The dancing bear.

Here we go again. Despite intense lobbying from other nations, business and apparently, even his own daughter, Donald Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. It is astonishing to me how this U.S. President has the knack of making friends and influencing people, not. On the up side, the withdrawal from the Paris agreement will not take effect until 2020 apart from making payments to those countries badly affected by climate change. Collateral damage I guess. Not to mention the widening rift Trump has seemed to create with U.S. allies in Europe. While states, cities and towns in the U.S. have pledged to continue to act in the spirit of Paris I think federal credibility has been shot full of holes by its own leader and the high value renewable technology business may have been gifted to China. Anyway, by 2020 the U.S. could have a new president. I would be amazed if Trump runs again let alone wins.

The new U.S. administration seems almost stuck to the ground with the remorseless grinding of the Russia affair. The investigation goes on, testimonies will be heard and the administration cannot seem to get on with the day job. Russia’s bear must be dancing with delight at the chaos.

In the UK, the general election, which need not have been called, is on Thursday. I can vote in this one. Frankly though, if my dog was running on the none of the above ticket, he would have my vote. Need I say more? Brexit talks, which I am led to believe, will be tough will commence shortly after the election. Why do I have this nagging feeling that maybe it’s all been done and dusted and after acceptable and lengthy rhetoric everyone will walk away happy? Maybe I’m too cynical.

Closer to home. Because of an election that seems to sound the death knell of Kristy Clark’s B.C. government the Kinder Morgan Pipeline may at best face a longer fight to actuality or at worst be kyboshed altogether. The NDP and Greens have signed a deal to form a minority government that is likely to be extremely tenuous. A couple of by-elections going the wrong way, floor crossings and debilitating illnesses of MLA’s could all upset the apple cart and spark another vote. I’ve said before that the pipelines should have built decades ago if they were going to be built at all and with south, east and west to the sea all still fraught with obstacles maybe the only clear way to the sea is north?

Andrew Scheer is the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and should lead the party up to and through the next general election. I’m not at all partisan. I’m quite happy to ask any politician awkward questions. From my own observations, I think the results of the last general election were about a mindset of some of the electorate that it was, “time for a change,” and the Conservatives maintained their own support but did not seem to be able to convince others to switch alliances or even vote at all. As a journalist, one thing that bugs me intensely is politicians not responding to or answering straight questions. Even, I don’t know but will get back to you works. I’m also tired of people being clear and very clear. Spin doctors, change your course content please. There is plenty of time.