Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumThe Two Suzukis
I'm starting a separate thread, because I don't want to look like I'm raining on the parade by commenting in the other thread on Suzuki. The point of this one is that there is a lot more to people than just their public persona.
Ezra Levant, the writer of this piece, is a conservative by anyone's definition, and so could be expected to take issue with Suzuki's environmentalism. I'm also conscious of the fact that his article is trying to create a meme similar to "Al Gore has a big house!", and I don't have much patience with people who try to create the impression of hypocrisy to discredit an opponent. We all carry some hypocrisy in our back pockets after all - it's part of being human. But there is some potentially troubling information here, not least of which is his less-than-arms-length relationship with an oil company.
Most of us know one of the Suzukis. Lets call him Saint Suzuki. Thats the Suzuki whose TV show on the CBC constantly lectures us about our lifestyle. He says we need to consume less, buy less and use less fossil fuels.
But then theres another Suzuki. Lets call him Secret Suzuki, because hes far less well-known.
Secret Suzuki is the one who lives on Vancouvers elite Point Grey Road, on a double lot, overlooking English Bay, right above the exclusive Kitsilano Yacht Club. The City of Vancouver assesses the land value alone at over $8 million. And thats just one of Secret Suzukis properties.
But then theres his large property holdings on Nelson Island. Whats so fascinating about that one is that he co-owns the property with an oil company, Kootenay Oil Distributors Ltd. They dont plan to drill for oil together. Its a beautiful tourist spot maybe perfect for a nice big condo development.
I'm frankly troubled. Not so much by Suzuki, but by our own standards and expectations. At what point should we legitimately expect those who espouse a moral code to walk the walk? How much slack ought we to cut those we admire vs. those we despise?
pscot
(21,024 posts)Until he starts lobbying for a Powell River tar sands terminus, I give him the benefit of the doubt. As for condos on Nelson Island, those are probably inevitable when San Diego and Phoenix become too hot for comfort, which may be sooner than expected. If I had his wealth I'm sure I'd be looking for a bolt hole for my progeny.
hatrack
(59,587 posts)Or (even worse) running the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
GliderGuider
(21,088 posts)GliderGuider
(21,088 posts)hatrack
(59,587 posts)Besides, the kind of expertise it took to destroy the Atlantic Cod doesn't come along every day.
quadrature
(2,049 posts)the person lecturing me is allowed
to be a bigger hypocrite than I am.
Big Al needs to ditch his Zanadu palace
and the private jet.
kristopher
(29,798 posts)You guys are nothing if not predictable.
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/climate-change/science/energy/nuclear-energy/
GliderGuider
(21,088 posts)I also undermine the pro-renewable and pro-fossil voices. I try to be an equal opportunity underminer.
On edit: My distaste for Suzuki has more to do with his "sanctimonious solutionism" than any particular favoritism on energy sources. You may have noticed my distaste for sanctimonious solutionism, kris. I cant help it if some of that sanctimony is found attached to an anti-nuclear position.