Tag Archives: Mark Carney

Forests, Indigenous Nations

Indigenous Peoples are more protective of forests and biodiversity, study finds

A new UBC led study of 111 peer-reviewed papers found that forests and biodiversity are better, or at least equally, protected if they are managed by Indigenous peoples. Between 2005 and 2012, vegetation loss in native areas of the Brazilian Amazon was 17 times lower. In Australia, 60% of the nation’s 1,574 threatened species were found on Indigenous lands. In the United States, Indigenous lands harbour more mature trees and higher tree volume. Close to two-thirds of the articles noted that Indigenous peoples were themselves threatened, and some offered suggestions to either provide resources or strengthen their tenure over the land. While little of the material dealt with British Columbia, lead author William Nikolakis has worked with First Nations in the Interior and was prepared to comment.   

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Politics

MLAs pitch strong relationships, better infrastructure and ‘awfully blurred’ borders to secure Alberta’s economic future

By George Lee, The Macleod Gazette, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Alberta should leverage trade, diversify industry and improve corridors to entrench the landlocked province as a pivotal economic player, the legislature heard this week.

Shane Getson, the UCP’s parliamentary secretary for economic corridor development, envisioned a near-future Alberta with strengthened ties — physical and otherwise — in all directions.

A self-described expansionist, the member for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland painted a picture of Alberta with “awfully blurred” borders with the territories to its north.

Justin Wright, meanwhile, talked up an existing economic history with the American Midwest, saying Alberta has taken a “proactive approach to strengthening our trade relationship with the U.S.”

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Energy

Ontario’s Distributed Energy Resources (DER) study & other steps towards adopting renewables

As North America navigates the transition from traditional fossil fuel-based energy to renewable alternatives, various regions are exploring solutions like Distributed Energy Resources (DER). In this morning’s interview, Catherine Jefferey from Clean Energy Canada discusses a program designed to reduce costs for Ontario ratepayers by an estimated $1.8 billion to $3.5 billion annually. The discussion also covers progress in utility-scale battery storage, Canada’s adoption of renewables, and the prospects for transitioning away from fossil fuels.

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Politics

Should Canada become part of the EU?

During the EU-Canada summit in Brussels last June, Prime Minister Mark Carney declared, “As the most European of the non-European countries, Canada looks first to the European Union to build a better world.” 

This is a sentiment that found surprisingly strong echoes within the Canadian public at large, in an era where President Donald Trump’s economic and political tantrums are prominent. 

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Energy, Politics

Taxpayer Dollars, the pipeline, and Canada’s Clean Energy Future

Three weeks ago the Toronto Star reported that “three Liberals privately suggested to the Star that Prime Minister Mark Carney may put federal money behind a new pipeline to the west coast … Sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, say Carney wants to see the pipeline built, and is realizing it may not happen without more public money behind it.”

Aaron Gunn, the Conservative MP for North Island-Powell River, emailed that he is not interested in discussing rumours. While he recently acknowledged the climate is changing, Gunn also stated Canadians have more important issues to deal with. The pipeline was one of them: 

“I will say this pipeline should have been built ten years ago. Instead, the world remains beholden to oil from brutal, dictatorial regimes like Russia and Iran, while Canadian oil sells at a discount to the United States.” 

Jennifer Lash’s response to the Toronto Star article was, “Ottawa is nothing if not a fish bowl of rumours.”

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