[All] Climate Change and The Tar Sands

[keller0 at unbc.ca]

The Kitchener-Centre Green Party of Canada is presenting Mr. Byron
Williston, Professor with the Department of Philosophy at Wilfred Laurier
University, giving a talk on the morality of exploiting the tar sands.  An
introduction to the talk is provided below. The talk will be held in Room
101 of the 120 Duke St. W. Kitchener WLU campus at 7pm and it is open to
the public.  Prof. Williston also happens to be undertaking the process of
becoming Green Party Candidate for Kitchener-Centre in the 2011 federal
general election.

The Canadian Senate recently killed bill C-311, legislation that would
have bound Canada to cut its greenhouse gas emissions substantially by the
middle of this century. On one level, the reason for this action is
straightforward. Canada simply cannot continue to grow the Athabasca tar
sands and cut its greenhouse gas emissions, and the government has decided
that growing this industry is the clear priority. Is this decision morally
justified? Professor Williston will argue that given the dangers posed by
climate change, the arguments the government has actually put forward in
defence of its position are insufficient. Virtually unrestrained
development of the tar sands—the current path—therefore represents a
massive moral failure on Canada’s part.

Hope to see you there,
Linette Keller
(519) 497-9115
k_centregreen at hotmail.com