Tag Archives: Gov of Canada

Forests

The State of Campbell River’s Forestry Sector

Leave a comment

Forestry has been one of the three economic pillars of Campbell River. In the article that follows, Mayor Kermit Dahl states that ’70% of what the city does is resource-related, and their sales in the previous year were down by just over 20%.’ While many do not agree with the industry practise of cutting big tree old growth – the iconic subset which often comes to mind when hearing the words ‘old growth’ – there is much more to the story. The following article consists of select gleanings from statements made by Mayor Dahl and several MPs (including Aaron Gunn) at a recent meeting of the federal government’s Standing Committee on Natural Resources. 

Continue reading The State of Campbell River’s Forestry Sector →
Cost of Climate Change, Energy, Politics

Conservative Pipeline Motion defeated

Leave a comment

On Tuesday, December 9, Tim Uppal, the Conservative MP for Edmonton Gateway (AB), moved that the House of Commons “support the construction of one or more pipelines enabling the export of at least one million barrels a day of low-emission Alberta bitumen from a strategic deep-water port on the British Columbia coast to reach Asian markets, including through an appropriate adjustment to the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, while respecting the duty to consult Indigenous peoples.” The wording, he pointed out, was taken directly from the Prime Minister’s MOU with Alberta. After a heated debate, his motion was defeated 139 to 196.

Continue reading Conservative Pipeline Motion defeated →
Cost of Climate Change, Politics

Climate Realities: A Response to Liberal Environmental Policies

Leave a comment

In yesterday’s broadcast, Jennifer Lash, a former senior advisor from Environment and Climate Change Canada, explained that  the Prime Minister had to make an MOU with Alberta in order to bring that province on board to initiate further climate initiatives. The potential cost was building a pipeline across BC, but she believes the opposition in BC is too strong for this to become a reality. She also talked about other past and present Liberal environmental policies. Max Thaysen, a leader of the Cortes Island Climate Action Network and  regional representative for North Island on the BC NDP’s Standing Committee on Economy and Environment, responds in this morning’s interview. 

Continue reading Climate Realities: A Response to Liberal Environmental Policies →
Cost of Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Politics

Liberal Environmental Policies for Dummies

1 Comment

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Justin Trudeau’s environmental policy is often either purchasing the Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMX) or expanding Canada’s LNG sector. Yet Jennifer Lash, a former senior advisor with Environment and Climate Change Canada, speaks of his accomplishments in the fight against climate change. In this morning’s interview, she explains the rationale behind Liberal environmental policies. As it is actually quite simple once you get the underlying theme, Cortes Currents is calling it ‘Liberal Environmental Policies for Dummies.’

Continue reading Liberal Environmental Policies for Dummies →
Animals, Politics

House of Commons Exchange: Ongoing Neonicotinoid Insecticide Controversy

Neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics) are widely believed to be the most effective chemical insecticides and in one study their usage was linked to a 70% crop increase in the United States. Yet numerous scientists have pointed to their lethal impact on beneficial insects like the honeybee. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, “neonicotinoids can affect the reproduction, foraging, and flying ability of honeybee and other insects including pollinators.” Many believe they are a principle contributor colony collapse disorder. The EU banned three key neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxamin) 2013 and, starting in 2026, will prohibit imports of products containing even trace amounts. In North America, there are partial bans in Ontario, Quebec, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island and California. So far, the federal  governments of Canada and the United States have not taken action. 

Green Party leader Elizabeth May has brought this issue before the House of Commons many times since 2014, often requesting that Canada follow the lead of the European Union, exercise the precautionary principle, and remove the authorizations for neonicotinoid insecticide use within Canada. May raised this issue once again on the  snowy evening of December 4, 2025. 

Continue reading House of Commons Exchange: Ongoing Neonicotinoid Insecticide Controversy →