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Barbara Kay
Latest posts by Barbara Kay (see all)

Ann Coulter

Investigate This!

The Republicans are back in charge in the House...

Liberals Give ‘Til It Hurts (You)

Liberals never tire of discussing their own generosity, particularly...

Scrooge Was A Liberal

It’s the Christmas season, so godless liberals are citing...

Like a Condom, the First Amendment Can’t Always Protect You

First of all, I feel so much more confident...

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Call Our Troops Homophobes

The Pentagon’s poll on “don’t ask, don’t tell” is...

Dennis Prager

America, Not Keith Ellison, Decides What Book A Congressman Takes His Oath On

Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the...

Why I Smoke (Cigars)

There are few personal confessions more likely to alienate...

The Smugness Of The War’s Opponents

In this week’s New York Times Book Review, a...

Is A Gay Who Opposes Same-Sex Marriage A Hypocrite?

Why did a gay prostitute tell the media about...

Note To Angry Republicans: Stay Angry, But Vote Republican

One repeatedly hears that some conservatives and Republicans will...

Mike Adams

Kids Write Obama on Abortion; Obama Misplaces Them

I’m getting sick and tired of the Obama administration...

Stand For Life

A former student recently emailed that she was disappointed...

Fellowship in the Woodlands

Most of America's problems are cultural. Even our economic...

A Queer Need for Rejection

Whenever I write about the issue of First Amendment...

Left State University

William Irvine is a professor of philosophy at Wright...

Salim Mansur

Israel: Decades-old conflict not about to cease

Since 9/11, western powers have behaved more or less...

The better man lost the U.S. election

There will be scores of books written and words...

The puzzle in U.S. presidential elections

The role of the electoral college in American politics...

Bad egg about to roll out of White House

In less than two weeks, Americans will either elect...

Free speech distinguishes the West from the rest

In Crowds and Power, the late Elias Canetti, a...

William D. Gairdner

Canada’s Thought Police ~ Shame On Us!

Below is a story that appeared in the New...

Religion, Sex, and the City

At the recent McGill Conference, I was asked to...

A Fun Debate

This past weekend I participated in the annual Civitas...

Restoring A Pro-Family State

We see hints of it every day now. I...

From History to Harper and the “nation” situation

The commentary below is one citizen’s best effort to...

Barbara Kay

Why Quebec is banning the burka

Whether they admit it or not, virtually all Westerners...

I distrust Obama—but that doesn’t make me paranoid

Like many Canadians, I find American politics have a...

The cult of multisexualism: It’s not all good

Sex education in the schools isn’t new. As John...

Every week is Sex Week

Yale University is arguably the most prestigious institution of...

Male Studies: A proposed curriculum

The 93rd anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge,...

John Stossel

Are Americans Cheap?

The New York Times and Washington Post editorialize about...

Working Mothers Need The Free Market, Too

Last week, my “20/20” co-anchor, Elizabeth Vargas, returned from...

White Guilt Doesn’t Help Blacks

Complaints about racism dominate the media discussion of the...

Property Theft In America

Do you live in a blighted home in a...

Birdwatching, Government Style

Here’s a job that’s really for the birds: staring...

Paul Jackson

Suzuki playing gutter politics

I have likely never seen a more outrageous, mean-spirited...

Grit record terror-ible

The hypocrisy of our nation’s federal Liberals obviously knows...

Britain’s Blair takes tumble

Troubles open way for Tories LONDON—Prime Minister Tony Blair and...

Being ‘likable’ isn’t enough

This is what should frighten all of us about...

Disastrous prospect

The nation will spin into chaos if Dion becomes...

Ted Byfield

CBC’s attempt to mould us led to its decline

The CBC disclosed last week it wants to get...

Counter ‘revolution’ brewing in Quebec

English-speaking Canada was given further evidence last week that...

Shades of Tommy Douglas!

Alberta has basked in prosperity until Honest Ed came...

Story behind nation’s religious collapse

Church attendance in the U.S. is now double the...

All laws rely on some moral authority

Separation of church and state a bad idea I said...

David Warren

Robin Hoodism is on the rise

Once upon a time, and in some periodical publication...

Taking on the Reformation

One of the comforts, for a pundit out of...

The miserly Canadian

Canadians, as everyone should know, are tightwads. This is...

Rediscovering the meaning of Christmas

Christians, or at least the Catholic ones, are supposed...

A vocal truth

In addition to the convenient facts—news that fits effortlessly...

Michael Coren

Police politicization: Law breakers ignored while law-abiding protesters treated like criminals

Within the propaganda and tawdry political theatre that is...

Ideological narcissism: Chief’s hunger strike tough to swallow

While I have some sympathy for Irish republicanism, I...

Fashion over debate: Sonny days ahead if Justin Trudeau gets Liberal leadership nod

The world didn’t end recently, and it’s unlikely to...

Insulting fanatics: They’re the people who make up the legalization campaign

Last week on my television show, we interviewed Jodie...

Shrill backlash to men’s rights advocate

For more than two years I wrote a men’s...

Rory Leishman

SPECIAL: A Letter From Rory Leishman: a critic apologizes to him

Editor’s note:  This is the latest in an ongoing...

Media neglect sources of homegrown Islamist extremism

Following the arrest of three more Canadian citizens on...

Shameful neglect of the mentally ill

We Canadians like to think of ourselves as an...

A case study in poverty and corruption

Over the past 30 years, Angola has developed into...

Canada’s real poverty problem

The Conference Board of Canada ranks Canada’s record on...

Theo Caldwell

Canada’s FATCA Capitulation

As of this past week, the Canada Revenue Agency...

Canada’s Complicity in the US Surveillance State

In Canadian political debate, accusing one’s opponent of advocating...

Of course Canada is more business-friendly than the United States

A recent report from Bloomberg News ranks Canada as...

Toronto Mayor is Not a Victim

I voted for Rob Ford. Normally, I embrace the...

Good luck, America (you’ll need it)

And here I believed that Obamacare, chronic 8 percent...

P T B C

Barbara Kay
Latest posts by Barbara Kay (see all)

Ann Coulter

Investigate This!

The Republicans are back in charge in the House...

Liberals Give ‘Til It Hurts (You)

Liberals never tire of discussing their own generosity, particularly...

Scrooge Was A Liberal

It’s the Christmas season, so godless liberals are citing...

Like a Condom, the First Amendment Can’t Always Protect You

First of all, I feel so much more confident...

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Call Our Troops Homophobes

The Pentagon’s poll on “don’t ask, don’t tell” is...

Dennis Prager

America, Not Keith Ellison, Decides What Book A Congressman Takes His Oath On

Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the...

Why I Smoke (Cigars)

There are few personal confessions more likely to alienate...

The Smugness Of The War’s Opponents

In this week’s New York Times Book Review, a...

Is A Gay Who Opposes Same-Sex Marriage A Hypocrite?

Why did a gay prostitute tell the media about...

Note To Angry Republicans: Stay Angry, But Vote Republican

One repeatedly hears that some conservatives and Republicans will...

Mike Adams

Kids Write Obama on Abortion; Obama Misplaces Them

I’m getting sick and tired of the Obama administration...

Stand For Life

A former student recently emailed that she was disappointed...

Fellowship in the Woodlands

Most of America's problems are cultural. Even our economic...

A Queer Need for Rejection

Whenever I write about the issue of First Amendment...

Left State University

William Irvine is a professor of philosophy at Wright...

Salim Mansur

Israel: Decades-old conflict not about to cease

Since 9/11, western powers have behaved more or less...

The better man lost the U.S. election

There will be scores of books written and words...

The puzzle in U.S. presidential elections

The role of the electoral college in American politics...

Bad egg about to roll out of White House

In less than two weeks, Americans will either elect...

Free speech distinguishes the West from the rest

In Crowds and Power, the late Elias Canetti, a...

William D. Gairdner

Canada’s Thought Police ~ Shame On Us!

Below is a story that appeared in the New...

Religion, Sex, and the City

At the recent McGill Conference, I was asked to...

A Fun Debate

This past weekend I participated in the annual Civitas...

Restoring A Pro-Family State

We see hints of it every day now. I...

From History to Harper and the “nation” situation

The commentary below is one citizen’s best effort to...

Barbara Kay

Why Quebec is banning the burka

Whether they admit it or not, virtually all Westerners...

I distrust Obama—but that doesn’t make me paranoid

Like many Canadians, I find American politics have a...

The cult of multisexualism: It’s not all good

Sex education in the schools isn’t new. As John...

Every week is Sex Week

Yale University is arguably the most prestigious institution of...

Male Studies: A proposed curriculum

The 93rd anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge,...

John Stossel

Are Americans Cheap?

The New York Times and Washington Post editorialize about...

Working Mothers Need The Free Market, Too

Last week, my “20/20” co-anchor, Elizabeth Vargas, returned from...

White Guilt Doesn’t Help Blacks

Complaints about racism dominate the media discussion of the...

Property Theft In America

Do you live in a blighted home in a...

Birdwatching, Government Style

Here’s a job that’s really for the birds: staring...

Paul Jackson

Suzuki playing gutter politics

I have likely never seen a more outrageous, mean-spirited...

Grit record terror-ible

The hypocrisy of our nation’s federal Liberals obviously knows...

Britain’s Blair takes tumble

Troubles open way for Tories LONDON—Prime Minister Tony Blair and...

Being ‘likable’ isn’t enough

This is what should frighten all of us about...

Disastrous prospect

The nation will spin into chaos if Dion becomes...

Ted Byfield

CBC’s attempt to mould us led to its decline

The CBC disclosed last week it wants to get...

Counter ‘revolution’ brewing in Quebec

English-speaking Canada was given further evidence last week that...

Shades of Tommy Douglas!

Alberta has basked in prosperity until Honest Ed came...

Story behind nation’s religious collapse

Church attendance in the U.S. is now double the...

All laws rely on some moral authority

Separation of church and state a bad idea I said...

David Warren

Robin Hoodism is on the rise

Once upon a time, and in some periodical publication...

Taking on the Reformation

One of the comforts, for a pundit out of...

The miserly Canadian

Canadians, as everyone should know, are tightwads. This is...

Rediscovering the meaning of Christmas

Christians, or at least the Catholic ones, are supposed...

A vocal truth

In addition to the convenient facts—news that fits effortlessly...

Michael Coren

Police politicization: Law breakers ignored while law-abiding protesters treated like criminals

Within the propaganda and tawdry political theatre that is...

Ideological narcissism: Chief’s hunger strike tough to swallow

While I have some sympathy for Irish republicanism, I...

Fashion over debate: Sonny days ahead if Justin Trudeau gets Liberal leadership nod

The world didn’t end recently, and it’s unlikely to...

Insulting fanatics: They’re the people who make up the legalization campaign

Last week on my television show, we interviewed Jodie...

Shrill backlash to men’s rights advocate

For more than two years I wrote a men’s...

Rory Leishman

SPECIAL: A Letter From Rory Leishman: a critic apologizes to him

Editor’s note:  This is the latest in an ongoing...

Media neglect sources of homegrown Islamist extremism

Following the arrest of three more Canadian citizens on...

Shameful neglect of the mentally ill

We Canadians like to think of ourselves as an...

A case study in poverty and corruption

Over the past 30 years, Angola has developed into...

Canada’s real poverty problem

The Conference Board of Canada ranks Canada’s record on...

Theo Caldwell

Canada’s FATCA Capitulation

As of this past week, the Canada Revenue Agency...

Canada’s Complicity in the US Surveillance State

In Canadian political debate, accusing one’s opponent of advocating...

Of course Canada is more business-friendly than the United States

A recent report from Bloomberg News ranks Canada as...

Toronto Mayor is Not a Victim

I voted for Rob Ford. Normally, I embrace the...

Good luck, America (you’ll need it)

And here I believed that Obamacare, chronic 8 percent...

P T B C

Barbara Kay
Latest posts by Barbara Kay (see all)

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Barbara Kay
Latest posts by Barbara Kay (see all)
Barbara Kay
Latest posts by Barbara Kay (see all)
Thursday, February 27, 2025
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David Suzuki vs. Michael Crichton

Last Thursday, environmentalist guru David Suzuki stormed out of a Toronto AM640 radio interview with host John Oakley because Oakley dared to suggest that global warming might not be the “totally settled issue” Suzuki insisted it was.

Oakley only reported a fact: Many accredited scientists—some full professors from top universities, including Nobel prize winners and a former president of the National Academy of Sciences—would argue that “global warning is at best unproven and at worst pure fantasy,” according to novelist and independent scientific researcher Michael Crichton, author of the best-selling 2004 environmental techno-thriller, State of Fear.

Crichton, one of the first to expand on the theme of environmentalism-as-religion, would doubtless see Suzuki’s gesture as a result of confusion of his role as environmental advocate with that of chief of Morals Police. Suzuki’s very public censure of Oakley for his perceived blasphemy is disquieting because it smacks of the totalitarian impulse to silence and humiliate the dissenter—or even, as in this case, the dissenter’s messenger.

Suzuki keeps high-profile company in his tendency to suppress environmental infidels. Al Gore called skeptics “global warming deniers,” evoking (if only unintentionally) invidious and fallacious comparison with Holocaust denial. Rejecting the historical record of what has actually happened in the past is one thing ; expressing skepticism about events that are predicted to happen in the future on the basis of computer simulations is quite another. But once you get into the realm of reigning ideologies, such rational distinctions fall by the wayside. The object is to shame the one who questions the received wisdom.

Suzuki would have better served his cause if he had addressed skeptics’ actual concerns. Such as:

– Why was climatologist James Hansen—the father of global warming—off by 200% in his prediction that temperatures would increase by 0.35 degrees Celsius by 2008 (the actual increase has been .11 degrees); and why did he (and colleagues) say in 2001 that “the longterm prediction of future climate states is not possible”?

– Of the world’s 160,000 glaciers, some are shrinking. But many—in Iceland, for example—have “surged” in the last few years, while most of Antarctica is getting colder; if warming is “global,” why?

– Why haven’t sea levels risen to the extent predicted? Why have the waters off the Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean not only experienced no rise over several centuries, but an actual fall in the last 20 years?

– Where is the predicted “extreme weather?” There has been no global increase, and in many cases a decrease, of extreme weather patterns.

– From 1940-70, carbon dioxide levels went way up, but temperatures went down so abruptly that a new Ice Age was the prevailing fear; wherefore this disparity?

– The Sahara Desert is shrinking—purportedly due to the greening effects caused by man-made global warming; but isn’t the greening of the desert a good thing? I know to ask these questions only because I’ve read State of Fear. And as the environmental hysteria burgeons, I continue to press the book on everyone I know. Forget the silly (but riveting) plot, which is to the embedded environmental science in the novel as blini to caviar. You cannot read State of Fear with an open mind and continue to believe global warming is a “totally settled issue.”

Nor should readers be put off by Crichton’s status as a “mere” novelist. Crichton’s scientific research on environmental issues is so impressive he was invited to address the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works. Even Crichton’s most frenzied critics (the Los Angeles Times called State of Fear “the first neocon novel”) did not repudiate his peer reviewed, impeccably sourced data.

Amongst the hundreds of books, journal articles and scientific reports in his bibliography, (no mention of Suzuki, strangely), Crichton lists every publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since its formation. He has read them all, and in the end humbly “guesses”—the most one can do—that we are experiencing mild warming, possibly more beneficial than harmful.

The remorseless pressure on Canadians to sign up for environmental orthodoxies that they are not cognitively equipped to judge is demoralizing and divisive. Tantrums by self anointed prophets do not help the situation. Whatever the eventual outcome on the global warming front, we could all use a little non-partisanship, maturity and attitudinal cooling on the behavioural front.

Barbara Kay
Latest posts by Barbara Kay (see all)

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