Headline: Tories do totally expected yet idiotic thing, once again.

Now, it's really no secret that I loathe the Conservatives and everything they stand for. I don't like Stephen Harper, I don't agree with their policies and I definitely don't think that they reflect Canadian values.

But now, this is just another indication that they are certainly not right for Canada.

Does anyone else see the movie The Day After Tomorrow playing out in their heads? Seems pretty fucking prophetic to me.

Yes, I understand that Canada isn't doing so hot with the whole environmental thing. But for chrissakes, is this going to help? No, I really don't think so. We NEED Kyoto; and what we need even more is to get the US to sign on, not say, 'Okay, guys ...they decided not to play kickball, let's go to their house and play whatever they want instead.'

Which is effectively what we're going to be doing if we back down on Kyoto now. We signed it, we made the commitment - what we need to do now is lead by example, not pander yet again to what the US wants. If they want to be bastards, you know what? Why don't we do something like ...oh ...putting sanctions on them? Or maybe refusing to trade with them? I get that they're our biggest trading partner, but who the hell wanted that anyway?

There are a lot more countries who signed on to Kyoto than those that refused it. So why don't we use that to our advantage instead of saying 'Yes! We'll do it. ...Oh, you guys aren't. Well, uh ..we were just kidding.'

The environment is the most important thing. Without a healthy planet, all of the other issues we think are so important mean fuck all. Because guess what? Once the planet is dead,we'll ALL be dead.

I don't understand why this is so hard for people to grasp. We should be getting down on our knees and kissing the ground, grateful that we have the Earth and that it is able to provide for all of our needs. We're fucking lucky. But no, like everything else, we take it for granted and treat it like it's something we're just entitled to have. That resources are infinite - and even if they aren't, we'll be dead before they run out, so who cares? Who cares about our children and our grandchildren, who may never know what clean air actually is?

God, people really piss me off. You know, I've often said that my priorities aren't what a lot of people in the West's are, and I'm not going to be so arrogant as to say that I'm right and they're all wrong, but Jesus. Isn't it slightly important to people that if we don't have, oh ...clean water and air, perhaps that student loan isn't maybe so important? Because breathing and drinking water are essential to life?

And people call me 'not down to earth' when I worry about this stuff. Hello!? I'm more down to earth than most in that I'm actually concerned about the Earth.

Anyway, enough about me. I see that the Conservatives are saying that they will put something in Kyoto's place. And I can predict exactly what that will be: "Anything the US/our business partners/masters say is goooood."

And for you people playing the home game, let me just point this out, carte blanche: The Conservatives don't care about the environment. They follow a neo-liberal/neo-conservative ideology that holds that only the now is important, and that doesn't care about future generations. So if they can externalise costs NOW by sacrificing the environment, they will. Because it makes them money now.

Stephen Harper can go on and on about how he does care, but I think his record suggests otherwise. I mean, if you look at the Party's website, the only thing in their issues portion is on ethanol and biodiesel. Nothing on the environment really. And even their candidates don't really seem all that concerned about being environmentally friendly.

And the Sierra Club has plenty to say on exactly how much the Conservatives really care about sustaining our environment for future generations as well as turning back the ravages we've already accomplished.

We're fucking ourselves over, and the Conservatives are content to see it happen.

Chew on that, people who are even considering voting Conservative. As for you people strategically voting ....I don't even have time for you.

Although, in the spirit of strategic voting since it seems to be the 'in' thing to do these days, let's not leave the Liberals out of this. I mean, the Conservatives aren't the only ones who aren't concerned. Under the watch of the Liberals, we've seen pollution go up, Kyoto signed but no definitive action occur ...and it really seems like business as usual up on Parliament Hill.

Business as usual meaning 'do jack all about the environment and keep people concerned about other issues by giving them scraps to maintain our power.'

Now, many of you are probably wondering why I don't like the Green Party if I'm so gung-ho about protecting and preserving our environment.

Well, basically it comes down to their platform.

Environmental protection? Yay! Conservative-style fiscal plan? No!

I am not even sure how this Party functions. It's like the bumblebee, that's all I can say: The Green Party should spontaneously combust, but it's by the sheer fact that they don't know that they are able to continue to exist.

On top of it, the Green Party, I'm sorry to say is like a one-trick pony. They're dead on when it comes to many environmental issues - but they are sorely lacking when it comes to everything else.

I know you think I'm biased, but for my money, my vote would still go to the NDP.

They have an extensive environmental platform that takes all the good parts of the Green Party, but they're far more flexible as far as other issues go. Because we need versatility. We need a party who can address many of the problems and inequalities of our society and not try to mesh left wing environmental policies with the worst kind of right wing fiscal policy.

So, please please. When you're thinking about who to vote for on January 23rd don't cop out and strategically vote. Do the brave thing. We can win, honest.