Brett Delmage
2005-12-02 00:29:15 UTC
We had a record number of smog days in Ottawa this year. Over 50, with the
earliest smog day on record, in February. Mayor Chiarelli and our City
Council haven't done much about reducing air pollution that makes it
difficult and more dangerous for people to ride bicycles in Ottawa. Shame
on them. Remember that next November during the municipal elections.
In this federal election, don't look for Jack Layton's NDP to help
cyclists breathe or have more room on the road to ride. Just three days
into the federal election campaign, Jack Layton and the NDP aren't out
there speaking for cleaner air, but rather for more smog-producing cars!
from CBC news, "Layton presents NDP's auto action plan"
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/12/01/elxn-ndp-autoplan.html
"The New Democrats say they have a strategy for saving the Canadian auto
industry, ..."
In addition to smog, there are many other huge costs of catering to
increasing auto use: paving over of farmland, natural habitat and limited
space in our cities for roads and parking lots, policing, medical costs
for crash victims, energy costs (nuclear and coal) to build cars,
destruction of communities by auto traffic, costs to build and widen and
maintain roads ... costs that are independent of the type of car. After
all, it does not make any sense to waste so much energy and space to move
a single person in a two ton vehicle.
Contrast the NDP's relentless enthusiasm for more car building in Ontario
with what the Ontario Medical Association said this June about smog in
Ontario:
"Alarming new data released today shows smog is taking lives and hurting
economies in communities across Ontario. The Ontario Medical Association's
(OMA) report, Illness Cost of Air Pollution (ICAP) 2005, shows the
negative impact of smog on the health and economy in specific cities
across the province.
...exposure to air pollution will result in almost 5,800 premature deaths
and cost the province almost a billion dollars this year alone. If nothing
is done to further improve the quality of air in Ontario, the number of
premature deaths is estimated to hit 10,000 lives by the year 2026. The
combined healthcare and lost productivity costs are expected to reach well
over a billion dollars."
Jack Layton's NDP want you to think they care about the environment and
health care. They want you to think they want money for cities. I say:
baloney. The NDP (as do the Liberals) have an "auto strategy" in every
recent election (which I have reported here). All they care about is your
vote. Between cause and effect, the NDP look the other way.
"Any political party hoping to work with us in the next Parliament had
better understand that an early, comprehensive, effective auto strategy
must be part of the agenda," he said.
As a cyclist who cares about the environment, public health (disease
prevention and affordability), and quality of life in our communities,
I WON'T be voting for the NDP on January 23. I'll be voting for a party that
understands sustainability, and "cause" and "effect":
the Green Party of Canada.
http://www.OttawaGreens.ca
http://www.greenparty.ca/
Brett
earliest smog day on record, in February. Mayor Chiarelli and our City
Council haven't done much about reducing air pollution that makes it
difficult and more dangerous for people to ride bicycles in Ottawa. Shame
on them. Remember that next November during the municipal elections.
In this federal election, don't look for Jack Layton's NDP to help
cyclists breathe or have more room on the road to ride. Just three days
into the federal election campaign, Jack Layton and the NDP aren't out
there speaking for cleaner air, but rather for more smog-producing cars!
from CBC news, "Layton presents NDP's auto action plan"
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/12/01/elxn-ndp-autoplan.html
"The New Democrats say they have a strategy for saving the Canadian auto
industry, ..."
In addition to smog, there are many other huge costs of catering to
increasing auto use: paving over of farmland, natural habitat and limited
space in our cities for roads and parking lots, policing, medical costs
for crash victims, energy costs (nuclear and coal) to build cars,
destruction of communities by auto traffic, costs to build and widen and
maintain roads ... costs that are independent of the type of car. After
all, it does not make any sense to waste so much energy and space to move
a single person in a two ton vehicle.
Contrast the NDP's relentless enthusiasm for more car building in Ontario
with what the Ontario Medical Association said this June about smog in
Ontario:
"Alarming new data released today shows smog is taking lives and hurting
economies in communities across Ontario. The Ontario Medical Association's
(OMA) report, Illness Cost of Air Pollution (ICAP) 2005, shows the
negative impact of smog on the health and economy in specific cities
across the province.
...exposure to air pollution will result in almost 5,800 premature deaths
and cost the province almost a billion dollars this year alone. If nothing
is done to further improve the quality of air in Ontario, the number of
premature deaths is estimated to hit 10,000 lives by the year 2026. The
combined healthcare and lost productivity costs are expected to reach well
over a billion dollars."
Jack Layton's NDP want you to think they care about the environment and
health care. They want you to think they want money for cities. I say:
baloney. The NDP (as do the Liberals) have an "auto strategy" in every
recent election (which I have reported here). All they care about is your
vote. Between cause and effect, the NDP look the other way.
"Any political party hoping to work with us in the next Parliament had
better understand that an early, comprehensive, effective auto strategy
must be part of the agenda," he said.
As a cyclist who cares about the environment, public health (disease
prevention and affordability), and quality of life in our communities,
I WON'T be voting for the NDP on January 23. I'll be voting for a party that
understands sustainability, and "cause" and "effect":
the Green Party of Canada.
http://www.OttawaGreens.ca
http://www.greenparty.ca/
Brett