The return of non-responsiveness

Through most of their time in office, the Cons have at least paid lip service to the environment while working to ensure that no programs which actually accomplish anything are left standing. But now the Cons are apparently back to old tricks from the campaign, deciding that when it comes to the environment, it's not worth their time to show up:

The federal government is turning a blind eye to a major oilsands development project near Fort McMurray by ducking out of assessment hearings being conducted by Alberta, a coalition of provincial environmental groups said on Thursday.

The expansion plan by Suncor Energy Inc. could see its greenhouse gas emissions rise by about nine megatonnes over the coming years an increase equivalent to adding nearly two million cars to the road over a year.

Despite the magnitude of the project, federal officials have decided not to question the project developers about their plans at the hearings.

"Just when Canada and the Canadian public are starting to really realize the consequences of developing the oilsands, it seems like a really strange time for the federal government to take a pass at one of these hearings," said Chris Severson-Baker, director of the energy watch program at the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based not-for-profit environmental policy research and education organization.

Severson-Baker said federal experts from various departments have traditionally played a crucial role in hearings through cross-examination of project developers.

Of course, it shouldn't be any surprise to see the Cons valuing oil-sands profits far more than any possible environmental effects. But one would think the federal government would at least make a cursory effort to ensure that the benefits of the Suncor project outweigh the costs.