In-class activity

Health Minister Warms up to Pandemic Action by Mike De Souza

Argument: Canada must take immediate action on global warming to cope with the threat of new infectious diseases from abroad.

Stated premise: Weather is getting hotter and it might have an impact on the spreading of infectious diseases that were never found in Canada before.
This statement is accurate if we take in consideration the spreading of new diseases such as the avian influenza, dengue fever and the West Nile virus.

Hidden premise: The Conservatives are going too soft on large emitters of greenhouse gas emissions and it does not help to reduce the spreading of new diseases.
Accuracy: The federal public health agency said that the Conservatives are spending more money on surveillance and prevention of various diseases that could now be spreading in Canada. The Conservatives do something but maybe it is not enough to really stop or to efficiently reduce the spreading.

The premises lead to the conclusion. Canada must act. The Conservatives (the present government) have to take better actions in order to reduce the spreading of exotic diseases in Canada.