Fear, Falsehoods, Conspiracy Theories Ignite Over Canada’s Wildfire Season

Canada’s current wildfire season is devastating evidence of the effects of climate change. But for some conspiracy theorists, the thousands of square kilometres of burnt ground isn’t enough to convince them.

Instead, space lasers, arsonists, and government plots to restrict people’s movement are some of the causes of the fires, according to fringe online circles. But despite being fringe (or far beyond the fringe when they get into space lasers and Q Shamans), these theories are widely circulated and boosted by social media algorithms, The Canadian Press reports.

People turn to conspiracy theories to help them make sense of disasters like the recent wildfires on the Hawai’ian island of Maui, in British Columbia, or the Northwest Territories, said Eric Kennedy, associate professor at York University’s school of administrative studies.

“Some of the conspiracy theories about wildfires create simple villains, or simple evil characters—‘this is Bill Gates, this is the World Economic Forum, this is a particular evil actor,’” said Kennedy, who studies decision-making in emergency contexts, particularly wildfires.

“Sometimes the simple stories are very appealing. Sometimes it’s about fitting into an existing world view and making things make sense within that paradigm.”

Ahmed said almost all conspiracy theories have a spark of truth but are distorted to attract attention or fuel outrage.|Read more https://www.theenergymix.com/2023/09/06/fear-falsehoods-conspiracy-theories-ignite-over-canadas-wildfire-season/|

#politics #wildfires #climateChange #conspiracy #environment #cdnpoli #abpoli

John Ivison: Success for Pierre Poilievre looks like the most boring Conservative convention ever

Party leader Pierre Poilievre will be hoping that by the time Fournier leaves the stage, his relentless march toward government continues apace, with the convention in the books, unremarkable and unremarked upon.

O’Toole’s humbling at the hands of social conservatives and climate skeptics in his own party was a textbook case in how not to stage-manage a convention.

O’Toole had made clear his position that climate change is real and that a party under his leadership would act. A motion that said as much went down to a crushing defeat and effectively signalled the beginning of the end for the leader. The Campaign Life Coalition rejoiced, claiming “global warming alarmism is being used by global elites and the UN to advance population control through abortion and sterilization.”

There is nothing in the policy book that seems unduly surprising or controversial — at least, not to Conservative party members. There are resolutions calling for the party to defund the CBC; kill the carbon tax; impose mandatory minimum sentences for criminals who use guns; allow provinces to use private health delivery; affirm the right to refuse vaccines; and oppose medically assisted dying. But those are already baked into assumptions about what a Poilievre-led government might do.
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If all goes to plan, 2,500 Conservatives will travel to Quebec City, enjoy three days taunting Justin Trudeau and all his works, and then go home to prepare for government. |Read more https://nationalpost.com/opinion/success-for-pierre-poilievre-looks-like-the-most-boring-conservative-convention-ever|

#politics #CPC #convention #PierrePoilievre #cdnpoli #unremarkable