By Arthur Weinreb
Monday, April 30, 2007
On Wednesday, the Ontario government announced its new "Flick Off" campaign to help educate the populace about the greatest threat ever to face politicians if not civilization -- global warming (or as it is referred to in the winter during an ice storm, climate change). The announcement was made jointly by billionaire Richard Branson and Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten. The new campaign will include t-shirts and stickers that tell everyone to "Flick Off" or to go flick themselves. Apparently, although we're not quite sure, the flicking is supposed to refer to turning light switches off. Many Ontarians including the two opposition parties were not amused.
Of all of the criticism that was directed at McGuinty and his elementary school type sense of humour, NDP MPP Peter Kormos perhaps put it best. Kormos said, "The minister of the environment is telling people to 'flick off'. Parents are going to be flicking embarrassed. They have enough to deal with without a minister of the environment and a government who doesn't give a flick about their children's language. I think it's a flicking embarrassment." Some are even calling for Broten's resignation.
Kormos, of course has a point. Kids, who the campaign is aimed at will now go around telling teachers, their parents and other authority figures to go "flick themselves" and everyone will know what they really mean. It's a prime example of not only the further dumbing down of the younger generation but of a dumbing down of society led by our illustrious political leaders.
McGuinty, a master at defending the indefensible not surprisingly refused to back down. Even though we are not supposed to "light up" in Dalton's Ontario we are supposed to lighten up and appreciate the importance of our premier's childish sense of humour.
The "Flick Off" campaign is a perfect illustration of how the global warming hype is just that -- hype. Poor Dalton was late in jumping on the global warming bandwagon, even being put to shame by Scary Steve and his new green Environment Minister, John Baird. McGuinty's chest-thumping about this juvenile campaign truly illustrates that the destruction of the planet through temperature change is more political than scientific. If Dalton was really concerned about the environment, he would treat it seriously and not stoop to such childish stunts.
McGuinty's rationale for this particular campaign is that it was necessary in order to reach the kids. In other words, the children and young people of today are simply so dumb that they are incapable of learning anything unless analogies to crudity are employed. Well, Dalton should know; he is after all the "education premier" or so he has been telling us since he obtained power in 2003.
Liberals live in a world of moral relativism and Dalton is a master of the Liberal world where truth and morality have little meaning. His reaction to the criticism of the campaign by telling people not to be so sensitive is consistent with McGuinty's lack of regard for the truth. We can expect no more from the man who promised that he wouldn't raise taxes, got elected and imposed a huge health tax and then gave Ontarians the finger when it was suggested that he had broken his promise. He didn't care then and he doesn't care now. He doesn't care about the sensibilities of his own mother in creating a situation where kids will now be able to tell everyone they wish to "flick off"; how can he be expected to be concerned about the reactions of Ontarians who don't share is childish view of the world? McGuinty's prime concern is that he (and it is all about him) can feel good about fighting global warming.
But Dalton McGuinty should be given credit where credit is due. He should be praised for appointing Laurel Broten as the Minister of the Environment to lead this kindergarten campaign. After all, Broten flicks. You can tell by looking at her that she flicks. She's obviously a good flick. She looks like she flicks more than McGuinty's entire caucus put together. No one is better suited to leading the province in flicking than Laurel Broten.
And to those who are unhappy about the "Flick Off" campaign; you know what you can tell Dalton next October.
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