{"id":33909,"date":"2026-09-03T18:02:59","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T18:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/?p=33909"},"modified":"2026-09-03T18:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T18:02:59","slug":"observer-status-climate-policy-is-getting-trounced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/?p=33909","title":{"rendered":"Observer Status &amp; climate policy is getting trounced"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"671\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Observer-status-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33890\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Observer-status-copy.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Observer-status-copy-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Observer-status-copy-768x515.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-1 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#ffe53d;background-color:#4b2907\">This artist agrees to standing in the back of the room of world events, with no seat at the table other than casting an eye, pointing a finger and painting a picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2026\/09\/03\/opinion\/donald-trumps-trade-war-accelerating-canadas-retreat-climate-policy\">https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2026\/09\/03\/opinion\/donald-trumps-trade-war-accelerating-canadas-retreat-climate-policy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Excerpted from National Observer: Linda Solomon Wood\u00a0 Opinion 26\/09\/03<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-bright-red-color has-dark-gray-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-2 wp-block-paragraph\">Donald Trump\u2019s trade war is accelerating Canada\u2019s retreat from climate policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">=<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Carney-4-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-29119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Carney-4-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Carney-4-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Carney-4-1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">=<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">When trade talks between Canada and the United States broke down on August 22 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/player\/play\/video\/9.7316985\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump imposed tariffs of 50 per cent on almost $30 billion of Canadian goods,<\/a>\u00a0Canada had to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">And it is responding. Prime Minister Mark Carney is standing up to Trump. I admire him for that. Canada cannot allow an American president to threaten our economy every time he doesn\u2019t get what he wants. We need new markets, new trading partners and far less dependence on the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">But something else is happening in the rush to protect ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color has-large-font-size wp-elements-3 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#eb150a\">Climate policy is getting trounced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Hfx-fire-3-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Hfx-fire-3-copy.jpg 700w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Hfx-fire-3-copy-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Hfx-fire-3-copy-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.03.23-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.03.23-PM.png 700w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.03.23-PM-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.03.23-PM-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">=<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.00.43-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33923\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.00.43-PM.png 700w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.00.43-PM-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-5.00.43-PM-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">=<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-blue-color has-blue-gray-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-4 wp-block-paragraph\">When building more fossil-fuel infrastructure is framed as standing up for Canada, opposing it becomes politically harder. When weakening climate rules is framed as protecting Canadian jobs and sovereignty, climate policy starts to look like something we can no longer afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-dark-red-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#f3d512\">Economic sovereignty and climate policy must not be presented as opposing choices. Just as we need to tackle housing costs and public health, we need to keep both climate action and economic independence on our list of priorities. Otherwise, we are solving one massive challenge by making another harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.48.17-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33924\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.48.17-PM.png 700w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.48.17-PM-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.48.17-PM-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/HFX-fire-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-30558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/HFX-fire-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/HFX-fire-1-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/HFX-fire-1-768x400.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">=<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.59.55-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33925\" srcset=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.59.55-PM.png 700w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.59.55-PM-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Screenshot-2025-05-29-at-4.59.55-PM-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em> Digital collages from Boreal Smouldering Series\/2026 ,Allan Harding MacKay<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This artist agrees to standing in the back of the room of world events, with no seat at the table other than casting an eye, pointing a finger and painting a picture. https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2026\/09\/03\/opinion\/donald-trumps-trade-war-accelerating-canadas-retreat-climate-policy Excerpted from National Observer: Linda Solomon Wood\u00a0 Opinion 26\/09\/03 Donald Trump\u2019s trade war is accelerating Canada\u2019s retreat from climate policy. = = &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/?p=33909\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Observer Status &amp; climate policy is getting trounced&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","hentry","category-images","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33909"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33932,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33909\/revisions\/33932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}