Politicians

Politicians drive me crazy. Particularly when they virtue signal, which for some is all the time.

Consider the following. Paul Manly of the Green Party recently tabled a private members bill to stop exports of thermal coal from Canada. You want to know how much thermal coal Canada exports?

Canada exported 37 Mt of coal in 2019, 95% of which is metallurgical (used for steel-making; thermal is used for electricity generation). So the export ban will limit ~1.85 Mt of thermal coal from being exported. Is that a significant amount you ask? The world produced 7,591 Mt of coal in 2018 (both thermal and metallurgical). This bill is a drop in the bucket and is simply meant to virtue signal which side he is on without doing anything.

Another example?

The Canadian Liberal government recently tabled a new bill (Bill C-12) to reduce Climate Change. The minister who tabled the bill had the nerve to tweet this.

What is reprehensible about this is that the bill sets the first target for 2030. Now I don’t really care what your thoughts are on climate change, but if you are going to put into effect legislation, at least have the spine to put it in so you’ll be around when it comes to actually have the rubber hit the road. Promise kept, my ass.

All these politicians seem to do is present solutions that will feather their resumes and stroke their egos without having to actually govern and lead through hard times.

Makes me sick.