olp1fan Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) So we have an environment minister who couldn't answer what Ozone is...there is no way in hell you can defend him now con bots http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/ozone-gaffe-shows-tories-favour-spin-over-science-trudeau-says/article2244506/ Justin Trudeau figured he’d be made to look the fool but instead it was Environment Minister Peter Kent, who couldn’t answer the simple question as to what is ozone. And Mr. Trudeau, the Montreal Liberal MP, told The Globe Tuesday he’s “sure now that Minister Kent will deepen his knowledge of his extremely important file.” “It just worries me that this government consistently prioritizes politics and spin over science and facts,” Mr. Trudeau said. “Canadians deserve better.” Too tightly scripted and perhaps caught off guard, the Environment Minister stumbled in the Commons Monday when the Montreal Liberal asked him to “explain to the House what ozone is and what is the difference between its impact at low altitude and high altitude?” Mr. Kent, like every other minister during Question Period, did not waver from his talking points. Instead, of trying to answer the question he simply threw back an insult at Mr. Trudeau, criticizing the “quality” of the questions from the Liberal opposition. The minister added: “This government would gladly compare our record on the environment, in all its dimensions to...” At that point, a frustrated Mr. Trudeau interrupted: “You don’t know what ozone is.” The Speaker called for order and Mr. Kent continued: “...to complete my question, again the opposition is using a questionable media source quotation of one of my staff that has been taken out of context.” Mr. Kent was referring to a Postmedia story in which a document uncovered by an access to information request talked about cuts to ozone monitoring programs. In a scrum after Question Period, Mr. Trudeau said his query had begun partly as a joke. He and his colleague, Kristy Duncan, had wondered what would happen if he stood up and asked the minister to define ozone and “just give him the opportunity to make me look like a fool for asking a question that he would obviously know the answer to,” he said. Rather, Mr. Trudeau gave Mr. Kent the opportunity to play the fool. “I’m sure he’s right now going to Wikipedia,” Mr. Trudeau joked. The answer, Mr. Trudeau added, is “fairly simple”: ozone is an oxygen molecule with three parts. It is dangerous at low levels of the atmosphere because it contributes to smog and at high levels it is good because it reflects ultraviolet radiation. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May also weighed in. She told reporters she would be “stunned” if Mr. Kent didn’t know what ozone is. And she lamented that ministers are so scripted in Question Period. “If a question comes for which an answer has not been previously written, even when the answer no longer makes sense, they read their answers.” The issue is nevertheless important, she added, noting there is a “huge hole over the Arctic ozone for the first time” in history. “We need to find out why it’s there.” Edited November 22, 2011 by olp1fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Squid Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 What a fool. Read a frickin book on shit you are supposed to know as Environment Minister Mr. Kent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 What a fool. Read a frickin book on shit you are supposed to know as Environment Minister Mr. Kent. It seems like Canadian right wingers are just as dumb as American politicians Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topaz Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Just remember Kent was a journalist who read everything! The Tories are reading more and more in the House and it makes one wonder why they deserve the money, we,taxpayers pay them,. A 10 year could do the same reading and answering as they do. It seems the PMO doesn't TRUST the answers the ministers would give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Just remember Kent was a journalist who read everything! The Tories are reading more and more in the House and it makes one wonder why they deserve the money, we,taxpayers pay them,. A 10 year could do the same reading and answering as they do. It seems the PMO doesn't TRUST the answers the ministers would give. They are just his yes men ...they honestly have no clue what they are doing, Clement (hahahahahha) put in charge of cutting programs when he spends 50 million on his own riding, Baird doesn't know jack shit about being foreign minister ..someone tell him if you're going to punish Syria with sanctions you don't give Canadian companies that are there a break, duh! Oh hell, none of the ministers know what they are frigging doing This kind of behaviour is good though, it means Canadians have 3 more years to wake up and this is the kind of junk that they will wake up to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) I bet you won't find any conservatives in this thread, they can't argue this one so they will stay far away after all, if a conservative could PWN a liberal by answering a question showing them they know what they are talking about they won't pass up the opportunity, they'd rub the liberals face in it Peter Kent would for sure, that man is really arrogant Edited November 22, 2011 by olp1fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilter Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 I bet you won't find any conservatives in this thread, they can't argue this one so they will stay far away after all, if a conservative could PWN a liberal by answering a question showing them they know what they are talking about they won't pass up the opportunity, they'd rub the liberals face in it Peter Kent would for sure, that man is really arrogant And Trudeaux can't say OZONE in English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) And Trudeaux can't say OZONE in English. our first CON! So, what is your opinion (not on Trudeau) but on Kent? What is your take on him reading his talking points instead of answering a simple question that the Minister of Environment has to know (it's a no brainer, right?) Edited November 22, 2011 by olp1fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWTT Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 our first CON! Man thats freekin funny! WWWTT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF/PF Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 I can forgive him for not having an answer to the high altitude/low altitude question. But not knowing what ozone is? We were taught that in junior high school! Sure, Mr. Kent is older than I am and was probably never taught about ozone during his time in school. But it is not at all unreasonable to expect that our Environment Minister have at least a Grade 7 level understanding of the science behind environmental concerns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 (edited) I can forgive him for not having an answer to the high altitude/low altitude question. But not knowing what ozone is? We were taught that in junior high school! Sure, Mr. Kent is older than I am and was probably never taught about ozone during his time in school. But it is not at all unreasonable to expect that our Environment Minister have at least a Grade 7 level understanding of the science behind environmental concerns. All it does is show he was not promoted because of his knowledge on the subject ...we already figured that but this is the smoking gun Edited November 22, 2011 by olp1fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWTT Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 And Trudeaux can't say OZONE in English. I personally stay away from critisizing peoples language/grammar skills for a good reason. Can you guess why? WWWTT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 All it does is show he was not promoted because of his knowledge on the subject ...we already figured that but this is the smoking gun Why are you so surprised? Politicians usually were educated in POLITICAL science! Or law, I suppose. Who on earth would expect ANY politician do know even a basic level of most sciences? ust because he's a cabinet minister? Hell, most prime ministers have never seemed qualified to make scientific decisions to me! Also, you seem to be implying that Kent was ignorant just because he's a Tory. I've got news for you. The only one I ever knew who had a reasonable science background was Chuck Cadman and he died years ago! Why doesn't someone ask Hedy Fry a similar question? Or Nycole Turmel? Or dig up a few of the oldies, like Sheila Copps! I'd love to hear Carolyn Parrish explain Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity! To make a partisan thing out of Kent's ignorance when so many of them couldn't put a plug on a lamp cord is really a stretch! Still, I have to admit that no one would try harder to pin something on a Tory than you! I suspect your right eye is blind and you can only see through your left one. For that matter, YOU have never impressed me with your own level of scientific knowledge! Haven't seen many posts from YOU in the Science and Technology threads! It would be great fun to see you take on Bonam and Waldo on environmental issues! To be fair, you're in good company. The average Canadian graduate of today's schools thinks science is all about bean seeds sprouting in wads of tissue paper stuffed into a jar! For every kid we see in the paper with an impressive project at a Science Fair there are hundreds who dropped science as "just too hard". Some Canadians invented the Space Arm. Most others are wondering when we're gonna follow it up with a Space Leg. I heard a rumour that at parties Nycole Turmel asks everyone "What Sign are you?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrGreenthumb Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Why are you so surprised? Politicians usually were educated in POLITICAL science! Or law, I suppose. Who on earth would expect ANY politician do know even a basic level of most sciences? ust because he's a cabinet minister? If his cabinet responsibilities relate to a knowledge of science, like an "evironment minister", I damn well would. Then when our minister of state for "science" belives that the world is a mere 6000 years old this certainly doesn't surprise me as much as it should. disgusts me, yes...surprises me....not so much. I guarantee that the NDP environment "critic" damn well knows what ozone is. pretty shallow talent pool in the "harper government" I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evening Star Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 \ I guarantee that the NDP environment "critic" damn well knows what ozone is. For serious. Remember when posters here were questioning Paul Dewar's qualifications as foreign affairs critic because he was a schoolteacher? You have to acknowledge this is a little worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Why are you so surprised? Politicians usually were educated in POLITICAL science! Or law, I suppose. Who on earth would expect ANY politician do know even a basic level of most sciences? ust because he's a cabinet minister? Hell, most prime ministers have never seemed qualified to make scientific decisions to me! Also, you seem to be implying that Kent was ignorant just because he's a Tory. I've got news for you. The only one I ever knew who had a reasonable science background was Chuck Cadman and he died years ago! Why doesn't someone ask Hedy Fry a similar question? Or Nycole Turmel? Or dig up a few of the oldies, like Sheila Copps! I'd love to hear Carolyn Parrish explain Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity! To make a partisan thing out of Kent's ignorance when so many of them couldn't put a plug on a lamp cord is really a stretch! Still, I have to admit that no one would try harder to pin something on a Tory than you! I suspect your right eye is blind and you can only see through your left one. For that matter, YOU have never impressed me with your own level of scientific knowledge! Haven't seen many posts from YOU in the Science and Technology threads! It would be great fun to see you take on Bonam and Waldo on environmental issues! To be fair, you're in good company. The average Canadian graduate of today's schools thinks science is all about bean seeds sprouting in wads of tissue paper stuffed into a jar! For every kid we see in the paper with an impressive project at a Science Fair there are hundreds who dropped science as "just too hard". Some Canadians invented the Space Arm. Most others are wondering when we're gonna follow it up with a Space Leg. I heard a rumour that at parties Nycole Turmel asks everyone "What Sign are you?" you havent a clue do you bill??? he is the ENVIRONMENT MINISTER meaning his JOB deals with ENVIRONMENTAL issues The other politicians do not have to know but he DOES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilber Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I don't think it is reasonable to expect a minister to know the molecular composition of every substance that effects the environment unless you make it mandatory that a minister have some sort of degree in chemistry. It is reasonable to expect them have a rudimentary knowledge in what way the more important ones have an effect on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shwa Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I don't think it is reasonable to expect a minister to know the molecular composition of every substance that effects the environment unless you make it mandatory that a minister have some sort of degree in chemistry. It is reasonable to expect them have a rudimentary knowledge in what way the more important ones have an effect on it. I don't think it is reasonable that a minister has to answer questions in the House without vetting them first. This would allow the Minister of the Environment to get up to speed on certain questions that are raised by the Opposition. In other news, Bev Oda doesn't know what a forgery is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 you havent a clue do you bill??? he is the ENVIRONMENT MINISTER meaning his JOB deals with ENVIRONMENTAL issues The other politicians do not have to know but he DOES No, YOU don't get it! A cabinet minister is not expected to DO the science himself! Rather, he is supposed to form a team of experts who will give him policy alternatives that he can take back to the cabinet table, where it will be vetted against political considerations more than the science involved. The Liberals supported Kyoto but I'll bet a bottle of 12 year old scotch that NONE of them actually read it! I'd bet another bottle except for the fact that Kyoto wasn't about science anyway! Just as a matter of interest, have YOU ever read the Kyoto Agreement? I did! I downloaded it and scratched my head through it. I didn't understand all of it but that was because I'm not a lawyer, not because of a lack of science background. The whole thing was nothing but politics based on wealth re-distribution! I'm NOT exaggerating! Read it yourself and you have to admit that it's obvious. Kent was expected to be a manager, NOT a scientist! Next you'll be telling me that a minister for Science and Technology must be an astronaut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 No, YOU don't get it! A cabinet minister is not expected to DO the science himself! Rather, he is supposed to form a team of experts who will give him policy alternatives that he can take back to the cabinet table, where it will be vetted against political considerations more than the science involved. The Liberals supported Kyoto but I'll bet a bottle of 12 year old scotch that NONE of them actually read it! I'd bet another bottle except for the fact that Kyoto wasn't about science anyway! Just as a matter of interest, have YOU ever read the Kyoto Agreement? I did! I downloaded it and scratched my head through it. I didn't understand all of it but that was because I'm not a lawyer, not because of a lack of science background. The whole thing was nothing but politics based on wealth re-distribution! I'm NOT exaggerating! Read it yourself and you have to admit that it's obvious. Kent was expected to be a manager, NOT a scientist! I'm not saying that he's not an idiot, BTW. I happen to agree with you that he is! In fact, I think almost ALL of our MPs are scientific idiots. The difference between you and me is that I don't target only one party! Next you'll be telling me that a minister for Science and Technology must be an astronaut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shwa Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Next you'll be telling me that a minister for Science and Technology must be an astronaut. No one is asking Peter Kent to be a tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 No, YOU don't get it! A cabinet minister is not expected to DO the science himself! Rather, he is supposed to form a team of experts who will give him policy alternatives that he can take back to the cabinet table, where it will be vetted against political considerations more than the science involved. The Liberals supported Kyoto but I'll bet a bottle of 12 year old scotch that NONE of them actually read it! I'd bet another bottle except for the fact that Kyoto wasn't about science anyway! Just as a matter of interest, have YOU ever read the Kyoto Agreement? I did! I downloaded it and scratched my head through it. I didn't understand all of it but that was because I'm not a lawyer, not because of a lack of science background. The whole thing was nothing but politics based on wealth re-distribution! I'm NOT exaggerating! Read it yourself and you have to admit that it's obvious. Kent was expected to be a manager, NOT a scientist! Next you'll be telling me that a minister for Science and Technology must be an astronaut. LOL you're deflecting this to insult liberals when the issue here is about a conservative you are embarassing and quite frankly no longer worth the time to respond to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olp1fan Posted November 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I don't think it is reasonable to expect a minister to know the molecular composition of every substance that effects the environment unless you make it mandatory that a minister have some sort of degree in chemistry. It is reasonable to expect them have a rudimentary knowledge in what way the more important ones have an effect on it. He should have known what Ozone is... its been very relevant the last few years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonam Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 Politicians are stupid and don't know science. Film at 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keepitsimple Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 slow news day.....YAWN.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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