Experts, critics urge feds to ‘ratchet up’ climate change efforts, seize the political leadership, after ‘landmark’ UN report
Last week’s UN report detailing the devastating and irreversible impacts of climate change, which the world is on track to see by 2030, underscores the urgent need for Canada to “ratchet up” its efforts and targets, say experts and critics, who also say the government should drop its pursuit of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. […]
Canada’s political leaders fiddle, while the planet sizzles
CHELSEA, QUE.—In the wake of that frightening, if familiar, UN report on the increasingly dire consequences of climate change—along with monthly reports of unusually intense hurricanes, floods, fires, and tornadoes—Canada’s political class is retreating from any sustained effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions faster than a melting glacier. The federal Liberals, self-described champions of climate […]
End uncertainty on energy-project approvals
One hundred billion dollars. That’s the value of cancelled projects over the past three years in the Canadian energy sector. The drop in energy prices certainly played a role, but our approval process for large projects, which has a substantial arbitrary component, was also a factor. The Northern Gateway and Energy East pipelines, valued at […]
Humanity’s turkey is cooked while politicians play hot potato with climate change
OTTAWA—Over the Thanksgiving weekend Canadians were reminded again of the perils of unaddressed climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a gloomy report. Effectively the panel argued that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels means the world can keep “a semblance” of the ecosystems we have; conversely, adding another 0.5 […]
The future of work in a warming world
Extreme weather may be the topic on everyone’s lips, especially in the aftermath of Ottawa’s recent tornados, but the silence about the future of work in a warming world is deafening. The consequences of global warming will shake up the nature of work and the availability of employment for people in every country. In an […]
USMCA: better than nothing, but don’t expect a breakthrough with Trump
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has put as positive a face as possible on his government’s rearguard action to save Canada’s trading relationship with the United States. And, given President Donald Trump’s paranoid view of international dealings as commercial warfare in which everyone is trying to take advantage of the U.S., the new version of NAFTA […]
“The feds have announced steps to respond to the court ruling striking down approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. What do you think?”
Cameron Ahmad Liberal strategist “The Trans Mountain expansion project is an investment in our country’s future. We are committed to a clear and reliable path forward for the project, and we continue to have every confidence that we can move forward in the right way. “We recently announced the first part of our plan to […]
Grits in unusual spot of being attacked on both sides for controversial Trans Mountain pipeline, say strategists, pollsters
The federal Liberals are being attacked from all sides on the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and their support of the project could threaten their centre-left coalition, say pollsters and strategists. “It takes a certain amount of political skill to be shot from two different fronts,” said Robin Sears, former national director of the NDP […]
Clean-tech innovation: why are there still barriers?
The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been positioning itself as promoting clean growth and innovation. The “superclusters” may prove to be very effective enablers of innovative technologies. At this stage, they remain experimental. But the easy things to promote innovation and clean-tech are still untouched. It is hard to know why. It is […]
Stakeholders divided on need for renewable targets in new clean fuel standard
Some stakeholders say the current rules around renewable fuel have a place in Canada’s anticipated clean fuel standard, while others say that the government should stick to mandating reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, but allow producers to reach those targets their own way. “[The government] should not in any way, shape or form dictate how […]
