Wednesday 7 February 2007

What would you do if YOU were Prime Minister?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would write a law requiring any patents that potentially improved our lives be researched and developed. Many patents that can improve the environment have been purchased by Oil companies and others to prevent their development. This is a key factor in global warming (in my opinion). Actually that's more of a "King of the World" dream.

JR

Anonymous said...

I would believe the scientists and draw the analogy to Sept.10,1939 when McKenzie King recalled the House of Commons to debate entering the Second War. I would propose top down organization along the lines of the CRTC to deal with environmental matters with an administrative set up that favored scientists such as ecologists charged with setting up eco zones across the country and over seeing the development of targets and standards in each zone(zones are defined by ecology not Provincial or other existing jurisdictional lines). I would shelter this body with long term appointments not to be altered except on joint address to Parliament and set it behind a Peace and Good Government declaration to keep the courts at bay under the Constitution. Otherwise the administrative set up would be much like the old War Measures Act replacing CEPA. I would also actively promote development of initiatives from the bottom up, looking to the example of the Red River Flood a few years back when a remarkable range of community initiatives started up from community use of private radio, to the organization of dyke extentsion, the interweaving of the soldiers and the citizenry. The style should be to welcome bottom up, give it room and water it liberally with cash. The two approaches will meet at the Municipal level where the administrative struggle will pit Provinces and Federal efforts against each other close enough to the population that genuine ecological and environmental movement may occur. New ways to deal with new problems have to be found quickly.
I really do not believe there is anything at all that the population of Canada cannot do, where it is necessary, but it is a good idea to use as models things we have done before.