Polar Bear Wars

Canada's refusal to protect polar bears comes under scrutiny

Here's the basics.  Canada's neighboring countries (mainly us, somehow Mexico is included) signed the North American Free Trade Agreement.  Part of that includes a Committee on Environmental Co-operation.  Because Canada is not paying enough attention to the findings of scientists who have strongly indicated that climate changes will seriously deplete polar bear populations (which is typical of the current Canadian government not being very kind to scientists in general), the other countries are asking for an inquiry into this polar bear situation.

Yeah, but this is a better part of the article:

"Meanwhile, the prime minister, Stephen Harper, has been accused of weakening environmental regulations and "muzzling" government scientists who do not fit in with his energy agenda.

"This is a government that believes first of all that economic development, particularly resource extraction, is substantially more important than environmental protection and environmental stewardship," said Chris Turner, whose book, The War on Science, charts the government's clashes with scientists."

And here's the best part:

"The Centre for Global Development this week ranked Canada last among the world's 27 richest countries for its environmental record."

 OHHH, Canada...