I have been up since 2 a.m. mulling and fretting about the very troubling things we are seeing and hearing in these early days of the second Trump administration.

These quotes from Lord Acton come to mind: SA国际影视传媒淧ower tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely,SA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒淒espotic power is always accompanied by corruption of morality.SA国际影视传媒� The immediate spillover into Canada is unnerving.

Words matter. The big banner emblazoned with 'Drill, Baby, Drill,' on display behind Trump as he speaks says it all. The political chorus of support from Canada SA国际影视传媒� of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre cheering him on SA国际影视传媒� even as Canada strives to defend its very existence is a truly chilling situation. The stampede of billionaires, corporations and banks to the Trump standard is shameless. Climate denial is in, the values of diversity, equity and inclusion are out for these folks, both in the U.S. and Canada.

Actions matter. The brown-shirted Proud Boys are out of the shadows parading through Washington. Elon Musk making repeated Nazi salutes throughout the proceedings, revealing his true character. The mass pardoning of the many convicted Jan. 6 insurrectionists, now portrayed as freedom fighters. The initial 100 executive orders are initiating the dismantling of the U.S. republic SA国际影视传媒� egregious orders like withdrawing from the Paris Accord, withdrawing from the World Health Organization and the attempts to shut down renewable energy options.

At the same time, in Canada, you have Poilievre using Trumpian language, calling for unbridled development of more oil and gas, referring to those many Canadians concerned about the environment as a bunch of SA国际影视传媒渓oons,SA国际影视传媒� telling Indigenous people to quit complaining, get over it and fall into line. In Alberta, Smith has rallied to the Trump standard, not the Canadian flag. Coal is back in business in Alberta. Also, a recent scientific report clearly shows Alberta continuing to deliberately under-report the serious damage from ongoing significant leaks, spills and air pollution from the oil sands, contaminating the environment and water, both surface and ground, all of which flows north into the NWT.

Is it any wonder that so many of us are having trouble sleeping at night? And what should we be doing as all this political turmoil is taking place outside our borders? Politics, no matter what some folks say, canSA国际影视传媒檛 change the climate science, the rapidly warming world and rising CO2 levels, the extreme weather events and changes underway that are now baked in and irreversible for many decades to come.

In fact, the current imbroglio over the federal carbon tax strikes me as a political distraction. The real carbon tax in the North is the hundreds of millions of dollars we are spending on the effects of extreme weather. We are fighting forest fires, evacuating and rebuilding communities and navigating the resulting economic slowdown. Long-term drought and low water are preventing resupply of our communities by barge. There is the chronic low water in the Snare system resulting in huge low water surcharges and increases to power rates, compounded by the refusal of the GNWT to embrace renewable energy and storage through the territory, at huge economic cost. The bottom line is that Mother Nature is not done yet setting things right.

But I digress. What about our politics and political system? Soon there will be a federal election. We only have one MP and we must choose wisely. A strong voice in Ottawa, defending our values is always important, even in the clunky prime ministerial type of government that has evolved there. Within the NWT, we have to insist that the legislative assembly and the GNWT recommit to decentralization, strong regions, and co-governance on issues of common concern at the leaders table. We need to address reconciliation in all its forms and create a robust, regenerative economy built using the combined skills of all Northerners pooling their wisdom, not just by government.

As we see all around us, the road ahead is fraught with peril and difficulty like never before. But we are up to the challenge if we stay committed to cooperation, collaboration and co-governance.

Finally, from the ether, a Trump joke. How can you tell when Trump is lying? His lips are moving!