Reflection Questions
Answer the following reflection questions after the debate. Each question should be
answered in 3-5 sentences.
1. In your personal opinion, is Canada keeping their commitments to protecting the
environment?
In my personal opinion, I believe that Canada is not keeping their commitments
to protect the environment. As mentioned throughout the debate, Canada has signed an
international agreement to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005
levels by 2030. Despite committing to the Paris Agreement, Canada has continuously
missed each emission target. The Climate Action tracker states that Trudeau's efforts
are “insufficient and “not enough” to succeed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
His inability to focus on the environment is negatively impacting the land, without
receiving personal reprimands. Therefore, Canada is not keeping their commitments to
protect the environment.
2.
From your perspective, explain which student (other than yourself) presented the
most convincing argument?
One student that stood out to me was Sahib because of the eye-opening and
relevant points he brought up. He spoke about the Green Belt, which is a permanently
protected area of green space and the Horseshoe. The government expressed their
pride in this action towards further preventing climate change. According to Sahib and
his sources, the levels of government are surprisingly trying to use Green Belt land to
build an airport and restrict it even further for agricultural purposes. This argument was
impactful because of the irony of this situation when concerning the government. It was
clear that Trudeau continues to disregard his commitments towards the environment
after this argument.
3.
Discuss how your understanding of the Canadian environmental initiatives
broadened as a result of this activity.
My understanding of the Canadian environmental initiatives broadened as a
result of this activity because I became aware of the actual climate crisis taking place.
Although I believed that the Canadian government was doing a lot for the environment, I
progressively realized that they were mostly empty promises and ambitious climate
policies. Most of Trudeau's actions are contradictory because they either positively or
negatively impact nature, as aforementioned. Throughout this activity, I gained an
understanding of economics, the environment and the surprisingly close connection the
two topics share.