Is Canada really committed to coal phase out? Canada needs ‘clean hands’ if it expects others to act
Just what is Canada’s position on coal? Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna was recently in London announcing an alliance with the United Kingdom that “will champion a global alliance on the transition from unabated coal-fired electricity at next month’s United Nations climate change meetings in Bonn, Germany. From cleaner air to public health, to sustainability, […]
Energy East saga demonstrates the need for a climate test
TORONTO—This month’s cancellation of the Energy East pipeline sparked a divisive debate about the prospects for new fossil fuel infrastructure in a world moving rapidly to tackle climate change. But there’s a clear path forward to provide industry with policy clarity for future energy projects: the federal government must put in place a climate test […]
‘Plans themselves don’t reduce emissions,’ experts call for more action from Ottawa to tackle climate change
Policy experts are calling for urgent action from Ottawa to better prepare Canada to withstand the aftershocks of a warming planet, in the wake of a damning report from the country’s federal environment commissioner that found the federal government ill-prepared to mitigate the effects of serious storms, droughts, and floods, and raised doubts about existing emission reduction […]
Ecofiscal Commission: the ‘green’ face of the tar sands?
Proponents of a carbon tax in this country have probably heard of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission. Formed in 2014 to promote “practical solutions for growing prosperity,” it has an annual budget of millions, a long roster of notables from the private and public sectors, and the marketing savvy of a Bay Street firm. You could be […]
Death of Energy East direct legacy of Harper’s decade in office
OTTAWA—The death of Energy East is a direct legacy of the Stephen Harper decade in office. Not only did the prime minister systematically refuse to bring premiers together, he had no interest in a new national project. Harper was Canada’s energy superhero, and oil companies didn’t even have to leave Calgary to get support for […]
Political leaders all talk, little action on climate change, McKenna’s no different
GATINEAU, QUE.—Almost lost amid the furor over those modest Liberal tax changes, the shock and misery of Las Vegas and the random terrorist incident in Edmonton last week was another piece of very bad news. It came from the commissioner of climate change and sustainable development, Julie Gelfand, who said, essentially, that since 1992 Canada’s […]
On climate change, feds must catch up not slow down
The recent report by the federal environment commissioner shows that the government has to work harder to meet Canada’s greenhouse gas reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. The report is a wake-up call. Canada is not on track to meet its 2030 climate commitments, while timelines on policy implementation are getting longer and measures to […]
Enough talk, time to act on climate change
Julie Gelfand, Canada’s commissioner of environment and sustainable development, who tabled five audit reports last week, gave a “failing grade” to 14 government departments, including Environment Canada and Finance Canada, for their work to assess and to prepare for the risks of climate change. Only five of the 19 departments she looked at had identified […]
May slams feds’ environment assessment plan for ignoring expert panel
The government’s outline for changes to environmental assessment laws falls short of Liberal election promises, and doesn’t follow much of the advice from an expert panel the Liberal government assembled, says Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. The government released a “discussion paper” in June that gave a sneak-peek at the outline of a new environmental […]
Scheer should apologize for his apology
OAKVILLE, ONT.—Given the emotional and combative nature of politics, partisan jibes will always fly thick and fast, which means it’s important for politicians to learn the art of how to strategically parry insults. So how should a politician respond to an affront? Back in ancient Roman times the answer was you responded with savagery. For […]
