Why is the environment such a big issue in the possible upcomming election?

[mykalberta]

Its not a major issue.

The Liberals need a clear divide between them and the Conservatives much like what the Conservatives did last election. At the moment the line is very blurry on the difference between the two parties.

The Environment is a great issue because all media outlets love the disaster/human race overcoming its own evils story line. Also with a whole continent (EU) behind it, its difficult to counterbalance.

The Conservatives will continue their song and dance around the environment in an attempt to make the issue cloudy so Dion doesnt have a clear distinct message - right now that is the Liberals problem - the Enviro was thought of as an issue they could champion and likely didnt expect (no Con supporters didnt either) Harper to go so gung-ho on the enviro.

I was expecting a tax break in the budget for fuel efficient vehicles, I wasnt expecting a 4K max levy on bad emission vehicles.

MYK

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

The environment is more important than making stiffer laws to protect the citizens of our country? The environment is more important than paying teachers and police officers?

Yes. It is where we live, after all. None of that other stuff is going to matter much if we foul it up. And besides, who says we can't "make stiffer laws", if that's what we need to do, while taking care of something else?

"The environment" may be in the news right now, but it hardly means everything issue is being ignored.

[Agamemnon]

Odd that its an either/or argument... here I was under the impression that our economy was, in many huge ways, completely based on our environment. Seems dumb to focus on the economy and ignore the environment when the two are intimately and utlimately linked... you can have an environment without an economy, but you can't have an economy without an environment.