The World’s 25th Conference of the Parties (COP 25) concluded in Madrid at 1:55 PM, Sunday, December 15, 2019, having accomplished enough to merit the pile of horse manure left at its doorstep. Nearly 27,000 international delegates participated. One of the resulting press releases proclaims, “Heads of UN agencies met for a high-level Leadership Dialogue on how to turn the tide on deforestation and committed to the common goal of helping countries reduce deforestation and improve forest management.” Another states “Italy and Mexico committed to stepped-up climate and environmental education.” There is no indication that these, or any other measures, will be implemented. In her final address in the main plenary hall, Greta Thunberg described COP 25 as “some kind of opportunity for countries to negotiate loopholes.” Elizabeth May issued a press release calling the negotiations “brutal” and adding that any real progress was “blocked at this meeting by the negotiators representing Donald Trump’s America, Bolsonaro’s Brazil and Morrison’s Australia.”
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Why Is Elizabeth May So Popular In Her Own Riding
By Roy L Hales
There is only one safe seat on Vancouver Island right now. It belongs to the leader of the Green Party, who is 43% ahead of her closest challenger in 338Canada’s voter projections. Why Is Elizabeth May so Popular in her own riding?
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BC’s Largest Climate March Ever
By Roy L Hales
There were climate marches across the province. According to the Vancouver City Police, 100,000 marched through the province’s largest city. Climate Convergence Metro Vancouver estimates 250,000. Someone standing on the Cambie Street Bridge noted it took the demonstrators 74 minutes to cross. SaltSpring Live sent a video of the march in Victoria (embedded below), where 20,000 assembled at the provincial legislature. Some Campbell River demonstrators were among the 3,000 who marched through downtown Courtenay; only two dozen remained behind to protest at Campbell River’s City Hall (story below). A thousand gathered in Kelowna, 400 in Tofino, 400 in Whistler, a hundred in Port Alberni and several dozen in Powell River. I have yet to hear numbers for the events in Kamloops, Chilliwack, Langley, Penticton, Burns Lake, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Ucluelet, North Pender, Mayne, Gabriola and Denman Islands. British Columbia’s largest Climate March ever took place yesterday.
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Mark De Bruijn, Green Candidate for Powell River – North Island
By Roy L Hales
In the first of my interviews with the candidates, I visited the home of Mark de Bruijn. Cortes Islanders may remember him as a former principal of our elementary school; He has also worked as a science teacher, college lecturer and former biologist for Canada’s Department of Fisheries. Now Mark de Bruijn is the Green Party of Canada’s candidate for Powell River-North Island.
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Out-Harpering Harper
To paraphrase a recent Washington Post article, during his nine years in power Stephen Harper avoided topics he did not wish to talk about whenever possible. Burnaby Now reported that the former Conservative Prime Minister projected a friendly, approachable image at his rallies, “except for that part where we’re not allowed to get anywhere near him or ask questions. I can’t help but think how every little detail is deliberate. Nothing is left to chance.” The National Post adds, “To this day, Liberal henchpersons are happy to excoriate Harper for having tried to ‘game the system’ and avoid scrutiny” – but in this election Trudeau is clearly out-Harpering Harper.
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