ARTICLE RESPONSE

Announcing his new plan for getting to net-zero on carbon emissions, Justin Trudeau told

Canadians: If we trust scientists with our health, as we do, then we must also trust their

research and their expertise when it comes to other existential threats. And that includes

climate change. There is no vaccine against a polluted planet. Its up to us to act. Because there is a real cost to pollution. Were paying the price already with record storms, wildfires, floods, and heat waves, which all carry real economic costs and real risks to our health. We chose to get straight to work on cutting pollution. We should indeed trust scientific research and expertise, and above all data. But so far, data shows no such existential threats due to climate change. Has Canada experienced record storms? No. Environment and Climate Change Canadas Engineering Climate Datasets show no overall increase in rainfall intensities. In Canadas Changing Climate Report they clearly state, For Canada as a whole, observational evidence of changes in extreme precipitation amounts, accumulated over periods of a day or less, is lacking. Has the prime minister bothered to check this basic fact? Apparently not. So far, data shows no such existential threats due to climate change. Has Canada experienced record wildfires? No. Natural Resources Canadas Canadian National Fire Database shows the number of fires and the area burned declining in recent decades. A Fraser Institute study shows fire activity peaking in 1989. Ignorantly stating that we have had record wildfires does not change the data. It needlessly panics the public. Record floods? Yes. Due to records in the number of exposed people and runoff from urban growth, but not bigger storms. A record in insurance premiums, with 2019 personal property premiums approaching four times 1996 values, not surprisingly, results in a record number of flood losses. Effective policies to mitigate flooding must address the true causes, not pet policy goals. Has Canada experienced record heat waves? Yes. In the 1930s and 1940s. The Climate Research Branch of the Meteorological Service of Canada published these trends in the Journal of Climate and stated, No consistent trends are found for the higher percentiles of summer daily maximum temperature, indicating little change to the number of extreme hot summer days. The data shows that minimum temperatures have increased, which increases averages, despite no increase in maximum temperatures. Is it time to have running fact checks on Trudeau just like they had on Donald Trump? It seems so. Before the prime minister gets straight to work on economy-toppling policies to combat this existential threat, he should put some trust in scientific data and get his facts straight.

QUESTIONS:

1. Summarize the article [5 Ws approach works-Who?What?When?Where?Why?]

2. Why was it written? What was the author trying to encourage you to believe or do?

3. What key words or phrases demonstrate his/her beliefs? List them and explain them.

- ie. Undeniable evidence gathered by Amnesty International... pro-liberal, anti-Big Business, anti-government?

4. a) Point out examples of bias

-ie. The simpleton Donald Trump .... leads us to believe he does not like Mr. Trump or thinks he is unintelligent.

4. b) Point out examples of flaws ...things that may not necessarily be true or that have counter arguments.

4. c) Extrapolate(guess) your thoughts on what ulterior motives the author may have...what are they up to?

1. your beliefs....do you agree with all, part or none of this article? And why?