By Fran Yanor, The Rocky Mountain Goat, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Double crossed for their cooperation throughout the pandemic, B.C.’s reconfigured Liberal Opposition may take a more aggressive, combative role in the legislature, predicted political analysts.
Continue reading BC LIberals: Double crossed for their cooperationBy 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?
Continue reading What BC’s Fossil Fuel Companies Get For their Campaign Contributions
As everyone expected, the National Energy Board (NEB) has recommended that the Canadian Government approve Kinder Morgan’s proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion through the most populated area of British Columbia. The NEB believes the likelihood of a major oil spill “very low,” but “the potential significance” of such a spill “very high.” Kinder Morgan would be required to post calculations of the emissions from all industrial activities and those created during construction of the 1150 km (715 miles) pipeline. If the Trudeau Government agrees and the project goes forward, the number of tankers carrying diluted bitumen out of the Greater Vancouver area could increase from 1 or 2 a week to 10. These are some of the ways BC reacts to the NEB’s pipeline recommendation.
By Roy L Hales
One of the smartest things Premier Christy Clark’s government has done was ask Matt Horne, of the Pembina Institute, to join BC’s Climate Leadership Team last year. The credibility they gained from that single act opened the door to new possibilities. Unfortunately that door appears to have shut . Premier Clark chose to ignore the suggestions made by her Climate Leadership Team. Yesterday Horne has released a statement that the proposed LNG facility on Lelu Island could become Canada’s largest carbon polluter.
Continue reading Lelu Island Could Become Canada’s Largest Carbon PolluterBy Roy L Hales
The Canadian delegation in Paris is more than 250 strong. In addition to the Prime Minister, five Premiers, representatives from the provinces and Territories whose Premiers did not attend, representatives from all the opposition parties, twenty negotiators, support staff, personal from the Canadian embassy in Paris, mayors, business people, youth leaders, environmentalists and reporters. There has never been a Canadian delegation this large at any previous COP and the sheer size of this endeavour shows that Canada is taking COP 21 seriously. After a decade of withdrawal from the fight against Climate Change, has Canada come back?
Continue reading Has Canada Come Back?
