw
"The liberal government in Canada is despicable."

... and absolutely corrupt !!!
(only the latest revelation)

7 posted on 12/08/2005 8:07:27 AM PST by GMMAC (paraphrasing Parrish: "damned Liberals, I hate those bastards!")
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To: NorthOf45

How did this get past the CBC filter?


8 posted on 12/08/2005 8:08:27 AM PST by irons_player
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To: NorthOf45

I have always assumed that Kyoto was Japanese for poco loco.


9 posted on 12/08/2005 8:15:22 AM PST by F.J. Mitchell (Okay, bring our troops home. But don't feign suprise when the terrorists tag along.)
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To: irons_player
Rex Murphy is the CBC's attempt at "fair and balanced"

One three minute piece a week for Rex, to counterbalance 297 minutes of the Liberal viewpoint per week. And this only is considering the "National" without considering the rest of the CBC programming.
10 posted on 12/08/2005 8:18:16 AM PST by Chief Engineer
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To: NorthOf45

Baby Jesus doesn't like the dumping on Christmas and crap about global warmint, messing with his life giving Sun and punishes the morons with frigid and wacky weather.
On your knees morons, pray and ask for forgiveness!


11 posted on 12/08/2005 8:22:38 AM PST by Leo Carpathian (FReeeePeee!)
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To: GMMAC
As I said in your thread, I have been following this and thanks for your link.

I hope it turns into an utter disaster for this PM who was some how not held accountable for the Gomery/Ad scam stuff.

12 posted on 12/08/2005 8:49:08 AM PST by hawkaw
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To: NorthOf45; Great Dane; Alberta's Child; headsonpikes; coteblanche; Ryle; albertabound; mitchbert; ..

-


13 posted on 12/08/2005 2:25:05 PM PST by Clive
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To: NorthOf45
Canada used to be an independent country. Now we're just part of an entourage.

LOL. Great line, and true.

14 posted on 12/08/2005 2:32:30 PM PST by Ditto ( No trees were killed in sending this message, but billions of electrons were inconvenienced.)
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To: NorthOf45

Bump


15 posted on 12/08/2005 6:15:15 PM PST by kanawa
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To: kanawa

bump for a good article


16 posted on 12/09/2005 7:45:55 AM PST by Eva
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To: Eva

bunp


17 posted on 12/09/2005 3:24:35 PM PST by JessieHelmsJr
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