nationalobserver--2020-10-01--New benefits for workers hurt by pandemic stalls in Senate

After being rushed through the House of Commons in a single day , a bill authorizing new benefits for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic has hit a speed bump in the Senate .
Sen. Marc Gold , the government 's representative in the Senate , was denied leave Wednesday to have the upper house deal with Bill C-4 on Thursday , after having an opportunity to question Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough about it .
Senators may yet hear from the two ministers on Thursday but they will not begin debating the legislation until Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tannas , leader of the 13-member Canadian Senators Group , said he was among a number of senators who denied the unanimous consent Gold needed to proceed with the bill Thursday .
And he said they did so to protest the fact that Gold has still not proposed a way for the Senate to resume its full functions during the pandemic , with all senators able to participate in debates and votes , either in person or virtually , as is being done in the House of Commons .
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Farmers are paying to make that possible — and it might put them out of business Since mid-March , the upper house has met only periodically for single-day sittings to pass pandemic-related emergency aid bills .
For those sittings , only a small number of senators have attended , leaving the rest with no role to play .
The situation has been particularly hard on senators from Atlantic provinces , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
`` We 've got to be the last chamber in all of the Westminster system that is still operating with no hybrid ( format ) or not even a glimmer of it , '' Tannas said in interview .
He said senators are also frustrated that the government is pressuring them to approve billions worth of aid legislation in a matter of hours and then go home and do nothing until the next emergency bill comes along .
In the case of Bill C-4 , he questioned the urgency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proposed new benefits are n't scheduled to open until Monday , and not until Oct. 11 for the other two .
`` We just thought today was a good day to provoke some conversation and see if we could get to the bottom of it and get a resolution , having satisfied ourselves that this would not put anybody in jeopardy in terms of the extension of benefits , '' Tannas said , adding it 's still possible to pass the bill on Friday or to hold a special weekend sitting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a motion for hybrid Senate sittings `` ready to go '' but has not introduced it because he wants to arrive at a consensus with all groups in the 105-seat upper house .
That 's been stymied by the 21 Conservative senators , whom Tannas said continue to want `` everybody to be in the chamber and , if you ca n't be in the chamber , then you should take a sick day . ''
After being rushed through the House of Commons in a single day , a bill authorizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 pandemic has hit a speed bump in the Senate .
A motion for hybrid sittings can be passed without the Conservatives and Tannas said no one can figure out why Gold has n't tried to proceed without them .
`` I do n't know why .
He knows full well that 80 per cent of us are ready to vote on it today . ''
Sen. Yuen Pau Woo , leader of the largest caucus group in the chamber , the Independent Senators Group , said his members are equally frustrated and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a motion on hybrid sittings .
`` This issue of hybrid sittings has been discussed for many months , '' Woo said in interview , adding that he supports Tannas ' efforts to force the issue .
`` Many of us were expecting that there would be a motion this week ...
It surprises many of us that we have n't seen such a motion being tabled . ''
Nevertheless , Woo stressed that ISG senators are committed to passing Bill C-4 this week .
In a written statement , Gold said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hybrid approach as soon as the Senate ’ s internal administration reaches a state of operational readiness . ''
He said `` much progress '' has been made to make hybrid sittings possible this fall but declined further comment since discussions among Senate leaders are `` ongoing . ''
Opposition MPs have expressed similar frustration about the short time they 've been given to deal with emergency aid legislation .
Conservatives and Bloc Québécois MPs voted Tuesday against the government 's bid to fast-track Bill C-4 through the Commons .
With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was nevertheless able to speed up passage of the bill , which was eventually approved unanimously in the wee hours of Wednesday morning .
Conservative and Bloc MPs took shots Wednesday at the NDP as they explained why they supported the bill after vigorously opposing the manner in which it was sped through the Commons .
`` This is a minority government , not a coalition government , '' Conservative House leader Gérard Deltell said .
`` We have to keep that in mind and I hope that the NDP will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an opposition party and they have to do opposition work in the House of Commons . ''
Deltell said Conservatives ultimately supported the bill because , `` in the big picture , we are talking about Canadian workers . ''
`` They need some support .
Canadian business , they need some support .
So this is why we approved the bill at the end of the process . ''
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet echoed that position , saying the principles of the legislation `` are pretty good . ''
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the fast-tracking , with Blanchet saying the Liberals ' decision to rush the aid package was a blow to democracy , robbing MPs of a chance to analyze and possibly improve the bill .
`` We were not given time to proceed with the analysis and the improvements that this law might have received because the government decided for some particular reasons or purpose that … it was important enough for the government to impose the 'shut-up ' procedure , ' '' Blanchet said .
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh shot back that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcing the government to make changes that will help millions more Canadians .
And he mocked the other two opposition parties for complaining that the NDP `` fought to get help to people too quickly . ''
`` We fought and we won for Canadians , '' Singh said .
`` The Conservatives and the Bloc have done nothing .
Throughout this pandemic , there 's not a single win they can point to that they 've helped out Canadians .
I think that 's a pretty bad record . ''
All opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for creating the need for the speedy approval of the bill by proroguing Parliament for a month , during which time it could not deal with anything .
Bill C-4 replaces the Canada Emergency Response Benefit , which came to an end last weekend after helping almost nine million Canadians weather the pandemic .
The CERB is being replaced with a more flexible and generous employment insurance regime and , for those who still do n't qualify for EI , a new Canada Recovery Benefit .
The bill also creates a new sick-leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those forced to take time off work to care for a dependent due to the pandemic .
At the behest of the NDP , the government has increased the proposed new benefits to $ 500 per week from the originally proposed $ 400 , aiming to see that no one receives less than they were getting under the CERB .
It has also expanded the eligibility criteria for the sick-leave benefit so that it applies not just to individuals who contract COVID-19 but also to those with underlying health conditions or other illnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cold , that makes them more susceptible to COVID-19 .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30 , 2020 .

After being rushed through the House of Commons in a single day, a bill authorizing new benefits for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic has hit a speed bump in the Senate. Sen. Marc Gold, the government's representative in the Senate, was denied leave Wednesday to have the upper house deal with Bill C-4 on Thursday, after having an opportunity to question Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough about it. Senators may yet hear from the two ministers on Thursday but they will not begin debating the legislation until Friday, barring further holdups. Sen. Scott Tannas, leader of the 13-member Canadian Senators Group, said he was among a number of senators who denied the unanimous consent Gold needed to proceed with the bill Thursday. And he said they did so to protest the fact that Gold has still not proposed a way for the Senate to resume its full functions during the pandemic, with all senators able to participate in debates and votes, either in person or virtually, as is being done in the House of Commons.
Since mid-March, the upper house has met only periodically for single-day sittings to pass pandemic-related emergency aid bills. For those sittings, only a small number of senators have attended, leaving the rest with no role to play. The situation has been particularly hard on senators from Atlantic provinces, which have imposed travel restrictions on their residents during the pandemic. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "We've got to be the last chamber in all of the Westminster system that is still operating with no hybrid (format) or not even a glimmer of it," Tannas said in interview.
He said senators are also frustrated that the government is pressuring them to approve billions worth of aid legislation in a matter of hours and then go home and do nothing until the next emergency bill comes along. In the case of Bill C-4, he questioned the urgency, noting that applications for one of the proposed new benefits aren't scheduled to open until Monday, and not until Oct. 11 for the other two. After being rushed through the House of Commons in a single day, a bill authorizing new benefits for workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic has hit a speed bump in the Senate. "We just thought today was a good day to provoke some conversation and see if we could get to the bottom of it and get a resolution, having satisfied ourselves that this would not put anybody in jeopardy in terms of the extension of benefits," Tannas said, adding it's still possible to pass the bill on Friday or to hold a special weekend sitting to get it done. Tannas said Gold has a motion for hybrid Senate sittings "ready to go" but has not introduced it because he wants to arrive at a consensus with all groups in the 105-seat upper house. That's been stymied by the 21 Conservative senators, whom Tannas said continue to want "everybody to be in the chamber and, if you can't be in the chamber, then you should take a sick day." A motion for hybrid sittings can be passed without the Conservatives and Tannas said no one can figure out why Gold hasn't tried to proceed without them. "I don't know why. He knows full well that 80 per cent of us are ready to vote on it today."
Sen. Yuen Pau Woo, leader of the largest caucus group in the chamber, the Independent Senators Group, said his members are equally frustrated and mystified about why Gold has not introduced a motion on hybrid sittings. "This issue of hybrid sittings has been discussed for many months," Woo said in interview, adding that he supports Tannas' efforts to force the issue. "Many of us were expecting that there would be a motion this week ... It surprises many of us that we haven't seen such a motion being tabled."


nationalobserver--2020-10-01--Health Canada green-lights rapid COVID-19 test

Health Canada has given the green light to a rapid test for COVID-19 that could be deployed to long-term care homes and schools to take pressure off provincial testing systems .
But neither the company nor the federal government will be more specific about when the test kits will start arriving other than `` the coming weeks . ''
The department posted news Wednesday of the approval of the Abbott Diagnostics ID Now test , which can deliver results within 13 minutes of a patient being swabbed , without having to first send the specimen to a lab for processing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Services and Procurement Canada signed a deal to buy nearly eight million of the tests from the company , as well as 3,800 of the analyzer units that process the results .
`` Health Canada has delivered on approvals in a rapid way , '' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in question period .
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Farmers are paying to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them out of business It 's not rapid enough for provinces where cases are surging and people are waiting hours in line to get tested and sometimes more than a week to get their results .
Ontario Premier Doug Ford applauded the approval Wednesday but said he wants to know when the tests will show up and when more approvals will follow .
`` We would expect them to be delivered as quickly as possible , '' he said .
`` We do n't have a moment to spare as cases continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approve even more rapid tests , including those already approved in other countries such as the United States .
This is the fourth test approved by Health Canada that can be completed outside a laboratory but the first to return results so quickly .
One was taken back off the list because it did n't perform well .
Another , the GeneExpert , has been used in Nunavut , Nunavik and northern Manitoba , and produces results in about an hour .
Health Canada has given the green light to a rapid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to long-term care homes and schools to take pressure off provincial testing systems .
Health Canada approved the BCube test from Hyris Ltd. in the United Kingdom Sept. 23 but no deal to buy them has yet been made in Canada .
It produces results in about 90 minutes .
The ID Now test was approved for use in the United States in the spring , and the company said in a written statement Wednesday it has already delivered 11 million of them south of the border .
`` We ’ re pleased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the coming weeks , '' the statement said .
A spokeswoman for Procurement Minister Anita Anand said 2.5 million tests are to be delivered before the end of the year to the Public Health Agency of Canada .
The agency will then distribute them to provinces that need them .
The tests still need a trained health-care worker to take a swab from a patient 's nose but the portable analyzer units , which weigh less than three kilograms , can be taken nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sent to rural and remote communities that have limited if any access to labs to test for COVID-19 , or high-risk locations like schools and long-term care facilities where being able to test a lot of people quickly is effective and helpful .
They can not be used for testing at home .
Dr. Andrew Morris , an infectious disease physician at Toronto 's Mount Sinai Hospital , said it will be critical to determine which provinces get the tests first and which locations are prioritized for their use .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good step .
`` We needed them yesterday , so to speak , rather than , you know , six weeks from now , '' he said .
`` And I ca n't imagine that we 're going to be getting them in the next couple of weeks .
So on that side I am definitely disappointed and I would have liked to have seen us have had them earlier , that 's for sure . ''
Dr. Prabhat Jha , director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be used first to protect the health care system by testing health workers , and people at long-term care homes .
But he said after that , rapid tests can be a big help to keeping the economy going , such as by deploying them at airports and in other key industries that need to get back to normal business .
`` It 's not sustainable for us to think the only tool that we have is to go back into a lockdown , '' he said .
`` That would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30 , 2020 .

Health Canada has given the green light to a rapid test for COVID-19 that could be deployed to long-term care homes and schools to take pressure off provincial testing systems. But neither the company nor the federal government will be more specific about when the test kits will start arriving other than "the coming weeks." The department posted news Wednesday of the approval of the Abbott Diagnostics ID Now test, which can deliver results within 13 minutes of a patient being swabbed, without having to first send the specimen to a lab for processing. The approval came a day after Public Services and Procurement Canada signed a deal to buy nearly eight million of the tests from the company, as well as 3,800 of the analyzer units that process the results. "Health Canada has delivered on approvals in a rapid way," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in question period.
It's not rapid enough for provinces where cases are surging and people are waiting hours in line to get tested and sometimes more than a week to get their results. Ontario Premier Doug Ford applauded the approval Wednesday but said he wants to know when the tests will show up and when more approvals will follow. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "We would expect them to be delivered as quickly as possible," he said. "We don't have a moment to spare as cases continue to rise."
Ford said Ottawa needs to approve even more rapid tests, including those already approved in other countries such as the United States. Health Canada has given the green light to a rapid test for COVID-19 that could be deployed to long-term care homes and schools to take pressure off provincial testing systems. This is the fourth test approved by Health Canada that can be completed outside a laboratory but the first to return results so quickly. One was taken back off the list because it didn't perform well. Another, the GeneExpert, has been used in Nunavut, Nunavik and northern Manitoba, and produces results in about an hour. Health Canada approved the BCube test from Hyris Ltd. in the United Kingdom Sept. 23 but no deal to buy them has yet been made in Canada. It produces results in about 90 minutes. The ID Now test was approved for use in the United States in the spring, and the company said in a written statement Wednesday it has already delivered 11 million of them south of the border.
"We’re pleased to bring this same point-of-care test to Canada to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the coming weeks," the statement said. A spokeswoman for Procurement Minister Anita Anand said 2.5 million tests are to be delivered before the end of the year to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The agency will then distribute them to provinces that need them. The tests still need a trained health-care worker to take a swab from a patient's nose but the portable analyzer units, which weigh less than three kilograms, can be taken nearly anywhere.


nationalobserver--2020-10-01--Canada's economic rebound from COVID-19 slows

The pace of Canada 's economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic slowed in July , and maybe even more in August , Statistics Canada says , suggesting the country is in what experts described as a long , choppy path to recovery .
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew by three per cent in July , matching the agency 's preliminary estimate and economists ' expectations , but below the 6.5 per cent recorded in June , and May 's 4.8 per cent bump .
Gains have been linked to the loosening of restrictions that forced non-essential businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they have n't been enough to haul the economy back to pre-pandemic levels .
Overall , Statistics Canada said the economy in July was about six per cent below its pre-pandemic level in February , even if some sectors like retail and real estate have recouped their losses and then some .
Looking at August , the statistics agency said growth likely continued albeit at a slower pace as it provided a preliminary estimate of a one per cent climb in GDP for the month .
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Farmers are paying to make that possible — and it might put them out of business `` That 's suggesting the steam in the recovery is going away and so , this for me is suggesting that we might be moving from a quick rebound phase of the recovery to a more challenging phase , '' said TD senior economist Sri Thanabalasingam .
The August figure will be finalized late next month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming months will be tied to the path the pandemic takes , which could lead to rollbacks of reopening measures .
Rising case counts have prompted such calls as the country heads into what several public health officials say is a second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic .
The increase in COVID-19 infections , coupled with the August figure suggests the sharp rebound in the third quarter wo n't carry over to the final three months of the year , said CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld .
`` Easing up on COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July and August , but the concerns now are whether we will pay for some of that greater openness , '' Shenfeld wrote in a note .
The pace of Canada 's economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic slowed in July , and maybe even more in August , Statistics Canada says , suggesting the country is in what experts described as a long , choppy path to recovery .
The Conference Board of Canada said health measures and testing should prevent another full shutdown of economic activity earlier this year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurdle .
The pandemic is going to flatten the recovery curve for the next year at least , said Pedro Antunes , the organization 's chief economist .
`` We 're going to be creating fewer jobs on a monthly basis going forward , we 're going to see the increases in economic activity or GDP being much more subdued in terms of their increases overall , '' he said .
The Conference Board 's outlook expected the unemployment rate wo n't fall back to its pre-pandemic levels until 2025 .
Thanabalasingam said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy gets back to where it was prior to COVID-19 .
July 's GDP report from Statistics Canada noted that all 20 industrial sectors it tracks posted increases in July , with agriculture , utilities , finance , insurance and real estate sectors recouping losses suffered since the start the pandemic .
Manufacturing grew 5.9 per cent in July , following a 15.1 per cent expansion in June as more operations ramped up production , but still remained about six per cent below where it was pre-pandemic .
The hard-hit accommodations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month of double-digit increases , jumping 20.1 per cent in July .
Thanabalasingam said despite the bump , the amount of activity in the industry was about two-thirds of where it was in February , as more people went shopping and case numbers dropped .

The pace of Canada's economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic slowed in July, and maybe even more in August, Statistics Canada says, suggesting the country is in what experts described as a long, choppy path to recovery. Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew by three per cent in July, matching the agency's preliminary estimate and economists' expectations, but below the 6.5 per cent recorded in June, and May's 4.8 per cent bump. Gains have been linked to the loosening of restrictions that forced non-essential businesses to close in March and April, but they haven't been enough to haul the economy back to pre-pandemic levels. Overall, Statistics Canada said the economy in July was about six per cent below its pre-pandemic level in February, even if some sectors like retail and real estate have recouped their losses and then some. Looking at August, the statistics agency said growth likely continued albeit at a slower pace as it provided a preliminary estimate of a one per cent climb in GDP for the month.
"That's suggesting the steam in the recovery is going away and so, this for me is suggesting that we might be moving from a quick rebound phase of the recovery to a more challenging phase," said TD senior economist Sri Thanabalasingam. The August figure will be finalized late next month. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The path of the recovery over the coming months will be tied to the path the pandemic takes, which could lead to rollbacks of reopening measures.
Rising case counts have prompted such calls as the country heads into what several public health officials say is a second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The pace of Canada's economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic slowed in July, and maybe even more in August, Statistics Canada says, suggesting the country is in what experts described as a long, choppy path to recovery. The increase in COVID-19 infections, coupled with the August figure suggests the sharp rebound in the third quarter won't carry over to the final three months of the year, said CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld. "Easing up on COVID-19 restraints fed into solid Canadian GDP gains in July and August, but the concerns now are whether we will pay for some of that greater openness," Shenfeld wrote in a note. The Conference Board of Canada said health measures and testing should prevent another full shutdown of economic activity earlier this year, but warned of localized lockdowns as one hurdle. The pandemic is going to flatten the recovery curve for the next year at least, said Pedro Antunes, the organization's chief economist.
"We're going to be creating fewer jobs on a monthly basis going forward, we're going to see the increases in economic activity or GDP being much more subdued in terms of their increases overall," he said. The Conference Board's outlook expected the unemployment rate won't fall back to its pre-pandemic levels until 2025. Thanabalasingam said it could be early 2022 before before the economy gets back to where it was prior to COVID-19.


nationalobserver--2020-10-01--Missing ballots, donations have two Green candidates questioning the race

Missing ballots and donations , combined with last-minute rule changes , have two contenders for the federal Green party 's leadership questioning the legitimacy of the race .
Leadership hopeful Glen Murray said Wednesday that the final results , to be tallied Saturday , will likely be announced before the full picture is known about how many of his campaign donations never got properly forwarded from the central party .
The Green party said Tuesday it accidentally kept thousands of dollars in donations that were supposed to go to Murray , leaving him with significantly less money to use for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money , his campaign is now hearing from some people who said they signed up to vote for him but never got an email to tell them how to do so .
More than 99 per cent of the Green 's 35,000 members opted to vote electronically in the race , and were to be sent an email telling them how to vote when balloting opened on Sept. 26 .
• Toronto school shut down over COVID-19 as Ontario reports 700 more cases • Former New York Times editor says media has learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food online ?
Farmers are paying to make that possible — and it might put them out of business Murray said his campaign has not yet confirmed `` anecdotal '' reports of supporters not getting ballots .
He urged patience as things get figured out but could not keep the disappointment out of his voice as he acknowledged there may be no way for the party rectify what has happened .
`` I 've had better weeks to be honest , '' he said .
He said his campaign is planning to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle on how much money got donated to him , but was accidentally kept by the party .
That will however be the day after the winner is announced .
`` That is a problem , '' he said .
`` The party has to have a serious conversation about the impact of all of these things . ''
Another leadership hopeful , Montreal immigration lawyer Meryam Haddad , said she is also getting complaints about supporters not getting ballots .
Haddad , who last week successfully appealed a party decision to expel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about everything that has happened .
`` Of course it changes the results , '' said Haddad , of Murray 's money problem .
Missing ballots and donations , combined with last-minute rule changes , have two contenders for the federal Green party 's leadership questioning the legitimacy of the race .
She is looking at whether some of her donations were also not properly forwarded by the party , but the ballot issue is a huge concern to her .
Party spokeswoman Rosie Emery acknowledged there have been some issues with ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue , we 're reaching out to people , '' she said .
But she said sometimes people thought they had signed up but never got a confirmation email so their membership never went through .
Other times people are finding the ballot email went to their junk folder by accident .
Haddad is equally livid that the day before voting began , the leadership committee ruled that members who had recently let their membership lapse could still vote , even if they did n't renew it before the Sept. 3 deadline to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is new to the Green movement , said it is unfair that former members can renew their membership at any time and still get to vote but new members had to join by Sept. 3 or they ca n't .
Emery said the committee affirmed the voting rules for lapsed members after some candidates asked for a clarification .
Murray said the donation problem likely stems from multiple causes , including the party 's insistence that it control fundraising , meaning it collected the money and then forwarded it on to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent cut .
He said some paper forms may have been incorrectly filled out but that the online system for donating was confusing and easy for people to not properly designate where they wanted their donation to go .

Missing ballots and donations, combined with last-minute rule changes, have two contenders for the federal Green party's leadership questioning the legitimacy of the race. Leadership hopeful Glen Murray said Wednesday that the final results, to be tallied Saturday, will likely be announced before the full picture is known about how many of his campaign donations never got properly forwarded from the central party. The Green party said Tuesday it accidentally kept thousands of dollars in donations that were supposed to go to Murray, leaving him with significantly less money to use for campaigning. And on top of missing money, his campaign is now hearing from some people who said they signed up to vote for him but never got an email to tell them how to do so. More than 99 per cent of the Green's 35,000 members opted to vote electronically in the race, and were to be sent an email telling them how to vote when balloting opened on Sept. 26.
Murray said his campaign has not yet confirmed "anecdotal" reports of supporters not getting ballots. He urged patience as things get figured out but could not keep the disappointment out of his voice as he acknowledged there may be no way for the party rectify what has happened. "I've had better weeks to be honest," he said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions He said his campaign is planning to meet Sunday to try and get a final handle on how much money got donated to him, but was accidentally kept by the party. That will however be the day after the winner is announced.
"That is a problem," he said. "The party has to have a serious conversation about the impact of all of these things." Missing ballots and donations, combined with last-minute rule changes, have two contenders for the federal Green party's leadership questioning the legitimacy of the race. Another leadership hopeful, Montreal immigration lawyer Meryam Haddad, said she is also getting complaints about supporters not getting ballots. Haddad, who last week successfully appealed a party decision to expel her from the contest, is livid about everything that has happened. "Of course it changes the results," said Haddad, of Murray's money problem. She is looking at whether some of her donations were also not properly forwarded by the party, but the ballot issue is a huge concern to her. Party spokeswoman Rosie Emery acknowledged there have been some issues with ballots.
"Where there is a genuine issue, we're reaching out to people," she said. But she said sometimes people thought they had signed up but never got a confirmation email so their membership never went through. Other times people are finding the ballot email went to their junk folder by accident. Haddad is equally livid that the day before voting began, the leadership committee ruled that members who had recently let their membership lapse could still vote, even if they didn't renew it before the Sept. 3 deadline to be eligible to vote.


nationalobserver--2020-10-01--Racism common in hospitals says head of Native Women's Shelter of Montreal

The executive director of the Native Women 's Shelter of Montreal says racism against Indigenous people is so common at local hospitals that her organization escorts clients to medical visits .
“ Every time we have to bring someone to a hospital , we escort them , because we know that there will be racist comments toward them , ” Nakuset , who uses only one name , said in an interview Wednesday .
“ We have a form because we anticipate what ’ s going to happen.
” That form , she said , has a checkbox for racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so common .
On Monday , Joyce Echaquan , an Atikamekw woman , filmed nurses making derogatory comments to her as she lay dying in a hospital bed in Joliette , Que.
, northeast of Montreal .
Nakuset said the video reveals the nurses thought they could get away with talking like that .
“ If Joyce didn ’ t have a camera , this wouldn ’ t be a story . ''
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Farmers are paying to make that possible — and it might put them out of business Dr. Alika Lafontaine , an anesthesiologist in Grande Prairie , Alta.
, who is of Cree and Anishinaabe heritage , said Indigenous people regularly experience discrimination in Canada 's health-care systems .
`` Patients experience this every single day , to varying degrees , '' he said in an interview Wednesday .
The Quebec government has promised two investigations into Echaquan 's death , one by the coroner , the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Dr. Lafontaine said those investigations are important , they wo n't solve larger systemic problems because these kinds of racist incidents often do n't get reported , he said .
“ If we 're really going to fix the system , we have to not just unpack the racial events that happened , but also the reasons why this person would think that it was okay to act this way , ” he said .
These experiences lead people feeling disempowered in medical environments and reduce trust , Lafontaine said .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't share information with medical providers and `` they may delay going to access treatment , because they need to be really , really sick in order to deal with , kind of , that level of discomfort , or hostility , and that all leads to worse outcomes . ''
Echaquan 's death took place almost a year to the day after a public inquiry , known as the Viens Commission , released 142 recommendations aimed at improving Indigenous peoples ' access to government services .
The executive director of the Native @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Indigenous people is so common at local hospitals that her organization escorts clients to medical visits .
The commission 's report concluded it is “ impossible to deny ” that there is systemic racism against Indigenous people in Quebec .
Richard Budgell , professor of Inuit and northern health promotion at McGill University , says Indigenous people need to be meaningfully involved in the governance of health institutions .
“ Because the only way you eliminate systemic discrimination is giving the people who have been discriminated against a role in those institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
While Premier Francois Legault was quick to denounce the comments made by the nurses in the Joliette hospital as racist , he has maintained that systemic racism does n't exist in Quebec .
Quebec 's Indigenous Affairs Minister Sylvie D'Amours said Wednesday in a news release highlighting the one-year anniversary of the Viens Commission 's report , that 51 of those recommendations have been adopted or are in the process of being implemented .
But Nakuset said she hasn ’ t seen any signs that that ’ s the case .

The executive director of the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal says racism against Indigenous people is so common at local hospitals that her organization escorts clients to medical visits. “Every time we have to bring someone to a hospital, we escort them, because we know that there will be racist comments toward them,” Nakuset, who uses only one name, said in an interview Wednesday. “We have a form because we anticipate what’s going to happen.” That form, she said, has a checkbox for racist comments because she said they’re so common. On Monday, Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman, filmed nurses making derogatory comments to her as she lay dying in a hospital bed in Joliette, Que., northeast of Montreal. Nakuset said the video reveals the nurses thought they could get away with talking like that. “If Joyce didn’t have a camera, this wouldn’t be a story."
Dr. Alika Lafontaine, an anesthesiologist in Grande Prairie, Alta., who is of Cree and Anishinaabe heritage, said Indigenous people regularly experience discrimination in Canada's health-care systems. "Patients experience this every single day, to varying degrees," he said in an interview Wednesday. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Quebec government has promised two investigations into Echaquan's death, one by the coroner, the other by the regional health centre. And while Dr. Lafontaine said those investigations are important, they won't solve larger systemic problems because these kinds of racist incidents often don't get reported, he said.
“If we're really going to fix the system, we have to not just unpack the racial events that happened, but also the reasons why this person would think that it was okay to act this way,” he said. These experiences lead people feeling disempowered in medical environments and reduce trust, Lafontaine said. The executive director of the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal says racism against Indigenous people is so common at local hospitals that her organization escorts clients to medical visits. As a result, he said people won't share information with medical providers and "they may delay going to access treatment, because they need to be really, really sick in order to deal with, kind of, that level of discomfort, or hostility, and that all leads to worse outcomes." Echaquan's death took place almost a year to the day after a public inquiry, known as the Viens Commission, released 142 recommendations aimed at improving Indigenous peoples' access to government services. The commission's report concluded it is “impossible to deny” that there is systemic racism against Indigenous people in Quebec. Richard Budgell, professor of Inuit and northern health promotion at McGill University, says Indigenous people need to be meaningfully involved in the governance of health institutions.
“Because the only way you eliminate systemic discrimination is giving the people who have been discriminated against a role in those institutions,” he said in an interview Wednesday. While Premier Francois Legault was quick to denounce the comments made by the nurses in the Joliette hospital as racist, he has maintained that systemic racism doesn't exist in Quebec. Quebec's Indigenous Affairs Minister Sylvie D'Amours said Wednesday in a news release highlighting the one-year anniversary of the Viens Commission's report, that 51 of those recommendations have been adopted or are in the process of being implemented.


nationalobserver--2020-10-01--The koala may be given endangered listing as numbers plummet

This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration The koala is being considered for official listing as endangered after the summer ’ s bushfire disaster and ongoing habitat destruction on the east coast forced the Australian government to reconsider its threat status .
The iconic species , which is currently listed as vulnerable under national environment laws , is among 28 animals that could have their threat status upgraded , the federal environment minister , Sussan Ley , said on Friday .
“ We welcome prioritisation for the koala but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up and the koala listed as endangered before October 2021 , ” said Nicola Beynon of Humane Society International .
Josey Sharrad , of the International Fund for Animal Welfare , said koalas on Australia ’ s east coast were “ sliding towards extinction ” and immediate action was needed to bring the species back from the brink .
A recent NSW parliamentary inquiry found koalas would be extinct in the state by 2050 without urgent intervention to protect habitat and help the species recover .
The species is among 28 animals being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status , federal government says Ley said on Friday that because of the ongoing effects of the bushfires , the government would introduce additional nomination processes for the listing of threatened species over the next two years on top of the annual nomination process .
The 28 species included on the finalised priority assessment list for formal assessment in the 2020 period include two reptiles , four frogs , seven fish , six mammals and 12 birds , bringing the total number of species currently being assessed to 108 .
After a species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessed by the scientific committee , which then makes a recommendation to the minister regarding its threat status .
“ This process is critical in ensuring threatened species are given strategic protection , are eligible for targeted funding and that awareness is raised about the issues impacting them , ” Ley said .
A recent interim report from a review of Australia ’ s conservation laws found governments had failed to protect Australia ’ s unique wildlife and the environment was in unsustainable decline .
The government currently has a bill before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental laws to the states .

This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration The koala is being considered for official listing as endangered after the summer’s bushfire disaster and ongoing habitat destruction on the east coast forced the Australian government to reconsider its threat status. The iconic species, which is currently listed as vulnerable under national environment laws, is among 28 animals that could have their threat status upgraded, the federal environment minister, Sussan Ley, said on Friday. The greater glider, which had 30% of its habitat range affected by the bushfire crisis, is also being assessed to determine whether it should move from vulnerable to endangered, while several frog and fish species, including the Pugh’s frog and the Blue Mountains perch, are being considered for critically endangered listings. Several Kangaroo Island species, including the Kangaroo Island crimson rosella and Kangaroo Island white-eared honeyeater, are among birds being assessed for an endangered listing.
Ley has asked the threatened species scientific committee to complete its assessments by October next year. The koala assessment will apply to the combined populations of New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT, where more than 10% of the population was affected by bushfire. Koalas on the east coast are also under multiple other pressures due to continued habitat destruction, drought and disease. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Environmental groups, which nominated the species for an endangered listing, said already severe populations declines had been made worse by the 2019-20 bushfire disaster.
“We welcome prioritisation for the koala but also hope the process can be sped up and the koala listed as endangered before October 2021,” said Nicola Beynon of Humane Society International. The species is among 28 animals being assessed for potential upgrade of their threat status, federal government says Josey Sharrad, of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said koalas on Australia’s east coast were “sliding towards extinction” and immediate action was needed to bring the species back from the brink. A recent NSW parliamentary inquiry found koalas would be extinct in the state by 2050 without urgent intervention to protect habitat and help the species recover. Ley said on Friday that because of the ongoing effects of the bushfires, the government would introduce additional nomination processes for the listing of threatened species over the next two years on top of the annual nomination process. The 28 species included on the finalised priority assessment list for formal assessment in the 2020 period include two reptiles, four frogs, seven fish, six mammals and 12 birds, bringing the total number of species currently being assessed to 108.
After a species makes the priority list, it is assessed by the scientific committee, which then makes a recommendation to the minister regarding its threat status. “This process is critical in ensuring threatened species are given strategic protection, are eligible for targeted funding and that awareness is raised about the issues impacting them,” Ley said. A recent interim report from a review of Australia’s conservation laws found governments had failed to protect Australia’s unique wildlife and the environment was in unsustainable decline.


nationalobserver--2020-10-01--B.C. seed growers reaping sales surge thanks to the pandemic

Most Canadian vegetable seed is imported , with roughly $ 128 million worth entering the country last year from as far afield as Tanzania .
It ’ s a long supply chain , one COVID-19 hit hard as companies raced to meet soaring demand and forcing at least one U.S. seed company to stop shipping to Canada .
The B.C .
Eco-Seed Co-op , a co-operative of roughly a dozen seed farmers in the province , saw its sales skyrocket , signalling a major shift in where British Columbians get their seeds — and who grows them .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curve , and there were a lot of things that we sold out of that we normally never sell out .
( For instance ) , we were just selling cilantro like crazy.
” “ It ’ s been a very tumultuous year , ” said Simon Toole , co-owner of Good Earth Farms in Black Creek on Vancouver Island .
The farm exclusively grows seeds , and is one of 18 members of the B.C .
Eco-Seed Co-op .
That left farmers and North America ’ s surge of pandemic gardeners scrambling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seed growers strived to meet .
This spring , orders placed to the co-op shot up by 300 per cent compared to last year .
That surge was only a start : Between April and August , the co-operative saw its sales grow by 847 per cent , while orders went up more than five-fold .
More farmers , as opposed to home gardeners , also sourced their seeds from the co-operative this year , a positive twist to what was otherwise largely a stressful season .
The seed co-operative was created in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on imported seed and push back against intense consolidation in the industry : Ten seed companies account for roughly 75 per cent of the global seed market .
Not one develops varieties specifically adapted to B.C.
’ s varied climatic regions , and vegetable seed quality and industry control are completely unregulated in Canada — unlike in the case of most grain seeds , which are managed under rigorous federal oversight and are Canada 's third-largest agricultural industry .
It ’ s a system that has fostered a dangerous lack of genetic diversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and fostering more unexpected pest outbreaks , both of which threaten B.C .
crops .
Increasing the genetic diversity of our food is a key tool to adapt , according to research by the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security .
Supporting British Columbians ’ access to that diversity is a central part of the co-operative ’ s intent , explained Keeley Nixon , co-ordinator for the B.C .
Eco Seed Co-op .
“ The goal is to provide seed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empower growers of all scales and sizes to source seeds that are ecological , open pollinated ( a pollination technique that increases genetic diversity ) and is grown on ( B.C . )
farms , ” she said .

COVID-19 has had unexpected beneficiaries: B.C.’s small-scale seed growers. The B.C. Eco-Seed Co-op, a co-operative of roughly a dozen seed farmers in the province, saw its sales skyrocket, signalling a major shift in where British Columbians get their seeds — and who grows them. Most Canadian vegetable seed is imported, with roughly $128 million worth entering the country last year from as far afield as Tanzania. It’s a long supply chain, one COVID-19 hit hard as companies raced to meet soaring demand and forcing at least one U.S. seed company to stop shipping to Canada. That left farmers and North America’s surge of pandemic gardeners scrambling for seeds — a rush B.C. seed growers strived to meet. B.C. is Canada's largest consumer of organic vegetable seed, with the province's farmers and gardeners spending about $ 8 million a year on seed. Photo by Cassie Plotnikoff.
“It’s been a very tumultuous year,” said Simon Toole, co-owner of Good Earth Farms in Black Creek on Vancouver Island. The farm exclusively grows seeds, and is one of 18 members of the B.C. Eco-Seed Co-op. “It was tough to stay ahead of the curve, and there were a lot of things that we sold out of that we normally never sell out. (For instance), we were just selling cilantro like crazy.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Cilantro wasn’t the only variety seeding interest.
This spring, orders placed to the co-op shot up by 300 per cent compared to last year. That surge was only a start: Between April and August, the co-operative saw its sales grow by 847 per cent, while orders went up more than five-fold. "There were a lot of thing that we sold out of that normally never sell out,” said #seed farmer Simon Toole. Including #cilantro seeds. @bcecoseedcoop #seedsecurity #seedsoverignty #foodsecurity #bcag More farmers, as opposed to home gardeners, also sourced their seeds from the co-operative this year, a positive twist to what was otherwise largely a stressful season. The seed co-operative was created in 2012 to help farmers reduce their dependence on imported seed and push back against intense consolidation in the industry: Ten seed companies account for roughly 75 per cent of the global seed market. The B.C. Eco Seed Co-op was founded in 2012 by a group of small-scale seed growers in the province looking to pool their resources to help meet the needs of B.C. farmers. While the organization markets some of its seeds with gardeners in mind, supplying farmers with specific varieties in bulk remains a priority for the organization. Photo by the B.C. Eco Seed Co-op. Not one develops varieties specifically adapted to B.C.’s varied climatic regions, and vegetable seed quality and industry control are completely unregulated in Canada — unlike in the case of most grain seeds, which are managed under rigorous federal oversight and are Canada's third-largest agricultural industry.
It’s a system that has fostered a dangerous lack of genetic diversity in the foods Canadians eat. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and fostering more unexpected pest outbreaks, both of which threaten B.C. crops. Increasing the genetic diversity of our food is a key tool to adapt, according to research by the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security. Supporting British Columbians’ access to that diversity is a central part of the co-operative’s intent, explained Keeley Nixon, co-ordinator for the B.C. Eco Seed Co-op.


nationalobserver--2020-10-01--New data shows extent of opioid crisis across Canada

One-third of the 16,364 people who died from opioid overdoses over a roughly four-year period in Canada were in British Columbia , according to new national data released Wednesday .
The data from a federal-provincial-territorial committee on opioids demonstrates how Western Canada has been hit hard by the barrage of overdoses , with B.C .
having a high rate of death per 100,000 population related to illicit drugs , including opioids , compared to other parts of the country from January 2016 to March 2020 .
Rates have been rising in other regions , such as Ontario , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent of the deaths across Canada involved fentanyl or fentanyl analogues , and 72 per cent involved drugs that were not manufactured by a pharmaceutical company and medically approved for use .
Jurisdictions across Canada must identify and take advantage of “ life-saving programs , ” like safer drug supply , which provides prescription medication instead of toxic street drugs , said Canada ’ s chief public health officer , Dr. Theresa Tam , in a joint statement released with the figures .
Providing people with the support they need to reduce harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Tam said alongside New Brunswick chief medical health officer Dr. Jennifer Russell .
• Toronto school shut down over COVID-19 as Ontario reports 700 more cases • Former New York Times editor says media has learned nothing in covering Trump voters • Buying food online ?
Farmers are paying to make that possible — and it might put them out of business Canadians must understand that “ substance use disorder is not a choice , but a treatable medical condition , ” they said , with “ underlying drivers ” such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing and employment , and access to health services .
Breakdown of data related to opioid overdose deaths across Canada from 2016 to early 2020 .
Photo PHAC screenshot More than 4,560 suspected overdoses in early 2020 The Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdose , co-chaired by Tam and Russell , published new figures indicating that 16,364 people “ died of an apparent opioid-related overdose in Canada ” between Jan. 1 , 2016 and March 31 , 2020 .
That breaks down to 3,025 people in 2016 , 4,150 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 3,799 people in 2019 , and 1,018 people from January to March 2020 .
During this period , there were also 20,523 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations across Canada , excluding Quebec .
One-third of the 16,364 people who died from # opioid overdoses over a roughly four-year period in Canada were in British Columbia , according to new national data released by @ CPHO_Canada and New Brunswick chief medical officer Dr. Jennifer Russell .
In B.C.
, the committee reported 1,005 deaths in 2016 , 1,524 deaths in 2017 , 1,565 deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 267 deaths from January to March 2020 .
The committee cautioned that figures from B.C .
represented deaths related to all illicit drugs including opioids , but not limited to them .
The BC Coroners Service has counted more than 1,000 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths just this year .
In August , there were 147 in the province , a 71 per cent increase over August 2019 .
The epidemic is claiming victims roughly evenly across most of the working-age population , according to the national data .
People in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as did people in their forties and fifties , while those in their thirties made up more than a quarter .
The committee also compiled emergency medical services data from nine provinces and territories from the first three months of 2020 and found that there were more than 4,560 “ suspected opioid-related overdoses ” during this time .
In the same period , 1,067 people were hospitalized due to opioid-related poisoning .
Since the implementation of COVID-19 public health measures this spring , opioid-related harms have also spiked in several parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This could be attributed to a growing unpredictable and toxic street drug supply , limited access to services available for people who use substances , and feelings of isolation and anxiety , ” said Tam and Russell .
The joint statement did not mention the issue of decriminalization , which was endorsed this summer by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and has been called for by B.C .
Premier John Horgan and B.C .
's top health officer , Dr. Bonnie Henry .
Decriminalization is typically seen as replacing criminal penalties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lesser punishments like fines , while leaving in place other drug-related criminal sanctions for charges like trafficking .
Tam herself has said that “ moving toward a societal discussion on decriminalization ” should be part of the mix of approaches that is deployed , along with increasing access to safer drug supply and putting in place more supervised consumption sites .
In August , the Public Prosecution Service of Canada issued new guidelines for prosecutors to find alternatives for simple possession in most cases that do n't involve other factors , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , has told Canada 's National Observer that the federal government “ is not considering the decriminalization or legalization of illegal drugs at this time.
” After the chiefs of police endorsed the move , Justice Minister David Lametti and Health Minister Patty Hajdu said they “ welcome their endorsement of a holistic approach including harm reduction and diversion ” — but that did not mean they endorsed decriminalization itself .
Pressed on the issue of decriminalization , Hajdu has responded that she doesn ’ t believe there is any “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

One-third of the 16,364 people who died from opioid overdoses over a roughly four-year period in Canada were in British Columbia, according to new national data released Wednesday. The data from a federal-provincial-territorial committee on opioids demonstrates how Western Canada has been hit hard by the barrage of overdoses, with B.C. having a high rate of death per 100,000 population related to illicit drugs, including opioids, compared to other parts of the country from January 2016 to March 2020. Rates have been rising in other regions, such as Ontario, as well. It also shows that 77 per cent of the deaths across Canada involved fentanyl or fentanyl analogues, and 72 per cent involved drugs that were not manufactured by a pharmaceutical company and medically approved for use. Jurisdictions across Canada must identify and take advantage of “life-saving programs,” like safer drug supply, which provides prescription medication instead of toxic street drugs, said Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, in a joint statement released with the figures. Providing people with the support they need to reduce harm is “more important now than ever,” Tam said alongside New Brunswick chief medical health officer Dr. Jennifer Russell.
Canadians must understand that “substance use disorder is not a choice, but a treatable medical condition,” they said, with “underlying drivers” such as mental illness, socioeconomic factors like housing and employment, and access to health services. Breakdown of data related to opioid overdose deaths across Canada from 2016 to early 2020. Photo PHAC screenshot
More than 4,560 suspected overdoses in early 2020 The Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdose, co-chaired by Tam and Russell, published new figures indicating that 16,364 people “died of an apparent opioid-related overdose in Canada” between Jan. 1, 2016 and March 31, 2020. One-third of the 16,364 people who died from #opioid overdoses over a roughly four-year period in Canada were in British Columbia, according to new national data released by @CPHO_Canada and New Brunswick chief medical officer Dr. Jennifer Russell. That breaks down to 3,025 people in 2016, 4,150 people in 2017, 4,372 people in 2018, 3,799 people in 2019, and 1,018 people from January to March 2020. During this period, there were also 20,523 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations across Canada, excluding Quebec. In B.C., the committee reported 1,005 deaths in 2016, 1,524 deaths in 2017, 1,565 deaths in 2018, 1,002 deaths in 2019, and 267 deaths from January to March 2020. The committee cautioned that figures from B.C. represented deaths related to all illicit drugs including opioids, but not limited to them. The BC Coroners Service has counted more than 1,000 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths just this year. In August, there were 147 in the province, a 71 per cent increase over August 2019.
The epidemic is claiming victims roughly evenly across most of the working-age population, according to the national data. People in their twenties represented about a fifth of deaths, as did people in their forties and fifties, while those in their thirties made up more than a quarter. The committee also compiled emergency medical services data from nine provinces and territories from the first three months of 2020 and found that there were more than 4,560 “suspected opioid-related overdoses” during this time. In the same period, 1,067 people were hospitalized due to opioid-related poisoning. Since the implementation of COVID-19 public health measures this spring, opioid-related harms have also spiked in several parts of Canada, the committee found.


nationalobserver--2020-10-02--Greens say fundraising error is less than $10K, Murray camp is not so sure

The Green Party of Canada says the amount of money accidentally deposited with the party rather than Glen Murray 's leadership campaign adds up to less than $ 10,000 .
Murray says he is not yet convinced the damage stops there but credits the party with doing what it can to fix the problem .
He says the damage to his campaign has been done , preventing his team from doing some planned work because it did n't think it had the money .
The party says in a statement today it has forwarded $ 9,630 from 35 donors to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 people to the membership list whose memberships were n't properly approved .
The party says the donations were `` incorrectly processed '' but the situation has now been rectified .
• New data shows extent of opioid crisis across Canada • New benefits for workers hurt by pandemic stalls in Senate • Missing ballots , donations have two Green candidates questioning the race Murray says media coverage of the problem has led to many phone calls from supporters who say they are concerned their donation did n't go through , or did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the leadership race .
He says his campaign team is focused on getting their vote out right now .
Digital voting started last weekend and runs through Saturday , when the winner will be announced at an event in Ottawa .
Murray 's campaign team will meet Sunday to figure out what else has to be done .
`` I 'm not sure at this point we 'll ever get a final number , '' he said Thursday in an interview with The Canadian Press .
Murray said the party reported publicly on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his numbers were incorrect , it `` misrepresented '' the strength of his campaign .
According to the most recently released public figures , Murray had raised $ 62,550 as of Aug. 31 , from 353 donors .
The Green Party of Canada says the amount of money accidentally deposited with the party rather than Glen Murray 's leadership campaign adds up to less than $ 10,000 .
That left him in fourth place for money raised and in sixth place for the number of donors , out of the eight candidates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Annamie Paul led both counts , with $ 186,326 raised from 1,622 donors .
If the problem was limited to $ 9,630 and 35 donors , neither of Murray 's placements on those lists would have changed .
Murray said he is disappointed this happened , and knows it could affect the outcome of the race but he said `` the party is really going out of its way '' to try to fix it .
This is the first Green leadership contest in 14 years .
Former leader Elizabeth May stepped down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on as an MP and the parliamentary leader in the House of Commons .
None of the eight contestants running to succeed her are currently MPs .
Paul is running in the current byelection in Toronto Centre , where she was also a candidate in the 2019 election .

The Green Party of Canada says the amount of money accidentally deposited with the party rather than Glen Murray's leadership campaign adds up to less than $10,000. Murray says he is not yet convinced the damage stops there but credits the party with doing what it can to fix the problem. He says the damage to his campaign has been done, preventing his team from doing some planned work because it didn't think it had the money. The party says in a statement today it has forwarded $9,630 from 35 donors to Murray's campaign, and added under 10 people to the membership list whose memberships weren't properly approved. The party says the donations were "incorrectly processed" but the situation has now been rectified.
Murray says media coverage of the problem has led to many phone calls from supporters who say they are concerned their donation didn't go through, or didn't get a ballot to vote in the leadership race. He says his campaign team is focused on getting their vote out right now. Digital voting started last weekend and runs through Saturday, when the winner will be announced at an event in Ottawa. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Murray's campaign team will meet Sunday to figure out what else has to be done.
"I'm not sure at this point we'll ever get a final number," he said Thursday in an interview with The Canadian Press. The Green Party of Canada says the amount of money accidentally deposited with the party rather than Glen Murray's leadership campaign adds up to less than $10,000. Murray said the party reported publicly on fundraising efforts by the candidates but since his numbers were incorrect, it "misrepresented" the strength of his campaign. According to the most recently released public figures, Murray had raised $62,550 as of Aug. 31, from 353 donors. That left him in fourth place for money raised and in sixth place for the number of donors, out of the eight candidates in the race. Toronto activist and lawyer Annamie Paul led both counts, with $186,326 raised from 1,622 donors.
If the problem was limited to $9,630 and 35 donors, neither of Murray's placements on those lists would have changed. Murray said he is disappointed this happened, and knows it could affect the outcome of the race but he said "the party is really going out of its way" to try to fix it. This is the first Green leadership contest in 14 years. Former leader Elizabeth May stepped down almost a year ago, but stayed on as an MP and the parliamentary leader in the House of Commons.


nationalobserver--2020-10-02--The soil revolution that could save farming and the climate

This story was originally published by HuffPost and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Tropical Storm Isaias downed power lines and trees across the greater New York City area in early August , snapping limbs from the ancient oaks that ring Patty Gentry ’ s small Long Island farm .
Dead branches were still dangling a month later .
But rows of mustard greens were unfurling nearby , and a thicket of green vines reached toward the sun , dotted with tangy orange bulbs .
“ These sungold tomatoes were toast , ” Gentry said , sounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at them .
They ’ re coming back .
It ’ s like spring again.
” Over the past four years , Gentry has transformed two acres of trash-strewn dirt on Long Island ’ s southeast coast into a profitable organic farm by betting big on soil .
Instead of pumping her crops with pesticides and petrochemical fertilizer , Gentry grows vetch , a hardy pea-like plant , and rye to cover the exposed soil between the rows of greens intended for harvest .
She layers the soil with specially mined rock dust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the air .
And in the spring and summer , she uses a system of crop rotation ― shifting around where different crops are planted ― so that one plant ’ s nutrient needs don ’ t drain the soil .
These practices are collectively known as regenerative farming .
• New data shows extent of opioid crisis across Canada • New benefits for workers hurt by pandemic stalls in Senate • Missing ballots , donations have two Green candidates questioning the race Tests of the soil show the organic content is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The result is produce so flavorful that she can ’ t keep up with the number of restaurants and home cooks looking to buy shares .
Gentry ’ s farm is also resilient , one where healthy soil soaks up rainwater like a sponge and replenishes the crops .
She barely missed a delivery after the storm .
At a moment when fires and storms are wreaking havoc from coast to coast , mounting research suggests that practicing the soil techniques Gentry uses on a much wider scale could remove climate-changing gases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bulwark in the fight to maintain a habitable planet .
They ’ re part of a mix of solutions experts say are needed to keep global temperatures from surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages , beyond which projections show catastrophic threats to our coasts , ecosystems , and food and water supplies .
Regenerative practices range from growing trees and reverting croplands to wild prairies , to rotating crops and allowing remnants after harvest to decompose into the ground .
The techniques , already popular with small-scale organic growers , are steadily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the chaotic effects of climate change and financial pressure from agribusiness giants eat away at their businesses .
“ This is about covering the soil , feeding the soil and not disrupting it , ” said Betsy Taylor , the president at Breakthrough Strategies & Solutions , a consultancy that focuses on regenerative agriculture .
“ Those are the basic principles.
” Countries such as France are promoting large-scale government programs to encourage farmers to increase the carbon stored in soil .
Members of Congress have also proposed legislation to push regenerative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states are designing their own policies .
Progressive think tanks call for small shifts in existing U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and beefed-up research funding that could trigger the biggest changes to American farming in almost a century .
Nearly every Democratic presidential candidate pitched paying farmers to trap carbon in soil as a key plank of their climate platform , including nominee Joe Biden .
Joe Biden and other Democrats are backing regenerative farming , which pulls carbon from the atmosphere and restores nutrients to soil .
But is it ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making farmers the recipients of a climate change plan where they get paid to absorb carbon , ” the former vice president said during a CNN town hall last week .
While the benefits to soil and food nutrition are difficult to dispute , there are some critics of the push for regenerative farming .
They argue that its climate advantages are overhyped or unproven , the product of wishful thinking about a politically palatable solution , and that the focus on regenerative farming risks distracting policymakers from more effective , if less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of World War II , federal farming policy started to transform the breadbasket of the Midwest into vast plains of corn , soybeans and grains .
The same principles of mechanized bulk production that turned the United States into a military powerhouse capable of fending off the Japanese and Nazi empires were applied to farming .
Surplus chemicals from weapons manufacturing found new uses eradicating crop-eating insects , and nitrogen plants that once made components for bombs started producing ammonia to feed fields .
Geopolitics only hastened the trend , as widespread Soviet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grain from overseas and the Nixon administration capitalized on the opportunity .
Agriculture Secretary Earl “ Rusty ” Butz , who served under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford , directed farmers to “ plant fence row to fence row , ” and quantity trumped all else .
Farmers took out loans to expand operations , turning “ get big or get out ” into a mantra , as Butz promised that any surplus could be sold overseas .
The damage to farm soil kicked into overdrive as farmers planted the same monoculture crops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fertilizers to make up for the sapped minerals and dead microbes .
The cumulative effect has been twofold .
The U.S. loses top soil at a rate 10 times faster than it ’ s replenished .
And carbon and other gases seep from the plowed , exposed soil into the air , contributing to the emissions rapidly warming the planet and increasing the frequency and severity of destructive droughts and storms .
Less than two weeks after Tropical Storm Isaias made landfall over Gentry ’ s farm , a powerful storm known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ― formed in Iowa , some 1,100 miles west .
The storm destroyed nearly half the state ’ s crop rows .
“ This will ruin us , ” one farmer told a local newspaper .
Another called it a “ catastrophic scenario.
” Losses from extreme weather are only expected to grow in the years ahead .
Even if warming is kept within a 2 degrees Celsius warming scenario , the less ambitious goal spelled out in the Paris climate accords , U.S. corn production will likely suffer an 18 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
For many farmers , the federal crop insurance program has been a lifeline in tumultuous times .
But it also encourages them to plant in harm ’ s way by providing incentives to cultivate every inch of land , including marginal acres prone to flooding , and it promotes monocultures by making it difficult for farmers to insure a variety of crops at once .
In 2014 , the federal Government Accountability Office found that , as a result of the insurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not bear the true cost of their risk of loss due to weather-related events , such as drought — which could affect their farming decisions.
” “ As farmers , we ’ re trying to make rational economic decisions in an irrational system , ” said Matt Russell , a fifth-generation Iowa farmer who promotes regenerative soil practices .
“ We have externalized the pollution so the public pays for those costs and nobody in the supply chain pays for it , while at the same time , when I do something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cost at all.
” Plans to shift federal incentives to favor regenerative farming aim first to loosen big agribusiness ’ s grip on the industry .
The think tank Data for Progress has proposed overhauling the federal crop insurance program to limit the total acreage eligible for coverage , phase out incentives for single-crop planting and create new tax credits designed specifically for family-owned farms , restricting how much corporate giants could benefit from the subsidized insurance .
With that stick would come a carrot : Under Data for Progress ’ plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the USDA ’ s existing conservation programs .
As farmers , we ’ re trying to make rational economic decisions in an irrational system .
The Conservation Stewardship Program already provides farmers with cash payments of up to $ 40,000 per year and technological assistance for steps such as assessing which plots of farming and grazing land should be allowed to go natural .
With an expanded mandate to sequester carbon dioxide , the program might fund a national assessment to determine which areas are best suited for rewilding or carbon farming and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The program paid out $ 1.4 billion last year alone .
Data for Progress proposed that the USDA significantly increase funding for both the program and research , and provide employees in all its conservation programs with training to understand and help regulate regenerative farming practices .
“ There are so many wins in regenerative agriculture , ” said Maggie Thomas , a former climate policy adviser to the presidential campaigns of Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
and Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee ( D ) who serves as political director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You ’ ve got a win for farmers .
You ’ ve got a win for soils and the environment .
You ’ ve got a win for better food .
There ’ s no reason not to do it.
” The hopes for such changes are dim under the Trump administration , which spent its first three years sidelining climate science and spurring an exodus of scientists from the USDA as frustration over political appointees ’ meddling with research grew .
( A five-year proposal the agency released in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the need to address climate change , offering what InsideClimate News called “ hopeful signs.
” ) Maryland already pays farmers $ 45 per acre for fields maintained with cover crops .
Montana state officials collaborated with a nonprofit consortium paying ranchers to adopt sustainable grazing practices that increase carbon storage in the soil .
In January , Vermont proposed a plan to incorporate carbon sequestration by farmers into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative , a cap-and-trade scheme that includes most of the Northeast states .
In March , Minnesota officials gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat climate change .
In June , Colorado solicited input for a state-level soil health program aimed at “ advancing climate resilience.
” Investors see potential profit in the shift to regenerative agriculture .
In January , the Seattle startup Nori was able to raise $ 1.3 million to fund its platform using blockchain technology to pay farmers to remove carbon from the atmosphere .
And Boston-based Indigo Ag , a similar startup , announced in June that it had brought in another $ 300 million from investors , becoming the world ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3.5 billion .
But some fear these platforms offer dubious benefits , particularly since the credits generated by the farmers ’ stored carbon could be bought by industrial giants that would rather offset their own pollution than eliminate it .
“ It ’ s right to be skeptical of these companies , ” said Mackenzie Feldman , a fellow at Data for Progress and lead author on its regenerative farming proposal .
“ It has to be the government doing this , and it can be through mechanisms that already exist , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Benefits Being Oversold ?
But not everyone is jumping on the regenerative farming bandwagon .
In May , a group of researchers at the World Resources Institute ( WRI ) offered a skeptical take , arguing “ that the practices grouped as regenerative agriculture can improve soil health and yield some valuable environmental benefits , but are unlikely to achieve large-scale emissions reductions.
” “ No-till ” farming ― a seeding practice that requires growers to inject seeds into fields without disturbing the soil , which became popular with environmentalists several years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits because farmers inevitably plow their fields after a few years , WRI argued , pointing to a 2014 study in the journal Nature Climate Change .
And cover crops can be costly to plant and difficult to propagate in the weeks between a fall harvest and the winter months , WRI said , highlighting the findings of an Iowa State University study .
The group also cast doubt over the methods used to account for carbon added to soil .
In June , seven of the world ’ s leading soil scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims , which they said drew too narrow conclusions and failed to see the potential of combining multiple regenerative practices .
WRI researcher Tim Searchinger renewed the debate last month with his own response to the response , accusing the critics of his critique of relying on misleading information from a 2007 United Nations report to inflate the potential for capturing carbon in soil at large scale .
“ The realistic ability to sequester additional carbon in working agricultural soils is limited , ” he wrote .
“ Because what causes carbon to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , further research is needed , and our views may change as new science emerges.
” Some of the latest science sheds light on one aspect of regenerative farming that didn ’ t factor into the recent debate at all .
In July , a major new study published in the journal Nature found that spreading rock dust on soil at maximum scale in the world ’ s three largest carbon emitters ― China , the United States and India ― could collectively remove up to 2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process , known as “ enhanced rock weathering , ” occurs when minerals in the rock dust react with carbon in rainwater and turn into bicarbonate ions .
Those ions are eventually washed into the oceans , where they ’ re stored indefinitely as rock minerals .
“ The more we looked into it , the more it seemed like a no-brainer , ” said David Beerling , a soil researcher at the U.K. ’ s University of Sheffield and the lead author of the study .
That ’ s a leap Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Vermont farmer and quarryman realized in the 1980s that mineral-rich dust from basalt and shale quarries could replenish nutrients in soil without using synthetic fertilizers , which would appeal to his state ’ s organic farmers .
But as he studied climate change , he also concluded that his product could help pull carbon from the atmosphere .
“ You can ’ t do what modern farming has done for years , where you kill everything and expect to grow life , ” Vanacore said , standing before a pile of black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vermont .
For farmers looking to make the shift to regenerative practices , “ rock dust is the jumpstart , ” he said .
This month , he delivered his largest shipment to date to an industrial farm supplier in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan .
Vanacore said he expects to ship another 245 rail cars full of rock dust over the northern border in the next 12 months .
His customers swear by the stuff ― including Gentry , who started buying bags of his brix-blend basalt when she first started her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gentry doubts that her soil would be as fertile as it is today .
Her embrace of pioneering techniques is reflected in the name of her plot : Early Girl Farm .

Over the past four years, Gentry has transformed two acres of trash-strewn dirt on Long Island’s southeast coast into a profitable organic farm by betting big on soil. Instead of pumping her crops with pesticides and petrochemical fertilizer, Gentry grows vetch, a hardy pea-like plant, and rye to cover the exposed soil between the rows of greens intended for harvest. She layers the soil with specially mined rock dust that replenishes minerals and pulls carbon from the air. And in the spring and summer, she uses a system of crop rotation ― shifting around where different crops are planted ― so that one plant’s nutrient needs don’t drain the soil. These practices are collectively known as regenerative farming.
“These sungold tomatoes were toast,” Gentry said, sounding almost astonished. “But now look at them. They’re coming back. It’s like spring again.”
Dead branches were still dangling a month later. But rows of mustard greens were unfurling nearby, and a thicket of green vines reached toward the sun, dotted with tangy orange bulbs.
Tropical Storm Isaias downed power lines and trees across the greater New York City area in early August, snapping limbs from the ancient oaks that ring Patty Gentry’s small Long Island farm.
This story was originally published by HuffPost and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration
At a moment when fires and storms are wreaking havoc from coast to coast, mounting research suggests that practicing the soil techniques Gentry uses on a much wider scale could remove climate-changing gases from the atmosphere and provide a vital bulwark in the fight to maintain a habitable planet. They’re part of a mix of solutions experts say are needed to keep global temperatures from surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages, beyond which projections show catastrophic threats to our coasts, ecosystems, and food and water supplies.
Gentry’s farm is also resilient, one where healthy soil soaks up rainwater like a sponge and replenishes the crops. She barely missed a delivery after the storm.
Tests of the soil show the organic content is now seven times higher than when she began. The result is produce so flavorful that she can’t keep up with the number of restaurants and home cooks looking to buy shares.
While the benefits to soil and food nutrition are difficult to dispute, there are some critics of the push for regenerative farming. They argue that its climate advantages are overhyped or unproven, the product of wishful thinking about a politically palatable solution, and that the focus on regenerative farming risks distracting policymakers from more effective, if less exciting, strategies.
“We should be making farmers the recipients of a climate change plan where they get paid to absorb carbon,” the former vice president said during a CNN town hall last week.
Countries such as France are promoting large-scale government programs to encourage farmers to increase the carbon stored in soil. Members of Congress have also proposed legislation to push regenerative farming in the U.S., and several states are designing their own policies. Progressive think tanks call for small shifts in existing U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and beefed-up research funding that could trigger the biggest changes to American farming in almost a century. Nearly every Democratic presidential candidate pitched paying farmers to trap carbon in soil as a key plank of their climate platform, including nominee Joe Biden.
“This is about covering the soil, feeding the soil and not disrupting it,” said Betsy Taylor, the president at Breakthrough Strategies & Solutions, a consultancy that focuses on regenerative agriculture. “Those are the basic principles.”
Regenerative practices range from growing trees and reverting croplands to wild prairies, to rotating crops and allowing remnants after harvest to decompose into the ground. The techniques, already popular with small-scale organic growers, are steadily gaining traction among big farms and ranches as the chaotic effects of climate change and financial pressure from agribusiness giants eat away at their businesses.
Geopolitics only hastened the trend, as widespread Soviet crop failures forced Russian officials to buy grain from overseas and the Nixon administration capitalized on the opportunity. Agriculture Secretary Earl “Rusty” Butz, who served under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, directed farmers to “plant fence row to fence row,” and quantity trumped all else. Farmers took out loans to expand operations, turning “get big or get out” into a mantra, as Butz promised that any surplus could be sold overseas.
At the end of World War II, federal farming policy started to transform the breadbasket of the Midwest into vast plains of corn, soybeans and grains. The same principles of mechanized bulk production that turned the United States into a military powerhouse capable of fending off the Japanese and Nazi empires were applied to farming. Surplus chemicals from weapons manufacturing found new uses eradicating crop-eating insects, and nitrogen plants that once made components for bombs started producing ammonia to feed fields.
The damage to farm soil kicked into overdrive as farmers planted the same monoculture crops year after year and added more chemical fertilizers to make up for the sapped minerals and dead microbes. The cumulative effect has been twofold. The U.S. loses top soil at a rate 10 times faster than it’s replenished. And carbon and other gases seep from the plowed, exposed soil into the air, contributing to the emissions rapidly warming the planet and increasing the frequency and severity of destructive droughts and storms.
Less than two weeks after Tropical Storm Isaias made landfall over Gentry’s farm, a powerful storm known as a derecho ― or “inland hurricane” ― formed in Iowa, some 1,100 miles west. The storm destroyed nearly half the state’s crop rows. “This will ruin us,” one farmer told a local newspaper. Another called it a “catastrophic scenario.”
Losses from extreme weather are only expected to grow in the years ahead. Even if warming is kept within a 2 degrees Celsius warming scenario, the less ambitious goal spelled out in the Paris climate accords, U.S. corn production will likely suffer an 18% hit, according to a 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
For many farmers, the federal crop insurance program has been a lifeline in tumultuous times. But it also encourages them to plant in harm’s way by providing incentives to cultivate every inch of land, including marginal acres prone to flooding, and it promotes monocultures by making it difficult for farmers to insure a variety of crops at once. In 2014, the federal Government Accountability Office found that, as a result of the insurance program’s policies, farmers “do not bear the true cost of their risk of loss due to weather-related events, such as drought — which could affect their farming decisions.”
“As farmers, we’re trying to make rational economic decisions in an irrational system,” said Matt Russell, a fifth-generation Iowa farmer who promotes regenerative soil practices. “We have externalized the pollution so the public pays for those costs and nobody in the supply chain pays for it, while at the same time, when I do something good, I can’t externalize the cost at all.”
‘You’ve Got A Win’
Plans to shift federal incentives to favor regenerative farming aim first to loosen big agribusiness’s grip on the industry.
The think tank Data for Progress has proposed overhauling the federal crop insurance program to limit the total acreage eligible for coverage, phase out incentives for single-crop planting and create new tax credits designed specifically for family-owned farms, restricting how much corporate giants could benefit from the subsidized insurance.
With that stick would come a carrot: Under Data for Progress’ plan, Congress would increase the budget for the USDA’s existing conservation programs.
As farmers, we’re trying to make rational economic decisions in an irrational system.
Matt Russell, a fifth-generation Iowa farmer
The Conservation Stewardship Program already provides farmers with cash payments of up to $40,000 per year and technological assistance for steps such as assessing which plots of farming and grazing land should be allowed to go natural. With an expanded mandate to sequester carbon dioxide, the program might fund a national assessment to determine which areas are best suited for rewilding or carbon farming and compensate farmers directly to do that.
The program paid out $1.4 billion last year alone. Data for Progress proposed that the USDA significantly increase funding for both the program and research, and provide employees in all its conservation programs with training to understand and help regulate regenerative farming practices.
“There are so many wins in regenerative agriculture,” said Maggie Thomas, a former climate policy adviser to the presidential campaigns of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) who serves as political director of the progressive climate group Evergreen Action. “You’ve got a win for farmers. You’ve got a win for soils and the environment. You’ve got a win for better food. There’s no reason not to do it.”
The hopes for such changes are dim under the Trump administration, which spent its first three years sidelining climate science and spurring an exodus of scientists from the USDA as frustration over political appointees’ meddling with research grew. (A five-year proposal the agency released in February did seem to show a growing acceptance of the need to address climate change, offering what InsideClimate News called “hopeful signs.”)
Maryland already pays farmers $45 per acre for fields maintained with cover crops. Montana state officials collaborated with a nonprofit consortium paying ranchers to adopt sustainable grazing practices that increase carbon storage in the soil.
In January, Vermont proposed a plan to incorporate carbon sequestration by farmers into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade scheme that includes most of the Northeast states. In March, Minnesota officials gathered for a summit on using soil to combat climate change. In June, Colorado solicited input for a state-level soil health program aimed at “advancing climate resilience.”
Investors see potential profit in the shift to regenerative agriculture. In January, the Seattle startup Nori was able to raise $1.3 million to fund its platform using blockchain technology to pay farmers to remove carbon from the atmosphere. And Boston-based Indigo Ag, a similar startup, announced in June that it had brought in another $300 million from investors, becoming the world’s highest-valued ag-tech firm at an estimated $3.5 billion.
But some fear these platforms offer dubious benefits, particularly since the credits generated by the farmers’ stored carbon could be bought by industrial giants that would rather offset their own pollution than eliminate it.
“It’s right to be skeptical of these companies,” said Mackenzie Feldman, a fellow at Data for Progress and lead author on its regenerative farming proposal. “It has to be the government doing this, and it can be through mechanisms that already exist, like the Conservation Stewardship Program.”
Are The Benefits Being Oversold?
But not everyone is jumping on the regenerative farming bandwagon. In May, a group of researchers at the World Resources Institute (WRI) offered a skeptical take, arguing “that the practices grouped as regenerative agriculture can improve soil health and yield some valuable environmental benefits, but are unlikely to achieve large-scale emissions reductions.”
“No-till” farming ― a seeding practice that requires growers to inject seeds into fields without disturbing the soil, which became popular with environmentalists several years ago ― has had only limited carbon benefits because farmers inevitably plow their fields after a few years, WRI argued, pointing to a 2014 study in the journal Nature Climate Change.
And cover crops can be costly to plant and difficult to propagate in the weeks between a fall harvest and the winter months, WRI said, highlighting the findings of an Iowa State University study. The group also cast doubt over the methods used to account for carbon added to soil.
In June, seven of the world’s leading soil scientists published a response to WRI’s claims, which they said drew too narrow conclusions and failed to see the potential of combining multiple regenerative practices.
WRI researcher Tim Searchinger renewed the debate last month with his own response to the response, accusing the critics of his critique of relying on misleading information from a 2007 United Nations report to inflate the potential for capturing carbon in soil at large scale.
“The realistic ability to sequester additional carbon in working agricultural soils is limited,” he wrote. “Because what causes carbon to remain in soils is not well understood, further research is needed, and our views may change as new science emerges.”
Rock You In A Hurricane
Some of the latest science sheds light on one aspect of regenerative farming that didn’t factor into the recent debate at all. In July, a major new study published in the journal Nature found that spreading rock dust on soil at maximum scale in the world’s three largest carbon emitters ― China, the United States and India ― could collectively remove up to 2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air per year.
The process, known as “enhanced rock weathering,” occurs when minerals in the rock dust react with carbon in rainwater and turn into bicarbonate ions. Those ions are eventually washed into the oceans, where they’re stored indefinitely as rock minerals.
“The more we looked into it, the more it seemed like a no-brainer,” said David Beerling, a soil researcher at the U.K.’s University of Sheffield and the lead author of the study.
That’s a leap Thomas Vanacore took nearly four decades ago. The Vermont farmer and quarryman realized in the 1980s that mineral-rich dust from basalt and shale quarries could replenish nutrients in soil without using synthetic fertilizers, which would appeal to his state’s organic farmers. But as he studied climate change, he also concluded that his product could help pull carbon from the atmosphere.
“You can’t do what modern farming has done for years, where you kill everything and expect to grow life,” Vanacore said, standing before a pile of black shale at a quarry in Shoreham, Vermont. For farmers looking to make the shift to regenerative practices, “rock dust is the jumpstart,” he said.
This month, he delivered his largest shipment to date to an industrial farm supplier in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Vanacore said he expects to ship another 245 rail cars full of rock dust over the northern border in the next 12 months.
His customers swear by the stuff ― including Gentry, who started buying bags of his brix-blend basalt when she first started her farm. Without the rock dust, Gentry doubts that her soil would be as fertile as it is today. Her embrace of pioneering techniques is reflected in the name of her plot: Early Girl Farm.