International trade, environment, top lobbying topics over summer
International trade and the environment were the most popular topics for lobbyists communicating with ministers, MPs, Senators, and other federal public office holders this past summer, initial reporting figures show, suggesting ongoing renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement loomed heavily on the minds of those attempting to influence public policy in Ottawa. There […]
What does Health Canada’s latest biomonitoring study say about the state of Canada’s toxics law?
In 2010, Canada was the first country to declare bisphenol A (BPA) toxic and to ban its use in polycarbonate plastic baby bottles based on its risks to babies. This was celebrated by Canadians and positioned Canada as a global leader in addressing the health risks of toxic chemicals in consumer products. Fast forward to […]
Industry groups should stop stalling updates to animal-transport rules
Re: “Beef farmers care about their animals’ welfare,” (The Hill Times, Aug. 30, p. 9). Richard Horne’s letter on behalf of Ontario’s beef industry fails to acknowledge several important facts. First, of the 750 million animals sent to slaughter annually, less than one half of one per cent are cows. Thus, Mr. Horne’s statistics do […]
Canada cannot ignore risk of glyphosate pesticides
Dear Minister of Health Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Canadians need to trust that you are listening to the latest scientific research when it comes to concerns about our health and environment. Twenty-five million kilograms of glyphosate-based pesticides, such as Monsanto’s Roundup, are used in Canada every year. After concluding a lengthy seven-year evaluation, Health Canada recently […]
Competiveness complaints about carbon pricing must be backed by evidence
TORONTO—This summer, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce sounded a warning bell with regard to climate-change-related policy activity, citing concerns about competitiveness with firms south of the border. It’s not the first trade association to raise a red flag about Canada’s carbon-pricing measures, but the July letter to Prime Minister Trudeau is indicative of a growing […]
Shift to low-carbon buildings requires all governments to step up
Eight months ago, Canada’s first ministers set the stage for bold action in the building sector. They committed in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change to pursue some of the lowest-cost, most rapidly achievable ways to reduce carbon emissions. On the heels of the Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference in St. Andrews, […]
Beef farmers care about their animals’ welfare
Re: “Animals transported for slaughter deserve better” (The Hill Times, Aug. 21, p. 13). Riana Topan should know that Canadian beef farmers and their families share the same goal of ensuring the best health and welfare outcomes for animals as other Canadians do. The commitment to animal care includes managing animal health through veterinarian-farmer relationships; […]
The road to clean growth
The climate change trend is stark. With rising emissions of global greenhouse gases, high-impact climate events will occur more often, and with greater severity. This reality imposes a two-pronged strategy. First, action is required on an urgent basis. Adaptive measures must be taken now, because the costs of inaction are great, both in financial and […]
All-party caucuses should make member lists public: animal rights group
An animal rights group is calling on one of Parliament’s largest all-party caucuses to make public its membership in a move that raises questions about the transparency of other such groups of MPs and Senators. Last fall, the Parliamentary Outdoor Caucus mobilized to help defeat a private member’s bill on animal rights, said Liz White, leader […]
Why our waterways matter to me
Right now, the federal government is reviewing the Navigation Protection Act—that’s the law that should give all Canadians the right to paddle up and down this land’s waterways. That right is very important to me. In recent years, 99 per cent of Canada’s waterways lost navigation protection under the act. Unless our waterways have full […]
