Having recently received an emailed appeal for support from the OCLA (Ontario Civil Liberties Association), my response outlines the --highLy ReLevanT-- Reasons WHY I cannot offer unquaLiFied support to an otherwise upstanding organization. So here's what I wrote back (keeping in mind the fact that the Cdn Cons were the only ones who cheered when Trump was elected President):
Hi All,
Yes I've been an avid supporter, ever since OCLA's awesome coverage of the 'Freedom March' to Parliament & ensuing pieces on the horrifying Covid-Vax mandates imposed across Canada. Still lots of work to do ahead, with the election - again (unbelievably) - of Liberals & their leader Mark Carney, who may as well be Conservatives with their rush to further expand extractive industries & stay on the Road to Ruin that's leading us like lemmings off a cliff.. Neverthless, I applaud what you've accomplished in that realm.
And of course I fully support your work on Equality: well done, & keep going to push past all the ugly discrimination still alive & well here (sadly.)
HOWEVER, in exploring the OCLA website I was rather shocked to find a distinct "Climate-Change-denial" bent in several articles. In the midst of horrendous wildfires burning across this country, the "Climate change is a hoax" stance seems particularly counter-intuitive - & makes me wonder if perhaps the group I've supported for the last couple of years is really a Conservative-leaning entity disguised as non-partisan?
At this point, having read most of the OCLA's (& linked) articles on the topic I'm definitely not interested in hearing more "science-based" arguments contradicting the concept of human-caused climate change, which is one of the most unifying scientific theories to come from that community in years & has formed the foundation of many much-needed public demands for transition to a conservation-led sustainable economy -- the polar opposite of what PM Carnage & his more-Con-than-Cons Liberals have planned for Canada (i.e. a dangerous rush for further expansion of O&G / extractive industries, in response to the USA's trade-hampering tariffs.) Everyone seems to know what those tariffs are about, since Trump himself is an open book of puerile insecurities who often reveals his evil agenda of domination over weaker nations along with plans to grab all their resources for USA's purposes. I.E. Trump is the biggest threat to world peace, along with his loyal admin/ cabinet/ congress composed of a motley crew of inept & unqualified criminals/ sycophants backing a wilfully ignorant, immoral felon of a P.O.T.U.S. Add to that Trump's oft-stated, obstinate "Climate-denying" position (that "Climate change is a hoax") & you'll understand - at least part of - my problem with that ridick & widely debunked bias!
Please know that I sincerely WANT to be able to support the OCLA, as I have a soft spot for any anti-authoritarian group with the guts to stand by human rights above all else, as your org surely does. But the "climate denial" stance I cannot get past, as I find it roundly LACKING - particularly in light of recent events, i.e. fires much deadlier & fast-spreading than ever before, due to human-brought activities/ govt policies (such as allowing continuation of clearcut logging; failure to protect old-growth primary forests; ramped-up LNG production & tar-sands pipeline-building across opposed BC.. ETC.: YES NOTICE I DID NOT BLAME CLIMATE CHANGE FOR THESE CATASTROPHES - because HUMANS are the culprits in every case, the culmination of which however amounts to MELTING POLAR ICE--> CLIMATE CHANGE: we really ARE that destructive, & that stubbornly stupid!!)
I write this not as a scientist (which I am not!) but as a Canadian who sees fellow Canadians' voting habits (=CONS/ LIBS/ REPEAT) as corpses strapped to a rickety old bandwagon with its wheels stuck in last-century's muck: i.e. useless as f__k! (I've only ever voted Greens, of which I am an active member.)
Any thoughts you may have in response to mine - esp. my misgivings re. your apparent "Climate-denial" take - will be thoroughly read & welcomed.
Thanks very much.
SaRah (SaZ) C.
Vancouver, BC
Ps. To link to the OCLA: their website is https://www.ocla.ca
