Federal action on greenhouse gas emissions on track
The Conservative government got an early Christmas present last month by way of poll results showing an increase in the number of Canadians who believe the government is doing a good job on the environment. The Ipsos Reid poll, conducted for Global News, found that 41 per cent of Canadians agree that the government is […]
This election should get serious about climate change
Is this the election where Canadians finally get a serious debate about climate change? Stephen Harper opened the door a tiny crack in his year-end interview with Pastor Peter Mansbridge, though realizing what he had done, closed it very quickly, citing other “up there” global threats he perceives will help him electorally. In 2007, Harper […]
It’s crunch time, we’re running out of time to reduce global emissions
It’s crunch time. The science of the climate crisis is clear. We are running out of time to reduce global emissions. This year Canadian policymakers must accomplish two goals—ensure Canada adopts a meaningful plan to cut carbon pollution while also preparing for the upcoming critical negotiations for a new global treaty. I learned climate science […]
Global agreement critical: longer we wait, harder to change course, more it will cost
As 2014 drew to a close, the focus on climate change sharpened. In Lima, Peru, a conference to set the stage for a 2015 global agreement in Paris to limit greenhouse gas emissions met with limited success. But there was still reason for optimism. South of the border, Barack Obama has made climate change his […]
Timeline on Harper government and climate change
October 2002: As leader of the Canadian Alliance Party, Stephen Harper kicks off a fundraising drive with a letter pledging to lead his biggest ever battle as opposition leader to defeat the international Kyoto Protocol. He says the agreement is “based on tentative and contradictory scientific evidence about climate trends.” February 2006: Prime Minister […]
Oil industry could be liable for role in climate change, report says
While the oil industry is experiencing a deep slump in prices and profits, a couple of Canadian non-profit groups claim in a report that the industry may lose a lot more money in courts around the world because of past and present contributions to climate change. The report is called “Payback Time? What the Internationalization […]
Changing climate to impact conflicts, poverty, governance
A fragile and unpredictable world is what many experts warn of as the climate continues to change and global economies, ecosystems and security are all in flux and under threat. While the topic is in the headlines on a daily basis, many experts feel as though the issue is not being taken seriously enough in Canada […]
Government’s Pipeline Safety Act has gaps, largely discretionary, critics say
On first read, the government’s newly introduced but yet-to-be-debated Bill C-46, the Pipeline Safety Act, proposes much-needed amendments to Canada’s current statutory liability regime for pipelines. But critics say there are some holes that soften the legislation’s overall potential impact by leaving many of the changes up to the discretion of Cabinet and the National […]
Canadians are ready for national carbon tax conversation, opposition MPs say
When it comes to Canadian attitudes toward climate change and the carbon tax conversation, recent numbers indicate the population is moving ahead of where the federal government is on environmental policies. Critics agree that the conversation is shifting. It is no longer a question of if carbon pricing should be implemented nationwide, but rather when […]
