Canada Called On To Join New Renewable Energy Agency

[AnnaG]

While I'm all in favor of alternative energy I don't see the point in squandering tax dollars to hire yet more bureaucrats to do what exactly? The best thing governments can do for alternative energy is stay out of the way of industry and consumers.

:roll:I guess you've never heard of grants and whatnot to fund research into new ideas and to develop viable things of benefit to society.
I also guess that you didn't hear about the HIV researcher who was apparently close to a solution but his funding was cut off by Harpy. The guy headed for Florida to do his research there.
Seems to me cutting off R&D funding for those that want to do some good isn't very bright. The feds in the States funded space exploration. Sure a pile of bureaucracy involved itself in that venture, but they got into space, didn't they?

 

[taxslave]

:roll:I guess you've never heard of grants and whatnot to fund research into new ideas and to develop viable things of benefit to society.
I also guess that you didn't hear about the HIV researcher who was apparently close to a solution but his funding was cut off by Harpy. The guy headed for Florida to do his research there.
Seems to me cutting off R&D funding for those that want to do some good isn't very bright. The feds in the States funded space exploration. Sure a pile of bureaucracy involved itself in that venture, but they got into space, didn't they?

Grant money is not the same as bureaucrats jetting around the world having meetings. I can understand industry getting together to share development ideas and standards since there is no point in reinventing the wheel but governments tend to slow down development and waste time with red tape. Our experiences with biofuel is a prime example. MoF staff keep changing rules and making new ones that do nothing except create more paper work and drive up costs. Even the RPF who is working with us has had enough and told MoF that if they were not going to help at least stay out of the way.

 

[AnnaG]

Waiting for GM to come up with an electric car without some stimulus like demand for it or a new up and coming company that starts out making them would be a really long wait. New up and coming tech and stuff sometimes needs a boost.
Business tends to resist change unless it sees an advantage in change. Bureaucracy just goes along for the ride. People can't seem to get tired of it and dump it.
You want a change in bureaucracy? Quit voting Con or Glib and vote something rational.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

While I'm all in favor of alternative energy I don't see the point in squandering tax dollars to hire yet more bureaucrats to do what exactly? The best thing governments can do for alternative energy is stay out of the way of industry and consumers.

Govts have to be involved here, it's all about the money and govts control this. I don' think govts should spend billions here, but a few well placed millions can make a big difference to prod business to go in a certain direction. Govts create publicity for a cause and can make it more popular.

I would be in favour of the Cdn govt dropping out from another organization, like say the Commonwealth to balance the costs of joining IRENA. IRENA is the future.