Celebrating a rational energy policy resolution in the U.S., and condemning an irrational and evil one in Canada - February 2024

Two political documents were just published at essentially the same time, but with opposite intentions. One is all about liberating the human mind in pursuit of life-promoting energy. The other is about using government force to stop citizens, energy producers, and energy sellers from speaking freely the truth about fossil fuels.

First, the good stuff. Not being American but Canadian, and being in favour of any politician or political party that has pro-reason, pro-human, pro-rights policies, it is wonderful to see the Republican National Committee come out with an energy policy resolution that is likely the best one ever crafted. You can download it using this link, but the full text is below. How inspiring to see such a statement published in a world that has such irrational ideas about energy and prosperity! 

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A TRANSFORMATIVE ENERGY FREEDOM POLICY FOR AMERICA

WHEREAS, Affordable, reliable energy is essential to American and human prosperity because it gives us the ability to use machines to become productive and prosperous; and more affordable and reliable American energy leads to a better economy, a lower cost of living, more well-paid job opportunities, a smaller deficit, and greater national security;

WHEREAS, Fossil fuels are and for the foreseeable future will remain a uniquely affordable, reliable, scalable, and secure source of energy—the only source that can provide plentiful energy to billions of people in thousands of places;

WHEREAS, Energy poverty is a crucial problem at home and abroad, affecting tens of millions of Americans and billions worldwide, including the three billion individuals who survive daily on less electricity than a household refrigerator;

WHEREAS, Fossil fuel energy gives us an unprecedented ability to protect ourselves from the climate, driving down climate disaster deaths by 98% over the last century by powering the technology that protects us against storms, extreme temperatures, and drought;

WHEREAS, America and the world need an energy policy that ensures plenty of fossil fuel energy and fosters promising cost-competitive alternatives like nuclear energy;

WHEREAS, America can enrich itself and empower billions with policies that free human ingenuity to produce energy in as low-cost, reliable, plentiful, and clean a way as possible—while protecting us against harmful emissions and dangerous practices;

WHEREAS, The Biden administration has restricted investment, production, and transport of American fossil fuels on the false promise that they can be rapidly replaced by solar and wind; has shut down reliable power plants and created unprecedented electricity shortages; has sought to excuse their policies from fault by blaming price spikes on “Putin’s price hike,” post-COVID demand, or the supposed greed of oil companies; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That America should take the following steps to promote American prosperity, increase energy security, improve our environment, and enhance the well-being of billions around the world through energy freedom: (1) Liberate responsible development of domestic energy resources; (2) End preferences for unreliable electricity; (3) Reform air and water emissions standards to incorporate realistic cost-benefit analysis; (4) Withdraw from climate agreements that punish America instead of fostering innovation; and (5) Unleash nuclear energy; and

RESOLVED, That the Republican National Committee urges the United States Congress and the White House to advance energy freedom policies that liberate American energy for the benefit of all.

Second, the ugly stuff. A private members bill sponsored by a New Democratic Party (NDP) member of parliament in Canada has dropped "BILL C-372, An Act respecting fossil fuel advertising" on us. Modeled after controls on tobacco advertising it seems, the Act, if ever made law, would ban free speech by individuals, producers and vendors of fossil fuel energy products, threatening them with fines up to $1.5M and up to two years imprisonment.

The full preamble is pasted below. I have coloured statements that are easily proven false in red. More of it is false, but would require more thorough explanation. I identified only the easy stuff, but most sentences contain at least one false or misleading statement. Do you think it might be time for Bill C-373, AN Act respecting the honest drafting of legislation? 

The Bill has no chance of becoming law at this time, but is a scary indicator of the casual disregard some politicians hold for the rights of citizens to think, speak, exchange ideas, and communicate with each other, never mind produce life-promoting energy.

Preamble

Whereas climate change represents an unprecedented and existential threat to people in Canada and around the world;

Whereas extreme weather events, such as the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia, are already proving deadly in Canada and, according to Health Canada, they are expected to increase in frequency and magnitude due to climate change;

Whereas, in 2023, Canada experienced the worst wildfire season ever recorded as the country exceeded the largest area ever burned in a year, totaling more than 7.9 million hectares;

Whereas the Government of Canada has made international climate commitments to drastically reduce fossil fuel consumption and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, which requires the timely phase-out of fossil fuels;

Whereas the protection of the environment is a valid use of the federal criminal law power;

Whereas air pollution caused by fossil fuels leads to millions of premature deaths globally, including tens of thousands of premature deaths in Canada alone, and is a major cause of cancer, respiratory illness, adverse pregnancy outcomes, children’s diseases and cardiovascular symptoms; 

Whereas fossil fuel production and consumption has resulted in a national public health crisis of substantial and pressing concern, in a way that is similar to the public health crisis caused by tobacco consumption;

Whereas, in 1989, Parliament restricted tobacco advertising and sponsorship to reduce tobacco use to respond to that public health crisis;

Whereas, in the context of a climate emergency, fossil fuel advertising sends a confusing and contradictory message about the need to urgently end Canada’s reliance on fossil fuels;

And whereas Parliament is of the opinion that fossil fuel advertising currently deploys techniques which knowingly mislead the public and fail to disclose the health and environmental harms associated with their use, impeding informed consumer decision making, undermining public support for effective climate action and delaying the transition to safer, cleaner energy sources;