To the editor,
In the recent leader’s debate, Conservative leader Stephen Harper, when speaking about the challenges of governing this country, said that “Canada is a big, empty country.” It struck me as an odd thing to say, but somehow appropriate for the leader of our country’s right-wing party. I know what he meant; that when he flies from one end of the country to the other he doesn’t see many cities and towns, just trees and rivers. But to look down on our beautiful land, and to call it empty…that explains quite a bit about the lack of Conservative environmental policy. Jack Layton was the only leader to actually use the word environment. For me, that alone speaks volumes about the prospects of our big, beautiful country.
By AJ Harpell
This article appears in Dec 29, 2005 – Jan 4, 2006.