We’re not talking Kansas here, Toto. It’s true, blue Alberta that is today’s Land of Oz. And its yellow brick road meanders through the tar sands that can destroy our planet. And the wicked witch of the west is the premier who denies global warming. She can even deny the tornado’s path of destruction through central Alberta on Canada Day.
You also had to wonder at the symbolism of Canada’s prime minister wearing the white hat at the opening of the Stampede in Calgary while the Grinch who heads the conservatives wore the black hat and dark glasses. Calgary is Mr. Poilievre’s home turf. You would have thought he would understand the symbolism.
While the world is being consumed in forest fires in the east and west, and the air pollution hangs heavy in the air, that witch Danielle Smith told the prime minister that he was attacking Alberta with his ask for the tar sands industry to lower its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While the world burns, Alberta wants to keep pumping more bitumen up from the depths to fuel the destruction.
The witch denies the power of the winds that blow across the foothills of the Rockies to offer sustainable, non-polluting electrical power to the province. She scoffs at the power of the sun to turn the mills of industry. She would rather deny Mother Nature’s anger at the abuse of pollution by the greed of tar sands exploiters.
The witch envisages a spiderweb network of pipelines putting some of the polluting carbon back underground. The very cost of capturing and storing a portion of the GHG will eventually make bitumen cost far more than any other fossil or other polluting fuel.
You get the impression that the wicked witch might have signs made for the Trans-Canada highway, where it enters Alberta, saying there is no fuel in this province for electric vehicles.
There is a serious global shift away from fossil fuels around the world and the Wicked Witch of the West needs to get with the program.
-30-
Copyright 2023 © Peter Lowry
Complaints, comments, criticisms and compliments can be sent to: