Despite U.S. reluctance, MPs hope Arctic Council forges ahead on climate change
In the face of the U.S.’s unwillingness to support the Arctic Council’s declaration on climate change-related challenges in the region, MPs are hoping to keep the Council focused on environmental issues. Liberal MP John McKay (Scarborough-Guildwood, Ont.) said the U.S. position “is consistent with a head-in-the-sand attitude toward climate change.” Regardless of the U.S. stance, […]
Liberal action absent North of the 60th
There were two problems with Justin Trudeau’s recent apology to the Inuit for the federal government’s treatment of tuberculosis patients. Firstly, it left the Dene and others who suffered under similar policies feeling forgotten again. An apology should do no further harm. Secondly, like so much this government does, the apology was a symbolic gesture […]
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Minister Bennett says government ‘respects’ MMIWG conclusion of genocide
Days after the report into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was released, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett says the government respects the inquiry’s report, which said that a genocide was being committed against Indigenous women and girls in Canada. The debate over whether to call the policies and actions outlined […]
The people of the North are a proud people
The people of the North are proud people. They have survived thousands of years and many generations on pure strength and determination. Northerners carry a superior knowledge of the lands, waters, and environment in which they have lived for millennia. As a proud Arctic nation, the North has played a significant part in defining who […]
Trump throws down the Arctic gauntlet: get ready for a rocky summer
On Monday, May 6, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered a jaw-droppingly aggressive speech to the Arctic Council. In his remarks, he focused on Russian and Chinese activity in the region, but more surprisingly made time to call out the Canadian position in the Northwest Passage, deriding its “illegitimate” sovereignty and reminding the audience […]
Kenney should stick to campaigning against carbon tax and pipelines, or else run federally: Conservative MP Tilson
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s plan to help the federal Conservatives defeat Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in the upcoming election campaign should be limited to issues of “common interest,” including the carbon tax and pipelines, and if the Alberta premier wants to campaign on other issues, he should run for federal office, says a veteran […]
North Policy Briefing
Bill C-69 can’t fix what’s really plaguing pipelines
At the end of May, the Senate accepted a committee report with an enormous package of amendments to Bill C-69, which seeks to reform how major energy projects, including pipelines, are regulated. The bill is one of the most contentious, well-studied, and well-lobbied pieces of legislation in recent memory. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney—echoing industry concerns—has […]
Northern Canada facing the climate change challenge in practical, culturally meaningful ways
The threat of climate change to property and infrastructure has become increasingly apparent to Canadians. With increasing intensity and frequency, forest fires and floods are having a devastating impact on all kinds of communities, whether rural or urban. But imagine a world where climate change puts your way of life and cultural identity at risk. […]
Environmental groups urging government to add plastics to toxic substances list
As domestic and international opposition to plastics and plastic pollution increases, some advocates are urging the federal government to take a tougher approach to regulation. While some municipalities and provinces are already pushing forward with initiatives such as banning plastic shopping bags, the Liberals could go even further by naming certain types of single-use plastics […]
