It has been two years since newly elected mayor of Calgary Jyoti Gondek introduced the climate emergency as her first priority. At the time, I penned an op-ed for the Calgary Herald arguing against the measure asking “Is there really a climate emergency?”I have since seen the error of my ways and would now like to make the case for a renewed declaration of emergency. Or perhaps an affirmation of an ongoing emergency. Or maybe even a yearly declaration of a permanent continuing emergency. I’m not sure what sort of hyperbole is required, but what we cannot do is ignore the super-duper, extreme peril of our situation.Sure, some might argue the use of the word 'emergency' is being lost or diminished. Or governments are increasingly declaring emergencies instead of providing facts and reasoned arguments for introducing policies. So we had a honking emergency which government felt to be at least as serious as a declaration of war — and with which the majority of Canadians agreed. But that’s not all. In no particular order we have had numerous health emergencies around COVID-19, a housing emergency in Calgary, a sewage emergency in Cochrane, a water emergency in Calgary, a reading emergency for female impersonators, wildfire emergencies across Canada and just last week an electricity bill emergency in Calgary. I argued at the time that perhaps if we were abusing 'emergency' then, it wouldn’t be long before we would be using the word 'apocalypse' or 'Armageddon.' But little did I know that things would get so incredibly hot in 2023. UN Chief António Guterres recently said we are facing climate Armageddon and have now entered the age of global boiling. Fossil fuels need to end immediately. Does anything else have to be said?Perhaps we just need more active protestors since going topless at the Junos just seems sort of lame. Perhaps full frontal nudity is what is required. Attempting to destroy priceless artworks with hammers or disrupting sporting events just doesn’t seem to be getting through to people. I’m sure creative minds can think up bigger, more dramatic things to do. Calgary Police Service needs to vigilantly protect Stop Oil blockades because as irate Panamanian commuters recently demonstrated, things can turn ugly.But what has City Hall done with the 'climate emergency' since it was declared? Well, at the time I suggested councillors should not be voting for the emergency if they didn’t know what it would cost to fix. So the city administration provided an estimate on what it would cost to get Calgary to net zero by 2050. We were reassured that part of the $87 billion (or $3.2 billion a year or nearly 70% of the current operating budget) would be coming from other levels of government. It seems taxpayers in Calgary are somehow exempt from paying taxes to the other levels of government. I’m sure this is something that most Calgarians weren’t aware of.I would suggest City Hall has to do more. I suggest revisiting the sweetheart deal the City made on the new Flames arena. Surely there could be more solar panels in the roof or batteries in the basement. Or at the very least, the new arena should meet the standard set by the lighting challenged Climate Change Arena in Seattle. If the Flames balk at ‘upping the green’ then I suggest the mayor just cancel the deal. That will show those billionaires a thing or two!Or City Council could do as Montreal did and ban natural gas heating and cooking in all new buildings. If people in Montreal don’t need natural gas then why do we? Or, what about the federal Clean Energy Standard for new home construction? It is estimated it will add $40,000 to $50,000 per unit to home construction costs. This might exacerbate the housing shortage but when emergencies collide you have to make some hard choices. We can surely learn to live without living spaces but we certainly can’t survive the coming apocalypse.It is very concerning to have governments around the world backing off their ambitious climate policies once their constituents find out how much it costs to save the world. Even in Canada, Pierre Poilievre’s Axe the Tax campaign is gaining momentum and a majority of Canadians want the carbon dioxide tax reduced or eliminated. This cannot be allowed to happen! Calgarians seem upset there is a possibility of a 7.8% property tax hike this year when what is needed is a 15% to 20% increase for at least four years just so we can catch up to needed funding level for net zero.Even in Calgary citizens seem to have lost the faith. It seems only 38% of Calgarians feel the city is moving in the right direction according to the annual fall survey. What they need is encouragement. When further pressed, Calgarians didn’t even mention climate change as one of the most pressing issues facing the community (Spring Survey p.23). And the environment in general only finished eighth in terms of importance!!!This is no time for a lack of backbone! Danielle Smith and Steven Guilbeault disagree on many things but they both want net zero by 2050 and they are not backing down on their resolve. Dear Mayor Gondek and City Council, I recommend that you take their example and redouble your efforts on this file so we can avoid annihilation. Protect “good” protesters, increase taxes, ban natural gas, ban green grass, slow home construction, cancel the arena.... (You know, remind Calgarians that the beatings will continue until morale improves). But most of all, declare a super ultra-mega-duper climate apocalypse as soon as possible!Bill Marriott is a retired economist who just recently started writing satire.
It has been two years since newly elected mayor of Calgary Jyoti Gondek introduced the climate emergency as her first priority. At the time, I penned an op-ed for the Calgary Herald arguing against the measure asking “Is there really a climate emergency?”I have since seen the error of my ways and would now like to make the case for a renewed declaration of emergency. Or perhaps an affirmation of an ongoing emergency. Or maybe even a yearly declaration of a permanent continuing emergency. I’m not sure what sort of hyperbole is required, but what we cannot do is ignore the super-duper, extreme peril of our situation.Sure, some might argue the use of the word 'emergency' is being lost or diminished. Or governments are increasingly declaring emergencies instead of providing facts and reasoned arguments for introducing policies. So we had a honking emergency which government felt to be at least as serious as a declaration of war — and with which the majority of Canadians agreed. But that’s not all. In no particular order we have had numerous health emergencies around COVID-19, a housing emergency in Calgary, a sewage emergency in Cochrane, a water emergency in Calgary, a reading emergency for female impersonators, wildfire emergencies across Canada and just last week an electricity bill emergency in Calgary. I argued at the time that perhaps if we were abusing 'emergency' then, it wouldn’t be long before we would be using the word 'apocalypse' or 'Armageddon.' But little did I know that things would get so incredibly hot in 2023. UN Chief António Guterres recently said we are facing climate Armageddon and have now entered the age of global boiling. Fossil fuels need to end immediately. Does anything else have to be said?Perhaps we just need more active protestors since going topless at the Junos just seems sort of lame. Perhaps full frontal nudity is what is required. Attempting to destroy priceless artworks with hammers or disrupting sporting events just doesn’t seem to be getting through to people. I’m sure creative minds can think up bigger, more dramatic things to do. Calgary Police Service needs to vigilantly protect Stop Oil blockades because as irate Panamanian commuters recently demonstrated, things can turn ugly.But what has City Hall done with the 'climate emergency' since it was declared? Well, at the time I suggested councillors should not be voting for the emergency if they didn’t know what it would cost to fix. So the city administration provided an estimate on what it would cost to get Calgary to net zero by 2050. We were reassured that part of the $87 billion (or $3.2 billion a year or nearly 70% of the current operating budget) would be coming from other levels of government. It seems taxpayers in Calgary are somehow exempt from paying taxes to the other levels of government. I’m sure this is something that most Calgarians weren’t aware of.I would suggest City Hall has to do more. I suggest revisiting the sweetheart deal the City made on the new Flames arena. Surely there could be more solar panels in the roof or batteries in the basement. Or at the very least, the new arena should meet the standard set by the lighting challenged Climate Change Arena in Seattle. If the Flames balk at ‘upping the green’ then I suggest the mayor just cancel the deal. That will show those billionaires a thing or two!Or City Council could do as Montreal did and ban natural gas heating and cooking in all new buildings. If people in Montreal don’t need natural gas then why do we? Or, what about the federal Clean Energy Standard for new home construction? It is estimated it will add $40,000 to $50,000 per unit to home construction costs. This might exacerbate the housing shortage but when emergencies collide you have to make some hard choices. We can surely learn to live without living spaces but we certainly can’t survive the coming apocalypse.It is very concerning to have governments around the world backing off their ambitious climate policies once their constituents find out how much it costs to save the world. Even in Canada, Pierre Poilievre’s Axe the Tax campaign is gaining momentum and a majority of Canadians want the carbon dioxide tax reduced or eliminated. This cannot be allowed to happen! Calgarians seem upset there is a possibility of a 7.8% property tax hike this year when what is needed is a 15% to 20% increase for at least four years just so we can catch up to needed funding level for net zero.Even in Calgary citizens seem to have lost the faith. It seems only 38% of Calgarians feel the city is moving in the right direction according to the annual fall survey. What they need is encouragement. When further pressed, Calgarians didn’t even mention climate change as one of the most pressing issues facing the community (Spring Survey p.23). And the environment in general only finished eighth in terms of importance!!!This is no time for a lack of backbone! Danielle Smith and Steven Guilbeault disagree on many things but they both want net zero by 2050 and they are not backing down on their resolve. Dear Mayor Gondek and City Council, I recommend that you take their example and redouble your efforts on this file so we can avoid annihilation. Protect “good” protesters, increase taxes, ban natural gas, ban green grass, slow home construction, cancel the arena.... (You know, remind Calgarians that the beatings will continue until morale improves). But most of all, declare a super ultra-mega-duper climate apocalypse as soon as possible!Bill Marriott is a retired economist who just recently started writing satire.
