Two things happened in Alberta politics this week that demonstrate just how zealous “green” politicians everywhere are about the theory that human activities are causing dangerous climate change.

Under pressure from voters over the $3-billion-a-year carbon tax that it brought in on Jan. 1, Alberta’s NDP government lashed back.

First, on Tuesday the NDP caucus officially demanded that Wildrose Leader Brian Jean remove MLA Don MacIntyre from his post as opposition critic for renewable energy and electricity.

Why? Had MacIntyre been pilfering funds from taxpayers? Had he been harassing interns? Making racist statements?

No. MacIntyre’s sin was expressing doubts about the manmade climate change theory. In short, the NDP wanted MacIntyre removed for exercising his right to free expression.

The NDP didn’t want to counter MacIntyre’s opinions with their own. They wanted MacIntyre’s views branded as lies. And they wanted him shut up.

Attempts to censor climate change skeptics is an increasing tactic of the climate alarmists, with some American alarmists launching a racketeering lawsuit against skeptics and Canadian eco-activist David Suzuki calling on governments to jail skeptics.

Alberta’s NDP also sought to justify their imposition of a carbon tax on everything that moves in Alberta (and every home that is heated and every light that is switched on) by claiming that at least one American state – Washington – is doing the same thing. On the Tuesday edition of CBC TV’s Power and Politics, Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips insisted Washington would soon have a tax similar to Alberta’s.

Except the state of Washington isn’t imposing a carbon tax. Indeed, in November Washington voters rejected a statewide plebiscite (59% to 41%) to enact a carbon tax. Later Phillips claimed that what she meant was that since the failure of the plebiscite, Washington Governor Jay Inslee has asked state legislators to consider imposing one despite voters clear rejection of such a tax.

Alberta’s New Democrats, like greenies everywhere, want to muzzle any opinion on climate change that differs from their own extreme views, while making up facts that make their opinions look more objective.

So in the interest of readers who may wonder whether the science of global warming/climate change truly is “settled,” I would like to offer some online resources that will show a significant (and perhaps growing) number of scientists have doubts about humans’ impact on climate.

This is important because if humans are not contributing significantly to climate change, then policies such as Ontario’s cap-and-trade scheme, Alberta’s carbon tax and Ottawa’s carbon price will not only be economically crippling, they will be environmentally meaningless at the same time.

Start with these three online articles that all offer excellent summaries of exactly what is and isn’t scientifically known about climate science. You’ll be surprised how much of what is reported as “fact” is still only theory that exists in computer models:

http://www.dailywire.com/news/2071/most-comprehensive-assault-global-warming-ever-mike-van-biezen

http://www.drroyspencer.com/my-global-warming-skepticism-for-dummies/

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/03/christopher-essex-milo-delingpole-gallant-scientists-remembered-and-climate-politics-in-2016/

Then, if you want to dig deeper, visit WattsUpWithThat.com, the world’s most-viewed climate science site.

There are also Friends of Science Calgary, the Global Warming Policy Foundation, the CO2 Coalition, Climate Depot, Climate Audit and Still Waiting for Greenhouse. And each of those sites will take you to dozens more.

You might also Google “Russian Academy of Science” and “ice age.” Russia’s most prestigious scientific institute believes we are in for prolonged global cooling (not warming) because our sun is about to enter a phase of less activity that could last 30 years.

The two things these articles and sites will show is that there are plenty of credible scientists who disagree with the warming consensus. And at least some alarmists are doing all they can to keep them quiet.

lgunter@postmedia.com