The poll David Suzuki doesn't want you to see
Canadians are not supportive of Kyoto, according to his poll taken by the David Suzuki Foundation.
A poll that has disappeared.
Don't worry. You can view the poll here, and even add your vote as well.
Check out Halls of Macadamia for the poll.
You can still access it here -- I've copied over the Javacode to execute on this page:
Here's the code itself, in case you are wondering (update: I guess they've closed it off completely):
<script language="JavaScript" src="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/files/absolutepm/xlaabsolute.asp?p=9"></script>
The results? Nearly 86% of the respondents said that Canada can't meet the target and shouldn't bother trying.
If confronted, I would bet that the Suzuki people will claim that the poll was ruined by a concerted effort of climate change deniers. They might be right. The size of the response is much larger than those of previous polls. But part of the online poll game is that if one side or the other can mobilize a statistically significant number of respondents, that itself tells you something about the mood in the audience.
Of course, if the overwhelming response was the other way, I'd bet it would have been trumpeted as proof of Canada's commitment. No mention would be made of the pro-Kyoto forces spoiling the poll by mustering their supporters to click on the poll.
It makes this comment of Suzuki's somewhat more intriguing:
After meeting with tens of thousands of Canadians on a cross-country tour, environmentalist David Suzuki says he's convinced that most are willing to pay more out of their own pockets to fight climate change, provided that big industries are forced to do the same.
"Maybe we're speaking to the converted, in which case there's a hell of a lot of converted, but certainly the people we encountered are ready to pay higher prices and to sacrifice, because they see this is a great danger," said Suzuki.
That qualification about speaking to the converted -- when I first read it, I wondered why Suzuki would be using that sort of language. Like he was preemtively providing an answer to an uncomfortable question that no one had asked yet. But until I saw this poll, I couldn't figure out why he would be doing that. Now it makes sense.
The poll appears on a page that records the end of Suzuki's tour on March 2. The current page is missing the poll altogether, but the box remains, and the code for it still refers to the poll:
<!-- Poll Question-->
<table width="163" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td><img src="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/images/site/panelTop.gif"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td background="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/images/site/bgPanel.gif">
<table width="130" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center">
<tr>
<td>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://www.davidsuzuki.org/images/site/panelBottom.gif"></td>
</tr>
</table>
You know, if you are a scientist, and you collect data, you present the data even if it contradicts your hypothesis.
Especially if it contradicts your hypothesis.
Makes me think that David Suzuki isn't much of a scientist anymore.
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Comments
David Suzuki, Paris Hilton - celebrities. Is there a difference?
Posted by: philanthropist at March 5, 2007 02:29 AM
HAHAHAHA!!!! I had posted about the poll results when there was only 9000 or so votes and how bad it was looking. Digging the code up to see the actual results is priceless Steve!!!
Awesome job.
Posted by: TrustOnlyMulder at March 5, 2007 05:50 AM
You are exactly right. I said that yesterday. Suzuki has become a religious fanatic. He lashes out at those who disagree with him. That is not science.
Good work for reviving the poll>
Posted by: Roy Eappen at March 5, 2007 06:40 AM
He's a Mad Scientist and the closer he gets to being exposed for
what he is, the madder he will become.
He can link up with Gore and form something called
Charlatans Are Us.
Posted by: Liz J at March 5, 2007 07:05 AM
Getting rid of evidence that isn't matching your thesis, apparently isn't a new tactic on Suzuki's part. According to someone who knew Suzuki back in the days when he was doing experiments in the lab with fruit flies, if the data didn't support Dr. S's hypothesis, he didn't use it.
So, it would seem that not much has changed in the good doctor's modus operandi. And who's surprised?
Posted by: well, well, well at March 5, 2007 07:31 AM
Hey Liz, how about CRAS: Charlatans Really are Us?
These guys and their ten-ring circus, dog-and-pony show are CRASS beyond belief.
Posted by: 'been around the block at March 5, 2007 07:33 AM
His tactics are mendacious and beneath contempt.
His self-serving role as "eco-vacuum" of donations is secure, though.
Posted by: Erik Sorenson at March 5, 2007 08:49 AM
The fact that the Suzuki Foundation is only hiding the existence of the poll, means that it will never see the light of day on Suzuki's website again.
If they had ended the poll as part of a schedule, it wouldn't continue to be available for polling.
It shows how beyond contempt Suzuki and gang are when they don't get the results they want.
Posted by: Kitchener Conservative at March 5, 2007 09:05 AM
Suzuki is running a klepto racket...this criminal enterprise has spread to the degenerate left opposition parties.
Canadians hide your wallets the Moonbats have gone klepto!
Posted by: WL Mackenzie Redux at March 5, 2007 10:40 AM
Why is Harper stalling?!? He should be letting everyone know that it's all bullsh*t!! I hope everyone here is writing to their MP and demanding that they abandon Kyoto, tell Suzuki to go to h*ll, block Gore from coming here and forget about climate change. This is getting out of control.
Posted by: pdoff at March 5, 2007 11:57 AM
Dave Suzuki might have MORE CREDIBILITY in Canada, if only he was a handicapped, female, aboriginal, french-speaking-only homosexual.
Posted by: Feldwebel Wolfenstool at March 5, 2007 02:24 PM
Again, Steve, great work.
I think that it is important that everybody be allowed to express their opinions, even if the Kyoto crowd doesn't want any naysayers and even if 'climate' is not your field of studies.
David Suzuki has had an impressive education - a B.A. in Biology from Amherst College (Amherst, MA) and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Chicago. The CBC, while acknowledging him as one of Canada's ten greatest Canadians, called him a geneticist. Perhaps he can glean something from from his field of studies about the effects of climate change ot it might be his hobby.
There is an important letter to the Editor in the Monday, 5 March 2007, p. A10, issue of the Vancouver Sun, by Dr. Patrick McGeer, who has contributed and continues to contribute so much to the benefit of British Columbians and all Canadians. He noted that 10,000 years ago Toronto was under 1,000 feet of ice and that "glaciers have been melting ever since the end of the last ice age." and concludes that Canadians should "urge" our politicians "to be patient, and as the current hysteria wanes, base their policies on more mature science."
Lance M. Jefferson
Richmond, British Columbia
Posted by: Lance M. Jefferson at March 5, 2007 02:26 PM
Suzuki has obviously become a political animal, and his 'push' poll reflects his personal interests when he asks:
"Yes, but we'll have to buy some international credits to do it."
What Suzuki is promoting is Kyoto Carbon Credits which we all know are geared to financing high sulphur coal-fired power plants in China for PC-CITIC and CSL. Also Suzuki's poll does not mention domestic carbon credits which keeps Canadian taxpayer's dollars in Canada. Very suspicious.
Any time Kyoto Carbon Credits are mention, that is a flashing red light denoting the scamming of Canadian taxpayers for Billions of dollars sent to China, Russia, India, for dubious 'green' projects, and visions of Mo Strong with bagfuls of cash ... our cash !!
Suzuki's rabid support for 100% Kyoto reveals his hidden agenda.
Posted by: Observer at March 5, 2007 02:41 PM
The way this unfolded, is that on March 2nd I spotted the poll on the Fruit Fly site. I'm filling in at SDA, and decided to simply mention that there was a neat poll on the Suzuki site. There was never even a suggestion given as to how people should vote.
From that point on, the poll began getting traffic. Until then, it has showed great support for Kyoto. By late that night of March 2nd though, the numbers were changing, and by the next day, as other blogs picked it up, the poll numbers continued to march on. When it was pulled, there was 74.9% of people chosing the last choice ... which was an overwhelming rebuttle to the Fruit Fly position. A few smart people tracked down the poll on the server, and posted the URL of the removed poll ... results kept coming in and still are.
A couple of missed things is this. The Suzuki site has very low traffic. If it can be assumed that all those who had visited the site previously had voted, then there had been only about 2000 votes cast. I've got screen shots of the whole thing as it unfolded. What's amazing, is that people are still voting, and still saying with a loud voice that Kyoto is out.
I guess that's what happens when dictators in waiting like the Fruit Fly enter the public arena ... things can go terribly wrong.
Posted by: Paul at March 5, 2007 03:34 PM
Poll is valid because Suzuki wanted to get the opinion of those who would naturally log into his Foundation website ... mostly pro-environment Canadians. Now a huge cross-section of Canadians has told Suzuki to shove his head farther up his arse .... and now Suzuki is gonzo ... !!!!
The results of this poll must force Suzuki to admit that most Canadians don't believe him .. and for good reason ... Suzuki and his Liberal patrons were delinquent and negligent in meeting their Kyoto obligations ... AND SUZUKI DID NOTHING SUBSTANTIVE FOR 9 YEARS WHEN THE CHRETIEN-MARTIN-DION LIBERALS GOVERNED AND GHGs SKYROCKETED ... AND HE KNEW IT ...!!!!
The only explanation why the Liberals did nothing was to increase the value of Kyoto Carbon Credits that Canada would need to meet the busted Kyoto targets ... and Suzuki's complicity is revealed through his reluctance to screw the Liberals as he is now doing to the Conservatives ... sooo obvious .... !!!!
Posted by: Anonymouse at March 5, 2007 04:01 PM
DR. Fruitfly's people have apparently been successful in having the poll removed from the cahed version...presto, chango...it's gone...
Posted by: Bruce at March 5, 2007 04:53 PM
It might be gone but I havent forgot, how about you?
Posted by: FREE at March 5, 2007 06:59 PM
I sent copies of the poll to Jim Travers, Chantel Hiebert and Lorne Gunther, asking them why the media have not picked up on this story
Posted by: Barrie at March 5, 2007 07:54 PM
The key point of course is that online polling is just a game. It's pretty obvious the Luddites have a massive online following to mobilize, and that's what happened to Suzuki's poll. It doesn't reflect the real perception among Canadians. It leaves me wondering why they bothered running the poll in the first place -- they were probably unaware of places like SDA that enjoy freeping votes pertaining to some certain topics.
Posted by: Saskboy at March 5, 2007 09:08 PM
Barrie,
"asking them why the media have not picked up on this story"
What story? It's a foundation's online poll, ruined by freeping, and not very meaningful before it was freeped. It's not like the time the NDP figured they could run a poll for Raise the Flag for Fairness, and Kate showed that the government was rigging the numbers, in a rather undemocratic way.
Posted by: Saskboy at March 5, 2007 09:11 PM
Good work Steve. You are a great patriot, Canada is lucky to have you. We, the readers of this latest good news are, once again, very glad that you keep us informed with the facts. Thank-you
Posted by: Jema54 at March 6, 2007 01:11 AM
hide the truth....the liberal way!
why is anybody surprised?
just goes to show you, that Canadians are not as dumb as the libs and media suspect.
as for the freeping....that works both ways......the Geenies could gave done the same thing. the poll, although un-scientific, is still pretty accurate nonetheless.
The greens are a pretty motivated bunch....activist, if you will....far more than most of us....but they didn't mobilize the troops to counter the 'radical' right on this poll...how come?
hmmmmmmm???
Posted by: arctic_front at March 6, 2007 02:05 AM
Story on the news this morning that a Canadian government study shows the number of Polar Bears has tripled in the last 20 years. The study covered Northern Quebec, James Bay, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Posted by: flurd at March 6, 2007 08:08 AM
LOL
Posted by: DrWright at March 6, 2007 05:23 PM
Anonymouse makes a good point when he says that this poll, until brought to outsider's attention was a poll of the already converted. Most who would not agree with Dr. Suzuki would never have visited the site, and never have voted. Getting it known outside of "the converted" triggered the avalanche.
Posted by: imethisguy at March 6, 2007 05:44 PM
Kind of the same flip flop as the Harperites have done on the environment? Donna wasn't producing the right poll results so they change players and strategy. Kind of rings hollow when people know the real intent was never there, just changed policies to get better results. More conservative fluff. How about the flip flop taking place on bank fees? Another conservative Flip/Flop.....worse than a fish out of water.
Suzuki's polls/website might have been highjacked/hacked and that's why they were pulled? You know the guy could be advocating for a lot worst things in this world. Instead he advocates on reducing pollution. According to you folks that is crazy. Keep on polluting people, it doesn't harm our environment one bit.
Posted by: wanker at March 6, 2007 07:45 PM
"Hijacked ... hacked? You've got to be kidding?"
Wanker: I don't think you realize just how many "right thinking" people are online. All it takes is a few major "right thinking" blogs to point to something, and the traffic is incredible.
I agree that the poll isn't scientific, but it does show that the left doesn't have a monopoly on opinion. It normally needs the MSM to shill for it ... once the MSM filter is bipassed though, there's no telling what happens ... as Fruit Fly found out.
Posted by: Paul at March 6, 2007 09:03 PM
Instead he advocates on reducing pollution.
If that's all he was doing, he'd get the sympathy nod from me. CO2 is not a pollutant in any meaningful sense of the word, and to claim so is to speak nonscientifically. This guy abandoned science in favour of politics a long time ago.
Although the results of the poll are completely unscientific (and we have no real way of knowing what the results would be, scientifically), I'm glad the poll party got crashed, because Suzuki (and his acolytes) sure as hell would have promoted it as more 'evidence' of Kyoto support. This guy has got to lose his privileged pulpit to preach to Canadians - I'm more and more convinced he's out of his depth, scientifically - and deserves no special attention from Canadians and our tax money.
Posted by: Shane O. at March 6, 2007 09:44 PM
W@nker -
Your /nick is accurate, anyway.
How you even have the gall to bring up the Conservative record on the environment after the liberals sat on AGW and Kyoto for eight years and did squat, boggles the mind.
AS for "reducing pollution", CO2 is not a pollutant, moron. If it was, you could stop "polluting" by ceasing to breathe, and perhaps this might be a thought for you to consider.
Next time, try reading a bit of science before you type and play the fool, K?
Posted by: amused at March 7, 2007 12:41 PM
Amused:
"How you even have the gall to bring up the Conservative record on the environment after the liberals sat on AGW and Kyoto for eight years and did squat, boggles the mind."
The current Conservative party
doesn't have a record on doing anything for the environment . They have yet to do anything (the proposed 2050 implementation date won't do a thing for half of Canada's population which will be deceased based on the current demographics).So the Liberals did nothing for eight years and the Conservatives aren't going to do a thing for forty three years....you do the math .....eight ....forty three....eight....forty three.....
You are right ,C02 is not a pollutant. Neither is perfume until someone uses too much. Cattle farmers don't think cow shit is a pollutant,but ask the neighbours down wind what they think or ask the peple who can't swim at their local beach because of high levels of e-coli. However when you start taking about the earths atmosphere, I would have to think that pre fossil fuel burning days, the composition was much different than it is today. Do you suppose the earth has millions more C02 absorbing trees than 200 years ago? Less people breathing and producing more C02? I'm not a brilliant environmental scientist like yourself so I can only use what little logic I posess and what I was taught during my schooling years. Are you suggesting we would actually harm the planet by producing less C02?
And dispite your wishes I am still a breathing ,typing fool, k?
Regards
Posted by: Wanker at March 8, 2007 06:04 PM
 
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