The other day I was thinking about how the system could be better, at the municipal, provincial and federal level. My thought was,

The individuals in charge of a specific portfolio should have some experience in that sector.

For instance, the Minister of Education should have worked in education, as a teacher, a principle, a professor, etc. The Minister of Justice should have worked in the legal field. The Minister of Finance should be a finance guy or gal. The Minister of Transportation should be a transportation engineer.

And this would work at the municipal level too. We need hard working technical officials to help put Toronto back together.  Sorry to pick on you Adam Giambrone, but your lack of knowledge of public transit systems has not been good for Toronto, neither was your scandal!

I’m not saying we should take away from the elected officials. We live in a democracy and should be represented by an elected official of our riding, district, area, however you want to call it at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

What if instead of having to draw from the elected individuals as top cabinet representatives that we either elected or appointed technical representatives?

Although there maybe some drawbacks, including more officials that need to be paid a salary (could we increase the size of a riding and decrease the number of elected officials?) or lack of policy knowledge (easier to learn than technical knowledge), I think the benefits could far outweigh the disadvantages.

• Technical Knowledge: officials would have technical knowledge of their portfolio and could provide more sound advice to the premier
• Timely Decisions: officials could make timely decisions and not have to rely on the technical knowledge of a support staff. This could not only be a time savings but also a $ savings too (didn’t we learn enough from the EHealth scandal?)
• Public Support: the public may have more trust in the decision made my a technical representative with a thorough understanding of the problem

Our democratic makeup has got us so far but as with everything else I think it’s time for an evolution. We need hard working, technical people to help us move forward in the 21st century. We need forward thinkers. We need officials who are not afraid of change, not afraid to push the envelope and not afraid to make a few mistakes along the way.

My quick summary can be found at one of my favourite engineering news websites, Renew Canada.

According to the 2009 Quality of Life Index that includes 194 countries Canada ranks 19th. The ranking is based on weighted factors that includes cost of living, leisure and culture, the economy, the environment, freedom, health, infrastructure, risk & safety and climate. A full list of all the countries can be found here, including how they categories are weighted and calculated.

As for where we will be in 2010? It’s unknown right now but it will likely be falling even further behind. It’s no secret that Canada is starting to lag, we are becoming known as the country of polite polluters.

Canada the only country that agreed to the Kyoto Protocol backs away from the ratification

The Kyoto Protocol asked for all nations involved to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by a certain percentage below 1990 levels by 2012. Canada agreed to cut emissions by 6% below 1990 levels, formally ratified the Kyoto Accord at the end of 2002 and in 2006 the Canadian government announced it was abandoning the Kyoto targets. Even wore Canada is currently 26% above 1990 emission levels.

Why are we backing away from the Kyoto protocol? Why can’t we meet our environmental targets? According to George Monbiot it is because of all the potential economic benefits of exploiting the oil of the Alberta Tar Sands. But as Monbiot explains it’s not really oil and that’s why it might be so environmentally destructive. In his article The Urgent Threat to World Peace is … Canada, Manbiot sums up the tar sands …

“It’s actually a filthy mixture of bitumen, sand, heavy metals and toxic organic chemicals… To extract oil from this mess, it needs to be heated and washed. Three barrels of water are used to process one barrel of oil. The contaminated water is held in vast tailing ponds, some of which are so toxic that the tar companies employ people to scoop dead birds off the surface(10). Most are unlined. They leak organic poisons, arsenic and mercury into the rivers… Refining tar sands requires two to three times as much energy as refining crude oil. The companies exploiting them burn enough natural gas to heat six million homes”

Canada might become known as a corrupt petrostate. According to Environmental|Defence Canada has The Most Destructive Project on Earth, the Alberta Tar Sands. The open-pit mines needed to extract the tar sands will be the size of the UK; our pristine landscape will be destroyed and that not directly destroyed by the open-pit mines will be indirectly ruined by all the leaching chemicals.

Could Canada to be expelled from the Commonwealth?

Copenhagen, a place where the commonwealth leaders have congregated to find common ground for the future of the global environment. As Kyoto is about to expire the goal is to have a legally binding agreement in place. But Canada will only participate if meets our economic objectives.

Yesterday I wrote about the triple bottom line accounting principle, people, planet, profit. Harger is regressing, he’s moving away from people and planet and purely exploiting profit. As Europe invests in green infrastructure Canada is investing in ‘dirty’ infrastructure. Globally, Harper and our Federal government our tarnishing our Canadian image.

Worse still the leaders of the Commonwealth are growing frustrated. As they implement policies and laws to meet ambitious emissions goals, Canada is seriously lagging behind. Other leaders of the Commonwealth are commenting on the divide between Harper and the other leaders.

Harper is waiting, waiting until his big brother to south takes a stand and tables proposals. According to Harper we are too connected to the US to table any proposals.

Our environmental and economic future lie in the hands of Steven Harper. If he chooses to ignore the ambitious goals being tabled in Copenhagen and solely looks out for the oil interests in Canada, than Canada will lose much of it’s good-faith with global leaders. Worse if Harper permits the complete extraction of the Tar Sands, Canada will be labeled as one of the world’s worst polluters; we’ll be chastised by the rest of the world.

GM – Forward Thinking? Future of Car Makers For North America? I just saw the new GM commercial last night that essentially apologizes to the Canadian citizens and asks for forgiveness; the new campaign is appropriately called ‘Re:Inventing GM.’ GM wants to be looked at as the future of ‘green’ cars and a North American leading auto producer. But is that really possible?

GM is trying to appeal to all the audiences – their world-wide interweb site boasts Flikr, Facebook and Twitter. They have a video on the Chevrolet volt, they have a letter to ‘all Canadians,’ directors statements and news on their restructuring plan. In their commercial they declare that they are getting rid of the unsuccessful brands (does this finally mean the end of the commercial Hummer?)

If fair is fair – are the governments going to bail out other companies that promise to restructure in an effort to be profitable, when in reality profitability is a lofty goal?

In the end I have much more respect for Ford. Ford has not applied for bankruptcy protection and is looking to become the leader in sustainable, environmentally friendly cars.

Is there enough room for GM, Chrysler and Ford?

The next few months will be interesting. With both GM and Chrysler receiving huge bailout packages, both the Canadian and US Governments are hoping to have a thriving auto industry again. The difference between now and the ‘old glory days,’ the world has caught up. Kia, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Audi, Volkswagen, Volvo, etc … all of these companies also offer affordable, environmentally friends .. and watch out Frank Stronach with Magna/Opel should make a push to lead the sustainable car market here. In the end I don’t think it is feasible to sustain all of these North American brands, meaning the US and Canadian citizens have possibly just sunk their money in two un-saveable companies!

New Legislation to better protect young drivers.

Under the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario’s announcement yesterday drivers under the age of 21 would require a zero-blood alcohol level. Under the Road Safety Act other changes included higher fines for serious highway offences (i.e. running a red light or failing to remain at the scene of a collision) and immediate impoundment of a vehicle if the driver is impaired.

The proposed legislation that limited the number of individuals in a car with a young driver was dropped. However, the government may lengthen the required time under the graduated licensing system (from a minimum of 20 months under a certified driving school to a minimum of 36 months).

The full release can be found here.

Eyes on The Road and Hands on the wheel

A second bill went though its third reading on April 22nd, the bill that would restrict the use of hand-held devices. Under the new legislation individuals will not be able to talk, text or email while driving, unless using a hands free device.

The full release can be found here.

Here’s what he had to say:

“With respect to the field of buildings and energy-efficiency, the
federal budget was disappointing.
At a time when we face the twin problems of global warming and a future in
which energy supplies will wane
and prices will rise, Harper’s government gives money to household
renovations like new bathrooms
and kitchens.

To be strategically focused on sustaining our country, and ensuring
Canadians continue to have the
opportunity to heat their homes during the cold of winter, the government
should have put this money
toward Canadians who are renovating old homes, or building new homes more
responsibly. Taxpayers
shouldn’t be subsidizing the purchase of new carpets. We should be
building better homes now. Homes that
will be more affordable to operate, less burdensome on our environment -
homes that will make our
grandchildren proud.

The government had an excellent opportunity to accomplish forward-looking
goals with respect to houses in
Canada, and they missed this entirely. It is disappointing, that only one
week after President Obama
expressed his dedication to a planet that is threatened by our use of
energy, Prime Minister Harper failed
to deliver the same hope, the same passion and the same foresight.”

Professor Pressnail is available for comment. To arrange an interview
please contact:
K.D. Pressnail,
an Engineering Professor in Building Science and Civil
Engineering from the University of Toronto

Ontario follows behind Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador; Newfoundland began banning cell phone use back in 2003.

What about stoplights?

No. Don’t try using your device their either. Phone or device distraction seems to be higher in intersections. Have you ever been at an intersection with a green light and wondered why no one was moving? Did you then look to your left or right and see someone using a portable device?

The evidence is there to support this legislation. With a four-fold increase in collision risk it is time for us to limit the distractions in the car. Add to that new technological developments (many cars now come with built-in blue tooth hands-free devices) and it is possible to communicate hands-free.

The Ontario legislature will depate the bill in the coming months. Look for changes but also expect to the Driver Distraction Legislation to be in affect within the next year.

Joe Biden was the clear winner. Palin, did not fold, crumble, or collapse but did not hold the same sentiments Biden has for his country. Biden has been working in public office for more than 35 years. He has been a force to recken with, made the lives of American’s better, and is helping (already) to pave the way to a better future for the majority, middle-class Americans.* And Biden is a regular, single parent to. Palin tried to trump Biden with her hockey/soccer mom, regular American personality; did she not realize that Biden had to raise two boys on his own after the tragic loss of his wife and daughter? Biden made Palin look inferior and selfish, because yes men too can be single parents, maternal, raise a family and be regular Americans.

But what does this have to do with Sustainable Development? The Future Energy Crisis?

Biden not only cites that it is important for American to start using clean fuels but that American needs to export this knowledge to other countries. Specifically he spoke of China who is developing a new, dirty coal plant every three days. The effect of China’s dirty energy does not just affect China but the rest of the world. Biden spoke of the polutants being swept along the west-coast of America (so yes, Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America are also likely affected).

Biden spoke about using nuclear, wind, investing money to find better solutions,  and learning from other global experiences. And again he related it to the middle-class, majority of America; he wants it to be ‘green’ and affordable for all.

But what does Palin think our energy futures are? “Drill baby Drill,” I believe were her words last night. And of course they would be, she is from Alaska, and Alaskan’s need the petroleum industry to thrive if they are to thrive. She spoke of leaving a ‘small footprint.’ Currently the clean natural gas drilling that Palin spoke of in Alaska needs massive pipe-lines to get from Alaska down to the majority of the country. These pipelines are leaving no small footprint. Perhaps it is that her feet are small and when she visits these sites she physically leaves a small footprint, although I do not know what size her feet are.

In the end the Democrats had a clear advantage in tackling the current and future energy crisis. The Biden-Obama team is forward thinking, looking out for the future of America, and the future of the globe. As the largest producer of carbon-emissions what America does in the future will have an effect on all global citizens.

*As a side note, a middle-class American to Biden is anyone who makes less than $250,000 per year (about 95%) of American’s and to Palin a middle-class American makes about $42,000 – who do you think has a better picture of who the country is really made up?