I had planned on commenting about the raging Canadian asbestos mine debate for the last week or so, but failed to come up with anything more compelling than, "Asbestos is bad, right? So... we shouldn't mine it then?" and despite how similar that sounds to my other posts, I deigned to withhold comment until I was actually motivated.
Needless to say, I found the motivation. Mostly from outrage, but honestly if didn't write from outrage I would have nothing to say. The government, in a "leaked" confidential document, has become aware the last asbestos mine in Canada is about to run dry, thereby solving the problem once and for all.
Imagine this, for me:
(Good grief we hate when you get all pandering like this.)
It's not pandering, it's perspective.
Someone discovers their significant other is cheating on them. The wronged party insists the cheater stop seeing the fling, to which the cheatee replies, "He/she is moving anyway! So obviously it doesn't matter!" As if the lack of ability to behave badly was the same as the desire to behave properly.
The real heart of the matter is whether we can count on our government to do The Right Thing (Dear lord that phrase stuck in my throat) as we see it. Perhaps the government is bowing to public pressure that supports the mines, it occasionally happens that the most vocal group is in the minority and the majority is just rolling it's eyes wishing the smaller group would shut up. But regardless of support, it is offensive to suggest that people who decry the mines will be satisfied with a shrugging indifference.
What this move most likely accomplishes, is 'put in jeopardy' an industry that is operating in the heavily NDP-voting Quebec to enable the ruling party to ride in and 'save the jobs', therefore laying the groundwork for a lucrative vote mine in future years.
Needless to say, I found the motivation. Mostly from outrage, but honestly if didn't write from outrage I would have nothing to say. The government, in a "leaked" confidential document, has become aware the last asbestos mine in Canada is about to run dry, thereby solving the problem once and for all.
Imagine this, for me:
(Good grief we hate when you get all pandering like this.)
It's not pandering, it's perspective.
Someone discovers their significant other is cheating on them. The wronged party insists the cheater stop seeing the fling, to which the cheatee replies, "He/she is moving anyway! So obviously it doesn't matter!" As if the lack of ability to behave badly was the same as the desire to behave properly.
The real heart of the matter is whether we can count on our government to do The Right Thing (Dear lord that phrase stuck in my throat) as we see it. Perhaps the government is bowing to public pressure that supports the mines, it occasionally happens that the most vocal group is in the minority and the majority is just rolling it's eyes wishing the smaller group would shut up. But regardless of support, it is offensive to suggest that people who decry the mines will be satisfied with a shrugging indifference.
What this move most likely accomplishes, is 'put in jeopardy' an industry that is operating in the heavily NDP-voting Quebec to enable the ruling party to ride in and 'save the jobs', therefore laying the groundwork for a lucrative vote mine in future years.
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