On the same morning Jason Kenney did a Facebook Live event in Turner Valley, the Alberta town with few oil references and a motto of “Get Back to Nature“, Shell announced it would not renew its membership with American Fuel and Petrochemicals Manufacturers because they “disagree on climate change“.  Let that sink in for a moment. 

“Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s position on climate change is misaligned with about half of the trade associations it’s a part of…”

And it may be one reason why oil and gas investment has stalled in Alberta and Canada. Who would have thought the people who are loudest, proudest, and what-about-ist regarding Alberta’s oil sands are the ones who are causing the most disruption to investor confidence? 

“Following investor pressure, Shell said last year it would prove through greater reporting that it isn’t funnelling [sic] money into institutions that hinder progress on cutting greenhouse-gas emissions.”

Climate change is not a “liberal idea” and a carbon tax is not a “socialist scheme“. Not that you’d know it from the cluster-muck that spews from the mouths of some of our most vocal conservative representatives. 

It’s right there in the damned name.

Conservatives CONSERVE. Conservationists CONSERVE. They protect the environment whether it is natural, economic or social. And protection IS NOT defiance to social change; it means learning to bring the new reality into the fold of the values you have – or at the very least questioning why you have the values you do. 

In case you missed the podcast with economist Trevor Tombe, he gave some much appreciated time explaining that the goal of the carbon tax is to change behaviour – not make money. If the carbon tax is successful, the government will see less money from it. YES, THAT’S THE POINT OF A CARBON TAX – TO MAKE LESS MONEY. Because a successful carbon tax will change behaviour and when that happens, Albertans, and Canadians, will pay less carbon tax. 

Jason Kenney demonstrated his absolute lack of understanding of the idea when he tweeted out a photo of him sitting in his blue Dodge Ram adding up his kilometres traveled and how much he paid in a carbon tax. The comments are the best if you understand what a carbon tax is supposed to do and how this is completely lost on him. 

But it’s not just an Alberta problem. The entire Conservative Party of Canada seems to have lost any grasp of reality and are collectively marching forward with guns blazing against science, common sense and, yes, the oil industry. The problem is, they’re hitting the mark; although it’s not surprising since they have so much practice shooting their own feet. 

Will oil investment ever hit the highs it did before? I don’t know – that’s really not my thing.

Conservatives have sown distrust in academics, scientists, and dissenting opinions to the point that they should not be afforded, let alone awarded, support for their asinine goals. To be honest, I would love to say “screw it – vote for that shitshow and you’ll get what you deserve”. But some people honestly believe these politicians have their best interests in mind. 

When the head of every major oil and gas company is telling you that climate change is something they find important and you decide you’d rather manipulate and exploit every single supporter you have into voting against their own interests to further your personal success – you are not a leader.

You are instead what every single person, and every Conservative, detests in a politician. You are in this for yourself and you are deliberately misleading the people who are relying on you.

I am a reluctant conservative because of this representation. I have been reluctant to admit my conservatism because the actions by these “representatives” disgust me. They do not represent me, my values, nor my future. Despite the pushback from right-wing asshats; I AM conservative – who the hell are you?

This post is more fact that opinion, unfortunately.

Deirdre Mitchell-MacLean

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Twitter: @Mitchell_AB