What next?

Editorial

With the federal election now over, it doesn't look like too much will change on the green front for the next couple of years. As noted a couple of weeks back on this blog, climate change was sidelined in the campaign by financial woes. "Canadians have spoken" or some might lead us to believe - and that Harper's re-election is both a vindication of his approach to climate change and an indictment of any other plan to do something else.

The planet must be looking at us now and rolling their eyes after some of the shameful , stalling maneuvers Harper & Baird have pulled on the world stage. "How could Canadians have put this guy back in the driver's seat?", they may be asking. Well, the details can be left up to the pundits but at the centre of all this lies the need for electoral reform - for proportional representation - for more democracy. If polls are right and the majority of Canadians want concrete efforts made on the environment, why do we keep ending up with ineffective or even hostile governments?

The election has changed nothing in terms of the challenges that we face. The more we learn, the worse the story gets. And at the same time, there are good news stories from far and wide - some small - some massive. Some say we're in a race for time but that there is room for hope. So let's share those success stories.

So in terms of "what next", I'm having another look at "Tomorrow Today: How Canada can make a world of difference." This report was produced by 16 of Canada's largest environmental groups including The David Suzuki Foundation, Greenpeace, Environmental Defence, WWF, Pollution Probe and the Sierra Club. I recommend that everyone have a look at it as a reminder and helpful tool for prioritizing the hard work ahead.