Irrational Post's Kelly McParland Should Be Fired

And La Presse should be ashamed of themselves. McParland actually writes an article based on a Tory Blogger's posting. Kelly does so without even researching the story himself to get the facts. But wait. Another Tory blogger has the exact same story. Simultaneous sleuthing was the order of the day yesterday.

But wait. It gets better. Neither of the Tory bloggers decided to research the Tory War Room talking points.

Here are the two speeches as reported by the (un)Trusty Tory.

Stephane Dion’s speech:

…Increasing global concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, are projected to contribute to additional arctic warming of about 4-7 degrees over the next hundred Years.

Increasing precipitation, shorter and warmer winters, and substantial decreases in snow cover and ice cover are among the projected changes that are very likely to persist for centuries.

Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift, causing wide-ranging impacts.

…Animals species’ diversity, ranges and distribution will change.

Reductions in sea ice will drastically shrink marine habitat for polar bears, ice-inhabiting seals, and some seabirds, pushing some species towards extinction.

…Melting of highly reflective arctic snow and ice reveals darker land and ocean surfaces, increasing absorption of the sun’s heat and further warming the planet.

Increases in glacial melt and river runoff add more freshwater to the ocean, raising global sea level and possibly slowing the ocean circulation that brings heat from the tropics to the poles, affecting global and regional climate.”

Now the speech delivered to the United States Senate, chaired by John McCain:

…Increasing global concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, are projected to contribute to additional arctic warming of about 4-7 degrees over the next hundred Years

…Increases in glacial melt and river runoff add more freshwater to the ocean, raising global sea level and possibly slowing the ocean circulation that brings heat from the tropics to the poles, affecting global and regional climate.”

…Melting of highly reflective arctic snow and ice reveals darker land and ocean surfaces, increasing absorption of the sun’s heat and further warming the planet.”


…Increasing precipitation, shorter and warmer winters, and substantial decreases in snow cover and ice cover are among the projected changes that are very likely to persist for centuries.

…Arctic vegetation zones are very likely to shift, causing wide-ranging impacts.

…Animals species’ diversity, ranges and distribution will change.

…Reductions in sea ice will drastically shrink marine habitat for polar bears, ice-inhabiting seals, and some seabirds, pushing some species towards extinction.

Notice how the unTrusty Tory utilized the "chaired by John McCain" line? A cheap attempt to link Stephane Dion (of all people) to Republican John McCain. The truth is the "report" (not the speech) was presented by Dr. Robert Corell.

Dr. Corell gave his report to a committee of the US Senate. In the report Dr. Corell credits his colleagues that helped put the report together.

Corell told the committee that he was testifying on behalf of "an international team of 300 scientists, other experts, and elders and other insightful indigenous residents of the Arctic region who have prepared this comprehensive analysis of the impacts and consequences of climate variability and changes across the Arctic region, including the impacts induced by increases in UV radiation arising from depletion of stratospheric ozone in the region."

Are we now to conclude, by Janke and unTrusty Tory's reasoning, that Dr. Corell was plagiarizing 300 of his fellow scientists by giving this report?

Further, at a parallel event in Montreal in 2005, Stephane Dion delivered the above speech, citing some of the findings in Dr. Corell's report. It was a parallel event, not the opening speech at the Conference as Mr. Janke would lead you to believe. Janke, McParland, unTrusty Tory and LaPresse go on to say that that makes Mr. Dion a plagiarist.

Does it?

How did Dr. Corell's report come to be? And who was entitled to utilize its findings?

The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment(ACIA)was commissioned by the intergovernmental group called the Arctic Council. Steve Janke would lead you to believe this was a United Nations study. It wasn't.

The Arctic Council was formed in 1996 under the Chretien Government. The council has eight members and is independent of the UN. The eight members are Canada, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, The United States, Sweden and Finland.

So, back to my point. Canada was part of this group. We bought an paid for our portion of this report. All eight members of the Arctic Council were entitled to utilize any portion of the report.

What we have is Dr. Corell reading a report in front of a Senate Committee. The report that 300 people contributed to, including Canadians and the Ministry of Environment. The same Ministry of Environment that Stephane Dion was the head of. Then we have Stephane Dion including portions of that report in his opening statement to a group assembled as part of Arctic Day Parallel Event.

Unlike Stephen Harper's direct copying of Prime Minister Howard's address to Australia, Stephane Dion was entitled to utilize all materials found in the ACIA. In fact, in his speech, he acknowledges the Arctic Council, the oversight group of the ACIA. Harper never acknowledged John Howard. What's more, Stephane Dion wasn't asking to send our brave soldiers to slaughter. He was trying to save a planet.

I don't see how anyone, ANYONE, can see this as plagiarism.

To the point, Kelly McParland owes Stephane Dion an apology. And, so does LaPresse. Shame on them for being so lazy and not researching anything to do with the speech in question.