U.S. leading in solar power and can serve as a model for Canada
Recently, Canada’s Environment Minister Catherine McKenna and U.K. Minister of State for Climate Change Claire Perry announced the formation of a group of countries that had agreed to phase out coal as a source of energy. This was motivated, in part, to counter U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to revive the coal energy. But despite […]
Canada misses opportunity for climate justice
Rarely before have the challenges posed by climate change felt so widespread, immediate and severe. In the last year, we saw three hurricanes hang over the Caribbean at once and drought trigger a hunger crises in multiple countries in Africa. At home, wildfires set parts of British Columbia ablaze and unexpected flooding in eastern Ontario […]
Canada positioned to lead charge in global fight for food security
As the earth adapts to emerging challenges that threaten our food supply, it is clear we need to put together a comprehensive and proactive plan that will ensure food security for years to come. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations defines food security as “when all people, at all times, have […]
Fundamental and applied research both valuable
In the months since my appointment as the Conservative critic for science, I have had the pleasure of meeting with representatives of the scientific community from across Canada, including meetings with over a dozen university presidents or vice-presidents of research. Through these conversations, I now have a better understanding of the complicated federal research funding […]
Former prime minister Brain Mulroney commemorates 30th anniversary of Montreal Protocol
This is a written copy of the speech delivered by former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney Nov. 20 in Montreal to mark the 30th anniversary of the UN-backed Montreal Protocol: When I was very young, we went to the foot of Champlain Street, and swam in Baie Comeau, for which my hometown was named. Today, […]
Canada needs to address water pollution from tailings ponds
FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.—It was extremely disappointing to read the Government of Canada’s response, earlier this month, to accusations that it was sitting idly by while oil sands tailings ponds were leaking contaminants into rivers and lakes in northern Alberta. High concentrations of toxins have been detected in groundwater and surface water. But the government argued […]
Women for Nature focuses on diversity, broad engagement
It’s widely accepted that there’s great strength in diversity, and that our world improves because of it. We see proof virtually everywhere we live, work and play—whether in nature, in the community sphere, or in the broader economy. One initiative that exemplifies that work is Nature Canada’s Women for Nature. As our country celebrates its 150th year, […]
All quiet on the climate front
“Promoting coal at a climate summit is like promoting tobacco at a cancer summit,” said Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, but President Donald J. Trump did exactly that. He sent a team of American diplomats and energy executives to the annual world climate summit, being held this year in Bonn, Germany, to extol […]
Why I lobby MPs and Senators
Recently, I and dozens of Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada (CCL) colleagues were on Parliament Hill lobbying for improvements to Canada’s carbon pricing policy. I participated in meetings with Senator Rosa Galvez, Conservative Party deputy leader Lisa Raitt and three Liberal Members of Parliament—Francis Drouin, Francis Scarpaleggia, and Maryam Monsef’s legislative assistant. I came away from these meetings with a […]
Climate change represents largest single threat to human well-being over decades to come, time to act
TORONTO—The Trudeau government deserves credit for negotiating, with the provinces, a national climate change action plan to achieve the emission reduction target Canada made in Paris not quite two years ago. But Canada’s action plan may not go far enough to achieve the commitment Canada made at the 2015 Paris climate summit. In 2020, when […]
