nationalobserver--2020-07-28--Environmental law group seeks to stop inquiry into who funds oil critics

An environmental law group wants a court to suspend the Alberta government 's inquiry into oil and gas industry critics until there 's a decision on whether it 's legal .
The United Conservative government contends foreign interests are bankrolling environmental opposition to Canadian fossil-fuel projects .
In June 2019 , It appointed forensic accountant Steve Allan to head a public inquiry .
Ecojustice filed a lawsuit last November that alleged the inquiry is politically motivated , biased and outside provincial jurisdiction .
A hearing that had been scheduled for April was delayed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
In the meantime , the group is seeking an injunction in Court of Queen 's Bench that would force Allan to halt his work until there is a ruling in the lawsuit .
Allan 's report was due July 2 , but the government recently extended his deadline by four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the inquiry 's $ 2.5-million budget .
`` They 're running this process in secret .
They 've added another million dollars .
We believe it 's for a predetermined outcome , '' Ecojustice executive director Devon Page said in an interview Monday .
`` We really were left with no choice , particularly given the court delays as a result of COVID , but to bring an injunction application . ''
He said the inquiry has already done harm to environmental charities by distracting them from their missions and forcing them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What they want to do is kind of tar and feather the environmental charities , '' Page said of the United Conservative government .
An environmental law group wants a court to suspend the Alberta government 's inquiry into oil and gas industry critics until there 's a decision on whether it 's legal .
`` Environmental charities in Canada make their revenue from donations , the vast majority of which come from Canadians .
So if Kenney could blacken their reputations , he could harm their ability to do what they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Energy Minister Sonya Savage , said : `` Ecojustice has made it clear that they oppose an inquiry into well-funded foreign campaigns that seek to discredit Alberta and its energy sector . ''
The Alberta government is `` committed to protecting Canada ’ s largest economic subsector from attack by foreign opposition , and we will see this inquiry through to it ’ s completion , '' he added .
Page said despite pandemic-related delays in the courts , he 's hopeful the injunction request will be considered `` in a matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Canadian Press was first published July 27 , 2020

An environmental law group wants a court to suspend the Alberta government's inquiry into oil and gas industry critics until there's a decision on whether it's legal. The United Conservative government contends foreign interests are bankrolling environmental opposition to Canadian fossil-fuel projects. In June 2019, It appointed forensic accountant Steve Allan to head a public inquiry. Ecojustice filed a lawsuit last November that alleged the inquiry is politically motivated, biased and outside provincial jurisdiction. A hearing that had been scheduled for April was delayed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the meantime, the group is seeking an injunction in Court of Queen's Bench that would force Allan to halt his work until there is a ruling in the lawsuit. Allan's report was due July 2, but the government recently extended his deadline by four months and added $1 million to the inquiry's $2.5-million budget. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "They're running this process in secret. They've added another million dollars. We believe it's for a predetermined outcome," Ecojustice executive director Devon Page said in an interview Monday.
"We really were left with no choice, particularly given the court delays as a result of COVID, but to bring an injunction application." An environmental law group wants a court to suspend the Alberta government's inquiry into oil and gas industry critics until there's a decision on whether it's legal. He said the inquiry has already done harm to environmental charities by distracting them from their missions and forcing them to direct resources toward defending themselves. "What they want to do is kind of tar and feather the environmental charities," Page said of the United Conservative government. "Environmental charities in Canada make their revenue from donations, the vast majority of which come from Canadians. So if Kenney could blacken their reputations, he could harm their ability to do what they do." Kavi Bal, a spokesman for Energy Minister Sonya Savage, said: "Ecojustice has made it clear that they oppose an inquiry into well-funded foreign campaigns that seek to discredit Alberta and its energy sector."


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--MEG Energy records bigger Q2 loss

MEG Energy records bigger Q2 loss

Analysts had expected a loss of $ 34 million or nine cents per share , according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv .
The Calgary-based company says it had a net loss of $ 80 million or 26 cents per share in the three months ended June 30 on revenue of $ 307 million , versus a net loss of $ 64 million or 21 cents per share on revenue of $ 1.06 billion in the second quarter of 2019 .
MEG , which produces bitumen from steam-activated wells in northeastern Alberta , reported production of 75,700 barrels per day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarter and 97,300 bpd in the second quarter of 2019 .
Its realized price per barrel was C $ 10.18 , down from C $ 19.45 in the first quarter and C $ 62.23 in the year-earlier period .
In response to low oil prices in the second quarter , MEG cut its 2020 capital budget to $ 150 million from the original guidance of $ 250 million and rolled back salaries and benefits across the company .
`` The second quarter was characterized by extreme negative movements in commodity prices coupled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and demand balances due to COVID-19 , '' said CEO Derek Evans in a statement .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27 , 2020 .

Oilsands producer MEG Energy Corp. is reporting a higher second-quarter net loss on voluntarily curtailed bitumen production and lower oil prices.
The Calgary-based company says it had a net loss of $80 million or 26 cents per share in the three months ended June 30 on revenue of $307 million, versus a net loss of $64 million or 21 cents per share on revenue of $1.06 billion in the second quarter of 2019.
Analysts had expected a loss of $34 million or nine cents per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
MEG, which produces bitumen from steam-activated wells in northeastern Alberta, reported production of 75,700 barrels per day, down from 91,560 in the first quarter and 97,300 bpd in the second quarter of 2019.
Its realized price per barrel was C$10.18, down from C$19.45 in the first quarter and C$62.23 in the year-earlier period.


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--Youth who overdose on drugs need to be helped, not detained, advocates say

Calling it punitive and backwards , advocates want the B.C .
government to rescind proposed legislation that would allow youth to be held in hospital against their will after a drug overdose .
The B.C .
Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions has announced it is putting Bill 22 to amend the Mental Health Act on hold .
But critics want it nixed entirely .
Youth using drugs are already suffering from trauma , and enforced care will cause more harm and only frighten them from seeking health supports , Peterson said .
“ And as far as I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not deserve the same rights and protections as others.
” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy has drawn fire since announcing the prosed changes June 23 , with critics citing lack of consultation , increased and adverse harms to the health of youth using drugs , along with the violation of their rights .
“ And as far as I am concerned … our government has proclaimed youth do not deserve the same rights and protections as others , ” Hawkfeather Peterson , president BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Monday , Jennifer Charlesworth , B.C .
Representative for Children and Youth , also expressed concern around resorting to coercive health care on youth to address the opioid overdose emergency in B.C .
The ministry proposed the amendment as one way to deal with the dramatic spike in illicit drug overdose deaths that have occurred during the pandemic .
June was B.C.
’ s deadliest month on record for overdose fatalities .
A total of 175 people died , the latest toll in the declared public health emergency now entering its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more comprehensive and wrap-around services to youth using drugs and their families , particularly in their communities , Charlesworth said .
“ I can appreciate that the Ministry of Mental Health is endeavoring to find ways to meet the needs of young people with significant substance use disorder , ” Charlesworth said .
But youth need to have some sense of control over their lives , including making decisions around substance use and their own treatment , she said .
“ My perspective is that the focus needs to be on developing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Charlesworth , citing significant gaps in service and long wait lists for existing programs .
Stabilizing youth with substance use disorders in hospital involuntarily without having enough harm reduction , treatment or recovery programs in place for them and their loved ones when they were released is futile , Charlesworth said .
“ Stabilization for what ?
” Charlesworth said .
“ If we really want to make a difference , we need to make sure we have the supports in place.
” As well , the ministry was criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to be affected by the bill .
Kukpi7 Judy Wilson of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs said the proposed legislation was an example of the systemic and historical oppression of First Nations people .
“ What Bill 22 will do is … put them in a punitive type system , where many of our Indigenous people have already experienced institutionalization , stemming from the forced genocide from residential schools , ” Wilson said .
“ It isn ’ t a reform , it ’ s a step backwards .
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are no amendments that would make this bill salvageable.
” “ There 's a need for huge investment in detox and treatment , ” she said , adding they should be developed in consultation with Indigenous people , culturally safe and take place in communities where people live .
Youth peer support and outreach worker Kali Sedgemore says the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions failed to consult with young illicit drug users , the group Bill 22 would impact most .
Photo : courtesy Kali Sedgemore .
Kali Sedgemore , a youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said nobody had consulted young drug users , the very people impacted by the proposed policy .
“ They should have consulted with people … especially with youth like us , ” said Sedgemore , a member of 'Namgis First Nation with lived experience around substance use .
“ Youth can be experts on what is going to affect them , ” Sedgemore said , adding health authorities weren ’ t necessarily going to represent youth perspectives .
A premise of the proposed legislation is that there are loving family members and adequate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been detained in hospital , Sedgemore said .
But that ’ s not the case for many youths , both Indigenous or not , who are in care and don ’ t a have support systems to rely on , Sedgemore said .
“ It ’ s sad , ” Sedgemore said .
“ But we need to recognize youth in care would be greatly impacted ( by the legislation ) … so you don ’ t go to a loving home or afterwards or anything like that.
” Mental Health and Addictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on hold and more consultation will be done during the summer .
File photo : courtesy of the B.C .
government .
Due to a backlog of bills , the ministry wasn ’ t able to get Bill 22 through before the end of the legislative session , Darcy stated in an email to National Observer Monday .
The delay allows the ministry to do more consultation , Darcy wrote .
“ This is a challenging topic and this does give us a chance to pause , ” Darcy said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to more people about the work that we were already thinking about doing with our partners on safeguards in regulation to protect young people ’ s rights.
” The Bill 22 proposal was based on a pilot program running at BC Children ’ s Hospital and with advice of doctors who specialize in treating young people struggling with severe problematic substance use , the ministry said .
Additionally , the ministry worked with the First Nations Health Council , First Nations Health Authority , Métis Nation BC , First Nations Health Directors Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services Society to develop the amendments .
“ This is just one piece of the work we ’ re doing .
Our primary focus has always been building the voluntary system of care , ” Darcy said .
The minister noted the province has established 19 Foundry youth centres , as well as building two new and upgrading six existing First Nations-run treatment centres , along with other measures .
“ These have been challenging discussions , but we all have the same goal of protecting young people and ensuring they get trauma-informed @ @ @ @ @ @

Calling it punitive and backwards, advocates want the B.C. government to rescind proposed legislation that would allow youth to be held in hospital against their will after a drug overdose. The B.C. Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions has announced it is putting Bill 22 to amend the Mental Health Act on hold. But critics want it nixed entirely. If passed, Bill 22 would change the Mental Health Act to allow medical staff to involuntarily detain youth in hospital for up to a week to stabilize them, to allow time to contact family, and to create a plan for treatment. “It’s reprehensible,” said Hawkfeather Peterson, president BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors.
The amendment robs youth using illicit drugs the right to make decisions about their own treatment or care, Peterson said at a press conference Monday. “When policies completely dehumanize marginalized populations it makes a statement,” Peterson said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “All you're doing is creating greater barriers to access and care,” they said. “Making it so that overdose prevention is further away and less accessible to people that are already deemed at great risk of death and dying.”
Youth using drugs are already suffering from trauma, and enforced care will cause more harm and only frighten them from seeking health supports, Peterson said. “And as far as I am concerned … our government has proclaimed youth do not deserve the same rights and protections as others,” Hawkfeather Peterson, president BC/Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors, calling for the repeal of Bill 22. “And as far as I am concerned … our government has proclaimed youth do not deserve the same rights and protections as others.” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy has drawn fire since announcing the prosed changes June 23, with critics citing lack of consultation, increased and adverse harms to the health of youth using drugs, along with the violation of their rights. On Monday, Jennifer Charlesworth, B.C. Representative for Children and Youth, also expressed concern around resorting to coercive health care on youth to address the opioid overdose emergency in B.C. The ministry proposed the amendment as one way to deal with the dramatic spike in illicit drug overdose deaths that have occurred during the pandemic.
June was B.C.’s deadliest month on record for overdose fatalities. A total of 175 people died, the latest toll in the declared public health emergency now entering its fifth year. The province should provide more comprehensive and wrap-around services to youth using drugs and their families, particularly in their communities, Charlesworth said. “I can appreciate that the Ministry of Mental Health is endeavoring to find ways to meet the needs of young people with significant substance use disorder,” Charlesworth said. But youth need to have some sense of control over their lives, including making decisions around substance use and their own treatment, she said.


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--Canada seeks to end wine war with Australia

B.C.
’ s wine industry is hoping the Trudeau government can uncork a solution after Canada agreed to reimpose a federal excise duty on domestic bottles as part of a trade dispute settlement .
The British Columbia Wine Institute ( BCWI ) estimates that the cost of a case of Canadian wine would rise by about $ 6 , if a new provision in Canada ’ s trade truce with Australia announced Monday comes to pass , following a two-year grace period .
“ That ’ s pretty material to Canadian wine growers and farmers , and so we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and CEO Miles Prodan told National Observer .
“ We ’ re in discussions with the feds as well , how can they help us with that.
” International Trade Minister Mary Ng announced on Monday that Canada had reached a “ partial agreement ” with Australia over its World Trade Organization challenge against Canada ’ s treatment of imported wines .
As part of the agreement , Canada agreed to repeal a 15-year-old exemption to the federal excise duty that it had been giving to wine produced in Canada and made from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
The change is expected to occur by June 30 , 2022 , according to Ng ’ s announcement .
Australia ’ s dispute was launched in January 2018 , and includes other concerns , some of which were addressed on Monday that pertain to policies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the removal of the excise exemption for Canadian wine affects the industry nationwide , Prodan said , not just the $ 2.8-billion industry in British Columbia .
While he said he was satisfied that the situation was being resolved through a negotiated settlement , as opposed to a WTO ruling , he said it will be a shock to many younger wineries .
The BCWI claims 175 wineries as members .
In 2006 , the former Harper government , newly elected to power , brought in the exemption for wine made from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2006 , meant to give domestic winemakers a competitive edge .
“ Over half of the wineries that have come on in those 15 years have never ( had to ) to pay excise tax , ” Prodan said .
“ We ’ ve grown exponentially in B.C.
, and arguably all over the rest of Canada ... for the last 15 years we ’ ve built our business on that.
” B.C.
’ s wine industry is hoping the Trudeau government can uncork a solution after Canada agreed to re-impose a federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a trade dispute settlement .
The Trudeau government brought a so-called escalator to the excise tax in Budget 2017 , which indexes it annually to the inflation rate .
In a statement issued Monday , Wine Growers Canada , the national industry association , said the excise exemption had “ supported investment in more than 400 new wineries and 300 winery modernizations ” over the 2006-18 period .
WGC said it had made it clear to the government that the industry “ requires a commitment to an excise exemption replacement program ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Bill Morneau , the group said , had confirmed the government was “ prepared to support the wine industry in managing the impacts of this trade challenge , ” and was “ actively investigating options.
” B.C .
was n't mentioned in the federal announcement on Monday because it focused on other aspects of the trade dispute that were related to Ontario and Nova Scotia 's treatment of their wine sectors .
Australia 's B.C.-specific concerns had already been addressed , said Prodan , through other trade talks related to the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USMCA , which is the replacement for NAFTA , included a “ side letter ” where B.C .
had agreed to stop restricting the wine sold on its grocery store shelves to provincial wine only , as of last November .
That policy , which had been brought in by the B.C .
Liberals in 2015 , forced international wines into “ stores-within-a-store.
” Monday ’ s agreement addresses similar issues for other provinces .
Ontario , for example , agreed to eliminate the tax difference between provincial and non-provincial wine sold at @ @ @

B.C.’s wine industry is hoping the Trudeau government can uncork a solution after Canada agreed to reimpose a federal excise duty on domestic bottles as part of a trade dispute settlement. The British Columbia Wine Institute (BCWI) estimates that the cost of a case of Canadian wine would rise by about $6, if a new provision in Canada’s trade truce with Australia announced Monday comes to pass, following a two-year grace period. “That’s pretty material to Canadian wine growers and farmers, and so we’re unhappy about that,” president and CEO Miles Prodan told National Observer. “We’re in discussions with the feds as well, how can they help us with that.” International Trade Minister Mary Ng announced on Monday that Canada had reached a “partial agreement” with Australia over its World Trade Organization challenge against Canada’s treatment of imported wines. As part of the agreement, Canada agreed to repeal a 15-year-old exemption to the federal excise duty that it had been giving to wine produced in Canada and made from entirely Canadian products.
The change is expected to occur by June 30, 2022, according to Ng’s announcement. Australia’s dispute was launched in January 2018, and includes other concerns, some of which were addressed on Monday that pertain to policies and regulations in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But the removal of the excise exemption for Canadian wine affects the industry nationwide, Prodan said, not just the $2.8-billion industry in British Columbia.
While he said he was satisfied that the situation was being resolved through a negotiated settlement, as opposed to a WTO ruling, he said it will be a shock to many younger wineries. The BCWI claims 175 wineries as members. B.C.’s wine industry is hoping the Trudeau government can uncork a solution after Canada agreed to re-impose a federal excise duty on domestic bottles as part of a trade dispute settlement. In 2006, the former Harper government, newly elected to power, brought in the exemption for wine made from 100 per cent Canadian-grown products in Budget 2006, meant to give domestic winemakers a competitive edge. In a statement issued Monday, Wine Growers Canada, the national industry association, said the excise exemption had “supported investment in more than 400 new wineries and 300 winery modernizations” over the 2006-18 period. “Over half of the wineries that have come on in those 15 years have never (had to) to pay excise tax,” Prodan said. “We’ve grown exponentially in B.C., and arguably all over the rest of Canada ... for the last 15 years we’ve built our business on that.” The Trudeau government tweaked the excise tax in Budget 2017 so it indexes annually to the inflation rate.
Feds eyeing options, says national industry group WGC said it had made it clear to the government that the industry “requires a commitment to an excise exemption replacement program” given the anticipated financial impact. Finance Minister Bill Morneau, the group said, had confirmed the government was “prepared to support the wine industry in managing the impacts of this trade challenge,” and was “actively investigating options.”


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--It's been 10 years since clean water was declared a human right — and there's still work to be done

Ten years ago today , the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution affirming that water and sanitation are fundamental human rights “ essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life.
” Two months later , the UN Human Rights Council clarified that governments have the primary responsibility to deliver these new rights , but called upon member states and international organizations to assist countries of the global South that might have difficulty in fulfilling the new obligations .
This was an historic development in the long search for water justice .
Water was not included in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it seemed to be a limitless resource available to all .
But the “ perfect storm ” of global water depletion and destruction , growing poverty and inequality between and within nations , and rising water rates — often the result of the privatization of water services — led to a full-blown human rights crisis by the turn of the 21st century .
With billions living without access to clean water and sanitation , the call for water justice was born .
The fight to recognize the human right to water was surprisingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the private water utilities and the bottled water industry , the World Bank that was promoting water privatization in developing countries , the World Water Council , and many wealthy countries of the North , including the United States , Great Britain and Canada .
Their opposition reflected a mighty contest about whether water is a commodity or a commons .
In adopting this resolution , the nations of the world affirmed that it is not OK to watch your child die of water-borne disease because you can not pay for clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just a “ need , ” but a human right , and that affected communities are demanding justice , not charity .
In doing so , the human family took an evolutionary step forward .
• Are the Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
Children help to carry an important message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Council of Churches There have been real and tangible results .
More than four dozen countries have either amended their constitutions or introduced new laws to guarantee the human right to water .
Communities in the global South have used the UN recognition to fight foreign mining or oil companies destroying their water sources .
Citing the UN resolution , the city of Delhi now provides 20,000 litres of free water to every household each month .
To fulfill its UN obligation , the government of Rwanda has undertaken an ambitious program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
The right to water has been used to challenge water shut-offs from Mumbai , India , to the courts of France and Flint , Mich .
The Kalahari Bushmen of Botswana successfully used the UN resolution in court to regain access to their desert water sources that the government had destroyed in an attempt to drive them from their homeland .
To fight water privatization , many towns and cities have become “ Blue Communities , ” a Canadian initiative that is spreading around the world .
Almost 25 million people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have pledged to protect water as a human right , a public trust and public service and to phase out bottled water on municipal premises and at municipal events .
These cities include Montreal , Vancouver , Los Angeles , Paris , Berlin and Brussels .
However , we are in a race against time as humans divert , pollute , over-extract and mismanage the world ’ s dwindling water supplies .
Massive drought is threatening lives and livelihoods around the world .
At least 21 major cities in India are due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future .
`` Last year , almost two million children died from dirty water and poor sanitation .
This is a travesty . ''
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a huge spotlight on the water crisis as half the world 's population does not have a place to wash their hands with soap and warm water .
As a result , some of the aid money coming from northern countries and the UN is targeted to providing clean water and sanitation to those most in peril .
Perhaps this will lead to real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million children died from dirty water and poor sanitation .
This is a travesty .
Let us vow to fulfill the pledge taken by the nations of the world 10 years ago .
Water is a human right .

Ten years ago today, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution affirming that water and sanitation are fundamental human rights “essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life.” Two months later, the UN Human Rights Council clarified that governments have the primary responsibility to deliver these new rights, but called upon member states and international organizations to assist countries of the global South that might have difficulty in fulfilling the new obligations.
This was an historic development in the long search for water justice.
Water was not included in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights because it seemed to be a limitless resource available to all. But the “perfect storm” of global water depletion and destruction, growing poverty and inequality between and within nations, and rising water rates — often the result of the privatization of water services — led to a full-blown human rights crisis by the turn of the 21st century. With billions living without access to clean water and sanitation, the call for water justice was born.
The fight to recognize the human right to water was surprisingly fierce and bitter. It was opposed by the private water utilities and the bottled water industry, the World Bank that was promoting water privatization in developing countries, the World Water Council, and many wealthy countries of the North, including the United States, Great Britain and Canada.
Their opposition reflected a mighty contest about whether water is a commodity or a commons. In adopting this resolution, the nations of the world affirmed that it is not OK to watch your child die of water-borne disease because you cannot pay for clean water. They clarified that water is not just a “need,” but a human right, and that affected communities are demanding justice, not charity. In doing so, the human family took an evolutionary step forward.


nationalobserver--2020-07-27--Fort Albany First Nation calls for repeal of Ford’s omnibus economic recovery bill

The Fort Albany First Nation is calling for the Ontario government to repeal its omnibus economic recovery bill , saying it ’ s “ deeply troubled ” by the province ’ s failure to consult the public .
Fort Albany First Nation is a Mushkegowuk Cree community in northern Ontario , along the western shore of James Bay .
It ’ s located near the Ring of Fire region , which the Progressive Conservative government has said it intends to develop into a mining hub despite opposition from Fort Albany and other Indigenous communities .
Bill 197 included changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advocates said would weaken environmental protections .
Lindsay Davidson , a spokesperson for Ontario Ministry of the Environment , Conservation and Parks , said in a statement that the government has held six webinars in the past two weeks to help Indigenous communities get up to speed about the changes in Bill 197 .
( She did not provide an answer when asked how many of them took place before the government passed the legislation . )
“ Our government is committed to consulting with Indigenous communities prior to making a decision or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or treaty rights , ” she said .
Fort Albany First Nation is located on the western shore of James Bay , in Northern Ontario .
Photo from The Tragically Hip/Flickr The Fort Albany First Nation in Northern Ontario is calling for the Ford government to repeal omnibus Bill 197 .
The nation says it is “ deeply troubled ” by the province ’ s failure to consult the public .
# onpoli It expanded the government ’ s power to override the normal land planning process and potential opposition to projects through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also allows the province to decide which projects will undergo a full environmental assessment , which helps the government see what the impacts of a proposal could be .
The government hasn ’ t yet outlined what types of projects will fall on that list , but has said it will focus its efforts on proposals that would have a higher impact on the environment .
Bill 197 removed a mechanism that allowed the public to request a full assessment of a project — now , it can only be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights .
The bill also included streamlined assessments for many types of projects .
The changes didn ’ t define what the new streamlined reviews , called class environmental assessments , will look like , but posted several proposals for public feedback online .
The fact that the government left so many details out of the bill is concerning , Fort Albany First Nation said its statement .
It ’ s also difficult for the nation to respond to the multiple proposals that are now open for consultation , the statement said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes with the knowledge that our community is under pressure and constraints due to COVID-19 , and that we do not have the resources or capacity to meaningfully engage , ” the nation said .
“ This is not honourable , and it disrespects our relationship with our territory and our role as a Treaty No .
9 partner.
” Metatawabin said the nation must understand and respond to proposals , often written in very technical language , with very minimal resources .
They also need to translate documentation so elders can read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also about to undergo an election next month .
The nation also said the Ford government has a pattern of weakening environmental legislation , and that the government sees protections for endangered species and vulnerable ecosystems as “ red tape.
” “ We have watched this with alarm , as our muskeg homeland in northern Ontario is one of the main targets of this government ’ s economic agenda , particularly through the Ring of Fire , ” the statement said .
“ The muskeg is the foundation of our identity and culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important and delicate peatland ecosystems in the world , with a critical role in storing carbon that would otherwise accelerate climate change.
” Davidson did not address concerns about how the changes could impact development in the Ring of Fire , but said the bill enables public consultation .
The streamlined environmental assessment processes will include consultation measures , she said , and the overall changes would reduce delays for agreements involving Indigenous communities .
“ We advised communities that there will be additional opportunities for consultation in the future and have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can work together so their interests and perspectives can help inform the modernized environmental assessment program , ” Davidson said .
“ Now that the legislation is passed , the ministry will continue to consult with Indigenous communities as part of our efforts to modernize the environmental assessment program.
” Fort Albany First Nation said the government should repeal Bill 197 and redo its changes to environmental assessments — this time in consultation with Indigenous communities .
“ It will alter the well-being of the environment and the land , ” Metatawabin said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overlook ( those things ) and if you accelerate climate change , then it ’ s going to hinder our way of life .
Not only us , but also all of the people down south… It ’ s going to cost lots .
”

The Fort Albany First Nation is calling for the Ontario government to repeal its omnibus economic recovery bill, saying it’s “deeply troubled” by the province’s failure to consult the public. Fort Albany First Nation is a Mushkegowuk Cree community in northern Ontario, along the western shore of James Bay. It’s located near the Ring of Fire region, which the Progressive Conservative government has said it intends to develop into a mining hub despite opposition from Fort Albany and other Indigenous communities. Bill 197 included changes to 20 laws, including rewrites that green advocates said would weaken environmental protections. “We will fight it. How, we do not know yet,” said Fort Albany First Nation Chief Leo Metatawabin in an interview Monday. “I understand economics is very important. I understand that. People depend on economics to survive. But we need the land to survive as well.”
Premier Doug Ford has said Bill 197 is aimed at helping the province speed up key infrastructure projects, which he says will help Ontario recover economically from the shutdowns caused by COVID-19. It was passed last week over concerns from Ontario auditor general Bonnie Lysyk, who said the legislation was “not compliant” with public consultation requirements in Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Passing the bill while Fort Albany First Nation is dealing with the impacts of COVID-19 is “taking advantage of the situation,” Metatawabin said. “It’s unjust.”
Lindsay Davidson, a spokesperson for Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, said in a statement that the government has held six webinars in the past two weeks to help Indigenous communities get up to speed about the changes in Bill 197. (He did not provide an answer when asked how many of them took place before the government passed the legislation.) The Fort Albany First Nation in Northern Ontario is calling for the Ford government to repeal omnibus Bill 197. The nation says it is “deeply troubled” by the province’s failure to consult the public. #onpoli “Our government is committed to consulting with Indigenous communities prior to making a decision or taking action that could impact existing Aboriginal or treaty rights,” he said. Fort Albany First Nation is located on the western shore of James Bay, in Northern Ontario. Photo from The Tragically Hip/Flickr What is Bill 197? Bill 197 included several significant rewrites of environmental rules.
It expanded the government’s power to override the normal land planning process and potential opposition to projects through ministerial zoning orders (or MZOs). It also allows the province to decide which projects will undergo a full environmental assessment, which helps the government see what the impacts of a proposal could be. The government hasn’t yet outlined what types of projects will fall on that list, but has said it will focus its efforts on proposals that would have a higher impact on the environment. Bill 197 removed a mechanism that allowed the public to request a full assessment of a project — now, it can only be used for issues involving existing Aboriginal and treaty rights.


nationalobserver--2020-07-27--Documents show Trump used Huawei CFO as 'bargaining chip' in trade fight with China

New court documents accuse the United States president of `` poisoning '' the extradition case against a Huawei executive being held in Canada .
An application to B.C .
Supreme Court by Meng Wanzhou 's lawyers says misconduct by Donald Trump and interference by other U.S. officials meet the clear standard to stay proceedings for abuse of process .
The documents say Trump has used Meng 's case to further his trade negotiations with China and that he intends to use her as a `` bargaining chip '' in the dispute , which is unrelated to the charges against her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extradition process to gain a strategic advantage in its dispute with China , the United States has undermined — and is undermining — the integrity of Canada ’ s judicial proceedings , '' the documents say .
Trump has linked resolution of the U.S. government 's dealings with Huawei to a potential trade agreement with China .
He has said he would consider Huawei 's role in a trade deal at the final stage of negotiations , the court application says .
• Are the Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
`` This prior conduct shows the reasonableness of ( Meng 's ) fear that he will intervene in her case , and the merit of her submission that his comments have already poisoned the extradition process . ''
As long as Meng is the subject of an extradition process in Canada , `` she can continue to be used as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the document says .
Meng is being held on an U.S. extradition request over allegations that she lied about Huawei 's relationship with a telecommunications company in Iran , violating American sanctions .
Both she and Huawei deny the charges .
Her arrest at Vancouver 's airport in December 2018 has prompted increasing tensions between Canada and China .
The arrests and subsequent spying allegations against Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China are widely seen as an attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng .
She and is out on bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while her legal team makes numerous applications for her freedom .
New court documents accuse the United States president of `` poisoning '' the extradition case against a Huawei executive being held in Canada .
In May , Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes dismissed the first phase of legal arguments by Meng 's lawyers , who claimed the case should be thrown out because the U.S. allegations against her would n't be a crime in Canada .
The latest application filed with the court says continuing the proceedings `` would inevitably undermine respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s judicial process .
It would appear to condone and 'lend a stamp of approval ' to the requesting state 's intended misuse of the Canadian courts . ''
The documents say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau aligned Meng 's case with Spavor and Kovrig by saying the United States should n't sign a final trade deal with China until the question of Meng and the detained men has been settled .
`` Within this climate , every legal decision that ( Meng ) makes is improperly influenced by considerations about politics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They can no longer be reasonably regarded as fair , regardless of the undoubted good faith of the court , '' the document says .
`` Prejudice to the fairness of these proceedings is made out by the president ’ s repeated assertions that ( Meng 's ) liberty is effectively a bargaining chip in what he sees as the biggest trade deal ever . ''

New court documents accuse the United States president of "poisoning" the extradition case against a Huawei executive being held in Canada. An application to B.C. Supreme Court by Meng Wanzhou's lawyers says misconduct by Donald Trump and interference by other U.S. officials meet the clear standard to stay proceedings for abuse of process. The documents say Trump has used Meng's case to further his trade negotiations with China and that he intends to use her as a "bargaining chip" in the dispute, which is unrelated to the charges against her. "By using Canada’s extradition process to gain a strategic advantage in its dispute with China, the United States has undermined — and is undermining — the integrity of Canada’s judicial proceedings," the documents say. Trump has linked resolution of the U.S. government's dealings with Huawei to a potential trade agreement with China. He has said he would consider Huawei's role in a trade deal at the final stage of negotiations, the court application says.
"This prior conduct shows the reasonableness of (Meng's) fear that he will intervene in her case, and the merit of her submission that his comments have already poisoned the extradition process." As long as Meng is the subject of an extradition process in Canada, "she can continue to be used as a bargaining chip by the U.S.," the document says. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Meng is being held on an U.S. extradition request over allegations that she lied about Huawei's relationship with a telecommunications company in Iran, violating American sanctions.
Both she and Huawei deny the charges. New court documents accuse the United States president of "poisoning" the extradition case against a Huawei executive being held in Canada. Her arrest at Vancouver's airport in December 2018 has prompted increasing tensions between Canada and China. The arrests and subsequent spying allegations against Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in China are widely seen as an attempt to pressure Canada to release Meng. She and is out on bail, living in her Vancouver home, while her legal team makes numerous applications for her freedom. In May, Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes dismissed the first phase of legal arguments by Meng's lawyers, who claimed the case should be thrown out because the U.S. allegations against her wouldn't be a crime in Canada. The latest application filed with the court says continuing the proceedings "would inevitably undermine respect for, and confidence in, Canada’s judicial process. It would appear to condone and 'lend a stamp of approval' to the requesting state's intended misuse of the Canadian courts."
The documents say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau aligned Meng's case with Spavor and Kovrig by saying the United States shouldn't sign a final trade deal with China until the question of Meng and the detained men has been settled. "Within this climate, every legal decision that (Meng) makes is improperly influenced by considerations about politics." "These proceedings have been poisoned. They can no longer be reasonably regarded as fair, regardless of the undoubted good faith of the court," the document says.


nationalobserver--2020-07-27--Yukoners turn to farming to build self-sufficiency

Yukoners are turning to farming to boost self-sufficiency and build the market for local food , a trend local agriculture experts say is being reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` We 've seen a huge spike in people who want to garden and have backyard chickens , meat and rabbits , '' said Sonny Gray , president of the Yukon Agriculture Association .
The effects of the pandemic on Yukon 's food supply have been minimal , but Gray believes a spike in the price of chicken and blip in the imported pork supply were enough to give people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certain number of roads .
When they get washed out or ( there 's ) a forest fire or fuel spill , they get shut down , '' he said , adding grocery stores rely on frequent deliveries from the south .
Yukon 's agriculture director , Matt Ball , said the territory of 36,000 people is a small market , but demand for local food outstrips supply and the pandemic prompted people to think about food security .
• Are the Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
`` We hardly saw a disruption in our supply out here of national products .
But nonetheless , that reinforced the message that we should really be looking locally , '' he said in an interview .
Strengthening food security in Yukon is a multi-layered task , said Gray , from developing backyard gardens to larger commercial operations with enough local processing and inspection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yukon have well-established supply agreements and inspection protocols that make it difficult for smaller producers to get their products onto those shelves , he said .
Yukon 's first territorially inspected poultry processing facility opened this summer and Gray said an additional red meat abattoir spurred him to scale up his own pork operation in recent years .
`` It was just one piece of infrastructure that was introduced to suddenly change the game , '' Gray said .
Just outside Whitehorse , Bart Bounds said it was unusually challenging to get seeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people tried gardening this spring .
Yukoners are turning to farming to boost self-sufficiency and build the market for local food , a trend local agriculture experts say is being reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic .
Bounds said he would like to see local seed banks , breeding programs for livestock and a certified organic grain producer in the territory .
While food may be produced locally , he said , many common seeds , animal feeds , fertilizers and pesticides are imported .
Gray is also the CEO of North Star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build and manage their own farms , from feasibility studies to implementing new technologies .
For example , he said , North Star has worked on a vertical hydroponic farm operation that 's heated with geothermal energy , which means vegetables can be grown year round .
Energy supply can make or break an agriculture endeavour in the territory , where the growing season is limited and subject to increasingly erratic weather patterns , Gray noted .
North Star is also working with the Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation to develop a 130-hectare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 80 kilometres from the nation located in Mayo .
Elected chief Simon Mervyn said the nation has around 600 members , about 100 of whom live near the farm , and they supported the purchase with a community resolution last year .
The effects of climate change on food that comes from both Yukon and abroad were top of mind , said Mervyn , noting warmer temperatures are driving moose and other game farther north .
Their property already has an abattoir , stables , cultivated fields , wells and a greenhouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to share and collaborate with other First Nations in the territory .
`` We 're hoping that together we can really create an industry that would be self-sustaining and maybe marketable as years go by . ''

Yukoners are turning to farming to boost self-sufficiency and build the market for local food, a trend local agriculture experts say is being reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We've seen a huge spike in people who want to garden and have backyard chickens, meat and rabbits," said Sonny Gray, president of the Yukon Agriculture Association. The effects of the pandemic on Yukon's food supply have been minimal, but Gray believes a spike in the price of chicken and blip in the imported pork supply were enough to give people pause. "We only have a certain number of roads. When they get washed out or (there's) a forest fire or fuel spill, they get shut down," he said, adding grocery stores rely on frequent deliveries from the south. Yukon's agriculture director, Matt Ball, said the territory of 36,000 people is a small market, but demand for local food outstrips supply and the pandemic prompted people to think about food security.
"We hardly saw a disruption in our supply out here of national products. But nonetheless, that reinforced the message that we should really be looking locally," he said in an interview. Strengthening food security in Yukon is a multi-layered task, said Gray, from developing backyard gardens to larger commercial operations with enough local processing and inspection capacity. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The large grocery chains in Yukon have well-established supply agreements and inspection protocols that make it difficult for smaller producers to get their products onto those shelves, he said.
Yukon's first territorially inspected poultry processing facility opened this summer and Gray said an additional red meat abattoir spurred him to scale up his own pork operation in recent years. Yukoners are turning to farming to boost self-sufficiency and build the market for local food, a trend local agriculture experts say is being reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. "It was just one piece of infrastructure that was introduced to suddenly change the game," Gray said. Just outside Whitehorse, Bart Bounds said it was unusually challenging to get seeds for his certified organic vegetable farm as more people tried gardening this spring. Bounds said he would like to see local seed banks, breeding programs for livestock and a certified organic grain producer in the territory. While food may be produced locally, he said, many common seeds, animal feeds, fertilizers and pesticides are imported. Gray is also the CEO of North Star Agriculture, a company that helps Yukoners build and manage their own farms, from feasibility studies to implementing new technologies.
For example, he said, North Star has worked on a vertical hydroponic farm operation that's heated with geothermal energy, which means vegetables can be grown year round. Energy supply can make or break an agriculture endeavour in the territory, where the growing season is limited and subject to increasingly erratic weather patterns, Gray noted. North Star is also working with the Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation to develop a 130-hectare farm about an hour outside Dawson City and 80 kilometres from the nation located in Mayo.


nationalobserver--2020-07-27--The Great American Outdoors Act and Donald Trump

This story was originally published by HuffPost and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a sweeping public lands package to fix crumbling national park infrastructure and permanently fund a decades-old conservation program , sending the legislation to President Donald Trump for final approval .
The overwhelming 310-107 vote by the House comes just over a month after the Senate passed the bill .
Trump has promised to sign it into law .
The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act has been hailed as the most significant conservation legislation in a generation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have passed on their own .
One sets aside $ 9.5 billion to address the estimated $ 12 billion maintenance backlog at national parks , which has been a priority of the Trump administration .
The other permanently supports the Land and Water Conservation Fund , which was established in 1964 that uses offshore fossil fuel revenue to protect natural areas and water resources , at the maximum $ 900 million per year .
The program , which has existed for over 50 years , has been plagued by funding shortfalls and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 900 million .
• Are the Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
“ We have a generational opportunity to ensure America ’ s crown jewels are protected , ” Rep. Raúl Grijalva ( D-Ariz. ) , chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee , said in speech on the House floor ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a unique chance to ensure that every tool is available to help us respond to the climate crisis , [ to ] protect those landscapes that best protect clean water , clean air and healthy green spaces .
This bill is a major win for the American people , decades in the making.
” The legislative push featured some serious election-year politicking .
For years , Trump and his team proposed gutting LWCF funding while continuing to claim it was a priority .
The president suddenly changed his tune in March , giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Colo. ) and Steve Daines ( Mont . )
, two of the most vulnerable Republican lawmakers — neither of whom have particularly notable environmental records .
“ ALL thanks to @ SenCoryGardner and @ SteveDaines , two GREAT Conservative Leaders !
” Trump tweeted at the time .
Immediately after the Senate passed the bill in June , Trump ’ s Interior Secretary , David Bernhardt , tweeted a testy letter to Grijalva that suggested the Arizona lawmaker and other Democrats would stand in the way of passing a clean bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get this legislation enacted would be unconscionable , ” Bernhardt wrote .
But it was the GOP , including Rep .
Rob Bishop ( Utah ) , the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee , that tried to stymie its passage and demanded a chance to introduce significant amendments .
The Great American Outdoors Act will fix crumbling national park infrastructure and permanently support the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund .
Bernhardt issued an equally partisan statement following Wednesday ’ s vote , saying Trump “ accomplished what previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , despite their lip service commitment to funding public land improvements.
” Although Trump ’ s reversal on LWCF appears aimed as securing wins for two Senate allies , environmentalists , public land advocates and outdoor sporting groups have embraced the opportunity .
“ Today , we the people made history , ” Land Tawney , president of the Montana-based nonprofit Backcountry Hunters and Anglers , said in a statement .
“ The Great American Outdoors Act is a momentous achievement in the name of our most prized American landscapes and outdoors legacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a generation piece of conservation and public access legislation that will have impacts for generations to come .
”

This story was originally published by HuffPost and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a sweeping public lands package to fix crumbling national park infrastructure and permanently fund a decades-old conservation program, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump for final approval.
The overwhelming 310-107 vote by the House comes just over a month after the Senate passed the bill. Trump has promised to sign it into law.
The bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act has been hailed as the most significant conservation legislation in a generation and combines two bills that might otherwise not have passed on their own. One sets aside $9.5 billion to address the estimated $12 billion maintenance backlog at national parks, which has been a priority of the Trump administration. The other permanently supports the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was established in 1964 that uses offshore fossil fuel revenue to protect natural areas and water resources, at the maximum $900 million per year.
The program, which has existed for over 50 years, has been plagued by funding shortfalls and has only twice received the full $900 million.


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--Toronto’s Catholic schools struggle with racism, students of colour say

Students of colour in Toronto ’ s Catholic school system say they don ’ t see their history and culture reflected in the curriculum and are regularly exposed to racism and discrimination that is brushed off by school administrators .
“ I went to Catholic school for most of my life , and there is just so much missing with the curriculum , ” said Caitlin Carney , who graduated from Madonna Catholic Secondary School in North York in June .
The Toronto Catholic District School Board ( TCDSB ) teaches more than 91,000 students across its 195 schools .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cree and Irish heritage , said that when she was in grades 7 and 8 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School , there was little discussion of the Indigenous people of Canada .
“ And when we did , it was always about them being conquered , as though we were less than , as though those communities needed to be taught what was proper , ” she said .
• Are the Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
The Catholic education system has a particularly complicated relationship to Canada ’ s troubled history of interaction with Indigenous peoples , having administered many of the residential schools that sought to instil western and Christian values on Indigenous children .
Carney ’ s experience didn ’ t improve as she progressed through high school .
In grades 9 and 10 at Bishop Allen Academy in Etobicoke , she said there was no teaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or about the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls .
“ It was very much like , ‘ This is our history , this is our white history , and this is the most important history that you should know , ' ” she said .
But it was in her final years of schooling , at Madonna , where she says she experienced the worst instances of discrimination .
There , a world religions teacher had her class act out Indigenous ceremonies and Carney mentioned that not every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Students of colour say Toronto 's Catholic schools fail at teaching Indigenous history and culture and responding to complaints of discrimination “ And she looked me dead in the eye and said , ‘ I think the textbooks know more than you do , ’ even though she knew I was Native , ” Carney said .
She got a poor mark on the project , which she completed without further protest , and said that afterwards , the teacher would direct all questions about Indigenous topics to her and respond with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know the answers .
She transferred out of that class to avoid the anxiety it caused her .
When she complained to a teacher after a staff hall monitor asked if her relatives still live in teepees or whether she wore moccasins , she said the teacher brushed it off as the staff member being uneducated .
Then last year , a different teacher invited her to a weeklong “ Indigenous leadership program ” she expected would cover Native culture and history and perhaps even include a visit to a residential school .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a Jesuit camp and led by a white Jesuit priest , who she said repeatedly interrupted Indigenous elders in attendance and tried to correct them .
A flyer for the weeklong trip to learn about Indigenous culture , where Carney said the Jesuit priest leading the program repeatedly interrupted and corrected Indigenous elders in attendance .
Carney started writing an essay about her experiences , and a teacher who overheard her speaking about it said if she made it public , Carney would not get into university and the board could go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she and her mother had filed several complaints to the Catholic board about the lack of or poorly delivered Indigenous content in the high school curriculum and about the trip , and got either no response or an unsatisfactory one .
“ It still angers me to this day how I was silenced and how nobody listened to what I had to say , ” Carney said .
The board said it was looking into the specific complaints raised here .
`` The complaints you have identified below are unacceptable and no student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TCDSB spokesperson Shazia Vlahos said in an emailed response to questions .
She recommended students or families raise concerns about racism with their school principal or superintendent and said the board 's equity team takes such complaints very seriously .
`` We will continue to work to identify and eliminate discriminatory practices , biases and racism in all its forms to support equity of outcomes for TCDSB students , '' Vlahos said .
For Rabeca Mengesha , anti-Black discrimination manifests itself in indirect and subtle comments that undermine her and other Black students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abilities and potential .
In one instance , Mengesha , who is going into grade 12 when school resumes , went to a career fair last year .
She was looking into the medical field when a teacher she looked up to pushed her away from higher-level careers , she said .
The teacher instead suggested she look into becoming an ultrasound technician in case she were to get pregnant young , pointing out it pays well and provides decent maternity leave .
“ How come I 'm the one that might get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one that should n't go into this career , ” she said .
Rabeca Mengesha says while the Toronto Catholic District School Board treats her well , its teachers do n't always treat all Black students that way .
Photo supplied “ At the time I thought she was being helpful , ” she added .
“ If I maybe was n't smart enough I may have listened to her advice.
” Critics say Black students are much more likely to be pushed out of school or directed away from university in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school and involves teachers and administrators who underestimate or even fear them .
Mengesha said her non-Black peers did not receive the same treatment from that teacher , while her Black friends in several other Catholic schools share similar stories of mistreatment .
Mengesha drew a distinction between how she is treated in the classroom and at the board level , where she has gotten involved in the Catholic Student Leadership Impact Team and will be the team ’ s director for equity for the upcoming school year .
“ Over there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m treated really well .
There 's a lot of acceptance .
It 's really beautiful , ” she said .
The TCDSB says it is taking a string of actions to deal with racism and discrimination in its schools .
Vlahos , the TCDSB spokesperson , said the board 's equity action plan promotes diversity in teaching and removal of barriers for under-represented communities , including Indigenous groups .
It has formed an Indigenous education advisory committee and recently passed a motion to invest more in culturally responsive and relevant resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been receiving training since 2018 on revisions to the social studies curriculum that require direct teaching about the history of Indigenous people , colonialism , and the residential school system .
The board has also held full-day professional development sessions for educators and works with its African-Canadian Advisory Committee in order to improve the Black student experience and deliver culturally responsive teaching , Vlahos said .
The TCDSB had planned to convene an inaugural anti-Black racism conference in April , but it was cancelled due to COVID-19 and a future date has @ @ @ @ @

Students of colour in Toronto’s Catholic school system say they don’t see their history and culture reflected in the curriculum and are regularly exposed to racism and discrimination that is brushed off by school administrators. “I went to Catholic school for most of my life, and there is just so much missing with the curriculum,” said Caitlin Carney, who graduated from Madonna Catholic Secondary School in North York in June. The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) teaches more than 91,000 students across its 195 schools. Carney, who is of Ojibway, Cree and Irish heritage, said that when she was in grades 7 and 8 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, there was little discussion of the Indigenous people of Canada. “And when we did, it was always about them being conquered, as though we were less than, as though those communities needed to be taught what was proper,” she said.
The Catholic education system has a particularly complicated relationship to Canada’s troubled history of interaction with Indigenous peoples, having administered many of the residential schools that sought to instil western and Christian values on Indigenous children. Carney’s experience didn’t improve as she progressed through high school. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions In grades 9 and 10 at Bishop Allen Academy in Etobicoke, she said there was no teaching about the painful legacy of residential schools or about the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
“It was very much like, ‘This is our history, this is our white history, and this is the most important history that you should know,'” she said. Students of colour say Toronto's Catholic schools fail at teaching Indigenous history and culture and responding to complaints of discrimination But it was in her final years of schooling, at Madonna, where she says she experienced the worst instances of discrimination. There, a world religions teacher had her class act out Indigenous ceremonies and Carney mentioned that not every nation or every tribe practised those ceremonies. “And she looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘I think the textbooks know more than you do,’ even though she knew I was Native,” Carney said. She got a poor mark on the project, which she completed without further protest, and said that afterwards, the teacher would direct all questions about Indigenous topics to her and respond with snide comments when she didn’t know the answers.
She transferred out of that class to avoid the anxiety it caused her. When she complained to a teacher after a staff hall monitor asked if her relatives still live in teepees or whether she wore moccasins, she said the teacher brushed it off as the staff member being uneducated. Then last year, a different teacher invited her to a weeklong “Indigenous leadership program” she expected would cover Native culture and history and perhaps even include a visit to a residential school.


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--Droves of campers putting 'insane' pressures on Alberta wilderness

A vast section of Alberta backcountry once considered for a park is being overused by tens of thousands of campers who cut trees , strew garbage and trespass , says a provincial advisory committee .
Camping numbers in the large undeveloped wilderness in central Alberta 's foothills and Rocky Mountains , have been `` insane , '' says the most recent report by Alberta Environment 's Bighorn Backcountry Standing Committee .
`` Everywhere people could camp they would camp ... just one on top of another , some people camping in ditches , '' says the group 's June 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like it ’ s going to slow down any time soon . ''
COVID-19 restrictions have strained all Alberta parks as people seek a safe place to enjoy the summer with their families .
The Bighorn — almost 5,000 square kilometres of lakes , mountains , streams and forests from the community of Nordegg to the Jasper-Banff Highway — has been hit hard .
`` There 's a large increase in the number of people visiting the area , '' said Coun .
Jim Duncan of Clearwater County , which includes the Bighorn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infrastructure out there to support large numbers of people . ''
• Are the Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
The May long weekend , usually the region 's busiest weekend , normally sees about 10,000 visitors , said Marla Zapach , an ecotourism operator who sits on the committee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ those numbers regularly now .
You 'll see cars parked two kilometres down the highway from a popular hiking area . ''
`` There must have been upwards of 100 cars trying to find a parking spot . ''
Although most visitors pack garbage out , many do n't .
`` The Coliseum ( mountain ) trailhead had people leaving garbage bags in the ditch , '' said Nick Frank of the Nordegg Community Association .
A vast section of Alberta backcountry once considered for a park is being overused by tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strew garbage and trespass , says a provincial advisory committee .
`` Animals were getting into it , dragging it across people 's yards .
A couple had garbage left in their driveway . ''
The association put out dumpsters that could handle 12 cubic yards of camper garbage .
`` We 're up to 32 yards available now and we 're just about full by the end of a weekend . ''
`` Garbage/human waste issues all over the area , '' says the committee report .
It details firepits pocking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and frequent trespassing onto Stoney First Nation land .
People set up camp for the weekend , leave everything and return five days later .
`` Places with cell coverage have people working in the camper . ''
New trails are being cut , Zapach said .
Old ones are getting spread out and braided .
Despite the efforts of local off-highway vehicle clubs to manage access and close areas that are n't for motorized traffic , not everyone follows the rules , said Zapach .
`` There are a lot of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut down trees .
That is just as irresponsible as not using a formal stream crossing with your ( off-highway vehicle ) . ''
Many people are new to camping and do n't know how to stay safe .
Ed Van Heeren of the volunteer Rocky Mountain House Search and Rescue Association says his group would normally get one or two calls a summer .
`` This month alone we 've already had four . ''
Abraham Lake , a large reservoir with high winds , is particularly troublesome .
`` Some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed across the lake and got stranded , '' Van Heeren said .
`` Air mattresses and beer . ''
The area is policed by two rangers .
The nearest RCMP detachment is more than 100 kilometres away .
`` Enforcement is having a difficult time with people who are wound pretty tight , '' the report says .
As well , much of the area is traditional territory of the Stoney First Nation and subject to an unresolved land claim .
Barry Wesley , who represents the Stoneys on the provincial committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campers that band members are afraid to hunt .
`` It became a safety concern .
We ca n't shoot an animal knowing there 's people out there in the bush . ''
Places where the Stoneys gathered medicines and plants are now campsites , said Wesley .
ATV riders follow power lines onto the reserves .
Signs placed there by the band disappear , he said .
Campers traipse over sacred sites used for sun dances .
`` This random camping has an impact on the Stoney people . ''
Alberta Environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment .
The previous NDP government had announced plans to turn the area into a provincial park .
The United Conservatives squelched that when they won last year 's election .
The park plan would n't have changed the high demand created by COVID-19 , said Zapach .
Nor would it have been fully implemented by this time .
But it would have helped , she said .
`` There was a dedicated budget for infrastructure and enforcement , '' she said .
`` I think things would have looked a lot different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't go on .
`` It 's being treated as the Wild West .
We need to develop a positive , forward-looking outcome on sustainability . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28 , 2020

A vast section of Alberta backcountry once considered for a park is being overused by tens of thousands of campers who cut trees, strew garbage and trespass, says a provincial advisory committee. Camping numbers in the large undeveloped wilderness in central Alberta's foothills and Rocky Mountains, have been "insane," says the most recent report by Alberta Environment's Bighorn Backcountry Standing Committee. "Everywhere people could camp they would camp ... just one on top of another, some people camping in ditches," says the group's June 4 report. "Doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down any time soon." COVID-19 restrictions have strained all Alberta parks as people seek a safe place to enjoy the summer with their families. The Bighorn — almost 5,000 square kilometres of lakes, mountains, streams and forests from the community of Nordegg to the Jasper-Banff Highway — has been hit hard. "There's a large increase in the number of people visiting the area," said Coun. Jim Duncan of Clearwater County, which includes the Bighorn. "There's not a lot of infrastructure out there to support large numbers of people."
The May long weekend, usually the region's busiest weekend, normally sees about 10,000 visitors, said Marla Zapach, an ecotourism operator who sits on the committee. "We're seeing double, triple those numbers regularly now. You'll see cars parked two kilometres down the highway from a popular hiking area." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Zapach recently visited one trailhead.
"There must have been upwards of 100 cars trying to find a parking spot." A vast section of Alberta backcountry once considered for a park is being overused by tens of thousands of campers who cut trees, strew garbage and trespass, says a provincial advisory committee. Although most visitors pack garbage out, many don't. "The Coliseum (mountain) trailhead had people leaving garbage bags in the ditch," said Nick Frank of the Nordegg Community Association. "Animals were getting into it, dragging it across people's yards. A couple had garbage left in their driveway." The association put out dumpsters that could handle 12 cubic yards of camper garbage.
"We're up to 32 yards available now and we're just about full by the end of a weekend." There are few bathrooms. "Garbage/human waste issues all over the area," says the committee report.


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--U.S. students to be permitted entry

U.S. students to be permitted entry

The federal government appears to have relaxed restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border that would have made it impossible for first-year university students from the United States to enter the country .
An update to the government 's guidance for international students , posted Friday , now says a student coming from the U.S. may no longer need a study permit that was issued on or before March 18 , the day the border restrictions were first announced .
New York resident Anna Marti , whose daughter is planning to attend McGill University in Montreal this fall , said she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by parents across the U.S. who lobbied their senators , members of Congress and Richard Mills , the acting U.S. ambassador to Canada , to get the restrictions eased .
The rule would have made it all but impossible for U.S. freshmen to get into Canada , while other later-year students with pre-existing student permits could cross the border easily — even after having spent the summer south of the border , where the COVID-19 pandemic has been growing in severity for months .
Marti said she was told by Mills that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington about the Canada-U.S. border restrictions — and that her entreaties , as well as media coverage of the plight of U.S. parents , `` helped to put a 'face ' to the issue . ''
• Are the Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
Citizenship , Refugees and Immigration Canada now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ port of entry letter of introduction '' that shows the student was approved for a study permit , in lieu of a permit approved before March 18 .
The exception , however , only applies to students from the United States .
`` We celebrated , although we wo n't fully celebrate until she is in Montreal , '' Marti said , noting that the family — and many others — must now wait for those letters of introduction and study permits to come through .
She 's also well aware of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada from countries outside the U.S. are still bound by the March 18 restriction .
`` I just hope someone continues addressing the issue for all international freshmen , '' she said .
`` International students who quarantine are not the real danger . ''
Other parents in the U.S. remain wary of the border , since the rules require anyone seeking entry to Canada to be travelling for a `` non-discretionary or non-optional purpose '' — a description that could exclude students whose courses are being held entirely online .
The total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , growing by tens of thousands of cases a day , reached the 4.4 million mark Monday , with more than 150,000 deaths to date .
Premature reopenings , an uneven and cavalier approach to physical distancing in parts of the country and a partisan divide over mask requirements have helped to fuel a surge in cases .
The federal government appears to have relaxed restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border that would have made it impossible for first-year university students from the United States to enter the country .
Canada , by comparison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 8,900 fatalities so far .
`` There are no measures in place to provide for expedited processing of study permit applications , '' Canada 's immigration department said in an update earlier this month .
`` Foreign nationals who had a study permit application approved after March 18 , 2020 ... may not be exempt from the travel restrictions ( and ) they should not make any plans to travel to Canada until the travel restrictions are lifted , as they will not be allowed to travel to or enter Canada .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ week the government would prioritize study permits for students who have submitted complete applications online .
Students will also be able to apply time spent studying online toward their eligibility for work permits in Canada , provided at least 50 per cent of the program is completed in Canada .
Ottawa has also introduced a priority processing system and a two-stage process for students who are unable to obtain all the necessary documentation .
A spokesman for Mendicino did not respond to media inquiries Monday .

The federal government appears to have relaxed restrictions at the Canada-U.S. border that would have made it impossible for first-year university students from the United States to enter the country.
An update to the government's guidance for international students, posted Friday, now says a student coming from the U.S. may no longer need a study permit that was issued on or before March 18, the day the border restrictions were first announced.
New York resident Anna Marti, whose daughter is planning to attend McGill University in Montreal this fall, said she was part of a "group effort" by parents across the U.S. who lobbied their senators, members of Congress and Richard Mills, the acting U.S. ambassador to Canada, to get the restrictions eased.
The rule would have made it all but impossible for U.S. freshmen to get into Canada, while other later-year students with pre-existing student permits could cross the border easily — even after having spent the summer south of the border, where the COVID-19 pandemic has been growing in severity for months.
Marti said she was told by Mills that the issue came up during ongoing discussions in Washington about the Canada-U.S. border restrictions — and that her entreaties, as well as media coverage of the plight of U.S. parents, "helped to put a 'face' to the issue."


nationalobserver--2020-07-28--Canada agrees to tax homegrown wine in trade settlement

B.C.
’ s wine industry is hoping the Trudeau government can uncork a solution after Canada agreed to reimpose a federal excise duty on domestic bottles as part of a trade dispute settlement .
The British Columbia Wine Institute ( BCWI ) estimates that the cost of a case of Canadian wine would rise by about $ 6 , if a new provision in Canada ’ s trade truce with Australia announced Monday comes to pass , following a two-year grace period .
“ That ’ s pretty material to Canadian wine growers and farmers , and so we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and CEO Miles Prodan told National Observer .
“ We ’ re in discussions with the feds as well , how can they help us with that.
” International Trade Minister Mary Ng announced on Monday that Canada had reached a “ partial agreement ” with Australia over its World Trade Organization challenge against Canada ’ s treatment of imported wines .
As part of the agreement , Canada agreed to repeal a 15-year-old exemption to the federal excise duty that it had been giving to wine produced in Canada and made from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wet'suwet'en on the brink of destruction ?
I went to find out .
• When CERB ends , a wave of food insecurity will hit B.C .
's coast : experts • They spent millions to protect polluters .
Then they got busted by the FBI .
The change is expected to occur by June 30 , 2022 , according to Ng ’ s announcement .
Australia ’ s dispute was launched in January 2018 , and includes other concerns , some of which were addressed on Monday that pertain to policies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the removal of the excise exemption for Canadian wine affects the industry nationwide , Prodan said , not just the $ 2.8-billion industry in British Columbia .
While he said he was satisfied that the situation was being resolved through a negotiated settlement , as opposed to a WTO ruling , he said it will be a shock to many younger wineries .
The BCWI claims 175 wineries as members .
In 2006 , the former Harper government , newly elected to power , brought in the exemption for wine made from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2006 , meant to give domestic winemakers a competitive edge .
In a statement issued Monday , Wine Growers Canada , the national industry association , said the excise exemption had “ supported investment in more than 400 new wineries and 300 winery modernizations ” over the 2006-18 period .
B.C.
’ s wine industry is hoping the Trudeau government can uncork a solution after Canada agreed to re-impose a federal excise duty on domestic bottles as part of a trade dispute settlement .
“ Over half of the wineries that have come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( had to ) to pay excise tax , ” Prodan said .
“ We ’ ve grown exponentially in B.C.
, and arguably all over the rest of Canada ... for the last 15 years we ’ ve built our business on that.
” The Trudeau government tweaked the excise tax in Budget 2017 so it indexes annually to the inflation rate .
WGC said it had made it clear to the government that the industry “ requires a commitment to an excise exemption replacement program ” given the anticipated financial impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group said , had confirmed the government was “ prepared to support the wine industry in managing the impacts of this trade challenge , ” and was “ actively investigating options.
” B.C .
was n't mentioned in the federal announcement on Monday because it focused on other aspects of the trade dispute that were related to Ontario and Nova Scotia 's treatment of their wine sectors .
Australia 's B.C.-specific concerns had already been addressed , said Prodan , through other trade talks related to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement ( USMCA ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replacement for NAFTA , included a “ side letter ” where B.C .
had agreed to stop restricting the wine sold on its grocery store shelves to provincial wine only , as of last November .
That policy , which had been brought in by the B.C .
Liberals in 2015 , forced international wines into “ stores-within-a-store.
” Monday ’ s agreement addresses similar issues .


nationalobserver--2020-07-29--Lack of bees limiting crop yields across U.S., B.C., study finds

A lack of wild bees and managed honey bees is limiting pollination and yields for certain crops on farms in British Columbia and across the United States , a collective of researchers has found .
Their study published Tuesday in the Royal Society 's journal Biological Sciences used data from more than 130 farms to assess the pollination of crop flowers and yield for apples , highbush blueberries , sweet and tart cherries , almonds , pumpkins and watermelon .
Of those crops , the study found five frequently showed evidence of pollinator limitation , suggesting that the protection of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bee colonies is likely to boost yields .
It notes that crops dependent on pollinators generate more than US $ 50 billion each year in the United States and declining bee populations raise concerns about food security in years to come .
The researchers collaborated to gain a `` comprehensive understanding of our reliance on a lot of these pollinators for these really vitamin rich , nutritionally rich foods , '' said Kyle Bobiwash , a co-author and assistant professor in the department of entomology at the University of Manitoba .
• Are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
I went to find out .
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were among those most affected by limited pollination , said Bobiwash .
On some farms , he said , `` there was a tremendous amount of pollen limitation , meaning there were a lot of flowers not actually getting pollinated sufficiently to set fruit . ''
But the results varied by farm , said Bobiwash , noting he was involved in earlier research that showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boosted yields by as much as 30 per cent .
`` It amounted to thousands and thousands of dollars per acre , just because they had slightly better bee populations than other farms . ''
Better pollination can also produce heavier , more juicy and likely tastier berries , he said .
`` If you have a lot of pollen and you 're setting a lot more seed , you really invigorate this berry and you get all those biochemical processes happening .
So , it 's going to gain more water ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to produce more secondary metabolites , which are the little flavour compounds . ''
A lack of wild bees and managed honey bees is limiting pollination and yields for certain crops on farms in British Columbia and across the United States , a collective of researchers has found .
Global demand for crops that are dependent on pollinators has increased , said Bobiwash , while the development of those crops often cuts into bee habitat .
At the same time , he said , climate change could affect the close relationship between plants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , plants might respond by blooming earlier ( and ) bees might respond by emerging earlier .
But that 's not guaranteed , '' said Bobiwash .
`` We might have a plant blooming before the pollinators it evolved with emerge . ''
Increasing pollination and crop yield is n't as simple as bringing more honey bees to every farm , said Bobiwash .
While the study showed different bees provided comparable amounts of pollination for most crops , he said some responded best to honey bees , such as almonds in California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bees .
The results of the study point to the importance of protecting and enhancing habitat for wild bees , which could include wildflowers and certain weeds that farmers would normally remove , he said .

A lack of wild bees and managed honey bees is limiting pollination and yields for certain crops on farms in British Columbia and across the United States, a collective of researchers has found. Their study published Tuesday in the Royal Society's journal Biological Sciences used data from more than 130 farms to assess the pollination of crop flowers and yield for apples, highbush blueberries, sweet and tart cherries, almonds, pumpkins and watermelon. Of those crops, the study found five frequently showed evidence of pollinator limitation, suggesting that the protection of wild bees and greater investment in honey bee colonies is likely to boost yields. It notes that crops dependent on pollinators generate more than US$50 billion each year in the United States and declining bee populations raise concerns about food security in years to come. The researchers collaborated to gain a "comprehensive understanding of our reliance on a lot of these pollinators for these really vitamin rich, nutritionally rich foods," said Kyle Bobiwash, a co-author and assistant professor in the department of entomology at the University of Manitoba.
Blueberry crops in B.C. were among those most affected by limited pollination, said Bobiwash. On some farms, he said, "there was a tremendous amount of pollen limitation, meaning there were a lot of flowers not actually getting pollinated sufficiently to set fruit." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But the results varied by farm, said Bobiwash, noting he was involved in earlier research that showed some farms where crops had better pollination boosted yields by as much as 30 per cent.
"It amounted to thousands and thousands of dollars per acre, just because they had slightly better bee populations than other farms." A lack of wild bees and managed honey bees is limiting pollination and yields for certain crops on farms in British Columbia and across the United States, a collective of researchers has found. Better pollination can also produce heavier, more juicy and likely tastier berries, he said. "If you have a lot of pollen and you're setting a lot more seed, you really invigorate this berry and you get all those biochemical processes happening. So, it's going to gain more water (and) sugar, it's going to produce more secondary metabolites, which are the little flavour compounds." Global demand for crops that are dependent on pollinators has increased, said Bobiwash, while the development of those crops often cuts into bee habitat. At the same time, he said, climate change could affect the close relationship between plants and pollinators.
"As temperatures warm, plants might respond by blooming earlier (and) bees might respond by emerging earlier. But that's not guaranteed," said Bobiwash. "We might have a plant blooming before the pollinators it evolved with emerge." Increasing pollination and crop yield isn't as simple as bringing more honey bees to every farm, said Bobiwash. While the study showed different bees provided comparable amounts of pollination for most crops, he said some responded best to honey bees, such as almonds in California, and others benefited most from wild bees.


nationalobserver--2020-07-29--Oilsands production expected to rebound after 2020 slump

It says it expects oilsands production to reach 3.8 million barrels per day by 2030 , down slightly from a previous forecast for 3.9 million bpd , but still a 1.1 million bpd increase from the 2020 projected production .
But research firm IHS Markit says the step back in 2020 is n't expected to greatly affect the rest of its 10-year forecast .
A new report predicts Canadian oilsands production will have its biggest annual decline on record this year , dropping by an average of nearly 175,000 barrels per day due to issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the second half of 2020 and into 2021 as barrels curtailed due to low prices come back online and capacity that has never been fully utilized ramps up .
It says oilsands output by 2022 could be 300,000 bpd higher than in 2019 if the Alberta government eases its oil curtailment program introduced in early 2019 to better align production with limited pipeline takeaway capacity .
It says most of the growth in production will come from small investments in projects where some capital has already been deployed — less than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or project expansions .
`` Despite the COVID-induced shocks of 2020 the longer-term expectations for Canadian oilsands are not far off from what was expected prior to the pandemic , '' said IHS vice-president Kevin Birn .
`` The scale of installed production capacity that exists today , the lack of material production declines from existing operations in the medium-to-long term and the ability to optimize and leverage current operations support growth .
”

A new report predicts Canadian oilsands production will have its biggest annual decline on record this year, dropping by an average of nearly 175,000 barrels per day due to issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
But research firm IHS Markit says the step back in 2020 isn't expected to greatly affect the rest of its 10-year forecast.
It says it expects oilsands production to reach 3.8 million barrels per day by 2030, down slightly from a previous forecast for 3.9 million bpd, but still a 1.1 million bpd increase from the 2020 projected production.
Oilsands production is anticipated to rise over the second half of 2020 and into 2021 as barrels curtailed due to low prices come back online and capacity that has never been fully utilized ramps up.
It says oilsands output by 2022 could be 300,000 bpd higher than in 2019 if the Alberta government eases its oil curtailment program introduced in early 2019 to better align production with limited pipeline takeaway capacity.