For Them, By Them – Is the climate change agenda hurting the economically vulnerable here in Canada?

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“It should be obvious that poverty — not pollution — is a greater threat.”

Donna Jackson (Member of the Project 21 Black Leadership Network)

In the tapestry of human thought, there are threads that weave together the fabric of progress, as well as the unraveling of progress. This week, we embark on a journey of introspection, a deep dive into the intricate social patterns that shape our understanding of the world around us.

I want readers to imagine this moment as the unraveling of a mystery novel, where each line reveals a new layer of foolishness propagated by our world governments. I want our collective curiosity to be the flashlight guiding us through the dim corridors of thought, illuminating secrets, and information yet to be fully explored.

In our current economy, people are doing worse than living paycheck to paycheck — many of us can actually speak to having to borrow to make it to that next payday! The sad reality is that our world governments are implementing policies that are having the same corrosive effects that the Jim Crow laws of America’s hurtful past had in keeping African American families down.

As the Biden administration marches on with its energy price-boosting climate agenda, what many of us don’t realize is that it is disproportionately hurting the most economically vulnerable Americans and stifling their dreams of a better future. It has made me think; is this agenda hurting the economically vulnerable here in Canada?

Environmentalists talk about a climate catastrophe, but what about the human one? The mainstream media, and our governments have had a lot to say about the environmental effects and the need to save the planet, but very little is said about the economic effects of government remedies on humanity.

Some argue that policies promoting renewable energy and carbon reduction are leading to increased energy costs, which are burdening low-income households. For instance, if the transition to cleaner energy sources results in higher electricity prices, it may pose challenges for those already struggling financially.

The transition away from certain industries, such as fossil fuels, will lead to job displacement in certain regions. Workers in traditional industries are going to face challenges finding alternative employment, and these challenges may be more pronounced in economically vulnerable communities.

The way climate policies are designed and implemented plays a crucial role. If policies are crafted without considering the socioeconomic implications (which they currently are), there is a risk of exacerbating existing inequalities.

As of late, I have been paying very close attention to American politics, and true to form, socioeconomic factors indeed have an impact on various communities, and there are similarities that exist between the experiences of African Americans and African Canadians due to: historical, systemic, and cultural factors. It is why I want readers to pay close attention to some of the details I am about to provide.

There is a minority exploitation game called environmental justice, and of course, the worst injustices come not from climate change but from climate change policies.

In an article titled, “Biden’s Climate Policies Are Bad for Black America (2023),  Donna Jackson speaks to unaffordable energy costs. Donna Jackson serves as the Director of Membership Development for the Project 21 Black Leadership Network. She is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna is a sought-after speaker, having testified before Congress and also appearing regularly in the media and at conferences.

According to Donna, “Unaffordable energy costs can no longer be viewed as just an economic issue. It has become a human civil right issue. According to the latest Census Bureau data, the median income for Black families ranged from $48,297 nationally to $20,961 in Detroit. That means families are living off a monthly income of $1,700 to $3,000 at a time when gas prices in Michigan hit a high of $5.20 a gallon and winter heating bills are setting records.”

Donna shares that what is even more damaging than the immediate economic effect of: high electric, natural gas bills and expensive fill-ups at the gas pump are the barriers created to upward mobility, especially for people of colour. “In so many ways, plentiful and affordable domestic energy is part of the ticket out of poverty and dependence. For example, the entrepreneurial spirit of the Black community is evident in the proliferation of Black-owned small businesses during boom times. These businesses struggle and sometimes fail under the weight of expensive energy.”

In another article titled, “Electric Vehicle Agenda Is Failing Families (November, 2023), Donna notes that unfortunately, the electric vehicle agenda of the Biden Administration is having the opposite effect: “Their primary goal is to take away private car ownership from low-income families and trap them in their communities.”

Let’s be honest; EVs are not practical as a household’s sole vehicle, which is all many low-income families can afford. Upward of 90% of EVs sit in the driveways of multi-car households next to one, or more gasoline-powered cars that are typically driven more miles. The EV agenda may be in fashion with those on the upper rungs of the economic ladder, but it is badly out of touch with the realities of those who cannot afford an EV.

I also learned that the Biden administration policies don’t just favor EVs; they also burden gasoline vehicle owners with costly regulations. Past and proposed future regulations from the: Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are a big part of why sticker prices for new cars have skyrocketed. Don’t take my word for it, you can go and check out how prices for used cars have all of a sudden increased here in Canada.

New regulations published in 2023 by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault will effectively end sales of new passenger vehicles powered only by gasoline, or diesel in 2035. Guilbeault said the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard will encourage automakers to make more battery-powered cars and trucks available in Canada, vehicles that many of us won’t be able to afford. Yeah, they don’t tell you that part. What they do tell us is the rebates we will receive, and how they have programs that will assist in buying an EV.

In May 2023, The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) announced that new fuel regulations set to take full effect in 2030 are expected to increase the price of fuel and shrink the size of Canada’s economy. They released a distributional analysis of the federal government’s Clean Fuel Regulations that I am sure many of us don’t know about. We are too busy trying to survive and keep our lights on. After its release, the report became a lightning rod for federal politicians, with the Conservatives calling the policy a financial burden on families.

The average new gasoline-powered vehicle goes for $48,000 — higher than the average African American household income of $46,400 annually — putting it out of reach for low-income and most middle-class households. Used-car prices have risen in tandem. The costs of this anti-car agenda are falling on struggling households — the very people who need affordable vehicles the most.

The auto industry and auto plants are so very important to the African American communities. With the new EV agenda, people are losing their jobs, and this will be devastating to the inner city, and devastating to the African American community.  African American workers have long relied on union auto jobs as a crucial route to financial stability in America. Job by job, plant by plant, African American people forced open the auto industry and built seniority, using it to break into higher paying jobs they had previously been denied. The percentage of African American workers in the auto industry today is more than double their share of the workforce overall. The industry is the African American community’s bread and butter, and the government is slowly taking it off the table.

Job losses and economic changes in the affected regions may affect various communities, including Black Canadians, who could face challenges related to unemployment and economic instability.

To address these potential disparities, it is crucial for governments to implement climate policies that consider social equity and justice. This includes targeted support for vulnerable communities, investment in job training programs for new green industries, and ensuring that the transition to a low-carbon economy does not disproportionately burden those already facing economic challenges.

Engaging in inclusive policy-making processes that involve the voices of marginalized communities is essential to creating climate change agendas that not only address environmental concerns, but also promote social justice and economic equity.

Will this happen; not if the globalists want to stay on track with Agenda 2030.