Climate change has been a severe issue in Canada for several years. National debates over the years have developed from arguing if anything should be done, to now contemplating the best decision to fix the damage done. Although this is a step forward on creating a change, we may be to late to create a solution. We have seen numerous amounts of evidence on climate change effecting Canada. People are at risk of loosing their homes, the 470 population known as, Lennox Island, a reserve northwest of P.E.I which is know for its red beaches and blue skies is estimated to loose the island within the next 50 years. This is due to the erratic waters of the Atlantic Ocean lapping rapidly on shore. These are all severe issues that contribute to climate change, we tend to turn a blind eye to these issues. Due to the fact climate change is a growing issue in todays day and age, actions must be taken before it gets to a point beyond correction.
We have made national progress on climate change, we are in motion of debate on how to best deal with this issue. Provinces such as: British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Ontario all have come to a consensus of putting a price on carbon, in order to discourage burning of fossil fuels products. This is the most effective way to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Premier, Kathleen Wynn, of Ontario released the provinces, “Five Year Climate Change Plan.” The issue raising eyebrows for people is Wynn’s approach, many believe carbon pricing is an efficient approach towards their greenhouse-gas strategy. The Liberals are going beyond a carbon price raise. They have created a plan which threatens to become a megaproject of micromanagement. This plan involves to help, convince and bribe the lessening of this fuel to people and businesses, this includes types of vehicles. Ontario is achieving for a 80 percent greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2050. The factor people should be speaking upon is, how can this happen? Ontario is attempting to convince people to look upon alternatives, using public transportation, buy a more fuel efficient car, hike up taxes on fossil fuels. Ontario has created a plan to provide up to $14,000 per person to purchase an electric car. Including free electricity, for those who charge up vehicles overnight. Ontario also wishes purchasers of zero – emission vehicles to pay zero HST. Many believe what liberals are proposing is most likely to fail the arithmetic test, which is a study of numbers which would include these costs. These costs will be coming out of our pockets, as taxpayers. The government can achieve just about anything by throwing millions of dollars into a plan. The one question is though, are we to late? Years and years of damage the population has done to our planet to contribute to climate change will take years of work to repair. What can we as regular people do? Increase our public transportation use, recycle, don’t litter, these little steps have the ability to contribute to make a positive change.
The backlash of climate effect has an affect on just about everyone on a daily basis. There are certain communities across Canada that are being threatened severely by climate change right now. Fort McMurray had one of the worst wild fires in Canadian history. This fire caused over 80,000 people in Alberta to leave their homes, the fire also spread into Saskatchewan and burned nearly 6,000 square kilometres in total. This deadly fire caused an estimated $3.8 billion in insured damage. The fire did more than cause damages to homes and land. The fire caused health problems to a numerous amount of people. According to Nicola Cherry and Whitney Haynes from Canadian Medical Association: Of the 129 participants, 109 were in the Fort McMurray area on May 3. Thirty-seven (33.9%) of the participants who were in Fort McMurray on May 3 reported a health condition, including respiratory symptoms (n = 17) and mental ill health (n = 17), immediately after the fire. At follow-up, a mean of 102 days after the fire, 11 participants (10.1%) reported a fire-related health condition, including mental ill health (n = 8) and respiratory symptoms (n = 2). (Nicola Cherry, MDCM, Whitney Haynes, MPhil. 2017.) Toronto, Canada also suffered from a sever flooding issue in 2013. The city received a months worth of rain in the short time span of just one hour. Within the next 30 to 40 years, rainy days in Toronto are expected to double with more extreme thunderstorms. The examples of harm done in Canada do due climate change show how significantly climate change has harmed our country over the years. These issues occurring around our country are very severe and have gotten to a point where our population is experiencing a severe risk of our health and safety. Overtime as a country we should reach a point these are no longer problems, due to the fact we have the money and resources. The government is aware there is a problem, even with the provided evidence of backlash and endangerment the government is still not doing enough about the problem.
The famous environmental activist, David Suzuki has taken the action in order to connect Canadians through transportation. David Suzukis foundation advocates for all people of Canada to have access to the following: more efficient transit, active transportation including biking, walking along with accessible pathways for those with limited mobility and Electric vehicles. Suzukis foundation welcomes the federal governments commitment of Phase 2 public infrastructure funding – $20.1 billion over 11 years starting in 2017, in order to solve this problem. Transportation changes made in Canada include: Vancouver, investing in Metro Vancouver’s transit to reduce commuting time by 20-30 minutes. Toronto has developed bicycle lanes around the city, 80% of Toronto residents support the safe network. Montreal follows the bike trend with the city having 1 15 000 trips by bike from May-September each day. These factors will all help with climate change contribution, efficient transit, active transportation along with the encouraged use of electric cars.
Factors discussed including the bizarre ways the government is attempting to fix climate change, such as: raising carbon taxes, bribing people with extra money and taking away HST and free charging stations. The backlash of violent floods and fires around the country, including: Toronto, Fort McMurray and Lennox Island. Along with the attempts of change by environmental activist, David Suzuki are all factors contributing to the future of our environment. Although we have organizations such as the Suzuki foundation which attempts to contribute positively to climate change, there is no where near enough people putting in proper effort to make a change. This includes the government, the most powerful people in the country have become aware there is a problem, we are not seeing a change good enough nor fast enough. Climate change is clearly a severe issue that has been going on for far to long. Provinces have been destroyed by flaming uncontrollable fires, cities have been flooded and homes destroyed. The government has waited far to long to attempt to solve this growing issue and it will soon reach a point where it is beyond correction. The government along with the entire population must take quick and efficient effort in order to correct the damage done towards climate change.