Climate of Concern: Where Do the Political Parties
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THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA VOL 54 | NO 10 | OCTOBER 2, 2008 UBC REPORTS 3 Health care concerns 4 Roman mystery 5 Top sustainability marks 6 Campus jewel 8 Lost labour co-ops Climate of Concern: Where do the political parties stand on the environment? PHOTO: MARTIN DEE UBC political science professor Kathryn Harrison breaks down the federal parties’ environmental policies. BY KATHRYN HARRISON environmental issue of the proposed policies can credibly Conservative government’s target Not surprisingly, all four parties Professor, Dept. of Political campaign, climate change? achieve those goals. of a 20 per cent reduction by have proposed billions of dollars Science The parties’ positions are On that point differences 2020 sounds similar, but that is in expenditures. similar in several respects. All begin to emerge. The Liberals, relative to a 2006 baseline. Since In a climate of public concern This fall’s federal election four party leaders acknowledge NDP, and Green Party all have Canada’s emissions increased for the environment, it is also marks the first time that that climate change is real, and proposed ambitious reductions significantly from 1990 to 2006, fairly easy to regulate – as environmental issues have played all four call for deep reductions in Canada’s greenhouse gas this amounts to just three per long as the regulations affect a prominent role in a national in Canada’s emissions by emissions below 1990 emissions cent below 1990 emissions. someone else. All four parties election in Canada. How do mid-century. However, a more by 2020, with the Liberals The parties also differ in the the Conservative, Liberal, critical issue for voters is what calling for a 20 per cent mix of policy tools they propose New Democratic, and Green targets the parties are offering in reduction, the NDP 25 per cent, to achieve those targets. Public parties compare on the central the near term, and whether their and the Greens 30 per cent. The spending is politically easiest. continued on page 3 Re-engaging non-voters key to election victory: UBC study BY LORRAINE CHAN His findings suggest that the again for that party,” he says. real deal-breakers during a tight “What carries much more weight The fight for the elusive electoral race reside within the is non-voters turning into voters, swing vote may not be the key large pool of non-voters who are and voters turning into non- to a party’s victory, says a UBC “tethered” to a party, but decide voters.” researcher. Data shows that to abstain from voting. More than eight million victory rather lies in turning non- “The swing vote alone doesn’t eligible voters stayed at home voters into voters. decide elections,” observes in each of the last three federal In the first study of its kind, Antweiler, an associate professor elections. In 2000, 2004, and UBC economist Werner Antweiler at UBC’s Sauder School of 2006, only about 60 to 64 per looks at the voter migration Business. cent of eligible voters cast their patterns of the three most recent “In my view, it comes down to ballots. federals elections in Canada and giving the people who normally Using sophisticated statistical the three most recent provincial vote for a party a reason why techniques, Antweiler analyzed PHOTO: MARTIN DEE elections in B.C. they should come out and vote Economist Werner Antweiler analyzed the movement of voters. continued on page 4 | UBC REPORTS | OCTOBER 2 , 2 0 0 8 IN THE NEWS Highlights of UBC media coverage in September 2008. COMPILED BY BASIL WAUGH BE SMART. BE SURE. BE SET FOR LIFE. Call or email today for a complimentary retirement analysis Don Proteau “Frank and Don made me feel very BComm, CFP Senior Financial comfortable with their advice and long-range Planner planning. Their knowledge of the faculty Assante Capital Management Ltd. pension plan is also a plus for UBC professors.” Member CIPF A1_humphries_k08b.pdf 5/23/08 3:27:24 PM Dr. J.H. McNeill, Frank Danielson Professor Emeritus, PHOTO: RICHARD LAM BEd, CFP Senior Financial Pharmaceutical Sciences, UBC UBC alumnus and Olympic gold medal rower Ben Rutledge helped make Canada proud in Beijing. Planner Assante Financial Management Ltd. UBC Political Scientists UBC Election Stock Market functions”: the ability to resist Comment on Canadian Opens for Trading distractions or delay gratification (604) 678-3442 • [email protected] • [email protected] Election Media reported on the return to finish a job, working memory UBC political science of UBC’s Election Stock Market and cognitive flexibility, the professors have featured (UBC-ESM), an online, real-time presence of mind to adapt when prominently in federal election market where investors purchase demands change. media, including The New York and trade “shares” representing “Some people will ask, ‘Why Times, The Globe and Mail, the political parties they believe are you trying to improve CTV News and the CanWest will win the election. prefrontal abilities when the News chain. In a CTV interview, Sauder prefrontal cortex is not fully In a New York Times School of Business Prof. Werner developed until the 20s?’” said interview, Prof. Fred Cutler said Antweiler said the non-profit Diamond. “I tell them that 2-year- the U.S. election will have little initiative is a better predictor of olds have legs, too, which will not impact on Canadian voters. an election outcome than polling. reach full length for 10 years or “This talk of Obama energizing “Investing their own real money more – but they can still walk and American voters and the provides motivation to traders run and benefit from exercise.” contrast with ‘boring Canada’ is to predict the political parties’ simply off the mark.” fortunes.” Housing Prices in Most Prof. Allen Tupper’s Past UBC-ESMs have provided Canadian Markets are commentary ranged from Green accurate predictions of final Overpriced and Likely to MP Blair Wilson’s re-election vote and seat shares, including Decline: UBC Study chances, to TV debate rules predictions within a few seats of Homeowners in most Canadian to David Emerson. “He was the 2006, 2000 and 1997 federal urban centres should be prepared a minister who became well- elections. for the possibility of housing respected for his policy and market price declines, according Accommodation for UBC visitors administrative capacities, of Training Young Brains to to a UBC Sauder School of which there is not a surplus in Behave Business study. C the Harper government.” The New York Times Prof. Tsur Somerville found M Profs. Kathryn Harrison and reported on research by a UBC that, with the exception of Y Business Family & Philip Resnick also joined in developmental cognitive scientist Toronto and Edmonton, houses the debate, both speaking on who says mental exercises can in Canada’s major cities are CM Guests Friends B.C. politics and environment teach children to become more overvalued, priced up to 25 per MY issues. “It’s promising to be the self-possessed at earlier ages, cent higher than they should be to CY first time the environment has reducing stress levels at home balance with rents. CMY Point Grey Guest House ever played a prominent role in and improving their experience “The decade long boom in K a national election,” Harrison in school. Canadian markets is over,” said 4103 W. 10th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. 604-222-4104 said. Prof. Adele Diamond is Somerville. 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