Donna Laframboise – Journalist, former Vice President of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Our first event is on December 8th, 2020 at 7:00 pm MST.
Here’s a quick preview of what I’ll be talking about:
Generally speaking, I think activism is a great idea. If you’ve informed yourself in a careful, conscientious manner, and you feel strongly about a topic – by all means, go for it. Make your case to those around you. Try to win people over to your way of thinking. Yay for the marketplace of ideas!
But something quite different has been going on with climate change. For many years now, climate activists have insisted their point-of-view is the only one that is acceptable. The only one that is respectable. The only one that deserves to be heard.
These people have systematically discouraged genuine exchanges of opinion. Their longstanding refusal to participate in public debates illustrates that ‘cancel culture’ has been part of the climate world for some time. More recently, climate activists have given up trying to persuade their fellow citizens to adopt certain behaviours. They now employ every trick in the book to actively limit our choices. The growing movement to outlaw gas-powered cooking stoves is one example. If gas stoves meet all relevant safety requirements, my city councilor has no business making it illegal for me to purchase and use one in my private residence.
But that’s how climate activists now operate. By hook or by crook. Every angle. Every possible lever. Our freedom to speak and think independently about climate matters is under assault. Our freedom to make choices not approved by the climate police is steadily disappearing.