Tag Archives: Gov of Canada

Energy, Indigenous Nations, Politics

Coastal First Nations hit back after pundits and politicians challenge its legitimacy in pipeline debate

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

Disagreements over a proposal to build a pipeline to the BC coast has ignited a debate over who has the right to speak on behalf of First Nations. 

After Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta to advance a new bitumen pipeline to the Pacific coast, he met with Coastal First Nations (CFN) leaders in January. 

BC Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer jumped in on X (formerly Twitter) to label CFN “just an advocacy group,” like a brand name. Fulmer claimed it is funded by foreign anti-energy groups and said if he becomes premier he will ban any foreign-funded organizations that attempt to influence BC politics.

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Rivers & Oceans

Canada is claiming credit for tackling ghost gear, despite scuttling funding

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Canada continues to tout itself as a “world leader” in tackling ghost gear’s threats to marine life and coastal communities even though funding for the program dried up in 2024. 

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO’s) former investments to address abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear, were axed without explanation by the federal Liberals more than a year ago, said Gord Johns, NDP MP for the Courtenay-Alberni riding on Vancouver Island. 

Core pillars of the ghost gear program to retrieve the plastic pollution and responsibly dispose of, recycle, or return ghost gear, have been cut completely, or dramatically scaled back, since the program launched in 2020, Johns said. What’s more, Ottawa remains silent about future ghost gear funding after the release of the recent budget in November.

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Rivers & Oceans

Tens of thousands of Canadian marine animals killed or maimed by ‘ghost gear’

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A “shocking” amount of marine life is being ensnared in abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear adrift in Canada’s oceans, internal federal data reveals.

Nearly 86,000 marine animals were caught up in “ghost gear” between 2020 and 2023, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) data obtained by Canada’s National Observer through an access to information request.

Of that total, 85 per cent was classified as a “commercially valuable species,” DFO staff stated in a June 2024 memo to former fisheries minister Diane Lebouthillier.

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Politics

Jennifer Lash: Why I still Think Mark Carney is the right Prime Minister For Canada

It has been two months since Mark Carney survived a non-confidence vote and went on to sign an MOU in which he agreed to support a new bitumen pipeline across British Columbia. In this morning’s interview, Jennifer Lash, the Liberal candidate for our North Island Powell River riding in the last election,  explains why she still thinks Mark Carney is the right Prime Minister for Canada. 

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Politics

Trump backs down on Greenland threats

US President Donald Trump has reversed his position on annexing Greenland. He announced that he will not use force or impose 10% tariffs on the eight European nations that were most vocal in their opposition to his actions. Instead, Trump is entering into negotiations to acquire Greenland, which he described as merely “a piece of ice.”

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