The Ethical Voyager

It's too cold to paddle today (-21°C), but I've got a hot topic for you!

If you can think for a moment, of our planet Earth as your kayak afloat on the ether, then imagine that each year we make a circumnavigation around the island we call the Sun. Now as good kayakers, we all know the rules and ethics we need to follow to safely make a voyage. We need to stick together. We need to look out for each other's well-being. We need to 'get along'. We all need to have adequate safety gear and so on. All these things will contribute to a happy and successful trip. Get out of line and flaunt these guidelines, and you risk losing everything both personally and collectively as we have seen so many times in news stories, magasines, books and blogs.

Today, I'm ashamed to say, Canada has not followed the rules. We should know better. Our national representatives at the environmental conference in Bali, have stuck their middle fingers up at our fellow voyagers. Just like we all know from other group voyages, we are seeing arrogance and uncaringness. We are witnessing people pushing their own selfish needs ahead of others. We are watching people blame others for their own mistakes. We will soon be paying for this foolishness. Canada's reputation as a solid team-player will soon be tarnished. Like paddlers who follow this route, we will become isolated from our fellows. We will become pariahs among our peers. And for what end?

For nothing. Our stubbornness will gain us nothing because everyone on the planet travels together as a community of people or we don't travel at all. I trust the New Year will see Canadians jettison the leadership we've elected so that we can catch up with our fellow travelers, apologize for our foolish ways and work for the common good of all. I want to continue to enjoy this annual trip around the Sun. I suspect all our children would too!