Disaster proof: spiking natural disasters cause for shift in approach, say politicos

Climate-related disasters are on the rise and Canada—like the rest of the world—is being pulled into this uneasy maelstrom, but, according to experts and politicians, it’s not too late to turn the tide. Most recently, efforts have been made here with the continued promotion of the Government of Canada’s “Get Prepared” campaign. Originally launched in […]
Tipping points: they must not happen

GIBSONS, B.C.—Heatwaves, wildfires, floods, drought, and polar vortex cold—extreme weather is going to be on the minds of voters in the coming federal election. Our evolutionary history has left us with brains that focus upon the local and temporal and people have noticed how out of whack the weather has become. As Gwynne Dyer points […]
It is time for justice, reparations, accountability, a Just Transition for all, says Gatineau reader
I’m sure everyone is aware at this point of the two words, climate change. This is a very real issue. Climate change is perpetuated by human activity the most. Here are a few examples of how you can identify climate change nowadays: yearly increase in temperatures, more extreme temperatures, devastating wildfires, acidic rain or snow, […]
Time for talk is over, it’s time to fight climate change

TORONTO—Why is there such a wide gap between what we know and what we do? The world’s leading climate experts are now warning that we are in a “red zone” as climate change this summer triggers heat waves and forest fires, floods and drought in every corner of the world—with the worst yet to come, […]
This federal election should be about climate change, period

The International Panel on Climate Change, the UN body for assessing the science related to climate change, released its landmark sixth report, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis on Aug. 9, and it’s alarming. The report says climate change is rapid, widespread, and intensifying, and the world is in a climate emergency. We say, it […]
Time to act on this climate emergency with the urgency it deserves, says Ottawa reader
Most fossil-fuel workers in Canada want the government to legislate a Just Transition to renewable energy. According to a poll recently released by Iron & Earth, 69 per cent of oil and gas workers are interested in shifting to jobs in the green economy. What are they waiting for? The Just Transition Act that Prime […]
Survey says: health care, COVID benefits, affordability, and climate change top of mind for voters

OTTAWA—Over the past two weeks, I have had the great pleasure of guest hosting VOCM’s Openline program in Newfoundland and Labrador. Openline is a long-standing platform for all manner of discourse in my home province. It can often be a useful barometer of which issues are top of mind for the people of the Rock […]
A revolution in Canada’s mission to planet Earth

Fifty-two years ago in 1969, humans first set foot upon the moon on the Apollo 11 mission. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the lunar surface, they looked back at the Earth and saw a fragile blue marble against the darkness of space. This compelling perspective of our planet was hugely influential. It […]
Virtual lobbying during pandemic ‘not the same’ as in-person lobbying, despite major savings, say lobbyists

Lobbying organizations are looking forward to the day they can return to in-person lobbying events on Parliament Hill, despite having saved a bundle on transportation costs and venue rentals while meetings have been conducted virtually during the global pandemic. “It’s not the same. It just is not the same, especially when [meeting] with people you […]
Why Canadians need to develop a ‘national grid’ strategy

There is a simple truth to how the world will decarbonize and achieve ambitious climate change targets: fossil fuels will be replaced by other forms of energy, mostly electricity, with some hydrogen and biofuel in end-uses where electricity isn’t well-suited. Some Canadians appear to be resisting this idea, fearing that the change will be disruptive, […]