Dealing with climate change is ultimately a moral responsibility
TORONTO—We were promised a climate action plan that would be more effective than that of the Trudeau government, a plan that would meet Canada’s greenhouse gas emission targets for 2030, and a plan that would be cheaper. Instead, we got a big zero. Andrew Scheer’s long-awaited climate plan turned out to be long on wishful […]
Trudeau lays out case for re-election in Trans Mountain speech
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted the importance of middle class jobs, catalogued his record on the environment, took shots at his Conservative opponents, and evoked the spectre of U.S. President Donald Trump in a campaign-style speech defending his government’s approval of the Trans-Mountain Pipeline Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Trudeau’s lengthy speech, flanked by five cabinet ministers, […]
How Indigenous peoples are reclaiming control over academics’ research agenda
In Canada, the resource-based industry contributes a significant portion of the gross national product. There has been increasing tension, however, between developers and Indigenous peoples, especially when the proposed project affects Indigenous lands. Legacy projects such as the Giant Mine in the Northwest Territories or the chloro-alkali plant upstream of Grassy Narrows in Ontario […]
Trans Mountain pipeline: will it happen?
VANCOUVER—Will the Government of Canada finally approve the Trans Mountain pipeline on June 18, the date of a promised decision? To answer that, let’s look at some history. Kinder Morgan, a pipeline company essentially based in Texas, proposed to expand its existing oil pipeline from Alberta to Pacific tidewater in Burnaby, B.C., a Vancouver suburb. […]
Framework needed for corporate-First Nations deals, including government’s role
The economic, social, and environmental well-being of a community, Indigenous rights to resources, the duty of consultation, and government and corporate social responsibility are all connected. The problem is, there is nothing institutional to tie them all together. This month, De Beers Canada will close its Victor mine, 90 km west of Attawapiskat First Nation. […]
Feds on an ‘island of delusion’ concerning energy development in the Arctic: expert
In a report addressing Canada’s involvement in the Arctic, CEO and chair of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Duane Smith described energy insecurity for remote communities in the North as “a cycle of pollution and poverty.” Inuvialuit, a region in the western Arctic, suffers from extremely high costs of living due to the price of energy, […]
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 […]
A made-in-Canada climate plan can’t rely on outsourcing the solution
Any political party serious about governing in Canada and sincere about slowing climate change will put forward a climate plan designed to rapidly and significantly drive down greenhouse gas emissions here at home to improve the lives of Canadians and honour our international commitments. What’s more, given the incredible economic opportunity that decarbonizing presents, that […]
The clock is ticking on tackling climate change
Eleven. That’s how many years we have left to get our act together before we reach the point of no return. As a father of four, it’s a fact that I’m reminded of every single day. How will future generations look back upon us? As a Member of Parliament, I feel twice as responsible. Humans […]
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. […]
