Modern society doesn’t forgive. There’s no sense that a person’s life is always a mixture of light and darkness
In 1961, British War Minister John Profumo, a married man, had a brief, tawdry affair with teenage party girl Christine Keeler. Among Keeler’s other lovers was Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet military attaché and intelligence agent. When this potential threat to national security was raised in the House of Commons, Profumo did a foolish thing: he…
Many Canadians are hypocrites: they want to have their energy cake and burn it, too
A prevailing question is bouncing around the country: Should Canadians trust the energy sector? It preoccupies a fair number of people, including academics and politicians. Many are intent on doing good by creating new ways of thinking through some of the country’s complex energy challenges. Creating trust is a cornerstone of this thinking. But trust must travel…
If Canadians threw away everything connected to petroleum, they wouldn't have much left in their homes
Canadians have been told for years that their combs, toothbrushes and hairbrushes are petroleum products. The cold cream used to remove makeup (and the makeup) typically come from petroleum. We use petroleum products to clean our hair and to cure what ails us, with everything from first-aid salves to medications. Smear Vaseline on dry skin and you're lubricating yourself with good…
Fort McMurray fire ignites the wrath of useless idiots from both sides of the ideological divide
No one knows what caused the Fort McMurray fire. But that hasn’t stopped too many people – on both sides of the ideological divide – from assigning blame. From pointing fingers, and recklessly accusing others. It’s happened on the ideological left and on the right. Early on, former NDP candidate Tom Moffatt posted this on…
In Paris, Canada may pull off one of the most dramatic “re-branding” coups in recent history and save the oilsands
Can a province and a country redefine itself in just a few weeks? Can the back row clown skip to the head of the class – virtually overnight? Canada and Alberta are about to find out. When the federal government joins the Paris climate talks on Monday, with provinces gathered around like adoring pupils, Canadians…
The reality is that end users, including environmentalists, contribute the largest proportion of global GHG emissions
Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1700’s, fossil fuels have transformed mankind’s journey in almost every conceivable way. Agricultural production has soared, transportation was revolutionized, electrical power enabled breathtaking technological advancements and petro-chemistry has provided synthetic materials for the manufacture of everything from fertilizers to plastics to clothing and even heart…
And stop speaking out of both sides of their mouths
By Kenneth P. Green and Taylor Jackson The Fraser Institute Canada’s premiers concluded their most recent meetings last week with the release of Canada’s Energy Strategy, a document that “charts a path for shaping the sustainable development of Canada’s energy future.” The plan includes such undefined recommendations as to “promote energy efficiency and conservations,” “transition…
Waiving one's right to privacy by engaging in 3-way sex in an alley is the tacky part
George Orwell, where are you now? Are you looking down from some distant lookout, shaking your head and marvelling that the absurd world you imagined way back in 1948 has become so real in 2015? Are you surprised that the plot twist you didn’t foresee in your dystopian novel 1984 was that people around the…
Following the news can be instructive in more ways than one. In addition to keeping you abreast of what’s happening, the response to certain stories can be illuminating. Take, for instance, last week. When Pope Francis nailed his climate colours to the mast, he didn’t bring any fresh scientific information to the table. Instead, he…
In 1961, British War Minister John Profumo, a married man, had a brief, tawdry affair with teenage party girl Christine Keeler. Among Keeler’s other lovers was Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet military attaché and intelligence agent. When this potential threat to national security was raised in the House of Commons, Profumo did a foolish thing: he…
