Tag Archives: Dogwood Initiative

Politics

BC Conservatives pitch a carbon tax on US coal as a trade-war measure

By Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

British Columbia Opposition Leader John Rustad floated the idea on Monday of imposing a carbon tax on American thermal coal exported through B.C. ports, in response to the U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. While some climate activists fighting coal exports say this would lead to positive results by increasing the price of a dirty fuel, they argue the most effective action would be to ban exports altogether to tackle the climate crisis. 

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Politics

Tariffs a wake-up call for how much of our natural resources are tapped by the US

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Canadian public is souring on the U.S. as Trump wields trade threats as an “economic force” to drive home his message that Canada should become the 51st state. 

The prospect has sparked a Buy Canadian movement, and a national Leger poll conducted last weekend suggests 80 per cent of Canadians are opposed to U.S. companies taking greater ownership of natural resource projects in Canada. 

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Environment

FOCI: Continuity & Change

The Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) has a new President, is getting prepared to launch out in new directions and is also trying to raise $30,000 by the end of the month. The first two of those announcements may be interrelated, the third definitely is not. It is a result of two large contracts coming to an end, more on that later. First, Mike Moore has been one of FOCI’s members for decades and is now taking on a more active leadership role.

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Energy, Finances

Trans Mountain Pipeline: Support Becomes Opposition If Costs Rise

A new Nanos poll shows that even in British Columbia, most Canadians now accept the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion – providing the cost does not rise too high. While 43% want to stop the oil and gas sectors expansion to reduce emissions; 47% believe we need the jobs. (These numbers are now 41.8% and 48.1%, respectively, in BC.) However this support becomes opposition when respondents were asked if the government should borrow money to complete the project.

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Finances, Politics

What BC’s Fossil Fuel Companies Get For their Campaign Contributions

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By Roy L Hales

Fossil fuel companies pumped more than $5.1 million into British Columbia’s elections between 2008 and 2015. 92% of that money was given to the BC Liberal party, which was in office through-out that period. The remainder went to the leading opposition party, the New Democratic Party (NDP). A new report from the Centre for Policy Alternatives, MAPPING THE POLITICAL INFLUENCE examines the funds and lobbying data to get answers. So what do BC’s Fossil Fuel Companies Get For their Campaign Contributions?

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