Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is vowing to do his part to eliminate the oil and gas industries of the West. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow Trudeau discussed the steps his Canada would take to phase out oil and gas production as part of a global initiative to curb pollution. It’s a fine thing to say in a speech; in practice, what Trudeau is suggesting will put his country at a severe economic disadvantage.
Trudeau promises to cripple Canadian economy
To call for a global initiative to cut down on pollution and ensure that we leave a healthy environment for future generations is laudable in theory.
In practice, what Trudeau and other leaders are suggesting will apply exclusively to Western countries, whose contributions to global carbon emissions are dwarfed by less developed nations.
In this context what Trudeau is suggesting is simply masochism. A leader wants to cripple the economy of his own country while competitors feel no obligation to do the same.
This is the type of thinking that would inspire a country to destroy its nuclear stockpile without even first ensuring that its rivals were planning to do the same.
China, Russia, and the OPEC nations have no intention of phasing out their production and use of fossil fuels. Promises from that sector should be instantly disregarded.
Those countries do not have self destructive leaders who want to cripple their own power and global standing. Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, whatever their other faults, do not actively wish to destroy their own countries.
Standing in front of a UN flag, Trudeau announces he will cap Canadian oil & gas production, and then phase it out. It’s a speech that will be well-received by the world’s other oil-producers, Russia and OPEC dictatorships. They can’t believe their luck. pic.twitter.com/s4cCOQiru7
— Ezra Levant 🍁 (@ezralevant) November 1, 2021
Self-destructive leadership in the West
The 21st century West has embraced future self annihilation in many areas of its culture; this is almost a mild proposal compared to some of the other things Trudeau would no doubt love to do to Canada.
Like President Biden, Trudeau is describing an intention to cut down on carbon emissions without pointing to any concrete evidence that any renewable energy sources will be able to provide the needed replacement.
By cutting oil and gas production without any renewable replacement, Trudeau would be doing nothing aside from increasing Canadian dependence on foreign sources of oil.
All of the carbon emissions eliminated in Canada would be made up for by continued production in the countries which would supply Canada after the phasing out of native production.
These countries lack many of the environmental cares and restrictions of the West so the ultimate damage to the environment will likely be much greater.
Western leaders must be aware of this all, yet they continue to make speeches and promises on this subject. The policies they propose will, for the foreseeable future, only harm the environment and enrich foreign oligarchs. They will, however, win over gullible liberal voters.
