I am in complete agreement that everyone must be involved in fighting climate change, meaning every nation on Earth, not just puny little apologetic Canada, whose governments believe their carbon tax will save the world, while blindly destroying its own economy. Ms. Hawkwood neglects to include all those nations that I’ve described that have either limited or no intention of abiding by the Paris Climate Accords. Canada and its industries have done more than most nations and lead the way on climate change and pollution reducing programs. Contrary to the naivety of Canadians, pollution does not respect borders and what happens in China, Russia, the U.S. or elsewhere affects our environment dramatically. Trudeau’s recently announced national carbon tax imposition will not improve our environment but only damage our economic future and national unity (as this tax has demonstrated in Alberta). The fact that the Liberals plan to add to its enormous debt in order to send rebates of this taxation theft “even before the initial taxes are collected?” is confirmation of Liberal/Socialist wealth redistribution, while slyly and insidiously buying Liberal votes from naïve taxpayers with their own money! This behaviour is immoral if not treasonous! Ms. Hawkwood gives praise to Trudeau the elder for establishing Petro-Canada that contrary to Norway’s success became the biggest scam ever perpetrated on Canadian taxpayers. Unfortunately, Canadians have short memories so here’s a history lesson for Ms. Hawkwood. During the early 1970s, instead of building the infrastructure to effectively move Western Canadian oil to cover its national needs, Canada was importing much of its oil from OPEC nations like Saudi Arabia at world prices. (Sound familiar?). In 1975, Trudeau was the prime minister of a minority government and in order to retain NDP support to keep his job, he capitulated to socialist demands that Canada nationalize its oil industry, thus Petro-Canada was born. With NDP blessings using tax dollars, Trudeau purchased or otherwise confiscated oil companies, among them Atlantic Richfield, Pacific Petroleum, BP and Petrofina. In 1981, Petro-Canada purchased the Come-by-Chance refinery in Newfoundland. Meanwhile, Trudeau established the National Energy Policy aimed at giving Petro-Canada the exclusive rights to 25 per cent of selective parcels of Canada’s oil producing regions, all the while importing foreign oil. All in all, taxpayers have paid for Petro-Canada at least three times! Finally, in 1990, common sense prevailed and the Mulroney government made Petro-Canada a publicly-traded corporation. Instead of nationalizing the oil industry, the correct action should have been to build the infrastructure needed to ensure that Western Canadian oil moved both east and west. This would have ensured the raw materials for our refining industry within Canada without “blood oil” importation from countries like Saudi Arabia who have no regard for human rights or life itself. Secondly and perhaps more importantly, Canada would have the infrastructure to provide oil shipments to the world making Canada an economic power today. To conclude, Canada’s pipeline infrastructure should have been built 40 years ago. Trudeau the younger could have done what his father failed to do, but instead has taken up the mantra of establishing part two of the National Energy Policy by nationalizing the Kinder Morgan pipeline, our one remaining opportunity to gain world markets with Western Canadian oil. Like father like son, no one can convince me that the actions of these two should not be considered treasonous. Old Pierre would be proud! L. Leugner
