Today, Winnipeg temperature hit a record 31 degrees.

This week Canada’s Office of the Auditor General tabled a report before Parliament that found that Canada is not on track to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol, and may be in violation of the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act. Moreover, cuts to Environment Canada have left government operating largely in the dark on many environmental issues. Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable Development, Scott Vaughan, wrote:

“Climate change plans don’t measure up.” and “Poor information leaves government unable to properly manage environmental change.”

We may not be able to keep track of the impacts of tar sands development or the hole in the ozone, but these days, we can get an idea of what global warming feels like just by stepping outside.

Bob Dylan once sang, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” Maybe so, but it seems prudent to look in on it in a little more detail than we are currently.