Written By Kirsten Reid - Conservation Biologist — March 10, 2023
Caribou are an iconic species in northern ecosystems and have significant cultural and dietary importance for many Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Caribou represent healthy and intact landscapes. Since herds need large areas to eat, live, and migrate through, a landscape teeming with caribou generally indicates that it is healthy and productive. In the Yukon, we have 30 herds of Northern Mountain, Boreal, and Migratory caribou. These herds all have distinct ranges and needs and a different history of interacting with humans.
These conversations, linked below, are ones you don't want to miss with personal stories about these leaders' political journeys, insider political history you've never heard before, and perspectives on the future of youth in politics.
There's a diversity of episodes in this second season, including discussions with poets, academics, and change makers.
In Canada, roughly one-third of us live near a major road. Close proximity to major roads increases our exposure to air pollution, and the health risks that come with it.
What do we know about traffic-related air pollution and what can we do about it? Join us to find out!
Wild Child, Sierra Club Canada Foundation, has had tremendous success with their Forest School and Nature Immersion programs since 2010 in Nova Scotia and PEI. This program has since been launched in Edmonton in 2019 with equal success, and more than 2,000 participants directly benefited from Wild Child programs in the Edmonton region.
Quebec Chapter (QC) has an illustrious history working to protect urban natural habitats. QC is partnering with the city of Terrebonne and environmental consulting firm TerraHumana Solutions in a new project.
In thiswebinar, we will explore emotional responses to environmental collapse, improve our understanding of cultural histories of environmental movements, and explore strategies that communities have developed and are using to manage heavy emotions in their work and mobilize emotion toward positive community-building.
We will explore how our heavy emotional responses to the climate crisis can undermine collective environmental movements, and how we can instead mobilize them effectively to develop a more open, more dynamic activist culture focused on collective action in mutual recognition. Join us!
Speaker:
Dr. Jennifer Baker is the Vice President of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, a poet, and an Professor in the Department of English at the University of Ottawa, where her research interests include the cultural history of agriculture in Canada, environmental history, literature and the environment, cultural studies, and Canadian poetry and poetics. Passionately committed to knowledge mobilization, she has spoken widely in the field of environmental humanities and was one of the founding speakers on eco-anxiety at the Sustainable Events Forum. Her first chapbook, Abject Lessons, was published in 2014 by above/ground press and her creative writing, essays, and reviews have appeared in various literary publications including Dusie, Ottawater, The Bull Calf, The Journal of Canadian Poetry, and Canadian Literature. Her second chapbook, Groundling, is forthcoming from Trainwreck Press (2021).
We regret that the first minute of the session was not recorded. Jenn has asked us to include her land acknowledgement here.
"I am presenting this webinar from the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people. As an uninvited guest on this land, I acknowledge that I have certain obligations: to understand our treaties, to uplift and protect the rights of the original caretakers and knowledge keepers of this land, and to try to build better relations with this land and the traditional stewards of this place."
Habitat loss, species decline, climate change, food insecurity, and even mental health are all connected by one common thread; the need for change in our agricultural system. With complexities around inequity, corporatization, transport and more, the monolith of the global agroeconomy is far too large to take on in its entirety. But that’s not what this talk is about; let’s chat about something you CAN do to make a positive change in this system. We need more hands to pick, pluck, plant and spread native plants across Canada. Join me, Junaid Shahzad Khan, on a journey into the world of native plants and the solutions their revival can hold for us and our non-human friends.
Thursday, May 27th, 2021 for 40 minutes at 6:30pm Eastern / 7:30pm Atlantic / 3:30pm Pacific
The speaker: Junaid Shahzad Khan is an ecologist and educator who works with Pollinator Partnership Canada, Birds Canada, University of British Columbia, University of Guelph, and a network of grass-roots land activists to help regenerate habitat and communities across southern Ontario. Junaid has created easy-to-follow and accessible courses to help people of all knowledge levels learn about the wonderful world of habitat creation. His most recent course, At Home with Birds can be found at https://www.udemy.com/course/at-home-with-birds/
The Beyond Coal Atlantic project launched in December 2020 with an ambitious goal: to get Atlantic Canada off coal and biomass energy as quickly as possible and transition to clean renewable energy. Many of the solutions already exist—such as wind, solar, and existing hydro from Quebec—but what’s been lacking is political and corporate will.
What are our health authorities telling us? Not a lot. They should be doing more. Based on what I know about air pollution, people should not be spending any time outdoors right now unless they absolutely have to. And if you have to go outside you should get out one of your Covid masks to wear when you're out there.
The Communications Assistant will assist the Head of Communications and our Communications Committee with loading content to our newly designed website and more broadly with communications calendar and strategies. The successful candidate will assist ingrowing our digital communication tools and will be expected to support the work of the Head of Communications and Programs Director. The successful candidate will have a background in:
Like many of us, you probably feel overwhelmed by the obstacles facing our environment. But the solution to that anxiety is action. The Prairie Chapter of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation is looking for dedicated, empowered, and proactive volunteers to join our Executive Committee.
To: Sue Riddlestone, President, Bioregional; Joe Pitts-Cunningham, Team Leader, One Planet Living framework
Subject: A letter of concern regarding Tewin (Ottawa)
From: Sierra Club Canada Foundation, Ecology Ottawa, Greenspace Alliance for Canada’s Capital, Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability, Horizon Ottawa, Citizen Climate Counsel, Peoples Official Plan Coalition
At the end of 2022 Sierra Club Ontario volunteer leaders met for a planning session to look at the upcoming year. We discussed strengths, weaknesses and partnership opportunities.
The assault by the Ford government on the Ontario Greenbelt is primarily an attack on a cold-water trout stream, Duffins Creek. Despite this, the stream is still able to provide habitat for cold water salmonid species due to the successful campaign against Pickering Airport, and what was supposed to be a complimentary new town. Over time approximately half of these once all publicly owned lands (some have been sold to developers) have become incorporated into the 20,000-acre Rouge National Park.
Sierra Club Ontario (SCO) has been involved in promoting a renewal of the Ontario Biodiversity Strategy. Now we’re ready to help you participate.
Between now and March 27, 2023, the Ontario Biodiversity Council (OBC) is seeking input on the Strategy. The Strategy is focused on five goals of empowering people, reducing threats, enhancing resilience, improving knowledge, and transforming investment. With 13 targets and 37 actions, OBC is looking for comments.
Quite bizarrely, the new Niagara Regional Official Plan, approved on November 4, 2022, was a significant step backwards compared to the previous Niagara Regional Official Plan, which governed land use planning since its approval by the Ontario cabinet in 1983. The development of that official plan was a difficult 13 year process and a cornerstone for good planning in Niagara. While it initially provided policies to protect agricultural land, its approach became more comprehensive in 2009, with new provisions for comprehensive environmental protection policies.
Avalon Chapter of the Council of Canadians — February 25, 2023
The Avalon Chapter of the Council of Canadians supports the legal challenge against the federal government for their approval of the Bay du Nord offshore oil project.
We are holding our federal government to account for facilitating the increased production of fossil fuels which is endangering our planet. Increased carbon emissions downstream of this project are still Canada’s global responsibility.
Tynette Deveaux and the Beyond Coal Atlantic team — February 25, 2023
We’re appealing the industrial approval given to the mining company, Kameron Coal. You can help by supporting our Call to Action. Click below to send a powerful message to the Nova Scotia government and Canada's Environment Minister, Steven Guilbeault.
Sebastian Jones, Habitat, Fish and Wildlife Analyst — February 23, 2023
This story is from our friends at the Yukon Conservation Society and was part of their January Tread Lightly Newsletter. Since 1968, the Yukon Conservation Society has been advocating, educating, and conducting research on Yukon environmental issues.
Last night was dark but not so cold for a mid-February night in downtown Toronto’s Annex neighborhood. Me sitting with two brown rabbits running around me perhaps looking for something to have for supper. Thinking this is the Chinese Year of The Rabbit and here they are living somewhere close to the building I live in. There are skunks in our garbage cans and raccoons, possums, rats, even squirrels and lots of birds who live here too. We’re all living in Indian Country.
A spill from Equinor’s proposed Bay du Nord oil project in the region has the potential to damage ecosystems outside of Canada’s jurisdiction and threatens international fisheries. Canada’s expansion of oil and gas activities into and near international waters sets a terrible precedent, and sets a poor example for biodiversity protection on the high seas....
Cantley has to do its homework to identify key biodiversity areas, ecological corridors and ecological services. A nature conservation plan must be integrated into Cantley's new master plan, supported by appropriate bylaw changes. For example, Nature Conservation and Ecological Corridor land use zones should be added to Cantley’s zoning bylaws.
When speaking of environmental racism, Ingrid Waldon said that "for those who argue that environmental racism is an issue of class and not race, I maintain [...] Race makes class hurt more” (Tillerman, et al., 2003, p.68). In Canada, people of African descent have been disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards, such as toxic air pollution, due to industrialization and colonisation, forcing Black communities into hierarchal systems of abuse and into depreciated environments.
Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan — November 10, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
As a Mohawk Environmentalist I want to thank CUPE and all of their supporters for protesting Doug Ford's Government and their negative idealism. I attended the protest on Monday November 7th and there were a good ten thousand or more CUPE Union members and citizens present to oppose Ford's Bill.
Join us this Sunday November 6th at the 14th annual EcoFair!
The EcoFair showcases environmental non-profits and environmentally-friendly businesses to celebrate their success and inspire everyone to join them in taking action. Enjoy fun interactive activities for kids and adults and good food.
Sierra Club Canada will have a table at Ecofair Toronto, make sure you stop by to find out about our biodiversity initiatives!
Masks are required when indoors at the EcoFair. Free masks will be provided.
Health Canada estimates that there are 15,300 premature deaths, 2.7 million asthma symptom days, and 35 million acute respiratory symptom days linked to air pollution each year. Environmental burdens in Canada are not distributed equally amongst its residents, which disproportionately fall on the most vulnerable members of society.
We all know we have a problem with plastics. But just how deep does the problem go?
Plastics & waste can be a complicated issue. At every level, across the world, plastics pose a problem to people & the environment. But the good thing is, we are starting to become aware of this and there are a ton of resources to dive deeper into this multifaceted issue.
In February 2022, Bill S-5 was introduced in the Senate with the goal of amending and strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (“CEPA”). Among other things, the bill aims to amend the protection provided for vulnerable populations and establish a right to a healthy environment.
Our Sierra Club Canada Atlantic Chapter continues to champion a myriad environmental issues affecting the maritime provinces through thoughtful action, education, and demonstration...
Our Sierra Club Ontario Chapter held their first ever joint water and land cleanup in Toronto, celebrated their 3rd annual Plastics Free July, and forced the federal government to expand its plastic ban…
The Youth Chapter of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation is looking for dedicated, empowered, and proactive young people to volunteer and help run the activities of the chapter.
Chapter members participated in the mass climate rally in Montréal on the 23rd of Sept., wrote in La Presse against Line 5, hosted a walk in Terrebonne on local projects protecting migratory birds, and celebrated and acted on World Environment Day...
This summer, the Sierra Club Prairie Chapter planted a 600 square foot garden of wildflowers and grasses native to Manitoba in South Osborne, Winnipeg, thanks to TD Friends of the Environment funding. We collaborated with community groups, local partners and the City of Winnipeg to plant over 500 native species in a garden plot on Churchill Drive. These wildflowers and grasses are not only beautiful and vibrant. They also create habitat for urban pollinators, provide food for insects, increase local biodiversity, protect the soil and help prevent future erosion along the riverside, and create a space for people to gather and learn about native plants within a city context.
Join us as we plant 200 native trees and shrubs in Hickory Wood Park (Brampton) on October 1!
Whether this is your first time or you've planted thousands of trees, all ages and abilities are welcome. High school students can get service hours by volunteering.
We want to make the fossil fuel industry understand that the world is watching what they are doing. The participants at ONS have to realize that they are, in fact, a major part of the problem. A renewable transition is more urgent than ever. We urge oil and gas executives to use their record profits to ensure a green and just transition and avoid climate disaster.
Join us this Saturday, August 27 in Brampton for a free, fun, social, event to promote waste clean up and reduction!
As part of the Back 2 School BBQ we will be painting City of Brampton garbage cans using designs provided by local artists. Sierra Club Peel will also be demonstrating what gets recycled and what gets tossed through a waste sorting game.
When: Saturday August 27 from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Where: In the greenspace behind 4 & 10 Knightsbridge Road, Brampton.
On July 23, Sierra Club Ontario had a walk on the tranquil, beautiful Seaton Trail which forms the battle line between the Rouge National Urban Park and the Pickering Airport Study Area. The walk went from the charming Victorian Gothic village of Whitevale, up to the Oak Ridges Moraine. Here, we turned back after seeing an indicator of good ecosystem health — a Pileated Woodpecker. We were also entertained by a soaring Red Tail Hawk and the sounds of Cardinals, Chickadees, and Wood Frogs.
What should you bring? Supplies will be provided on-site. We encourage you to bring your own refillable water bottles and gloves (gardening gloves would be great!).
There is a narrow green wedge of 1.5 kilometers south of the Niagara Escarpment in the City of Niagara Falls. It is a thin refuge for wildlife between a concrete maze of an expressway, quarries, the Welland Canal and a rock dump. It is now under attack.
North of the green wedge is the Greenbelt, which stretches from Lake Ontario to the Niagara Escarpment. South is the most intact area of Carolinian Canada outside of designated Indian Reservations stretching to Lake Erie. It is dominated by the wetland forests created by the heavy clays of the vanished Lake Tonawanda.
In January 2020, a month after the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT) rejected my appeal of the amendment to the City of Niagara Falls Official Plan to facilitate the Riverfront development, extensive mowing took place in a Grey Hawthorn dominated savanna. In addition to Hawthorns being mowed, some small trees were cut down and turned into sawdust — which in some places, buried existing vegetation by mounds three feet deep.
Our third annual Plastic free July has finished and I want to thank everyone who joined us in the challenge. Whether you had a plastic free picnic, joined us for the Twitterstorm, hosted a clean up in your community or made some changes to plastic use in your household — we appreciate your hard work!
We ended off the month with a beach clean up at Cherry Beach in Toronto. We had a great turnout and beautiful weather! Thank you to everyone who came out!
The top items we found during the clean up were cigarette butts and plastic bottle caps.
The waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence can be separated into three layers in summer: a surface layer in thermal equilibrium with the atmosphere, a deep layer that comes in from the ocean, and between them a Cold Intermediate Layer formed during the preceding winter. Long term temperature trends of these layers are presented and related to climate change warming, with a quick look at the decreasing sea ice cover.
What should you bring? Supplies will be provided on-site. We encourage you to bring your own refillable water bottles as well as masks and gloves (gardening gloves would be great!).
Roughly 83% of the population of the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW) showed evidence of at least one entanglement throughout their life, with 59% of those having been entangled more than once. Entanglements from fixed fishing gear, along with vessel strikes, have been leading causes of mortality in the species for years. With fewer than 350 NARWs remaining, they are at a critical point.
Local fishermen in the Gulf of Saint-Lawrence region and the government of Canada are working together to reduce mortalities, notably by placing temporary closures and developing and testing new whale-safe fishing gear. However, while this may help reduce mortalities, the impacts of climate change and other ecological problems may also affect the Gulf of St-Lawrence bioregion, an important feeding ground for the species. So will these efforts prove sufficient to help the species recover?
Steve Hounsell, Chair of Ontario Biodiversity Council — July 6, 2022
In its 17th year, the Ontario Biodiversity Council (OBC), came together to achieve the actions set by the Ontario Biodiversity Strategy 2005. In 2011, with support from the Ontario government, Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy was renewed as a 10-year strategy, aligning with the Convention on Biological Diversity’s global Strategic Plan and its 20 targets, collectively known as Aichi targets. The 10-year strategy is a blueprint, championed by OBC, for an ecologically sustainable future for Ontario, its biodiversity and its people — something well worth pursuing.
Note: Elder Albert Marshall could not be present during the event due to health issues. We instead shared a video of him speaking about Two-Eyed Seeing and the need for reconciliation with nature. The video can be found on Youtube at the address below, it was published on January 10th 2022 by Allison Bernard Memorial High School. Go and give it a like! youtube.com/watch?v=qoR4nnzG13U&list=LL&index=5&t=83s
The importance and role of reconciliation between settlers and Indigenous peoples to ensure adequate conservation of marine ecosystems is fundamental to consultation and cooperation, as stated under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act adopted by Canada in 2021. Two-Eyed Seeing is an increasingly important process for the inclusion of Indigenous peoples for environmental sustainability. Two-Eyed Seeing has the potential to guide reconciliation in the context of consultation and cooperation. By enhancing our understanding of knowledge systems, Two-Eyed Seeing will be explored as a tool for reconciliation to conserve marine ecosystems.
This is Sierra Club Canada Foundation's annual peer-to-peer fundraiser where you can raise funds for our Ontario Chapter, just by taking a hike!
The Ontario chaper will be hosting hikes in Pickering and Toronto! Interested in joining or want to learn more? Let us know at ontario[at]sierraclub.ca
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — June 30, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
From John Bacher:
Recently when I was reviewing the decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Bacher V. GR CAN Investments, I received grim news of brutal events in the Amazonian rainforest. This showed the similarity of the assaults of the woodlands of the Carolinian life zone, Canada’s most biologically diverse biome, with another critical cradle of species diversity on our planet.
The state of our oceans is concerning, to say the least. They are subject to cumulative impacts from pollution, noise, climate change, overfishing, and more. One of the solutions in our toolbox to help restore the health of marine ecosystems are marine protected areas (MPAs). In this presentation, SNAP Québec will discuss the history, benefits and types of MPAs, as well as the necessity and urgency of creating an effective MPA network covering at least 30% of Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Members of our Peel Group were out at Bike the Creek this past weekend to support sustainability in the Peel region and talk about their work with the Sierra Club.
Bike the Creek is an annual Peel-based cycling event to promote a culture of active transportation in the community.
Peel members supported the event's Eco Station to make the event as waste-free as possible. Members also provided guidance to the public on recycling and composting best practices.
The Sierra Club (both in the U.S. and Canada) is part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), winner of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.
The Sierra Club Canada Foundation (SCCF) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) June 11, 2022 where we shared reports on our activities and conducted essential business.
Participants enjoyed an interactive visioning activity, themed on our 5 Decade of Change priorties for action. Each priority was discussed in terms of present situation, future ideal and theory of change to get us there. You can find the results of that activity attached as PDFs below.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — June 8, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
From John Bacher:
The health of the great lake of Ontario, which is a Seneca translation of the words Beautiful Clear Lake, is one of the significant issues facing the province for which it is named. In the watershed of the Great Lakes live most of Ontario’s people. The health of the Great Lakes and its tributaries are threatened by the curses of urban sprawl and expressways.
With Ontario election 2022 well underway we asked the major provincial political parties a series of questions on the environment. Below you will find their answers.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — May 10, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
From John Bacher:
Critical environmental indicators, which should send warning signals at the polls, are the fate of native cold-water fisheries. These are important warning signals of pollution since self-supporting cold-water fisheries will not survive in polluted environments. What should send alarm bells off on election day is the fate of Lake Simcoe’s Lake Trout.
Every spring, millions of birds from various species migrate back to Canada from their southern wintering grounds to come feed and nest. This is a critical time for them. Sierra Club Quebec Chapter is researching and sharing best practices municipalities can apply to mitigate effects of our potentially damaging activities like use of pesticides, landscaping, and clearing under utility lines.
The Migratory Birds Convention Act is intended to provide protection to these migratory birds. However, additional work and research is constantly required on current policies and practices to adequately protect them. Failing to do so could have serious impacts on these fragile animals that spread seeds, pollinate our flowers, and control insect populations.
Note: English translation ends at 45 minutes due to interpreter availability.
This is a key election for the environment and the future of Ontario. We can no longer afford to wait for the government to catch up on meaningful climate action. Sierra Club Canada Foundation is demanding stronger legislation that prioritizes people, the environment, and a liveable future.
Below you will find the actions our members are calling for. You can reference this document for discussion when local candidates come to your door. Ask your local candidates what they plan to do to tackle the issues Ontarians are facing.
The Sierra Club of Canada Foundation (SCCF) is Canada’s national grassroots environmental organization working on environmental advocacy, conservation and education. With a membership base across the country, we are committed to empowering people to be leaders in protecting, restoring and enjoying healthy and safe ecosystems.
Sierra Club Canada Foundation's Ontario Chapter has joined a coalition of over 125 groups across Ontario in calling upon candidates in the upcoming provincial election to treat climate change as an emergency.
This election is critical for Ontario and for Canada. Now more than ever, we need strong action and leadership on climate change.
The Ontario Climate Emergency Campaign encourages diverse groups from every sector to urgently work together towards our shared climate action goals.
Our Chapter was proud to take part in the 14th Ecocity World Summit in February 2022. The event focused on how, together, we can shape a sustainable urban future - from theory and research to the application and implementation of all things related to the #EcologicalCity!
Between floods and droughts (sometimes in the same year), the compounding effects of climate change are increasingly putting stress on water resources that the environment and humans depend on.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — April 20, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
***Scroll down to reach out to local councilors
From John Bacher:
It is an old but true saying that photographs express threats to the natural world more vividly than the most eloquent warning. Some of these images recently emerged, which captured the beauty of the portion of the Thundering Waters Forest in Niagara Falls, on the eve of its destruction for a subdivision.
Position: Financial Manager Location: flexibility to work virtually from home with the ability to access our Ottawa office beneficial but not required
Summary
As Financial Manager, you will play a leadership role in the growth of our organization, and uphold the highest financial management practices and accountability for the organization. Reporting to the National Operations Director, you will oversee all aspects of full-cycle bookkeeping, and provide accurate and timely financial reports.
Environmental racism is ingrained into the colonial systems of Canada. This is a fact. And the reality of the colonial systems we have in place disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous and other people of colour in a multitude of ways, at every level, in almost every space. That is the way colonial systems are designed.
The Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Association (FoTTSA), a group of concerned citizens from Tiny Township, organized a protest to bring attention at Queen’s Park Legislation on United Nations World Water Day (March 22, 2022) about the quality of aquifers being threatened by aggregate mining in North Simcoe County. Around noon, the last speaker at their rally which had scientists, activisits, citizens, politicians and Native people speaking out for the protection of their aquifers, was Native elder Danny Beaton, a Turtle Clan Mohawk.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — March 28, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
From John Bacher:
Over the past week and a half, there has been a Carolinian tree massacre by bulldozer underway in Niagara. A preliminary report, completed on August 11, 2021, by Nash Colville of Colville Consulting Inc. provides a rough description of the damage.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — March 28, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
From John Bacher:
For the past week and a half, there has been a Carolinian tree massacre by bulldozer underway in Niagara. A preliminary report, completed on August 11, 2021, by Nash Colville of Colville Consulting Inc. provides a rough description of the damage.
PearlAnn Reichwein, National Urban Parks Leader, Edmonton — March 23, 2022
Our local Sierra Club Canada team was honoured to be invited to Edmonton City Hall for the recent announcement by the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Canada’s Minister of Tourism and MP for Edmonton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada. Minister Boissonnault formally announced the beginning of the pre-feasibility phase for a new National Urban Park proposed in the greater Edmonton area.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has revealed the consequences of the global reliance on fossil fuels. We are at a real inflection point for the world and Canada. Will we entrench our reliance on fossil fuels even further or switch quickly to renewable energy and energy savings as the climate emergency demands?
Champions for oil and gas are attempting to use the war in Ukraine to buttress oil and gas demand and provide cover for approving new oil and gas projects like Bay du Nord. Meanwhile, global climate science indicates the consequences for not confronting the climate crisis are dire.
How can we work together and lead the way toward peace and climate justice?
Join us for a timely discussion of global energy demand and solutions.
With Eddy Pérez, the International Climate Diplomacy Manager at Climate Action Network Canada.
Our speaker: Eddy Pérez
In addition to his work with Climate Action Network Canada, Eddy is a lecturer at the University of Montreal and teaches Climate justice and international cooperation. Eddy is an expert on climate diplomacy, analyzing and monitoring international climate negotiations from a Canadian and North American perspective. He chairs the G7 Climate and Energy WG within the G7 Global Taskforce. He sits on the Canadian Domestic Advisory Group (CEDAG) for the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Eddy holds a Master of Science degree from the Institut national de la recherche scientifique du Québec (INRS). Eddy loves poetry and attributes part of his passion for climate justice to the work of Eduardo Galeano. One of his favourite quotes from this author is: “Recordar, from the Latin records, to pass back through the heart.
The Niagara region's new Official Plan threatens to promote urban sprawl, degrading key habitats for endangered species and impacting the region's thriving agricultural community.
These plans have been made without any scientific due diligence to assess the impact of pushing development outside of urban areas.
Dr. John Bacher recently spoke to the region's Planning and Economic Development Committee to stress three key points.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — March 8, 2022
From John Bacher:
In her last report before her office was shut down by the provincial government of Premier Doug Ford, Ontario’s Environment Commissioner, Dr. Diane Saxe, drew attention to what she termed “Southern Ontario’s Disappearing Forests.” She urged that, “Conserving forests must become a top priority in land use planning.” Since “each incremental loss has a big impact on the services the forests provide to society and the wildlife they support.”
The Ontario government is proposing a plan to implement changes to the Environmental Assessment Act. These changes would not only make it easier for companies to launch experimental technologies that claim to recover fuel and/or chemicals from waste, but they would also remove important public oversight from these controversial projects.
We invite you to learn about the historic context and current concerns related to the proposed Ring of Fire mining project in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Territory.
Joseph Duncan, an Indigenous member from the NAN Territory and former chair of the Sierra Club's Ontario chapter, discusses the club’s work on a report for the government’s Regional Assessment of the Ring of Fire. Our report focuses on the social, environmental, and economic impacts of the proposed development including a survey of some local residents.
The $60 billion chromite mining proposal, referred to as the Ring of Fire, impacts 5,100 square kilometers of Northwestern Ontario. The area is rich in mineral deposits, peat moss, caribou, and many other species essential to Indigenous nations’ economy and culture. The region is home to the Indigenous people of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, with a population of 45,000.
Treaty Nine was established in 1905, making the NAN Territory a sovereign nation.
Repercussions of mining developments have significant impacts on the economy, environment, society and Indigenous nations' natural habitat, impacting their survival. Provincial and federal leaders hail the Ring of Fire proposal as a multigenerational opportunity that can economically and socially benefit communities. Unfavorable repercussions of surface and subsurface mining frequently include toxic waste material, long-term environmental devastations, and human rights violations.
Joseph Duncan is an Indigenous member from Nishnawbe Aski Nation Territory, situated in Muskrat Dam First Nation. He is a former police officer who served with the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service for 14 years. After an injury ended his law enforcement career he has pursued higher education at Lakehead University completing degrees in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism and an MA in Social Justice. Joseph is familiar with the political structure of the NAN Territory and ran in the 2021 election for Deputy Grand Chief of NAN. Today, Joseph teaches at Lakehead University instructing Advance Land Relations.
126 environmental and citizen's groups and academics from NL and the rest of Canada — March 2, 2022
We ask that the Federal Government of Canada reject this project and immediately work with the province of Newfoundland and Labrador to build a fair and just transition away from fossil fuels.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan. — March 1, 2022
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
From John Bacher:
Shortly after being forced into hospitalization following an attack of congenital heart failure, veteran environmentalist Doug Draper sent me an ominous warning. He informed me that powerful cliques in Niagara were trying to convince the Ontario provincial government of Premier Doug Ford to resurrect the terminated 130-kilometer Mid-Peninsula Highway from the dead.
The typical lifespan of products today seem to only be a few years. From mobile phones, to dishwashers, to equipment; you buy a product, use it for a few years, and then it breaks. Leaving you with only one or two, usually costly, options. In fact, it is almost always easier and cheaper to replace the product with a new one, instead of simply repairing it. This has become the standard.
Within a single human lifetime, tens of millions of bison were killed until less than a thousand individuals remained in all of North America. Despite over 120 years of hard work, many conservation challenges still face bison today.
This is a story you don’t want to miss. It’s a story of twists and turns, from dramatic roundups by Blackfoot and Mexican cowboys, to epic train journeys, "lost" national parks, near-ruinous mistakes, and no small amount of luck.
Our presenter this month is Lauren Markewicz, a member of our Prairie Chapter’s Executive Committee.
Lauren is a public historian who has come to specialize in the history of bison. She is the author of Through the Storm: Canada's Bison Conservation Story, a book dealing with the twists and turns of the history of bison conservation in what is now Canada, in both images and text.
She has worked at various historic sites and natural areas in Western Canada. She likes to spend time on the landscape, hiking and camping, and thinking a lot about the human relationships with and impacts on the land and the other creatures that live there.
In Canada, roughly one-third of us live near a major road. We’re surrounded by traffic everyday. We pass by throngs of cars as we walk our kids to school; we sit in gridlock traffic driving to and from work; we hear cars whizzing by our homes that are located beside major roadways. Close proximity to major roads increases our exposure to air pollution, and the health risks that come with it.
What do we know about traffic-related air pollution and what can we do about it?
Our webinar featured prominent researcher and University of Toronto professor Dr. Greg Evans. Dr. Evans’ research focuses on air pollution, and understanding its impacts on human health and the environment.
The webinar also featured emerging findings from a community-based air quality campaign, Breathe Easy. The campaign’s goal is to use citizen science to monitor local air quality and use the findings to inspire community action on air pollution.
Understanding traffic-related air pollution is a big first step to improving it - and protecting our health. Check it out below!
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan.
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
Crazed Axe-Wielding Mad Men Threaten Niagara.
The mentality of those doing land use planning in the Niagara Region was captured vividly by paleontologist Michael Benton, through his examination of the catastrophic mid-Permian extinctions. Benton described how during this era, “vast swaths” of the trees of life “are cut short, as if attacked by a crazed, axe-wielding madmen.”
Please find the full Assessment Report attatched below.
By: Joseph Duncan and Aleksandra Spasevski.
In honour of Ringo Fiddler.
Ontario’s Far North recently received attention due to the $60 billion chromite mining potential. The massive mining project is known as the Ring of Fire. Both provincial and federal leaders have identified this mining opportunity as a multigenerational opportunity that can create both economic and societal benefits for communities (Chetkiewicz & Lintner, 2014).
We all know there is a problem with plastics. But just how deep does that problem go?
It is a well known fact that plastic pollution is ending up in the natural environment. We see it everywhere. With no way to fully break down, plastic waste remains, and will continue to remain for hundreds of years. From the depths of the ocean, to the North Pole, plastics and microplastics are being found in animals, water and in the food that we eat.
It was in 2013, eight years ago when the carbon monitoring station in Mauna Loa measured levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at levels above 400 parts per million for the first time in human history. Since then, investigations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ascertain that we cannot let the atmosphere reach 430 parts per million of carbon dioxide to avoid global warming beyond 1.5 degrees, at which point there will be far reaching consequences for life on earth.
Quotes from some of the organizations and community leaders who signed the letter:
“We do not want our need for electricity to transition from fossil fuels to come at the expense of the First Nations, their health, land, water and traditions” - Amy Eshoo, Program Manager, 350 Maine
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan.
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
On September 17, 2021, the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) dismissed a zoning appeal by the Ontario Sierra Club Executive Committee Member, John Bacher. The Sierra Club Canada Foundation had separately sought standing as a participant in the case. On October 4, 2021, lawyers at Eric K. Gillespie Professional Corporation filed a motion for leave to appeal with the Divisional Court, the first step in asking the court to review the OLT decision.
Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, Premiers of Atlantic Canada, and Elected Leaders,
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals are calling on you as elected leaders to oppose the construction of the Gull Island mega-hydro project (Phase 2 of Nalcor’s Lower Churchill Project) and to protect the Grand River/Mistashipu (colonially known as Churchill River) in Labrador and other endangered rivers across the country.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan.
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
Contemptuously, in the recent federal election there was an obscene amount of all party support to one of the most ecocidal threats to our planet. That threatened area is the Hudson Bay Lowlands, whose vast peat bogs perform a role more vital than ever before. It serves as a refrigerator for our planet which is under attack by anthropogenic climate change. These lowlands are the largest contiguous tract remaining of temperate wetlands on our sacred Mother Earth.
The proposed Highway 413 perfectly represents the Province of Ontario’s lack of priority for the environment and climate change. Highway 413 showcases a continued focus on transportation by car, over people and the environment, which will have major impacts on our future for years to come.
At a time of rapid global warming and climate change, the privatization of land for highways (which only adds more cars and traffic) is the opposite of what is needed from our leadership.
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan.
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
Over two months ago a development company, GR Investment Group, attempted to dismiss my appeal of a Niagara Falls Zoning By-law, No. 2020-124, which has been made to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal (LPAT). (LPAT-Case Number PL2-2020-64).
Still, the decision of LPAT on this matter has yet to be made.
Embodied carbon, in the context of buildings, refers to emissions associated with the materials extracted for construction, transportation, manufacturing, on-site construction, as well as decommissioning (including demolition, recycling, and landfill).
By Dr John Bacher and Danny Beaton, Mohawk of the Turtle Clan.
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska.
One of the most important environmental battles now going on in Ontario is a debate in the council chambers of Chatham-Kent to decide if the municipality is to have a tree cutting by-law. A temporary by-law has been imposed, but it is scheduled to be lifted on December 14, 2021.
A powerful article on the strategies of oil companies to promote their interests at the expense of social acceptability, health and citizens' common good.
The author, Mr. Montpetit, a member of the CCCPEM (Comité des citoyens et citoyennes pour la protection de l'environnement maskoutain), reveals the disconcerting procedures of these oil and gas companies, which do not hesitate to use the courts in an abusive manner in order to silence opponents.
The Watch for Wildlife program of Sierra Club's Atlantic Canada Chapter welcomes you to a lively discussion on why it is necessary to implement measures to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in order to conserve wildlife and protect motorists in Canada.
Webinar speakers will discuss how participants can reach out to their local Member of Parliament to show their support for the recommendations of the Green Budget Coalition. We will deliver a message that the federal government should:
1. Implement a national wildlife-vehicle collision data reporting system, 2. Make highway and railway funding conditional on an integrated wildlife management plan, including any required crossing structures, fencing and other collision-prevention infrastructure.
Gretchen Fitzgerald (She/her) is the National Program & Atlantic Chapter Director for Sierra Club Canada Foundation. With an academic background in marine biology, Gretchen Fitzgerald became Atlantic Chapter Director in 2007 and transitioned to National Programs Director in 2016. She led the campaign to successfully stop oil and gas development in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and secured provincial commitments to ban uranium mining in Nova Scotia. Her passions include her daughter, getting out in the garden, and seeing people use their power to bring about change.
David Snider, Past Board President, currently serves as Sierra Club Canada Foundation’s delegate to the Green Budget Coalition. Degrees in physical geography and law provided him with a broad-based understanding of environmental issues. In 2013 David retired from the Canada Revenue Agency after 30 years working on compliance research, strategy, policy and legislation. He is a life member of the Canadian Kennel Club, a lure coursing judge, and a director on the board of his local historical society. David enjoys hiking, skiing, birding, gardening and getting involved in environmental issues.
Another year of the Plastic Free July Challenge has come to an end. I first want to thank everyone across Canada and the Great Lakes who participated in the challenge, your support means the world to us. We had a great time hosting the challenge and hope that everyone who participated enjoyed it as much as we did.
Thirty-one days of refusing, reducing and reusing. Thirty-one days of activities and action against plastic pollution in Canada.
You may be aware that there is an air quality advisory out right now from our provincial government. It tells us that the wildfires currently burning in Northern Ontario are causing air pollution levels to rise in many parts of the province. You can get these advisories by signing up via this link.
This latest alert tells us that the AQ levels are at the unhealthy level right now in many areas across Ontario including here in Ottawa. It also tells us to stay inside and not to exert ourselves physically too much.
The Halifax Regional Municipality has made some important strides in addressing the climate crisis and advancing the local conversation around climate change. The Sierra Club Canada Foundation would like to acknowledge those efforts.
The following recommendations include a number of ways that the HRM Council can respond to the climate emergency more quickly and effectively by incorporating more decisive action and earlier time frames in its Regional Plan.
NGOs take aim at Canada’s biggest plastic producers for their trashy tactics to stop meaningful action on plastic waste.
TORONTO, ON, July 8, 2021 – This Plastic-Free July, Canadian environmental groups are calling out the top three producers of plastic in Canada: NOVA Chemicals, Dow Chemical and Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil. These three companies are suing the federal government in an effort to stop the federal action plan to reduce plastic pollution. This trashy tactic is aimed at protecting Big Plastic’s bottom line.
This summer, take the Plastic Free July Challenge with us!
ALL MONTH: Refuse, reduce, re-use – take steps to reduce your plastic use all month long. Under COVID, we know not all actions to reduce plastic waste will be possible. but many still are: for instance, stores can let you re-use bags you pack yourself.
The provincial government of Doug Ford has waged quite a negative attack on land use planning policies in Ontario. However, what is important is that due to the cornerstones of good policy, the Greenbelt and Wetland protection have remained intact. This has been a major victory for the environmental protection movement. This is a good contrast with the United States where policies to protect wetlands were gutted by the first George Bush Presidential administration.
Wapna’kikewi’skwaq – Women of First Light sends our Prayers, love, and light across Turtle Island from the People of the Dawn. As Clan Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunties, and Mothers we are devastated and heartbroken by the news of the 215 beautiful children who were found in BC. Two hundred and fifteen future Clan Mothers, fire keepers, storytellers, leaders, and protectors that were taken brutally from our Nations. We Pray for their Spirit journeys as we Pray for their families and all our communities.
Produced by award-winning actor Mark Ruffalo, INVISIBLE HAND takes you behind the curtain of the global economy where ‘Rights of Nature’ becomes “capitalism’s one true opponent.”
In the fall of 2014, for the first time in United States history, an ecosystem filed to defend itself in a lawsuit claiming its ‘right to exist' in Grant Township, Pennsylvania. For attempting such a radical act, Grant’s rural community of 700 people were sued by a corporation, then by the state government, and are now locked in a battle to defend the watershed they call home through civil disobedience. The water they drink, the Rights to Nature laws they've passed are all on the line in this exclusive story.
Indigenous Environmental Researcher in Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Territory
Start Date: June 21, 2021
Remuneration: $ 18 hour plus cell phone/internet reimbursement of $60 month
Hours: 23 hours / week for 9 weeks
Location: Ontario, principally working from home, with preference for those in Thunder Bay - Lake Superior area to facilitate travel within NAN territory as needed.
These extracts are from a speech given by Gerry Gambill at a conference on human rights at Tobique Reserve in New Brunswick. In this speech, he warned Indigenous people about how society goes about taking away their human rights.
Can you guess what year this speech was given? Read on and we’ll tell you at the end.
Note: The speech was given at a time when the word “Indian” was used by government to refer to Indigenous people and it was common to default pronouns to he (him/his).
As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary, we want you to join with us and Club members across the country in pushing for change. We are asking you to join us wherever you live to be a part of 50 Days of Action, and take tangible steps to protect, restore and enjoy a safe and healthy environment.
On May 27, the Nova Scotia government announced that the long awaited public consultations on the Sustainable Development Goals Act (SDGA) were beginning immediately. While it’s a bit like being invited to a dinner party once the meal has already started, Sierra Club’s Atlantic Canada Chapter and other environmental groups are jumping in.
Land Acknowledgments have become more and more common in recent years and can be a great place to start as an ally for Indigenous communities and peoples. The term "ally" is defined by Sheree Atcheson as "any person that actively promotes and aspires to advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, positive and conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole." You can read more about allyship here.
The first tree huggers were 294 men and 69 women belonging to the Bishnois branch of Hinduism, who, in 1730, died while trying to protect the trees in their village from being turned into the raw material for building a palace. They literally clung to the trees, while being slaughtered by the foresters. But their action led to a royal decree prohibiting the cutting of trees in any Bishnoi village. And now those villages are virtual wooded oases amidst an otherwise desert landscape.
We are seeking a dedicated and outgoing individual to help increase the reach and impact of our wildlife collisions prevention program,Watch for Wildlife(http://www.watchforwildlife.ca). The objective of the Watch for WIldlife is to prevent collisions with wildlife and people on our roads and to encourage the implementation of wildlife-friendly road design and vehicle collision mitigation measures.
Sierra Club Canada Foundation (SCCF) is recruiting new board members for the upcoming term, starting in June 2021. We encourage Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, 2SLGBTQQIPA individuals and people who are members of Canada’s diverse communities to apply to join the board. We are committed to building and maintaining a work environment that is welcoming to people who bring other ways of seeing, knowing and communicating to our work.
On Wednesday May 5th, Sierra Club Ontario & the BreatheEasy Project hosted Dr. Gary Fuller for a webinar on the topic of 'Lessons of Air Pollution From London, England'.
Want to put your skills to work helping to amplify grassroots efforts to address the climate crisis and advocate for environmental justice? Consider joining the Atlantic Canada Chapter for a 9-week summer position.
How serious is air pollution in Ottawa? We have our BreatheEasy project underway to find out. First, using small hand held air sensors, we are measuring air quality in different areas all across the city and reporting our results publicly. We are also digging out existing information on air quality from a variety of sources both in Canada and around the world. It turns out that globally, there are a lot of people doing serious work on this subject and are readily sharing their findings with open reports and research results.
En ce moment, nous avons une occasion unique de pouvoir rebâtir une société plus juste, meilleure pour notre santé, notre économie et la nature. Les décideurs à Ottawa sont en train de déterminer comment allouer les milliards de dollars de nos impôts, avec un nouveau budget fédéral qui arrive à grands pas.
Pour façonner un Canada qui répond à notre vision, nous demandons au gouvernement fédéral de prendre d’importantes décisions d'investissement qui :
Right now, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rebuild a just society that is better for our health, the economy, and nature. Decision-makers in Ottawa are currently determining how to allocate billions of our tax dollars, with a new federal budget just around the corner.
To shape the Canada that we want to see, we are asking the federal government to make critical investment decisions that:
Are you confused about whether or not nuclear energy is a good way to get us off fossil fuels and help put the brakes on climate change? If you are, you’re certainly not alone. The nuclear energy industry has been lobbying hard to convince governments to invest in new and untested designs for smaller nuclear reactors, known as SMRs—claiming they’re good for the environment and for tackling climate change.
How's the air we breathe today? Most of us would likely answer that question with "It seems fine", assuming that air quality is not something to worry about. You might be right. However, depending on where you live, work and play, every day you may be breathing unhealthy air - air that is potentially dangerous to your health and those around you.
Consider these facts, backed up by credible sources: 1. In Canada, about 14,600 die from dirty air quality every year. 2. Worldwide, only about 5% of us are breathing truly healthy air. 3. Living near a busy intersection can increase the risk of contracting dementia later in life. 4. Air pollution can cause a measurable decrease in IQ for children and a measurable loss in lung function. 5. Across the world, dirty air causes some seven million early deaths annually
The Sierra Club Canada Foundation has a project underway to measure and report on the outdoor air quality (AQ) in the city. While the official, government-operated AQ station in Ottawa reports levels generally in the "Low Risk" category, our preliminary air tracking results are finding areas, or air pollution 'hotspots', where the AQ can be quite dangerous. In this webinar, we will be showing what we've measured so far, what impact this may be having on our health, and we'll talk about possible actions we can take, as individuals and collectively at a city-wise basis, to improve the air we are breathing every day.
The speaker, Jake Cole, is retired from a career in six departments in our federal government. Amongst other roles, he was former Environment Director, Canadian Coast Guard; National Manager, Canada's R-2000 Home Program; Canada's representative for renewable energy projects with the International Energy Agency. He ran a well-received employee health and wellness program for one of Canada's largest federal departments. He co-chaired the national charity, Prevent Cancer Now. He has run for the federal Green Party twice (coming third in his riding in 2008 with one of the highest percentage of Green Party voters in Canada). He is currently with the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, leading a team of volunteer 'Citizen Scientists' on a project to measure and report on air quality in the Ottawa region.
In May 2020, we received funding from the Ottawa Community Foundation to begin the BreatheEasy project and start measuring AQ across the city. With a team of volunteers, we have taken readings in all of Ottawa’s wards, primarily looking for ‘hot spots’ where the air pollution levels are potentially dangerous to our health.
Sierra Club Canada Foundation has joined Indigenous and environmental groups in requesting a moratorium on a mining development in Ontario's "Ring of Fire". As it stands, the region’s wetlands and watersheds are not protected under this development and local communities, both upstream and downstream, are in need of access to clean water, housing and other health services.
No one shares more Great Lakes coastline than neighboring Canada and Michigan. For 67 years Michigan and Canada have also had in common a dangerous pipeline that transports oil through the Straits of Mackinac. The Straits divide Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas, connecting Lakes Huron and Michigan (they are actually one lake). It’s turbulent waters, shipping hazards and poor conditions make the Straits the worst possible place in the Great Lakes for an oil pipeline rupture and Enbridge’s failures to exercise due care with Line 5 prompted Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to take action: Line 5 is earmarked by the State of Michigan to go out of operation in May.
What are the facts about Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline and its environmental threats to the Great Lakes? Why is Michigan acting with urgency to stop the flow of oil in the Straits of Mackinac? Representatives from the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Oil & Water Don’t Mix campaign will join Sierra Club Canada’s All Hands on Deck for a conversation about Enbridge Line 5.
Statement from Sierra Club Ontario related to the Government of Ontario's request for input on the enhanced Minister's Zoning Order powers that were enabled with Bill 197.
I am writing my comments on behalf of Sierra Club Ontario and Peel Chapters.
According to Health Canada, some 14,600 premature deaths across the country are caused annually by air pollution. In Ottawa alone, approximately 500 deaths are deemed pollution-related each year. Yet, the topic of air quality (AQ) and its impacts are rarely discussed. It remains a silent killer.
The ocean unites our world in a profound way – and yet, it faces more threats today than ever before in history. All around the world, the need to protect the ocean is clear, from the United Nations to right here in Canada. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an important tool for conservation, protecting biodiversity and habitats from harmful human activities; but, there are some ocean goals that MPAs cannot help us reach. As we strive to protect 30% of Canada’s ocean by 2030, we must look beyond MPAs to see the bigger picture of the ocean and how we use them. Setting sail for ocean sustainability won’t be an easy task, and will need our governments, ocean industries, and coastal communities to pull together toward a common goal. We might be aiming for 30 by 30, but the real ambition should be 100% of the ocean sustainably managed for all. This webinar gives an introduction to MPAs in Canada and explores the different pathways we can take to a healthy ocean now and into the future.
Our speaker is Julie Reimer, Julieis a PhD Candidate (Geography) at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her research explores marine spatial planning and area-based ocean management as a pathway toward conservation and sustainability goals. She holds a Master of Marine Management and a Bachelor of Science in biology, and brings this interdisciplinary lens to her work with multiple environmental non-profits in Canada. Julie has been recognized as a leader in organizational governance and science-based conservation advocacy. Julie currently serves as President of Sierra Club Canada Foundation Board of Directors.
Webinar: Marine protected areas and beyond: setting sail for a sustainable ocean
When: Thursday, January 28, 2021 for 30-40 minutes starting 7:30pm Atlantic time/ 6:30pm Eastern time/ and so on...
Join us for the latest installment of our All Hands On Deck webinar series. A series intended to showcase the diversity of issues and solutions as we come together to deal with the environmental and social challenges of our time.
If you've walked around a neighbourhood when people have their fireplaces going, you've probably noticed that woodsy scent wafting through the air. Some would even find that a soothing, pleasant smell. You may be surprised to learn that the smoke from a wood stove, a wood burning fireplace, or an open campfire, is not at all good for you. In fact, in some countries, like the U.K., wood-burning produces more than double the air pollution that results from traffic exhaust.
Sometimes you’re lucky enough to encounter a leader with the gifted combination of vision, passion, and a want and will to act. Rob Purdy, Founder and CEO of CarltonOne Engagement, is one such leader.
We are searching for an impact-oriented, outgoing, passionate individual to grow our Beyond Coal Atlantic campaign and volunteer support system. The successful candidate must also ensure we grow to meet our organization's commitment to inclusion, diversity, and justice.
Although the government of Premier Douglas Ford is no Valhalla for environmental protection, two recent decisions in rejecting municipally supported requests for Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZO) show that engaged citizens can wrest positive victories. One MZO request, by the County of Simcoe, would have put a waste transfer station in the 207-acre part of Simcoe County Forest, designated as the Freele Tract. The second by the Town of Pickering, supported by a developer, supported the urbanization of the headwaters of Carruthers Creek.
Urgent update: Since the discovery of the expansion of the range of the dense blazing star, a new threat has emerged to their survival. Without any reporting of their expansion or of the extent of the destruction in February 2020 to the adjacent habitat of a rare orchid, the Great Plains ladies' tresses, Niagara Falls is going ahead with a Public Meeting on Tuesday, October 6, 2020. Due to COVID the meeting is virtual. You MUST get your comments submitted before the 6th. City Council could proceed to authorize their destruction, subject to an appeal to the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal.
July 29, 2020, an important victory was won for the protection of the headwaters of Carruthers Creek. The Durham Regional Council, acting in response to an earlier motion by the Town of Ajax, and many residents, opposed a request by the City of Pickering to urbanize these lands through the imposition of a Ministerial Zoning Order. (MZO)
As Parliament comes back this fall, we must make sure that a green and just recovery is their top priority. We don’t have a moment to lose - big polluters have been busy lobbying for bailouts and exemptions from environmental rules.
-- Please take this opportunity to write to Minister Freeland using the outreach message options below. Your voice is needed and needs to be heard. --
The Mohawk elder Danny Beaton (Turtle Clan) speaks on the threat posed by two environmental reviews in Ontario. He warns,
“How many books have to be written about environmental protection or films made by David Suzuki, Ed Burtynsky, or Jacques Cousteau, before we create another environmental crisis? How many environmental disasters — Katrina, Bangladesh? How many mega projects do we need? There is an Earth crisis still unfolding from killing wild animals in China.
As July has come to an end, I want to thank everyone who joined Sierra Club and thousands across the Great Lakes, for the Plastic Free July Challenge. We had a great month administering the challenge and I hope those who participated enjoyed it.
Thirty-one days of refusing, reducing and reusing. Thirty-one days of activities and action against plastic pollution in Canada.
Who could have predicted that in 2020 we would have to make to collective decision to stay inside our living room for extended period of time? These have been hard times for many.
We wanted to celebrate the hard decision our community has made to physically distance during Covid-19 by providing a new 'living room'. This living room is green, playful, beautiful and reflects our local flora. Now more than ever we need the benefits of nature for our physical and mental health.
The explosion of the movement for racial equality recently brings into highlight a threatened old growth forest called Waverly Beach, in Fort Erie, Ontario. Its sacred groves in 1905, earlier a home for refugees from slavery, became the birth place of the Niagara Movement. It was a forerunner of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP).
As revelations mount about problems with mercury contamination from the now closed De Beers Victor Diamond Mine in Attawapiskat, opposition to proposed Ring of Fire mining projects soar. Claims by the Wildlands League that the company did not release the monitoring results for mercury contamination at 5 of 9 monitoring wells, received a boost on January 13, 2020, when Justice David A. Thomas ruled that these claims of violation of Ontario environmental laws could proceed to trial.
Each year at the Annual General Meeting the membership votes in our new Board members. This year we are especially seeking diverse candidates whether representing different cultures, backgrounds or experiences. We need more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color on our Board. We would love to hear from you if you are interested.
Watch for Wildlife (W4W) is a wildlife-vehicle collision prevention program of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation’s Atlantic Chapter. In this All Hands On Deck webinar, learn the importance of collecting wildlife-vehicle collision data and how you can help contribute using the iNaturalist app. For more information on preventing and responding to wildlife-vehcile collisions visit watchforwildlife.ca
Learn how you can contribute to Watch for Wildlife's citizen science initiative using the iNaturalist app.
Although inconspicuously described as “Amendment Number I to the Ontario Growth Plan”, its impact if approved would be catastrophic. Amendment No. 1, would neuter the thrust of provincially directed land use planning, since it began to have an impact in a document entitled “Design for Development” (1966). It was also described as the Toronto Centred Region Plan.
The Ontario Provincial Police investigation into the hiring of Carmen D’Angelo as Chief Executive Officer (CAO) of the Niagara Region has taken a new direction. Now that the former CAO and the Regional Councillors who supported him are in the clear, the OPP is pursuing a new target. The new target is Bonnie Lysyk, the Auditor General of Ontario.
We all know how big a problem plastic pollution is – and it has not gone away while we’ve been trying to stop the spread of COVID-19.
This is why we invite you to join the Plastic Free July Challenge, a series of activities and actions being organized by the Sierra Club Ontario and the Great Lakes Forums’ Plastic Pollution Team.
Reducing plastic pollution will generate savings for businesses, towns, and governments, and generate tens of thousands of new jobs in Canada - a great way to build back better after COVID.
Take action now - City seeking input to build bike lanes and green infrastructure.
The City of Brampton has taken a progressive stance towards active transportation following the increasing interest in cycling seen during the ongoing pandemic. As of April 18, 2020 they have decided to temporarily close off curb lanes for vehicular traffic and, instead, install interim bike lanes along an East West travel corridor.
We are heartbroken to learn that the dead right whale found off New Jersey this week is actually the first born calf of the 2019/2020 season, and was the very first calf of right whale #3560.
From initial observations, it appears this calf died as a result of propeller and trauma injuries from two separate vessel strikes. According to NOAA, the first injuries were to his head and chest, and the second – and likely fatal injury – was to his tail stock.
From usually reliable sources it appears that the provincial government is planning at the request of developers, to urbanize 2,200 hectares of Carruthers Creek. Carruthers flows into Lake Ontario in the City of Ajax, a community that has long opposed the flood of pollution such an action would bring.
The Government of Ontario has decided to restore the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1994 (EBR), effective June 15, 2020. This is a big win for the environment. Ontario had previously suspended the key conditions of the EBR in early April. The suspension worked to eliminate public awareness of ongoing projects and the right to weigh in on environmentally significant decisions using the Environmental Registry.
This would be detrimental to those working towards greener practices.
One of the great victories of the environmental movement of Ontario is now under attack — the Simcoe County Forests. The system was created under the leadership of Premier E. C. Drury, and his friend Edmund Zavitz, to rescue the Simcoe County from being buried in marching sand wastes. This was triggered by ruthless deforestation.
The Freele Tract is being defended by a valiant 770-member environmental protection group which should never have had to be organized. It’s called the Friends of Simcoe County Forests.
We find ourselves in unprecedented times. We are working hard to adapt to the new normal and do our part to reduce the spread of the virus. We encourage you to stay connected to nature in what can be difficult and stressful times. Although we cannot be in nature together, we can still enjoy the outdoors apart! Spending time in the fresh air is helpful for mental health and staying active during this time. Here are our best practices for how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.
1. Stay Up to Date with Local Health Authority Guidelines
Over the past few months, we have been working closely with groups from across Canada to craft principles for a just recovery from COVID-19. Together with over 200 civil society and advocacy groups, we are happy to share these principles with you now.
At this very moment, whale mother and calf pairs are heading north to their Canadian home waters.
It’s a perilous time for them, both for the journey north itself, and for what awaits them when they arrive in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Right whales are on the brink. Sierra Club Canada Foundation has been at the forefront in the fight to protect them. We know when proper measures are put in place, whales are protected and fewer whales will die. You can help save the 400 remaining right whales.
We can’t have another summer of losses like we did last year.
A few weeks ago, I saw my first butterfly of the season. After a winter of erratic weather, and in the midst of this current health crisis, the sight of this beautiful little creature – its brilliant orange set ablaze against forlorn spring grass, with its wings gently fluttering – was a gift to my eyes and my heart. (It was not a Monarch. I’m still researching – perhaps it was a painted lady (Vanessa cardui?)
Photo: by Jeff Smith on Unsplash.com. In the 1880s, St. Lawrence Market (Toronto, Ontario) sold passenger pigeons which later became extinct. Market hunting became banned throughout North America following passage of the Migratory Bird Convention.
SCO is seeking members to serve on our volunteer Executive Committee
Candidates should be passionate about environmental protection and supporting grassroots activists. Also must have a track record of commitment, reliability, and the ability to be a team player. Sierra Club is committed to equity and diversity in all of its appointments and activities. Self-nomination is welcome.
At this time, SCO is particularly interested in candidates suited to join as Treasurer, Fundraising Committee members or Communications Committee members.
Gather 'round young Wild Ones for a reading of The Hugging Tree!
At home with kids while in #isolation? Check out this reading, and stay tuned for more activities for your #QuarantineLife and #COVID19Kids activities.
Sierra Club Canada Foundation Community Care Policy as of March 16, 2020
We will be following all public health, school, and childcare advice regarding COVID-19 in order to do our part to limit the spread of the virus.
Please note, although we have not been affected so far by the COVID-19, our programswill be cancelled immediatelyif recommended by public health officials or if our staff people or participants' families report COVID-19 symptoms.
On June 5, 2019 the City of Brampton Council responded to growing community concerns and declared a Climate Emergency. Since then the City has been accelerating development of a Community Energy and Emissions Reductions Plan (CEERP) designed to transform Brampton’s energy use and reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.
The Conservation Authorities Act and Wetland Protection on the Chopping Block Once Again
In their last three years of office, the government of Kathleen Wynne conducted two dangerous reviews. One was a review of the Conservation Authorities Act. Another was a review of Ontario’s wetland policies. Now the same threats are coming up in a review of the Conservation Authorities Act by the government of Premier Doug Ford.
We are looking for someone magical with children to help deliver PEI’s first forest school program in Charlottetown. Our ideal candidate would love being outside in all weather, enjoys playing with kids with an eye for safety and risk management, and can maintain a positive attitude while working effectively with a team.
Photo by Daniel Nardone. Dense blazing star at Thundering Waters facing east towards now illegally cut Riverfront Residential site.
On January 25, 2020, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA), levelled charges against GR Canada, a developer associated with the Riverfront Residential development in Niagara Falls. These were the second charges levelled against GR Canada for illegally cutting trees on this site within past two years.
Thank you to everyone who came out to help make our first "Saunter Program" (November 30th) event a success. Many thanks to Valerie Gabriel for sharing her culture, history, and wisdom with us. We were very lucky to have an event leader with first-hand knowledge of both Mohawk culture and Environmental Sciences.
Be sure to follow our Facebook page or sign up to our newsletter for details on future Saunter events.
No gifts for Gretchen! But if you would like make a donation to Sierra Club Canada Foundation to honour her work to help save our planet, you would make her birthday wishes come true. (And there's also a little gift for you when you do.)
We are thrilled to announce the safe arrival of the first right whale calf for the 2019-2020 calving season.
Yesterday, this sweet newborn and mother pair were sighted off Sapelo Island off the Georgia coast.
This is the first calf for right whale #3560, and she is 14 years old. There are four other expectant mothers who are being monitored by our allied agencies, and we are hoping that more pregnant mothers have yet to reveal themselves.
November 13, 2018, in her last annual report issued two days before the termination of her office the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, (ECO), Dianne Saxe, issued an eloquent plea to bolster protection for southern Ontario’s besieged forests. Forming Chapter Three of her Back to Basics, the report was expressively termed, “Southern Ontario’s Disappearing Forests.” Here Saxe wrote, “Conserving forests must become a top priority in land-use planning, and creating the conditions for healthy urban trees must become a top priority in urban planning.”
Canadians have made it clear they want action on the environment, and Monday will be the day to have your say about who will lead our country on the single most important issue of our time.
The Objiway community of Eabametoong and Cree of Nestantaga in northern Ontario have found themselves on the front lines to avert catastrophe from climate change. They are anticipating a three-year struggle to oppose two new roads planned to accommodate mines in what has become known as Ontario’s Ring of Fire. The battle takes place via co-ordinated federal and provincial Environmental Assessments (EAs).
Sierra Club Canada Foundation – Atlantic Chapter is searching for an outgoing, energetic, and dedicated individual to carry out tasks associated with our Watch for Wildlife program in Nova Scotia (www.watchforwildlife.ca).
We have Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) grants to support two positions: a Research & Communications Intern and 'The Problem with Plastics' Intern.
Please review the job listings below, apply if you are interested, and share with others. We look forward to hearing from you!
Note: to qualify for CSJ positions you must a) be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment; and b) be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred.
On March 21st Ontario Minister of Energy, Greg Rickford, released Bill 87, entitled Fixing the Hydro Mess. But rather than sustainably reducing consumer bills in Ontario it will enlarge the economic and environmental mess that past energy policies are visiting on the province.
Sierra Club Canada Foundation (SCCF) is a registered charity whose mission is to be a voice for the earth. We work to protect and preserve the natural environment and to empower people to be stewards of the earth in their communities. Since 1971, the SCCF has funded tens of millions of dollars’ worth of important work, from small local projects to large, multi-year campaigns with many volunteers, organizers, and scientists.
Full Time Summer Staff Positions (2 positions available)
We are looking for someone magical with children to help deliver PEI’s first forest school program in Charlottetown. Our ideal candidate would love being outside in all weathers and enjoys playing with kids, with an eye for safety and risk management.
We are looking for some people who are magical with children to help deliver Wild Child Forest School Programming for the summer in the Kearney Lake area of Bedford for our 2019 Summer Season. Our ideal candidate would love being outside in all weathers, enjoy playing & supervising children, with an eye for safety and risk management.
Written by Dr. John Bacher
In a revealing move Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the shutdown of the newly created Local Planning Appeals Support Centre (LPASC). One of its important actions was to provide me with secret documents that had been suppressed improperly by the Niagara Falls Planning Department. These letters exposed how junk science paid for by a private developer was used to justify the destruction of provincially significant woodlands and wildlife habitat.
The Peel Group of the Sierra Club Foundation's Ontario Chapter has collaborated with local stakeholders to develop, endorse and promote the attached ISB. We are now in the process of meeting with City of Brampton Councillors to garner support. We will bring this proposal to City of Brampton on February 13, 2019.
In 2015 the Harper Government gave five corporations based in the U.K., U.S. and Canada a 10-year contract to find fast and cheap ways to dispose of the federal government’s own radioactive waste. The corporations are proposing to build a massive above-ground radioactive waste mound at Chalk River, Ontario; and to convert federal nuclear reactors in Rolphton, Ontario and Pinawa, Manitoba into concrete tombs.
The Wild Child program of Sierra Club Canada Foundation has been connecting children, youth, and families to nature since 2010. The mission of our Wild Child programs is to provide child led, play based learning through repeated exposure to nature helping to foster a lasting relationship with the natural world.
Yesterday, Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark tweeted that parts of Bill 66 will be dropped when the legislature resumes in February. Thank you for your quick action against Bill 66!
The name Bill 66 seems like a science fiction monster akin to Godzilla, which emerged out of the debris of nuclear contaminated post-war Japan. A similar scary beast has come forth today out of the fiendish populism of Ontario Premier, Doug Ford.
Gretchen Fitzgerald, our senior staff director, is celebrating a birthday.
Beyond her responsibilities leading Sierra Club – from media interviews at all hours, to racing to coalition meetings, to being our well-informed voice to the public – Gretchen is quietly out there on Facebook trying to raise funds for Sierra Club Canada Foundation on the occasion of her birthday this month.
But we want to surprise her with something special.
Help support Sierra Club Canada Foundation’s efforts to save the bees through our partnership with Armstrong and Blackbury. Until December 19, buy 3 Solitary Pollinator Bee Nests for $60. Be a safe haven this holiday season!
In a crucial time, when the land use planning policies he, himself, helped forge under three different parties, over 25 years, are under attack by the newly elected government of Premier Doug Ford, veteran land use planner, Victor Doyle, won a major victory.
On November 8, 2108, the newly elected Ontario government began a procedure to revise land use planning processes in Ontario. The setting was the “Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Stakeholders Forum” which was held at the Ontario Room of the MacDonald Block at 900 Bay Street in Toronto on November 8, 2018. Also in attendance was Sierra Club Ontario Chapter’s own Dr. John Bacher. (Photo shows Thundering Waters wetlands where offsetting scheme was tried in past.
(Photo by Charissa Val Straalen) Two years ago, over 49 non-governmental organizations across Canada and the USA signed on to a letter asking both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Barack Obama to address issues pertaining to a series of shipments of liquid radioactive waste from Chalk River in Ontario to the US Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina. These shipments were along public roads and over bridges crossing the Great Lakes.
In response to the ongoing negotiations of the Canada-Mercosur and Canada-Pacific Alliance Free Trade Agreements, the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), joined by the Climate Action Network Canada, Council of Canadians, Greenpeace Canada, the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, Sierra Club Canada Foundation, the Trade Justice Network, Unifor and the United Steelworkers, have collectively sent the below submission to Environment and Climate Change Canada and Global Affairs Canada for their consideration.
CDPQ infra va commencer à couper des arbres en face d'etang heron où les hérons nichent pour la REM. 30 espèces nichent et utilisent cette zone chaque année et sa perte sera fortement ressentie par la population d'oiseaux. Nous ne pouvons pas laisser cela se produire sans combat. S'il vous plaît sortez et montrez que couper des arbres dans cette zone précieuse n'est pas OK! Nous nous retrouverons à la fin d'Alfred Noble dans Technoparc.
As you may know, on January 4th, 2017, the world lost a prominent voice for change. Sierra Club’s Ontario Chapter would like to humbly invite you to our public reveal of Dan McDermott’s memorial plaque. Save the date for 13:30 on September 15th, 2018, at the Rectory Café on Toronto Island.
Sierra Club Directors Ole Hendrickson and David Snider joined the rally to push for and inquiry into the de-commissioning of Canada's nuclear reactors and to keep the Ottawa River clean and safe from nuclear waste.
At 9:46 AM, August 13, 2018, in the Niagara Falls Clerk’s Department, Dr. John Bacher filed a letter of appeal against Amendment 128 to the Niagara Falls Official Plan. The amendment aims to pave over 120 of the 500 acre Thundering Waters Forest. Most of the forest is considered provincially protected wetland barred from development. At the same time, much of the amended lands is known as the Riverfront Community consisting of an unusual savanna complex dominated by a native shrub species, the Dotted Hawthorn. (Photo: Martin Munoz)
Let’s get started. Recycling is the process of converting waste items into new-usable products. There are tons of items that you can recycle such as plastic, steel, paper, and aluminum among others. When you are recycling your household items, you will be contributing to the conservation of energy and raw materials. (Photo: Lacey Williams)
We are so excited to announce the expansion of the Watch for Wildlife program to New Brunswick this year, and to have Kristin Elton as the new Outreach Coordinator for NB.
(Niagara’s official plan policy consultant, David Heyworth. Photo: The St. Catharines Standard)
The Niagara Region has embarked on a new three-year process to develop a new Official Plan. What hinders this path, possibly to ruin, is that it is heavily influenced by a peculiar type of environmental stakeholder: consultants in the pay of developers.
On May 8, 2018, the Niagara Falls City Council voted to approve what is now termed the Riverfront development. This would, if approved by the Ontario Land Use Planning Tribunal (LPAT), call for the destruction of 120 acres of diverse natural habitat, some of which is now protected wetlands.
When you are young, it often only takes one experience to set a spark - one word or expression from an inspirational leader, a special moment when something just clicks, being part of a magical time with peers, that speaker you’ll never forget.
That’s what Youth Career Connect Conference is all about: setting the stage for possibilities and inspiring young people with ideas and a world of opportunities.
In an otherwise flawless election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives under Doug Ford made the questionable suggestion of weakening the Greenbelt. However, the looming threats to the Ontario Greenbelt masked a seldom discussed issue: provincial land use planning.
The Thundering Water Forest is a 500 acre woodland on the Welland River in Niagara Falls. For over two years, a struggle has been taking place between the Haudenosaunee First Nations and GR (CAN) Investment Co. Ltd., an investor for massive commercial and real estate development in Niagara Falls.
Full Time Summer Staff Position, Colchester County, NS
Sierra Club Canada Foundation – Atlantic Chapter is searching for an outgoing, energetic, and dedicated individual to carry out tasks associated with our Watch for Wildlife program (www.watchforwildlife.ca). This position will be based in Colchester County, Nova Scotia.
A report released May 9th, 2018 by the leaders of Canada’s top environmental organizations reviews the progress of the federal government in meeting its platform and mandate commitments on environmental issues across the country.
When the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig sank in 2010, it spewed raw oil into the Gulf of Mexico for months, wreaking untold damage on marine life. The spill was the largest ever in U.S. waters, and the full effects are still unknown.
Sierra Club Canada Foundation (SCCF) is a registered charity whose mission is to be a voice for the earth. We work to protect and preserve the natural environment and to empower people to be stewards of the earth in their communities. Since 1971, the SCCF has funded tens of millions of dollars’ worth of important work, from small local projects to large, multi-year campaigns with many volunteers, organizers and scientists.
FSCC est à la recherche d’un coordonnateur/coordonnatrice pour Sierra Club Québec
Si vous êtes intéressés, veuillez envoyer une lettre de motivation ainsi qu’un CV en un seul document avant le 15 mai, 2018 à isabelleannebisson@gmail.com.
It's no coincidence that Valentine's Day and World Whale Day fall in the same week. Because right now, these majestic creatures need our love more than ever before.
For Auld Lang Syne, for old time’s sake, for our old friendships, and our new ones, we just wanted to toast you and say thank you for your support this year.
My name is Nick Bakish. I live in Montreal and have been a committed Sierra Club volunteer and donor for many years.
Recently, I was able to make a significant gift of support to Sierra by donating some of my shares. I know many of my friends and colleagues are making charitable gifts this way, too.
Change your profile and cover images on your social media pages and show solidarity for whales!
We are in court this week defending whales and the Gulf of St. Lawrence from the harmful effects of oil and gas exploration. You can read why and how right here.
From coast to coast, Sierra Club Canada Foundation staff and volunteers in all 5 of our Chapters have worked hard for years, campaigning to protect endangered Blue Whales in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, to ban the use of bee killing neonicotinoid pesticides, to create a national climate change action plan and to expand green space in and around our cities.
It’s that time of year when many of us are thinking about home improvements and ways to save on upcoming heating costs while reducing our carbon footprint.
A broken National Energy Board puts our democracy and our environment at risk, and the Trudeau government has pledged to fix it.
At no other time in history have we been presented with this rare opportunity to be the architects of one of the most important decision-making bodies in our country.
Thank you to all our volunteers, friends, and families for supporting Sierra Club Canada Foundation's Big Nature Tent for public education at Edmonton's inaugural Riverfest 2017.
We appreciate your time, expertise, and creativity as a generous donation to conservation advocacy and a wonderful fall outing on the weekend of September 16th.
Sierra Youth has rebranded and we're looking for a fresh new logo! Submit your designs to vickyfenwicksehl@gmail.com by September 12 at 12pm EST.
Sierra Youth is an organization run by youth for youth - now's your chance to get recognized and win a prize if your logo design is chosen. See the image below for more details.
Please join us this Saturday, August 19, anytime between noon-4pm, as Watch for Wildlife NS and Lush Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth host an Awareness Day about preventing wildlife vehicle collisions.
Do you have a passion for the environment and want to do something to help stop Climate Change? Would you love to be part of something bigger and make an impact in your community? Are you looking to get back in shape and achieve your 2017 fitness goals? Or... do you just simply enjoy running for the fun of it?
Wild Child Forest School: Full Time Summer Staff Position
We are looking for someone magical with children to help deliver Wild Child Forest School Programming for the summer in the Halifax areas of Bedford and Grand Lake/Oakfield for our 2017 Summer Season. Our ideal candidate would love being outside in all weathers, enjoy playing & supervising children, with an eye for safety and risk management.
Road Safety and Wildlife Educator Full Time Summer Staff Position, Eskasoni, Cape Breton
Sierra Club Canada Foundation – Atlantic Chapter is searching for an outgoing, energetic, and dedicated individual to carry out tasks associated with our Watch for Wildlife program (www.watchforwildlife.ca). This position will be based out of the Eskasoni Fish and Wildlife Commission, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
We are looking for someone magical with children to help deliver PEI’s first forest school program in Charlottetown. Our ideal candidate would love being outside in all weathers and enjoys playing with kids, with an eye for safety and risk management.
Sierra Club Ontario is looking for an energetic, creative, and hardworking individual to help with Chapter outreach and campaign-specific initiatives. The Environmental Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for assisting with both online and offline outreach activities, include digital communications and community outreach. The intern will also be responsible for occasional research and writing tasks specific to Sierra Club Ontario’s campaigns, as required.
This is a Canada Summer Job Position, so you must meet these criteria to be eligible for this position:
SCCF is hiring a new Administrative Coordinator (AC).
The AC is integral in the day to day functioning of the Foundation. His/her mission is to facilitate communication, financial procedures and to maintain accurate data records. The AC is also a core member of the national team in the management and smooth functioning of the SCCF administration.
Sierra Club Canada Foundation (SCCF) is a Canada Revenue Agency registered charity whose mission is to advance the preservation and protection of the natural environment in Canada and across the globe. Since 1971, the SCCF has funded tens of millions of dollars’ worth of important work, from small local projects to large, multi-year campaigns with tens of volunteers, organizers and scientists.
EARTH DAY EXCLUSIVE -- Internationally acclaimed artist and fearless powerhouse Tanya Tagaq has asked us to share with you her beautiful, haunting new video, “Na
“Is there anyone among us who has the courage to stand and say, will tomorrow’s child know the wonders I see today?”
Wonders I’ve Seen by The Bills (2016)
This year the Canadian Parks Conference 2017 was held in Banff National Park at the Banff Centre, overlooking Banff town and the Bow Valley from March 8-11..
Hosted by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association with its partners the Canadian Recreation and Parks Association, and the Canadian Parks Council, the conference, which included many invited speakers and three hundred attendees, was an inspired four days of discussion.
I'm devastated to report that the licence for oil and gas drilling has been approved in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and there’s not one thing whales can do to stop it.
We're not giving up and neither are they.
At this very moment – mile by mile, heading north – they’re coming back.
Over the next few weeks, blue whales will be making their way back to Canadian waters.
To the federal and provincial governments who have the jurisdiction over this issue, we submit this letter - signed by over 1400 people in under 72 hours. It is time to stand up for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the people who border it's waters, and the thousands of species who call it home.
On Wednesday night, we lost our dear friend Dan McDermott. In the final weeks of Dan's life, he was surrounded by people who loved and cared for him - a most special group who kept watch and stewarded Dan until his final moments.
It has been an emotional few days for all of us.
We will miss Dan terribly, and are grateful for his life and for the many friends and allies who share in this profound loss.
In the coming days and weeks, we will be paying special tribute to this great hero of the environment.
As part of the Great Lakes Protection Act Alliance, Sierra Club submitted comments on A Wetland Conservation Strategy for Ontario 2016-2030 (EBR Registry Number: 012-7675). Among the recommendations, the GLPA Alliance asserts this draft strategy is not utilizing powers already available to the Ministry and should "commit to setting time bound, measurable targets with aspirational milestones for wetlands in the Great Lakes-St Lawrence River Basin."
In other words, the Wetland Strategy is not making strategic use of tools in place to really conserve wetlands.
For decades, Canadian charities have given voice to concerns of Canadians who want social progress, better health and a clean and safe environment. From laws banning smoking in public places and the creation of anti-drinking and driving laws, to reducing acid rain, these important measures and more were a result of charities voicing Canadians’ concerns.
We are looking for an energetic and dedicated individual to coordinate programs and volunteers in the Atlantic Canada Chapter of Sierra Club Canada Foundation. This is a three month position with an option to renew, depending on performance and outcomes. You will be working closely with the National Program Director (based in Halifax) and take direction from the Atlantic Canada Executive Committee.
About Sierra Club Canada Foundation - Atlantic Chapter
There are positive proposals within the four draft provincial plans, including the Greenbelt plan, open for public comment until October 31st, Urban River Valley additions to note one example. There are also some alarming proposed changes that would allow land to be taken out of the current Greenbelt and handed to the developers. Section 3.4 Settlement Areas of the Greenbelt draft
There are positive proposals within the four draft provincial plans, including the Greenbelt plan, open for public comment until October 31st, Urban River Valley additions to note one example. There are also some alarming proposed changes that would allow land to be taken out of the current Greenbelt and handed to the developers. Section 3.4 Settlement Areas of the Greenbelt draft contains an outline of a proposed process that could do just that and subject the Greenbelt to being turned into a Swiss cheese belt.
Over two dozen non-governmental organizations from Canada and the United States are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Barack Obama to postpone or cancel an unprecedented series of shipments of highly radioactive liquid waste from Ontario to South Carolina along public roads and over bridges crossing the waters of the Great Lakes.
See below for relevant excerpts from the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Over two dozen non-governmental organizations from Canada and the United States are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Barack Obama to postpone or cancel an unprecedented series of shipments of highly radioactive liquid waste from Ontario to South Carolina along public roads and over bridges crossing the waters of the Great Lakes.
See below for a letter from the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility to Prime Minister Trudeau and President Obama.
Join award-winning journalist and author Andrew Nikiforuk for a public presentation, 'The Legacy of Fracking: From Earthquakes to Jessica Ernst,' based on his recent book Slick Water, a stunning examination of Big Oil and government abuse.
We are excited to announce that for the first year ever, Sierra Club Canada Foundation is participating in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon!
On Sunday, October 16, 2016, we invite you to run, walk or stroll with team Sierra Club Canada Foundation at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon to raise money to preserve and protect our planet.
In just the last few days, 1,347 concerned people like you have signed and sent a letter asking the government not to settle with a New Jersey company who has been thwarted from developing a destructive quarry in the Bay of Fundy.
Because of you, we have been an instrumental force on this campaign since the beginning, and we’re not going anywhere. But we need your help!
I'm in transit to the first hearings about Energy East pipeline in Saint John, New Brunswick. The National Energy Board has allowed Sierra Club Canada Foundation time to speak in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario.
One Earth, One Chance: Announcing the finalists for the art exhibition on the theme of Climate Change sponsored by Sierra Club Canada Foundation in partnership with Rebecca Gallery.
Twenty-two artists have been selected to participate in the climate change exhibition which will be mounted in the Rebecca Gallery in Toronto from July 5 th to 28 th , 2016.
Most of Edmonton’s natural lands lie within its extensive river valley and tributary ravine systems – an area of 7,400 ha and 48 km in length, including 22 ravines, for a combined total length of 103 km. Much of the area is either under private ownership or targeted by City Parks for recreational infrastructure. Golf courses, gravel quarries, a velodrome and other sports facilities, freeways, boat launches… have all been proposed over the past decades for what is often “free land” to the City. Fortunately there are a growing number of local ENGOs actively involved in conservation of these lands with whom we partner or support on a project basis.
Getting it right with household waste is a hot issue in Peel right now. As construction costs escalated and as Sierra Club Peel Group and various other concerned groups presented multiple environmental, health and sustainability concerns, Regional Council gradually came to the conclusion that their plans to build an EFW (Energy From Waste Facility, the modern version of the incinerator) was not the ideal solution for long term waste management.
Through the leadership of Sierra Club member David Laing and a keen group of local cyclists, Bike Brampton is in it's third year of operation. June is Bike Month, and Bike Brampton's signature event is Bike the Creek. Over 500 cyclists participated in this year's third annual Bike the Etobicoke Creek event on June 18. Bike the Creek is a FREE event aimed at encouraging people of all ages to discover the joys of cycling. Four route options were offered this year, suiting all ages and levels of expertise from first time to seasoned participants.
Sierra Peel Members participate at local events, committees and roundtables to bring the voice of Sierra Club of Canada to the table in support of Watershed Health and Natural Heritage Preservation. Protection of river valleys and the ecological goods and services they provide to wildlife and people is at the core of our vision and commitment.
The Proposed Norval Quarry is located within the Greenbelt in North West Brampton, a small area rich in natural heritage along the Credit River valley. The proposed shale extraction site has a tributary of the Credit River running through it, along with other Provincially Significant wetlands, and Significant Woodlands. Fish habit restoration by the MNR & CVC is on going in this tributary, to restore spawning trout habitat. Existing and future residential homes neighbor the quarry operations, as well as religious and educational institutions.
The Credit River is a special feature of Mississauga, and what could be more symbolic of the city’s wish to enjoy and protect its valued river than to grant it Provincial Greenbelt status? But first, public awareness of this opportunity had to develop, as well as political will to break new ground by pushing through the lengthy provincial application process.
The Edmonton Group has traditionally focused on parkland creation and conservation. These are usually multi-year projects; our favorite, going on fifteen, is the Sand Dunes Natural Area (our name - bureaucratically known as NW384) in the far southwest of Edmonton.
We identified the feature in 2001, characterized its pro-glacial origins, and with the support of the Curator of Geology from our Provincial Museum, induced the City to purchase the lands the following year. The dunes lie on the easternmost extent of the 200 sq km glacio-lacustrine Devon Dune Field to the west of Edmonton.
City parks matter for many reasons! Learn from a range of experts why parks are important to people and the environment. At this speed-dating style event, groups of attendees will be rotated through to learn from a series of 8-minute "dates" with the experts.
Sierra Club Atlantic is searching for a nature-loving individual to assist with the delivery and evaluation of our Wild Child Program. This position is based in Malpeque area of Prince Edward Island.
Annual Sierra Club Meadow Planting & Medicine Wheel Maintenance
Heart Lake Conservation Area June 4th, 2016 10am to 2pm
Community wildflower plantings are fun for families, individuals and groups! High school students are welcome to gain volunteer hours
We provide all the equipment needed. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. Light refreshments will be available. Bring your own refillable water bottle, please.
Environmental campaign veterans Dan McDermott and John Bennett will discuss the environmental movement and their involvement dating back to the 1970s when their personal interactions with Bob Hunter and Greenpeace set them on a path of life-long activism. They will share some of their personal experiences with Bob’s mind-bombing approach to environmental activism, but often have very different perspectives that can lead to lively discussions. Mr. Bennett and Mr.
Windsor’s Ojibway Tallgrass Prairie complex is a natural and national treasure. Pressured from all sides by urban development, Ojibway contains more biodiversity than does Algonquin Park or the Bruce Peninsula. At present it is a patchwork of protected and unprotected areas. Appeals to the Government of Ontario have failed to stop incursions that threaten Ojibway.
Mines and quarries can impact the environment in a variety of ways such as water contamination, diverting water systems, air emissions, and destroying habitat for wildlife.
The way to reduce these impacts is through careful consultation, land-use planning, and - when serious impacts can't be avoided - saying "no" to certain mines and quarries.
PEI Sierra Club invites Islanders to sign the Leap Manifesto and mark their calendars for February 29, 2016 as “International Leap Day", a day of events to demand action on climate change.
I remember the first time I talked to a fiery Mary Gorman on the phone, as a new staff person at the Atlantic Canada office, her impassioned narrative about the need to protect the Gulf of St. Lawrence from oil and gas development was inspirational.It made me excited to work with her and others from the Save our Seas and Shores Coalition.That phone call was in 2010, and over the past five years I have many fond memories of our campaign to protect of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The City of Mississauga Council voted unanimously to approve city staff’s Urban River Valley Greenbelt Report and forward it to Peel Region for approval and application to Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH). Years in the making, Mississauga has taken the big step to join the Ontario Greenbelt.
Throughout the month of August 2015, Sierra Club Quebec organized several bioblitzes along the projected trajectory of the Energy East pipeline. A bioblitz is an inventory of biodiversity, carried out by volunteers in a limited amount of time.
The commenting period for the Proposed Great Lakes Protection Act (GLPA) is now closed but Sierra Club of Canada Foundation made a submission last week during the public hearings before the Standing Committee on General Government. Submission below:
Bill 66 (proposed Great Lakes Protection Act)
Submission to the Standing Committee on General Government
Earlier this June we partnered with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to host a Pollinator Party at Heart Lake Conservation Area. The weather was great and we were thankful to have the 19 volunteers from Peel region who helped with light gardening and maintenance at the Medicine Wheel Garden and meadow plots.
Before we began work on the gardens the Four Colors Drumming Circle hosted an Aboriginal Drumming Ceremony and storytelling session to welcome spring and educate people on the features of the Medicine Wheel Garden (Gitigaan Mashkiki). It was a really neat experience which engaged everyone and connected us to the work we were about to do.
The commenting period for the 2015 Coordinated Review is now closed but Sierra Club of Canada Foundation has made a submission in support of Greenbelt growth and expansion. Below is a summary of the submission.
Moratorium on Expansion of Urban Development
At this opportunity to review the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Sierra Club asks the Province to consider a 10-year moratorium on expansion of urban development boundaries, in order to direct growth into increased density and cease the paving over of our fertile agriculture lands and treasured natural areas.
Sierra Club of Canada Foundation is working with Peter Rodrigues (former Pickering Regional Councillor, Ward 3) to protect the Carruthers Creek Headwaters which run through Pickering. The letter below was submitted to Richard Stromberg from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and reflects the work being done to rally support for the protection of the Carruthers Creek Headwaters.
GROW THE GREENBELT IN DURHAM -- Protect Carruthers Creek Headwaters
This past weekend we had a great time planting trees and shrubs in an area of Erindale Park in Mississauga as a part of our Natural Capital Program. Following a quick planting demonstration by Credit Valley Conservation, around 50 enthusiastic participants worked for over three hours (in glorious sunny weather) to get 250 plants in the ground.
Since its creation in 1992 the Waterfront Trail strives to connect urban and rural areas, and reconnect people to their communities and Great Lakes Waterfront. The Waterfront Trail serves as the linkage between over 405 parks and natural areas including wetlands, forests and beaches and stretches across 1400 km of shoreline from the eastern border of Ontario to the northwest (2). Over the years the trail has become a local favorite for leisure and recreation and is a place where people can go to reconnect with nature.
Locally, Toronto and Durham Region have made (and continue to make) a number of improvements for enhanced accessibility along their portions of the Waterfront Trail. A lot of work has gone into creating and enhancing trail segments, and now many neighboring communities are working collaboratively to link their sections for increased functionality.
On Wednesday, May 27th the City of Mississauga will be hosting an Open House in the Living Arts Centre. The night will showcase what Mississauga has planned to expand the Urban Greenbelt down the Credit River to the lake. Sierra Club has been following this project closely for many months and encourages its promotion.
Our bioswale project was created in response to water quality issues affecting residents and visitors to the Ajax waterfront. In recent years, as a result of contaminated run-off, the Town of Ajax and its residents have had limited access to swimmable water and beaches and the bioswales are a perfect solution!
The structure of these bioswales resembles a rain garden and is designed to control storm water, reducing the amount overflowing onto the beaches. The bioswale mimics wetland processes by providing a planted area of trees and shrubs which will absorb and filter storm water as it is slowed by the soil and root systems of the plants—for free! This is a great way to enhance the waterfront and naturally filter contaminants like automotive run-off and road salts, while restoring the environment.
This article posted in Niagara At Large was written by John Bacher, who works with Greenbelt Program team at Sierra Club of Canada Foundation. The article depicts the darker side of urban sprawl and pollution on watershed quality, and how stopping urban sprawl is an imperative step in protecting our waters. Read the article here.
The provincial government is hosting a series of public consultations for the review of the province’s land use plans. So if you love the Greenbelt and want to protect our waters, now is the time to attend a Town Hall near your to voice your opinions.
Join us at Paradise Park in Ajax on May 2nd for a spring garbage clean-up (See map for details)! This is a great opportunity to enhance your community and waterways, care for the environment and see some of the great restoration work being done at Paradise Beach.
High-school students earn volunteer hours- must bring your own form!!
Below is a cheery update following the Caledon Review meeting last Thursday night on March 26th.
"Hello Sierra friends and supporters,
The Greenbelt Review event on Thursday night, March 26th, in Caledon was crowded, maybe 300 there, with many provincial representatives, councillors, and also members of the Advisory Panel that will process the information from all 16 town Halls across the Golden Horseshoe.
We sat at tables of 10, debating 6 topics - protecting land - creating jobs - liveable communities - climate change - moving people - and realigning the plans. Debates were lively and interesting, and support for strengthening and realigning Greenbelt legislation was overwhelming.
Photo: Urban Sprawl on Oak Ridges Moraine threatens health of Lake Ontario. By: Mary Lou Bacher
The province of Ontario is engaged in what is termed a decade long review of the Greenbelt Plan and its complimentary legislation, Places to Grow. (the latter is intended to provide higher densities so that sprawl does not jam up against urban boundaries). A public meeting on the review, appropriately enough in a location accessible to cyclists, walkers and transit, is being held on March 30, from 6 to 9pm at the central Yonge Street Toronto Public Library.
The recent death of a prophetic voice of concern for the earth, Dr. Mike Carr, should give some guidance to the deliberations of the public. It is to be fervently hoped that as many people cram into the Toronto Reference Library to give voice to concerns for the fate of the planet as occupied St. James Cathedral square.
On Saturday, September 27th, at 2pm, a walk will be held to grow the Greenbelt as recommended by a motion of the City of Thorold Council. Walkers and cyclists will assemble at the outside the Indian Flame Bar and Grill, at 1300 Lundy’s Lane near the Allanburg Bridge.The route will take an hour and a half by walking and participants are encouraged to meet informally at the Indian Flame afterwards. In case of any extreme weather, the event will be held at 2pm on Sunday, September 28th at the same location.
Rouge Park has been getting a lot of press coverage recently. The proposed federal legislation for Rouge Park is not good enough, and the remarkable ecological values of the park deserve more protection. A letter signed by 7 environmental groups outlining the objections to the legislation for establishing the future urban park can be found here.
Trees improve air and water quality, and mitigate climate change. Help green our communities! No experience necessary, there will be demonstrations on site. Gloves, shovels, and light refreshments will be provided. Students are eligible for volunteer hours.
Where: McLaughlin Valley (see map on flyer). Major intersection is McLaughlin Road N. and Williams Parkway.
When: Saturday, September 6, 2014
Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 noon
Who: Everyone is welcome! Bring your friends and family!
Walk To Save Southern Ontario’s Vanishing Forests.
By John Bacher
Today we have a bizarre situation where hard wrested environmental progress is being turned back. This is the shrinking of Southern Ontario’s forests, in the fertile agricultural area south of the Canadian Shield.
Following the invasion of what was called Upper Canada there was a rampant destruction through burning of the forests of the land which, after Confederation, became called Ontario. Most of these forests were used to produce ashes, to manufacture soap and other products manufactured in Europe. It took sixty large maple trees to produce a single barrel of potash to be shipped across the sea.
Sierra Club's Waste Diversion Expert, Rob Muir, continues to emphasize the necessity of waste diversion to combat climate change. Local government has an important role in making it happen, however, the key is developing sustainable consumer behaviour. We need to be more conscious of how resources are used, the products we consume, and how we deal with our waste.
Watch Rob's video on Ottawa's Green Bin Program here.
Visit Sierra Club Ontario Waste Diversion to learn about this critical step towards creating a sustainable future, and mitigating climate change.
Natural Capital refers to the stock of natural resources and environmental assets, and how they contribute to building healthy communities. The Natural Capital perspective is a way of placing a monetary value on the ecological goods and services to quantify these benefits.
Brampton's ecosystems contain many natural areas and urban green spaces that provide the city with ecological goods and services, which translates to valuable Natural Capital.
Thanks to support from Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Mississauga Community Fund, we are expanding the project by doing walkshops and natural area restoration work throughout Brampton and Mississauga in summer of 2014. Our goal is to educate and engage the community to raise awareness and appreciation for these natural areas.
The Star published an article Energy board proposal for fixed hydro rates called “Robin Hood in Reverse” in the Business section on Tuesday. In a recent draft report, the Ontario Energy Board proposes a fixed monthly rate for utilities rather than charging households by how much power is consumed. Sierra Club Canada is a founding member of the Green Energy Coalition (GEC). “It is Robin Hood in reverse,” argues a letter from the GEC.
From the raging torrents of the Niagara River to the placid Welland Canal one can walk for ten miles through the wooded forest gardens of the Niagara Escarpment. Here in some patches, old growth giant oaks and maples soar above wild ginger and may apple. This shady glen has spectacular lookouts over the Niagara Fruit Belt to Lake Ontario, such as Queenston Heights and the Woodend Conservation area. These wilds overwhelm relics of 19th century assaults on nature, such as lime kilns, a “haunted” “ghost” tunnel under which the Bruce Trail travel and the stone ruins of the abandoned Third Welland Canal.
Our first walk of the summer, we're going to be led by Kate Steele of the NS Bird Society on a birding walk for beginners. We will be meeting at 8:30 (exact location TBA), and our walk will last about 2h. Kate is highly experienced at leading walks for novices, and will tailor the walk to those who are new to birding!
This walk will have a limit of 16-20 people, so get there early to ensure you get a spot. If you don't get a spot, it's a wonderful trail to enjoy on your own as well and has a bounty of treasures to discover along the way. Bring binoculars for optimal bird spotting, and your camera if you have a great telephoto lens. We'd be happy to share your photos after the walk!
Our One Sweet Day event on April 19th was a filled with smiles, sun and fun. We would like to thank everyone who was involved including the vendors, donors, sponsors, volunteers and attendees; it was a great day thanks to each of you!
By Karl Mathiesen. theguardian.com, Friday 14 March 2014 12.32 GMT What free trade advocates say: The US says the deal would “significantly reduce the cost of differences in regulations and standards by promoting greater compatibility, transparency, and cooperation, while maintaining our high levels of health, safety, and environmental protection”.
In the UK, all three major parties are backing the proposal. John Healey, Labour MP on cross-party committee for trade told parliament last month: “The size of our combined economies and the scale of the potential deal mean that [TTIP] could set standards for future agreements with other countries on consumer safeguards, workers’ rights, environmental protection, trade rules and legal process.”
Coalition government minister Ken Clarke said today:
The Canadian PressPosted: Mar 13, 2014 10:11 AM ETLast Updated: Mar 13, 2014 10:21 AM ET
Prime Minister tells B.C. audience he's open to discussing the 20-year-old pact
With the ink still wet on a free-trade deal with South Korea, Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada would be willing to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement for the right price.
Harper stopped in Vancouver on his way home from South Korea on Wednesday, wasting no time in selling the new agreement.
March 12, 2014. ft.com Letters to Editor From Mr Kavaljit Singh.
Sir, Robert Zoellick’s assertion that China can advance internal reforms through proposed bilateral investment treaties (BITs) with the US and the EU is unconvincing (“International treaties can once again help China advance”, Comment, March 11). BITs are not meant to tackle corruption and fight favouritism in China, as perceived by Mr Zoellick. Such policy objectives can be best advanced through domestic political reforms.
Since the economic crisis hit Europe, international investors have begun suing EU countries struggling under austerity and recession for a loss of expected profits, using international trade and investment agreements.
Pakistan government is revisiting all the Free Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements.
There is a growing realisation among policymakers that they had been poorly negotiated and were now causing harm to the domestic industry.
Ministry of Commerce and Textile Industry officials in Islamabad told Dawn newspaper on Tuesday that the government might even go for total scrapping of all these trade agreements.
They said, however, proper working would be made in case the government opted for renegotiation.
Pakistan so far has signed four FTAs under South Asia Free Trade Agreement with China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and India. Besides, there are three PTAs with Iran, Mauritius and Indonesia.
Officials said these agreements were making some of country’s imports costlier due to monopolistic tendencies created by them against cheaper sources of supplies from other countries of the world market.
By Michael McAuliff, March 11th, 2014. Huffington Post.
WASHINGTON -- A report due to be released Tuesday aims to offer an object lesson to President Barack Obama: Free trade deals have high costs in unintended consequences for the environment, people's way of life, and local sovereignty.
The report by the Sierra Club and other groups in Canada and Mexico, released on the 20th anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement, summarizes more than 100 nonprofit, government and scholarly studies of NAFTA, and draws a damning picture.
Perhaps hardest hit is Mexico, according to the report, where expanded trade in agricultural products came at the expense of smaller farmers, who couldn't compete with a surge in pesticide-heavy factory farms. Small farmers resorted to cutting down forests to farm more land, and still failed. A boom in mining came at the expense of local landowners, with subsequent industrial pollution.
WASHINGTON - March 11 - A massive free trade deal went into effect 20 years ago and has had very harmful effects on communities and the environment in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, according to a report released today.
January 1, 1994 marked the first day of the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and nearly 20 years later, communities are still suffering from its consequences.
Among other conclusions, this report finds that NAFTA:
Trade unions and campaign groups have written to Vince Cable calling for a halt to negotiations on the EU-US trade deal, as talks begin in Brussels today.
The groups, including the UK’s second biggest trade union UNISON, environmental, social justice and anti-poverty organisations, believe the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will undermine democracy, threaten public services and lead to lower standards in a range of areas including environmental protection, workers’ rights and food safety.
Faced with an increasingly vocal opposition to a landmark EU-US trade agreement, a growing number of backers of the deal are starting to ask a simple question: might the future of transatlantic trade be better served if one of its most controversial provisions was simply dropped?
Corporations, backed by lawyers, use international investment agreements to scavenge for profits by suing Europe’s crisis countries. While speculators making risky investments are protected, ordinary people have no such protection and – through harsh austerity policies – are being stripped of basic social rights.
Profiting from Crisis is a story about how corporations, backed by lawyers, are using international investment agreements to scavenge for profits by suing governments from Europe’s crisis countries. It shows how the global investment regime thrives on economic crises, but is very uneven in who it benefits. While speculators making risky investments are protected, ordinary people have no such protection and – through harsh austerity policies – are being stripped of basic social rights.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a comprehensive free trade and investment treaty currently being negotiated – in secret – between the European Union and the USA. As officials from both sides acknowledge, the main goal of TTIP is to remove regulatory ‘barriers’ which restrict the potential profits to be made by transnational corporations on both sides of the Atlantic. Yet these ‘barriers’ are in reality some of our most prized social standards and environmental regulations, such as labour rights, food safety rules (including restrictions on GMOs), regulations on the use of toxic chemicals, digital privacy laws and even new banking safeguards introduced to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis. The stakes, in other words, could not be higher.
Berlin, Brussels, Washington, Ottawa – A new website was launched today dedicated to enlarging the public debate on the EU’s controversial policies for investment protections and investor-to-state dispute settlement systems (ISDS) in the EU-US and EU-Canada trade negotiations.
The site (http://eu-secretdeals.info) includes newly leaked investment chapters from the ongoing EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations, analysis of those chapters, and other information contradicting the Commission’s position that these transatlantic trade agreements must include strong investment protections.
No Fracking Way: How the EU-US trade deal risks expanding fracking in Europe and the US.
It was prepared by Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth Europe, Corporate Europe Observatory, Transnational Institute, PowerShift, Blue Planet Project, and Attac France.
March 5TH, 2014. There is a lot going on in Germany right now. Yesterday we reported that a leaked document from inside the Ministry for Environment warns about the potential effects of TTIP on consumer protection and environment legislation. Now, IG Metall, a german trade union with roughly 2,4 million members (making it the largest trade union in the world), has called for an immediate halt to the ongoing negotiations on TTIP. The IG Metall chariman, Detlef Wetzel, considers the agreement to be "dangerous", and fears how it may damage consumer protection and workers rights, as well as undermining democracy and the sovereignity of the state. Considering the growth and jobs promised by the European Commission, Wetzel calls these projections for overly optimistic and disputes that TTIP will have any noticable benefit whatsoever. Wetzel considers the conclusions in the report from
Hosted by 'Friends of the Earth Europe' alongside 'Transnational Institute', 'Institute for Agriculture Trade Policy' and 'Seattle to Brussels Network' The Press Club Brussels Start: Thursday, Mar 13 2014 1:30 PM End: Thursday, Mar 13 2014 6:00 PM
What has become of the Canada-European Union free trade deal? The Harper government announced an “agreement in principle” with the EU in late October. And yet talks continue in a number of areas, notably on a controversial NAFTA-like investment protection chapter that is giving Europeans second thoughts.
Feb 27 (Reuters) - Canada has no plans to further ease rules for foreign investment in uranium mines after Ottawa moved to give European Union firms more leeway, a senior official said on Thursday.
As part of a Canada-European Union free trade deal that was announced in principle last year, Ottawa waived a longstanding requirement that EU buyers take on a Canadian partner in uranium mines.
Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver said Canada did not intend to make the same offer to non-European companies such as Australia's Rio Tinto Ltd, which has uranium deposits in northern Saskatchewan.
"There are no current plans to do that," he told reporters, saying the easing of rules for European firms was a major step.
THE trade agreement the 12 members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) hope to reach is to be “ambitious”, “comprehensive”, “high-standard” and “21st-century”. I know this, because every one of the 12 trade ministers who spoke at a press conference at the end of four days of talks in Singapore on February 25th, used at least one, and usually all four, of the terms. The talks had made great progress, they all also agreed. But “significant gaps” remain, no date or place has been chosen for their next meeting, and it was hard to avoid the conclusion that any agreement is months or years away.
EXCLUSIVE / Plans for a sweeping EU-US free trade deal known as TTIP risk being blown off course by civil society fears about the damage it could wreak on environmental and social protections, according to a leaked EU document seen by EurActiv.
The preparation paper for an EU-US Summit on 26 March, which is marked as ‘restricted’, identifies the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Protocol (TTIP) as a “clear vector for jobs and growth for both the EU and US”.
But it warns that “stakes are high” in the race to thrash out a deal, with “challenges on both sides of the Atlantic that need to be managed.”
You can safely bet that the (TPA) will not feature as much in the forthcoming European elections as the extradition of illegal immigrants or the (alleged) teaching of "gender theory" in French schools. The TPA will affect 800 million affluent people and almost half the world's wealth (1). The European Commission is negotiating this free trade agreement with Washington on behalf of the EU's 28 member states, and the European parliament elected this May will be expected to ratify it. Nothing is settled as yet, but on 11 February the French president François Hollande, during his state visit to Washington, proposed to speed things up, saying: "We have everything to gain by moving quickly. Otherwise, as we know all too well, there will be a build-up of fears, threats and tensions."
Posted: 25 Feb 2014 06:53 AM PST Another high-level Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) meeting has fizzled with no deal. The talks have missed a succession of deadlines due to opposition from negotiating countries to corporate-backed U.S. demands that would increase the cost of medicines, restrict financial stability measures, and empower corporations to challenge health and environmental safeguards. Back at home, the administration's attempt to Fast Track the TPP through Congress suffers from overwhelming congressional and public opposition. Facing international and domestic resistance, and having already missed deadlines to seal a deal last October and December, TPP trade ministers refrained from naming another deadline after finishing negotiations in Singapore today, stating only that they hope for a deal "as soon as possible."
By: Marilyn Reid | February 17, 2014. Newfoundland and Labrador, The Independent
In the first of this 5-part series: What the North American Free Trade Agreement has taught us, and the implications of another treaty based on the neoliberal “free trade” ideology
by Dana Gabriel, January 28, 2014 In preparation for the upcoming North American Leaders Summit which will be held in Toluca, Mexico on February 19, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently held a meeting with his Canadian and Mexican counterparts. Over the last number of years, not as much attention has been given to the trilateral relationship. Instead, the U.S. has essentially pursued a dual-bilateral approach with both Canada and Mexico on key issues including border and continental perimeter security, as well as regulatory and energy cooperation. On the heels of its 20th anniversary, there once again appears to be renewed interest in broadening and deepening the NAFTA partnership as part of the next phase of North American integration.
By Ilana Solomon,Director, Responsible Trade Program, Sierra Club and Justin Guay, Associate Director, Sierra Club International Climate Change Program. February 18th, 2014.
On February 10, the United States filed a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint against India. The allegation? That India may be unfairly supporting the development of its solar manufacturing industry. This misguided complaint will only further enflame tensions between the world's two largest democracies over an issue we all support: deploying more clean energy.
Eyes on Trade Blog: New Public Citizen Report Catalogs the Negative NAFTA Outcomes That Are Fueling Opposition to Obama Push to Fast Track TPP. The 20-year record of job loss and trade deficits from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is haunting President Barack Obama’s efforts to obtain special trade authority to fast track the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), said Public Citizen as it released a new report that comprehensively documents NAFTA’s outcomes.
by Blair Redlin ·February 4th, 2014. On Feb. 3rd, I made a presentation in Vancouver to the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade on the proposed Canada/E.U. trade deal (C.E.T.A.). I was there on behalf of CUPE B.C. The Committee, chaired by Alberta Conservative M.P. Rob Merrifield, was in B.C. to review both C.E.T.A. and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (T.P.P.)
Agence Europe reports, "France believes that a state to state dispute settlement mechanism is enough under the transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP). ...France 'is not in favour' of including in the agreement a settlement mechanism for disputes between the investor and state, as (French minister for trade Nicole) Bricq believes that a state to state dispute mechanism 'is enough'. France is not alone on this issue - Germany is also 'very reluctant', Bricq says." Photo: French trade minister Nicole Bricq. Photo from SIPA.
The news report also says, "Bricq welcomed the (European) Commission's initiatives to ensure more transparency in the negotiations via a consultative experts' group at the European level and the launch of a public consultation on the protection of investments."
Zach Dyer. The Tico Times Feb 10. After months of saber rattling, Infinito Gold, Ltd. announced Monday that it had filed for a Request for Arbitration with a World Bank court in its protracted dispute with the Costa Rican government over the canceled Las Crucitas gold mining concession. The concession was revoked in 2010 following environmental concerns and doubts about the concession’s legality.
22 January 2014,Brid Brennan. Transnational corporations, particularly gas & oil industry, and banking have continued to benefit extraordinarily from the ongoing economic and financial crisis, says Brid Brennan, who presents TNI's State of Power Report 2014 at the Public Eye Awards in Davos.
Published 11 February 2014. Multinationals will have wide-ranging powers to sue EU states that enact health or environmental laws breaching their "legitimate expectations" of profit, according to a leaked ‘investment chapter’ from the Canada-EU free trade agreement (CETA), which was signed last November.
A separate ‘nature and scope’ document for EU-US free trade talks, which EurActiv has seen, makes clear that similar parameters are foreseen for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement.
By Karen Hansen-Kuhn, IATP, February 3rd, 2014. More than 65,000 people rallied at Mexico’s Monument to the Revolution and marched to the historic Zocalo Square to demand a new economy that puts equality, justice and human rights first. Farmers, union, environmental and women’s activists gathered in Mexico City last week to take stock of the lessons from NAFTA and plan strategies to confront the next big threat: the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). One of the earliest lessons from the NAFTA experience was that people and environments in all three countries were affected. The stories from Mexico, Canada and the U.S.
By losing its rights under a bilateral investment treaty against a sovereign due to corruptly securing its investment, Metal-Tech marks a seemingly growing trend of bribery playing a critical role in international investment arbitration disputes.
By Richard Halleron on February 10, 2014. A Canadian farming consultant has told AgriLand that the Irish dairy industry will, in all likelihood, be the big winner out of the recent trade deal agreed between Canada and the EU.
“I am aware that many of the EU’s farming bodies have highlighted their concerns regarding Canadain beef accessing EU markets,” added Ontario-based Jay Johnston.
“But in all truth this will not happen. EU health regulations state that only meat from plants that process ‘hormone free’ beef only will be allowed into Europe.
México D.F., January 28-31, 2014 On the 20th Anniversary of the signing of NAFTA, labor unions, farmers, women, environmentalists, and human rights organizations from Mexico, the United States, Canada and Quebec came together in a Tri-national Forum in Mexico City. We have assessed the impact on human, environmental, labor, social, and cultural rights. We conclude that the benefits of NAFTA were exaggerated to sell the agreement to the public. The promises made were not fulfilled, on the contrary, we have seen a rise in inequality, impoverishment of the vast majority of the population, loss of employment, job insecurity, environmental degradation, deterioration of social cohesion and increased violence.
He called it the most nontransparent trade negotiation in Canadian history.
“Here in Canada, how much do we know about the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” said Stuart Trew, trade campaigner with the Council of Canadians, standing outside the Mexican Consulate in downtown Toronto on Friday afternoon.
“Almost nothing because this government refuses to show people what’s in this deal. Refuses to even show the deal to politicians in Ottawa. Refuses to even show them an impact assessment.”
WASHINGTON — IN his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Obama focused on reversing the growth of economic inequality in the United States and restoring the American dream. At the same time, he also announced his support for fast track authority that would limit Congress’s role in determining the content of trade agreements.
Ros Donald, 30 Jan 2014, 13:00. Photo Credit National Wildlife Federation.
Is the fuel that powers our cars set to get a lot dirtier? After 2020, the European Union is to drop the Fuel Quality Directive, a measure designed to help clean up transport fuels. Environmental and business groups have called the decision a coup for Canada's tar sands industry - but who really engineered it, and who really benefits? The answers may be subtler.
The fight to make fuels cleaner
While the EU's emissions in other sectors are going down, emissions from transport keep growing. The EU has introduced measures to tackle this trend, such as standards for new cars and including aviation in emissions trading. But it also wants to make sure EU vehicles are using the least polluting fuels.
By John Dillon, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Twenty-five years ago when I first scrutinized the text of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) I warned that the proportionality clause in the energy chapter posed a grave danger to Canadian energy sovereignty. When invoked it would require Canada to make available to U. S. importers the same proportion of our total oil or gas supply as we sold them over the previous three years. That same clause was later incorporated into NAFTA. Mexico wisely negotiated an exemption.
In 2008 I decided to test my concern that the proportionality obligation could actually lead to energy shortages in Canada. In a study entitled Over a Barrel, co- published by the CCPA and the Parkland Institute, Gordon Laxer and I explored three scenarios concerning what would happen if the clause were invoked.
Jonathan Stewart, who attended an anti-fracking meeting in the United Church Hall in Stephenville Saturday, signs petitions opposing fracking. He especially liked the fact that the NDP environment and conservation critic talked about how Lone Pine Resources Inc., a U.S. fracking company registered in Delaware, which wanted to frack for gas under the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, has threatened to sue Canada under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) because of Quebec's moratorium on fracking. He said the company is saying this moratorium is violating the oil company's right to frack and it's demanding $250 million in compensation. In October of 2013, groups such as the Council of Canadians, the Sierra Club, For Love of Water (FLOW), Eau Secours!, and AmiEs de la Terre were gathering signatures for a letter to Lone Pine urging the company to drop plans to sue Canada.
A USA law, the Lacey Act, has shown to be effective in decreasing the trade of illegal wood products. This story shows how Canada can also be making steps towards prevention.
Posted: 28 Jan 2014 07:57 PM PST Statement of Lori Wallach, Director Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch "Corporate interests were fiercely lobbying for President Obama to dedicate serious time in this State of the Union speech to pushing Fast Track and the Trans-Pacific Partnership in order to try to overcome broad congressional and public opposition to both, but instead he made only a passing reference that largely repeated his past statements. With almost no House Democratic support for Fast Track, a bloc of GOP "no" votes and public opposition making congressional phones ring off the hook, high-profile treatment of the issue was considered necessary to revive any prospect that Fast Track could be passed in this Congress.
At its December meeting the City of Mississauga’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) passed on to Mississauga Council a recommendation to apply to add the City’s publicly owned Credit River and Etobicoke Creek valley lands to the Greenbelt. The Greenbelt resolution is on the Council agenda for its February 12th meeting. If successful, the Mississauga initiative will be the first addition to the Greenbelt under Ontario’s new Urban River Valley (URV) designation, enacted early last year. It will also mark the expansion of the Greenbelt into Ontario’s second most populous municipality.
On Monday, January 20th, WSIC hosted an expert panel to engage audience members on the Canada/E.U. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Sharing their views on the subject were Catherine Swift, Chair of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), Stuart Trew, trade campaigner for The Council of Canadians, and Ali Ehsassi, a lawyer specializing in international trade law. Each speaker provided their unique point of view on the decision made by the government to enter into this important trade agreement with Europe.
Jan 2014 10:54 AM PST Prepare for a State of the Union oddity: Democratic members of Congress sitting in silence while Republicans rise to cheer President Obama's call for Congress to grant him new powers. A letter released today signed by a stunning array of more than 550 Democratic base organizations reiterates the perverse situation. Despite widespread opposition from congressional Democrats, Obama is expected to call on Congress to delegate Fast Track authority to him. The extraordinary trade authority, which Congress has refused to grant for 15 of the past 20 years, would suspend normal congressional procedures for consideration of the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which Obama hopes to sign soon.
This week, the European Commission announced a freeze in negotiations over dangerous corporate rights in the proposed EU-US trade deal (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP) and that it would conduct a public consultation on the issue. This move is an important first success for the growing anti-TTIP movement, which is unanimously opposed to proposals for so called investor-state dispute settlement in the deal. But a closer look at the Commission’s line shows that it might just be a smart trick to dispel concerns, without abandoning the corporate agenda of the trade talks.
The European Commission says it will consult on part of a far-reaching EU-US free trade deal amid concern that hard-won social protections in Europe might be undermined.
The trade negotiations began last year but now the Commission has launched a three-month public consultation on the proposed investment rules for firms.
There are fears that they could give big firms too much power to block unfavourable government policies.
Negotiations will continue.
The proposed EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could bring huge benefits for Europe and America, the Commission says.
In a rare move, the European Commission has decided to freeze talks with the United States on the investment provisions of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) for three months while it conducts a public consultation on how the deal should approach investment, according to an EU official.
A widespread and significant controversy has emerged on a global scale over investor rights and privileges and the Investor -State dispute mechanism found in the investment chapters of Free Trade Agreements [FTAs] and Bilateral Investment Treaties [BITS]. There are many reasons for the concerns over Investor -State including, what many critics see as, its unethical, unfair, undemocratic, unsustainable and even unconstitutional nature giving undue power to transnational corporations over governments and public policy, thereby placing profit before people and the environment. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations body responsible for dealing with development issues, particularly international trade, acknowledges huge flaws in the Investor State arbitration system:
The European Commission is to rethink its approach to a controversial US trade deal which campaign groups have warned would fundamentally erode Britain’s sovereignty.
Under the deal being negotiated by US and EU officials, multinational firms would be given wide-ranging powers to sue EU governments that adopt policies deemed to “discriminate” against free trade.
Groups including Greenpeace and the TUC have warned that the treaty’s provisions will have far-reaching consequences – limiting the UK’s freedom to tackle climate change, protect consumers or even guarantee a publicly run NHS.
Over the past several decades, multinational corporate Goliaths have helped to write and rewrite hundreds of rules skewing tax, trade, investment and other policies in their favor. The extraordinary damage these policies have caused has become increasingly apparent to the communities and governments most directly affected by them. This, in turn, has strengthened the potential of a movement that’s emerging to try to reverse the momentum. But just like David with his slingshot, the local, environmental and government leaders seeking to revise rules to favor communities and the planet must pick their battles carefully.
NO MORE NAFTAs! 20 YEARS IS ENOUGH! Inter-Continental Day of Action against the TPP & Corporate Globalization
Friday, January 31, 2014
This is a call to action for communities throughout Mexico, Canada and the United States to join together on January 31, 2014, and say "ENOUGH!" to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, and other corporate "trade" deals. Solidarity actions elsewhere throughout the globe are welcome.
Australia’s clash with Philip Morris over plain packaging has disrupted trade talks between the United States and Europe, reports James Panichi in Brussels
IT isn’t often that Australia rates a mention in the European Union’s corridors of power. And that’s no bad thing: the long-running diplomatic stoushes with Canberra over agriculture and market access are seen here as water under the bridge. No news is definitely good news.
Featuring Burcu Kilic, Legal Counsel, Public Citizen Global Access to Medicine Program; Christopher Sands, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute; and Mark Schultz, Associate Professor, Southern Illinois University School of Law, and Senior Scholar, Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property, George Mason University School of Law; moderated by Simon Lester, Trade Policy Analyst, Herbert A.
This is the confidential draft treaty chapter from the Environment Working Group of the Trans-PacificPartnership (TPP) talks between the United States, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Chile,Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, New Zealand and Brunei Darussalam. The treaty is being negotiated in secret by delegations from each of the 12 countries, who together account for 40% of global GDP.
The consolidated draft text of the Environment chapter of the Trans-Pacific partnership Agreement and the accompanying chair’s commentary have been posted in Wikileaks (http://wikileaks.org/tpp-enviro). The documents are dated 24 November 2013, the final day of the Salt Lake City round in November.
The chair’s commentary records the countries that objected to, and in some cases that supported, different aspects of the text. They are consistent with the chart (https://wikileaks.org/IMG/pdf/tpp-salt-lake-positions.pdf) that Wikileaks posted in December showing one country’s assessment of the 12 countries’ positions on many TPPA issues.
Today, 15 January 2014, WikiLeaks released the secret draft text for the entire TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) Environment Chapter and the corresponding Chairs' Report. The TPP transnational legal regime would cover 12 countries initially and encompass 40 per cent of global GDP and one-third of world trade. The Environment Chapter has long been sought by journalists and environmental groups. The released text dates from the Chief Negotiators' summit in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 19-24 November 2013.
Support for the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) drops when people find out what’s in the deal
Public opinion polls consistently show high support (between 70 and 80 per cent) for the idea of a Canada-European Union free trade agreement. And really, who wouldn’t support more trade with a large and relatively prosperous economy such as Europe? The problem with these polls is that they don’t ask the deeper questions about the type of trade agreement Canada is signing.
An Australian government minister has said he expects the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement to be finalised soon.
Talks on the treaty – which has been criticised for following a corporate America agenda on issues like patents, copyright law, and investor-state dispute settlement – stalled late last year.
At the time, the US negotiator noted that the Salt Lake City talks “were not progressing according to plan”.
Sierra Club Canada's Ontario Chapter was instrumental in the decision by our provincial government to shut down all coal plants. The day has come! Toronto environmental lawyer Dianne Saxe has a nice piece on her website about it:
Goodbye to Nanticoke, and all that coal
by DIANNE SAXE on JANUARY 15, 2014
January 8 marked the last day of operation of the Nanticoke Generating Station, the last operating coal-fired electrical generating facility in southern Ontario. This latest shut down will help mark 2014 as the year Ontario will become a coal-free jurisdiction.
By Oliver Wright and Nigel Morris – 14 January 2014
The UK's freedom to tackle climate change, protect consumers or guarantee a publicly run NHS could be jeopardised by a trade deal being negotiated between Europe and the US, MPs and pressure groups have warned.Under a draft plan supported by the European Commission, multinational firms would be given wide-ranging powers to sue EU governments that adopt public policies deemed to “discriminate” against free trade.
This is a call to action for communities throughout Mexico, Canada and the United States to join together on January 31, 2014, and say "ENOUGH!" to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other corporate "trade" deals. Solidarity actions elsewhere throughout the globe are also welcome. January 2014 marks the twenty-year anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a pact that has had devastating consequences for working families, small farmers, indigenous peoples, small business and the environment in all three countries and beyond. The pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has been described as "NAFTA on Steroids." Four years into the TPP negotiations, this new corporate power grab threatens to: Destroy livelihoods and accelerate the global race to the bottom in wages and working conditions
Mexico's largest agribusiness association invited me to Aguascalientes to participate in its annual forum in October. The theme for this year’s gathering was “New Perspectives on the Challenge of Feeding the World.”
But it was unclear why Mexico, which now imports 42 percent of its food, would be worried about feeding the world. It wasn’t doing so well feeding its own people.
In part, you can thank the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for that. Twenty years ago, on January 1, 1994, NAFTA took effect, and Mexico was the poster child for the wonders of free trade. The promises seemed endless.
Economy, Northern Gateway pipeline, top agenda as Stephen Harper goes west By The Canadian Press - CP - Jan 6 2014 OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper will begin the first full week of 2014 trying to keep public attention focused on the economy and touting the benefits of Canada's booming natural resources sector. The PM is expected to highlight the recently signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union when he speaks to business leaders today in Vancouver. An agreement in principle was inked by Harper and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso in October. However, ratification of the deal could take another two years. On the first day of a swing through Western Canada, Harper will take part in a question and answer session with the CEO of Vancouver's Board of Trade.
January 6, 2014 A petition on the National Assembly of Quebec website asks the Quebec government to immediately publish all texts related to the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and to hold "an open, public and inclusive debate" through public consultations and a parliamentary commission. The petition closes February 6, 2014. BACKGROUND
By Patrick Fafard, January 3, 2014 In the fall of 2013 the Government of Canada finally announced that it had finalized (sort of) an agreement with the European Union for a comprehensive trade and economic agreement. I say "sort of" since all that was released was a general overview of the agreement. While a number of questions still remain about the agreement, one of the most puzzling (at least for some of us) is why it took so long for Canada and the European Union to come to an agreement. We believe that one of the reasons it took so long to finalize an agreement is that Ottawa and the provinces did not put in place a formal process for securing provincial approval of the final shape of an agreement.
Introduction: This paper places the Australian Labor government’s 2011 policy of Investor -State rejection within the context of the escalating criticism of Investor-State Agreements [ISAs] and the extent to which they are being revisited and rejected by a growing number of countries. It offers insight into how and why the former Labour government of Australia came to its decision to reject Investor -State in its 2011 Trade Policy Statement while considering whether Australia’s policy of Investor-state rejection should be an option for Canada.
The long awaited report from the US Army Corps of Engineers on how to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes has finally been released. The report evaluates the many waterways connecting the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan –all potential avenues to allow several species of Asian carp into the Great Lakes. The 5 year report costing $20M is titled Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS).
Silver and bighead carp already make up about 95% of the biomass in rivers downstream of the Chicago River. Over a century ago Chicago built a canal to reverse the flow of the Chicago River to divert their sewage and stormwater south into the Mississippi rather than their waterfront beaches. The “reversed” Chicago River flow has been supported by two US Supreme Court decisions.
Extending the operations of the Pickering Nuclear plant for up to an additional 10 years beyond its designed life of 2014-2016 is a Cracking Bad Idea. This is the position of Sierra Club Canada’s Ontario Chapter as it participates in the current Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s public hearing into the Ontario Power Generation’s application for a renewal of Pickering A and B licenses. Public hearings begin May 29, 2013 in Pickering, Ontario.
There are serious shortcomings and omissions in the OPG (Ontario Power Generation) Environmental Impact Statement that was submitted to CNSC.
Sierra Club Canada is calling for:
OPG to subject its EIA to independent third-party peer review, including on the issue of the structural integrity of the concrete used in the reactor containment buildings.
A non-partisan Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Nuclear Power in Canada.
Non-exposure to tritium in drinking water, a position consistent with the precautionary principle and responsible public policy. It should serve as a baseline in the CNSC assessment of the OPG EIS.
The inclusion of nuclear issues in the new Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) and a new IJC Nuclear Task Force to produce a report on nuclear issues.
