John Hiemstra
Dr. John Hiemstra is Professor of Political Studies in the "Politics, History, and Economics" (PHE) 4-year program at The King's University College, Edmonton. He has taught there since 1991. He completed a Ph.D. in public policy and political philosophy at the University of Calgary and a M.Phil. in political theory at the Institute for Christian Studies, Toronto.
Bio last updated April 30th, 2018.
Articles by John Hiemstra
Down to Earth Environmentalism
By John Hiemstra
January 28, 2016
What might the change of government mean for environmental policy when all the parties offer varying shades of green utopianism?
Even if this practice generates a host of environmental problems such as climate change and the ecological question, we dare not reject the double disembedding of the economy because it protects our core systemic values, namely human freedom, independence and mastery To grasp the true character and full power of Canadian environmental values, therefore, we need to examine not only individual voter attitudes or issues—or some collective values we fabricate by aggregating individuals’ values—but also the environmental values structured into the architecture of society, according to Michael Van Pelt, President of Cardus In Alternatives Journal, billed as “Canada’s environmental voice,” Andrew Reeves argues that voters should have discussed the following issues: species at risk, decarbonizing Canada, the industrialization of agriculture, our role as a “global exporter of agricultural products,” forests as both ecosystem services and resources, sustainable cities, Canada as the 10th highest energy user on Earth, the impacts of mining both locally and downstream on ecosystems and human health, and multiple threats to the “global atmospheric commons But is Canada really back? Do Canadians increasingly value the environment? Can we expect major improvements in environmental practices, resource policies and ecological sustainability? The recent national election campaign is an obvious place to judge whether Canadian environmental values are indeed being strengthened An even more stunning and puzzling question is why environmental values were so weak in the election when society is facing an even larger, looming problem, namely the ”ecological question If we reduce our structural demand for energy, perhaps we could also slow down rapid oil sands development and thereby reduce their environmental impact? But this revelation also invites all humans to respond to Christ by renewing our environmental values and restructuring our social architecture