[kEiThZ]

More even distribution of immigrants is an excellent thing for the country. It will develop more diverse communities throughout Canada, enriching our national fabric. They will contribute to economic growth in these regions, and provide many of the professionals that these regions are in dire need of. All this while easing the burden on Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, which routinely have to handle massive population growth without significant assistance from higher levels of government. It will also ease of on issues like urban sprawl in Toronto, the ethnic ghettoization of parts of this great city, pressure on social services, pressure on school boards providing ESL, etc.

 

[Dichotomy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man



Why, has Dichotomy made any medical advances recently?

...yeah, I located your brain - fossilized and unused.

 

[Glen]

...yeah, I located your brain - fossilized and unused.

 

[theowne]

...yeah, I located your brain - fossilized and unused.

Hmm....it was decent, but surely you could have thought of a jab that made a bit more sense in that context?

 

[Dichotomy]

I'm not here to make enemies, my friend. I want to learn and impart knowledge where I may.

Forgive my passion, but there are no quick fixes; unfortunately I fear we are in dire need of them!

 

[Hydrogen]

Who cares about artificial lines on a map?

What about the per capita environmental footprints? The average Canadian emits 4 times the amount of CO2 as the average, say, Indian.

That's the main issue.

So what about the carbon dioxide footprint?

And actually look at your numbers. Take thirty four million, multiply by four and then compare the result to the population of India.

If you are so concerned, remember to avoid heating your home in the winter if you use natural gas, don't buy anything moved on a truck, train or ship, and make sure your agricultural products were sowed and harvested by humans power and not with machinery or animals.

 

[Glen]

urbanfan89 ,

You must also realise that a great number of people in the developing world live 'off the grid'. Their burning of wood and coal while substantial are not included in official statistics.

 

[afransen]

So what about the carbon dioxide footprint?

And actually look at your numbers. Take thirty four million, multiply by four and then compare the result to the population of India.

If you are so concerned, remember to avoid heating your home in the winter if you use natural gas, don't buy anything moved on a truck, train or ship, and make sure your agricultural products were sowed and harvested by humans power and not with machinery or animals.

Strawman...

 

[Hydrogen]

That's quite the deep and insightful response.


One can talk the talk, or walk the walk. If people really are worried about their carbon dioxide output, then they should act for themselves. Do you think this is a bad idea?

People like Dion and Gore are not messengers; they want to lead the attack on what they believe is a problem, and to make people pay taxes or fees on the basis of their beliefs. For that, they better first lead by example. I think that would only be reasonable.



Getting back on topic, maybe the greater dispersion of immigrants across the country will eventually motivate government to improve assistance and integration programs. Maybe these things will be ever more clearly understood as national initiatives rather than localized issues for the handful of major cities.

 

[afransen]

People like Dion and Gore are not messengers; they want to lead the attack on what they believe is a problem, and to make people pay taxes or fees on the basis of their beliefs. For that, they better first lead by example. I think that would only be reasonable.

Seeing as there is no carbon tax, yet, that would be difficult to do. The Liberals approximated it by paying for offsets. Whether the offsets do anything is a different point (though I'm sure you'd love to obfuscate by dragging us in that direction). The point is that they imposed financial incentives on themselves to reduce their carbon emissions from flying. They are certainly putting their money, though scarce, where their mouth is.

 

[Hydrogen]

Whether the offsets do anything is a different point

It is the point. That's why it's so easy to compare them to indulgences. That's what they are.

 

[afransen]

No, it is aside the point. They are paying a financial price in addition to the cost of energy for the plane's fossil fuel use. They could be lighting it on fire and that would be good enough. They are walking their talk as far as putting a price on carbon, by paying it. Your argument is unfounded, so please stop playing Martin Luther.

 

[Hydrogen]

Is money equal to carbon dioxide?

Whether the offsets do anything is a different point (though I'm sure you'd love to obfuscate by dragging us in that direction).

That's actually funny because there is no evidence that paying an offset does anything - other than to get someone to pay money to put out some CO2. The point is that CO2 is still being emitted - not reduced.

Get it?

 

[Dichotomy]

Our firm is looking into doing business with drivegreen.org, but we are having a difficult time figuring out how much money actually ends up in planting trees in Costa Rica. My suspicion with a lot of these bureaucracies is that for every $100 spent, less than 30% finds its way into actually doing any good.
Right now, I see a lot of spin doctors making a lot of noise about 'appearing' to do what is right, rather than actually doing anything about it.

 

[afransen]

Is money equal to carbon dioxide?



That's actually funny because there is no evidence that paying an offset does anything - other than to get someone to pay money to put out some CO2. The point is that CO2 is still being emitted - not reduced.

Get it?

Yeah, but that debate isn't relevant. You accused Dion of not practicing what he preaches. He preaches carbon taxes, he's paying 'carbon taxes'. Your feigned indignation doesn't carry a whole lot of weight, a denier yourself.