Blogs

It's definitely one of that multitude of opportunistic schemes -- a kind of ultra modern Disneyesque for-profit 'Glacier Discovery Walk’ at the Icefields Parkway in Jasper National Park. It's just the sort of attempt to profiteer from the few public spaces reserved in this country that hits a nerve. There are wildlife concerns, traffic concerns, construction concerns, and on top of all that, the development will restrict public access in a public park! Parks Canada has been forced to delay their opposition by the swell of opposition. Sign the Avaaz petition here. Better yet, phone your MP, if they are the kind that take your calls.  

Friends, read this ALL the Way through. And understand Stephen Harper and Canada's role in all this carnage at the end of empire. Not just the "bad news" -- understand the "seed beneath the snow" too.

New report on leaked CETA documents explains threat to water services from Canada-EU trade deal

Dylan Penner
January 26, 2012

OTTAWA, ONTARIO - The Council of Canadians and Canadian Union of Public Employees have released a briefing note on recently leaked documents related to ongoing Canada-European Union free trade negotiations. The documents show that Canada and the provinces have failed to protect drinking water and wastewater services from trade rules that would encourage and lock in privatization.

Hundreds Attend Solidarity Rally Opposed to Coal

by Fireweed, on behalf of the Water Dragon Alliance

Over 400 people showed up in Buckley Bay on Vancouver Island on Saturday, January21st, in support of a festive outdoor anti-coal rally called, "Solidarity - Not Compliance!"

Prime Minister's Office Tries to Silence Pipeline Critics; Labels Environmental Group "Enemy of the Government of Canada" and "Enemy of the people of Canada."

A Whistleblower's Open Letter to the Citizens of Canada

My name is Andrew Frank. I grew up in a small town in the Okanagan valley of British Columbia. My granddad taught me how to fish. My father was a well‐respected lawyer known for his unwavering integrity, and my mother was a favourite kindergarten teacher.

Both have always impressed upon me the importance of telling the truth.

"At the very highest levels of this government, Canadians who have a legitimate concern about this oilsands pipeline are being called enemies of the government of Canada and enemies of the people of Canada. And that's the language of anti-terrorism.

"When a government calls its own citizens enemies, you've lost your moral authority to govern."

Terrific article in the Vancouver Observer (on?) this Thursday about the oil-spill-in- the-sky that is the real damage from the proposed Enbridge pipeline from the tar sands to China or the USA. Barry Saxifrage writes:

"One way or the other, every gallon of tar sands crude oil that Enbridge wants to pump down its proposed B.C. pipeline will be spilled into our environment. All of it. Every drop.

"Any crude that Enbridge doesn't first spill into our B.C. lakes, rivers, streams, Great Bear Rainforest and wild coastline, will instead become a gigantic burnt oil spill dumped into our destabilizing atmosphere and acidifying oceans.

Murray Dobbin's opinion piece in the Tyee this morning is worth reading by all thoughtful people - he sets off with a heart-stopping lead:

"Where will you be and what will you be doing when the first giant oil tanker (there will be two every three days), carrying over 200,000 gallons of tar sands goop diluted with solvent, spills its load into the pristine waters of the northern B.C. coast?"