nationalobserver--2020-10-15--Straitwatch: Your friendly neighbourhood whale police

A putrid stink wafts across the water and engulfs the Straitwatch vessel floating off the southern end of Quadra Island .
The Zodiac ’ s operator , Alex Forman , wrinkles his nose at the odour that hangs in the air , strongly reminiscent of fermented garbage .
The organization ’ s Straitwatch teams monitor vessel traffic around all whales — but particularly the endangered southern resident killer whales — and intercede if boaters don ’ t respect the federal distance regulations .
The crews patrol waters that are considered whale hot spots , and where vessel traffic is heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Island and the B.C .
mainland , meet those parameters , Straitwatch crewmember Alix Shuparski says .
Straitwatch , a Quadra-based team , is one of several in B.C .
waters run by Cetus Research and Conservation Society , an organization that protects whales through research , education and direct intervention .
@ CetusSociety # whales # orcas # humpbacks Humpback numbers off northeast Vancouver Island have risen sharply over the past two decades after nearly being wiped out by whaling before the practice was banned in the mid-1960s , she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but there has been a corresponding increase in human-caused negative impacts on the whales .
Humpbacks are particularly prone to deadly vessel strikes since the slower-moving whales don ’ t have highly visible dorsal fins and spend a greater amount of time sitting immobile , or “ logging , ” at the water ’ s surface , Shuparski says .
Plus , being baleen whales , humpbacks don ’ t use echolocation to “ visualize ” boats like some other whales , so they can surface in front of boats unexpectedly .
Humpbacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marine mammals , also risk entanglement and death from ghost gear — lost , damaged or discarded fishing equipment .
This summer , the Quadra Straitwatch assisted Fisheries and Oceans Canada in its attempts to free two whales tangled in gear in the waters off Quadra , Shuparski says .
Many humpbacks bear telltale scars from ghost gear or vessel strikes , she says .
In fact , of the two humpbacks being monitored by Straitwatch , named Diamond and Raza , the second is easily identifiable by the deep notches across its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propeller , Shuparski adds .
Preventing such injuries to whales is one reason the Straitwatch boat is out on the water , she says .
The team members playfully describe themselves as “ whale babysitters ” or “ whale police.
” “ Because that ’ s pretty much what we do , ” Shuparski says with a laugh .
The crews educate boaters about the risks their vessels pose to whales and share the Be Whale Wise guidelines .
The guidelines call for boaters to slow down within range of the marine mammals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killer whales in southern B.C .
waters and keep a 200-metre distance in other areas of the Pacific Coast .
Additional federal regulations call for a 200-metre distance for all other whales resting in the water or accompanied by calves .
Though the Straitwatch crew doesn ’ t have any enforcement powers , it will directly intervene to establish a safe perimeter around whales or stop disruptions to the marine mammals , Shuparski says .
At one point , a recreational boat blows past the Straitwatch vessel and two nearby whale-watching boats that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the humpbacks .
The boat races towards Diamond and Raza , and the operator only kills the engine once they are nearly on top of the whales .
The Straitwatch team exchanges knowing looks .
“ Should we put on the lights and siren ?
” Forman asks .
As soon as the whales cruise off to a safe distance , the team motors over to speak with the offending boaters .
The smell of pot drifts off the vessel , carrying occupants who are clearly entranced by the sight of the whales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of the Whale Wise guidelines , the boaters are affable , saying they think they have to stay 30 metres away from the whales .
Shuparski outlines the actual regulations for the boaters .
The driver nods , thanks her and then guns the motor , speeding off again despite the fact the whales have dived and it ’ s not entirely clear where they will surface .
Straitwatch records data on violations , vessel and whale interactions and behaviours , she says .
The information is useful to determine what types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to better protect whales , she adds .
It ’ s late afternoon and dark rain clouds begin to bundle up in the sky over Discovery Passage , the narrow channel between Vancouver Island and Quadra .
The Straitwatch team considers heading home as boat traffic begins to die down .
But suddenly a call on the radio advises a pod of killer whales is transiting the passage .
The crew heads off to find them .
The whales are sighted in the middle of the busy shipping lane near the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Straitwatch boat towards the whales , he notices a large commercial vessel speeding up the centre of the passage from behind .
He angles his Zodiac , adorned with a whale watch flag , to carefully intersect with the approaching boat to draw its attention to the whales , slow it down and gently nudge the vessel away from the orcas ’ path .
“ It ’ s a nice passive way to slow them down , ” Forman says .
The tactic has the desired effect .
The large aluminum boat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it steers into Campbell River .
The crew identifies the pod as the T90s — a Biggs ( transient ) orca family that travels the entire Nortwest Coast in search of its prey , other marine mammals such as seals and sea lions .
Though still at risk , the Biggs killer whales aren ’ t as threatened as the southern resident whales that only consume chinook salmon , Shuparski says .
However all killer whales are sensitive to pollution , boat noise and vessel disturbance , she adds .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit some of the things threatening killer whales , ” Shuparski says .
“ But limiting boat traffic is something we can change pretty easily.
” The Straitwatch crew escorts the T90s for the next hour or so as they make their way south .
Biggs killer whale T90 pod head out into the Georgia Strait .
Image captured with long lens according to Whale Wise guidelines .
Photo : Alix Shuparski .
Eventually , as the pod passes Mitlenatch Island into the open waters of the Georgia Strait , the crew opts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They should be alright now , ” Forman says .
The rest of the team agrees as he points the vessel northwards , just as the sky opens up and sheets of rain begin to fall .

The whales — which have been lolling around the Wilby Shoals for much of the day — have just flipped their flukes skyward and disappeared beneath the grey waters off eastern Vancouver Island, likely for the next 15 minutes.
The three-person Straitwatch team has been monitoring two humpback whales during the last weekend of operation before wrapping up for the winter.
The Zodiac’s operator, Alex Forman, wrinkles his nose at the odour that hangs in the air, strongly reminiscent of fermented garbage.
A putrid stink wafts across the water and engulfs the Straitwatch vessel floating off the southern end of Quadra Island.
The Quadra-based team is one of several in B.C. waters run by Cetus Research and Conservation Society , an organization that protects whales through research, education and direct intervention.
That’s good news overall, but there has been a corresponding increase in human-caused negative impacts on the whales.
Humpback numbers off northeast Vancouver Island have risen sharply over the past two decades after nearly being wiped out by whaling before the practice was banned in the mid-1960s, she says.
The Discovery Islands, between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland, meet those parameters, Straitwatch crewmember Alix Shuparski says.
The crews patrol waters that are considered whale hot spots, and where vessel traffic is heavy.
The organization’s Straitwatch teams monitor vessel traffic around all whales — but particularly the endangered southern resident killer whales — and intercede if boaters don’t respect the federal distance regulations.
Humpbacks, along with a host of other marine mammals, also risk entanglement and death from ghost gear — lost, damaged or discarded fishing equipment.
Plus, being baleen whales, humpbacks don’t use echolocation to “visualize” boats like some other whales, so they can surface in front of boats unexpectedly.
Humpbacks are particularly prone to deadly vessel strikes since the slower-moving whales don’t have highly visible dorsal fins and spend a greater amount of time sitting immobile, or “logging,” at the water’s surface, Shuparski says.
This summer, the Quadra Straitwatch assisted Fisheries and Oceans Canada in its attempts to free two whales tangled in gear in the waters off Quadra, Shuparski says.
Many humpbacks bear telltale scars from ghost gear or vessel strikes, she says.
In fact, of the two humpbacks being monitored by Straitwatch, named Diamond and Raza, the second is easily identifiable by the deep notches across its back, former wounds from a boat propeller, Shuparski adds.
Preventing such injuries to whales is one reason the Straitwatch boat is out on the water, she says.
The team members playfully describe themselves as “whale babysitters” or “whale police.”
“Because that’s pretty much what we do,” Shuparski says with a laugh.
The crews educate boaters about the risks their vessels pose to whales and share the Be Whale Wise guidelines.
The guidelines call for boaters to slow down within range of the marine mammals, stay 400 metres away from all killer whales in southern B.C. waters and keep a 200-metre distance in other areas of the Pacific Coast.
Additional federal regulations call for a 200-metre distance for all other whales resting in the water or accompanied by calves.
Though the Straitwatch crew doesn’t have any enforcement powers, it will directly intervene to establish a safe perimeter around whales or stop disruptions to the marine mammals, Shuparski says.
At one point, a recreational boat blows past the Straitwatch vessel and two nearby whale-watching boats that are maintaining the required distance away from the humpbacks.
The boat races towards Diamond and Raza, and the operator only kills the engine once they are nearly on top of the whales. The Straitwatch team exchanges knowing looks.
“Should we put on the lights and siren?” Forman asks.
“Yup, whale police coming in,” responds Shuparski.
As soon as the whales cruise off to a safe distance, the team motors over to speak with the offending boaters.
The smell of pot drifts off the vessel, carrying occupants who are clearly entranced by the sight of the whales.
When asked if they’re aware of the Whale Wise guidelines, the boaters are affable, saying they think they have to stay 30 metres away from the whales.
Shuparski outlines the actual regulations for the boaters.
The driver nods, thanks her and then guns the motor, speeding off again despite the fact the whales have dived and it’s not entirely clear where they will surface.
Shuparski shakes her head.
Straitwatch records data on violations, vessel and whale interactions and behaviours, she says.
The information is useful to determine what types of education or policy changes might be needed to better protect whales, she adds.
It’s late afternoon and dark rain clouds begin to bundle up in the sky over Discovery Passage, the narrow channel between Vancouver Island and Quadra.
The Straitwatch team considers heading home as boat traffic begins to die down.
But suddenly a call on the radio advises a pod of killer whales is transiting the passage.
The crew heads off to find them. The whales are sighted in the middle of the busy shipping lane near the city of Campbell River.
As Forman pilots the Straitwatch boat towards the whales, he notices a large commercial vessel speeding up the centre of the passage from behind.
He angles his Zodiac, adorned with a whale watch flag, to carefully intersect with the approaching boat to draw its attention to the whales, slow it down and gently nudge the vessel away from the orcas’ path.
“It’s a nice passive way to slow them down,” Forman says.
The tactic has the desired effect. The large aluminum boat circumvents the killer whales and slows dramatically as it steers into Campbell River.
The crew identifies the pod as the T90s — a Biggs (transient) orca family that travels the entire Nortwest Coast in search of its prey, other marine mammals such as seals and sea lions.
Though still at risk, the Biggs killer whales aren’t as threatened as the southern resident whales that only consume chinook salmon, Shuparski says.
However all killer whales are sensitive to pollution, boat noise and vessel disturbance, she adds.
“We can’t do much to immediately limit some of the things threatening killer whales,” Shuparski says. “But limiting boat traffic is something we can change pretty easily.”
The Straitwatch crew escorts the T90s for the next hour or so as they make their way south.
Biggs killer whale T90 pod head out into the Georgia Strait. Image captured with long lens according to Whale Wise guidelines. Photo: Alix Shuparski.
Eventually, as the pod passes Mitlenatch Island into the open waters of the Georgia Strait, the crew opts to head home to Quadra.
“They should be alright now,” Forman says.
The rest of the team agrees as he points the vessel northwards, just as the sky opens up and sheets of rain begin to fall.
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer


nationalobserver--2020-10-15--Why some environmentalists are turning away from the BC NDP

On Sept. 18 , after a week of choking on smoke from U.S. climate fires , Vancouver recorded the worst air quality of any major city in the world .
Three days later , B.C .
Premier John Horgan , riding high in the polls from his NDP government 's adroit handling of the COVID-19 crisis , announced an early election , mentioning “ climate ” just once , briefly .
In 2019 , the Globe and Mail opined that the NDP had done little to alter the previous Liberal government 's environmental path .
That may overstate the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst outcome for a future that is both socially just and environmentally sustainable .
Yes , the Liberals introduced North America 's first carbon tax in 2008 , the product of then-premier Gordon Campbell 's ever-shifting enthusiasms , but it was modest in scale and not a springboard for further climate action .
More typically , Liberal policy cut back environmental protections and promoted export-oriented , carbon-heavy industrial mega-projects like the Site C dam and fracking-based LNG .
As for social justice , as former Liberal cabinet minister George Abbott has just revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right after the 2001 election decimated social services for the most vulnerable and helped kindle the current opioid crisis .
In opposition , the NDP criticized tax breaks for LNG and then promised to use “ every tool in the toolbox ” to stop the Trans Mountain pipeline from the Albertan bitumen sands .
In 2017 , the NDP formed a working alliance with the BC Greens and released the CleanBC strategy , with the most ambitious climate action plan of any Canadian province ( admittedly an easy bar to jump ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ infecting Canada .
What should we do about it ?
• Canadian Andrew S. Wright 's `` Price of Oil '' shortlisted for international Wildlife Photographer of the Year award • New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada So you 'd think that for voters who want no return to the BC Liberals ' corporate-oriented politics , voting NDP would be a no-brainer , especially since BC Green votes do n't translate into many seats in our antiquated first-past-the-post electoral system .
But it 's not so simple .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice , and it 's not just young people or those working at NGOs .
The Narwhal 's comparison of the NDP 's 2017 campaign promises with its performance in office helps explain why .
It 's , at best , a mixed record .
There has been modest progress on banning fish farms from wild salmon migration routes and updating environmental assessment legislation .
Grizzly bear trophy hunting has been banned , and big corporate and union donations removed from politics .
But the government has not yet passed promised legislation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the weak followup to the 2014 Mount Polley copper mine disaster and the mostly business-as-usual management of old-growth forests ( chop , chop , export ) .
The latest news ?
Approval for turning parts of an old-growth forest near Prince George into wood pellets for overseas biofuel markets — nobody 's idea of renewable energy !
Out of the B.C .
provincial election may come a greener , younger , more climate-savvy legislative body .
It 's a long shot , but better than none at all , writes Robert Hackett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights of Indigenous Peoples into B.C .
legislation was courageous , although B.C .
government collusion in the militarized RCMP invasion to ram a pipeline through Wet'suwet'en territories shows that colonialism is far from dead .
It 's the interlinked energy and climate files where public policy has the greatest impact on how B.C .
deals with the unfolding climate catastrophe , one that will make COVID-19 look like a summer cold .
The anti-pipeline “ toolbox ” came down to a single long-shot reference case on jurisdiction over bitumen transport , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off his desk .
The government opted not to subject Trans Mountain to a “ made in B.C.
” environmental assessment , even though a Supreme Court decision authorized it to do so in 2016 .
However reluctantly , Horgan green-lighted the Site C dam , an expensive legacy from the previous Liberal government .
Site C 's core purpose , argues policy analyst Ben Parfitt , is to provide electricity for the LNG industry , the pipe dream of former Liberal premier Christy Clark .
But the Horgan government has offered even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never mind the environmental impacts of fracking and the dubious long-term benefits to B.C .
's economy .
The government-appointed scientific review panel indicated a “ profound absence of knowledge ” about relevant impacts , but the NDP leadership accepted the Liberals ' branding of LNG as a “ bridge fuel ” to a lower emissions future — a notion that recent scientific evidence on methane emissions from fracking has further undermined .
And the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers quietly helped ensure that public health impacts were beyond the panel 's mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report , Horgan has increased subsidies to fossil fuel industries by 79 per cent over the B.C .
Liberal government 's level , the province 's $ 1 billion being second only to Alberta in generosity extended to corporate polluters .
The current NDP program makes no mention of fossil fuel subsidies — promising only to review oil and natural gas royalty credits .
What about investment in renewable energy ?
According to the Narwhal 's overview , faced with a glut of energy in B.C.
, the government has “ shut the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solar projects and has not renewed contracts with independent , small-scale green and clean power projects .
So , the CleanBC climate action plan has praiseworthy goals , including reducing B.C .
's greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 ( from 2007 levels ) and 80 per cent by 2050 .
But as Seth Klein points out in A Good War , those targets are not backed by budgetary allocations , are not actually being met and , unfortunately , are inadequate in light of the latest science .
Above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the targets impossible to meet without devastating the rest of the economy .
Overall , this pattern is what Klein calls the “ new climate denialism ” — verbally accepting climate scientists ' warnings while avoiding the public policy implications .
There are some creditable initiatives , but they amount to using buckets to douse a forest fire .
Where is the COVID-level sense of urgency ?
The apparent strategy : Pick low-hanging fruit to dangle before soft green voters , but do n't tread on the toes of corporate carbon capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just and sustainable economy .
What accounts for this pattern ?
Climate action is difficult for any government because of the long time range , disruptive changes and indirect benefits .
But B.C .
governments face the additional challenge of the disproportionate power of the petrobloc — major fossil fuel corporations and their allies in finance , the media , the government bureaucracy and elsewhere .
They can withhold investment , hold hostage whole communities currently dependent on resource extraction jobs ( no matter how temporary and unequally distributed ) and constantly lobby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average of 14 contacts per workday , according to a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives study ) .
Policy elites ' acceptance of neo-liberalism , the ideology of free-market fundamentalism , since the 1980s is another factor .
In Canada , neo-liberalism comes marinated in oil and a wilful blindness to the dependence of fossil fuel industries on massive public subsidies .
Except for the much-slandered Jeremy Corbyn , former leader of Britain 's Labour Party , social democratic parties like the NDP have generally offered little robust resistance or few systemic alternatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ democrats have internalized the inaccurate neo-liberal dogma that only the private sector can lead growth and create real jobs .
For its part , the civil society environmental movement has attracted thousands of young people , but it has not yet built a broad coalition , which must include a swath of working people and their unions needed to offset the petrobloc 's power .
The BC NDP itself has both “ green ” and “ brown ” ( resource extractivist ) wings .
Today , the “ browns ” are in charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cabinet ministers and party insiders who are bullish on extractivist overdevelopment .
Yet for all that , the NDP is a big tent that brings together diverse progressive British Columbians , including labour , ecological and Indigenous activists .
It has been more willing than other parties to use public policy to offset market failures — and climate change is the biggest ever .
( Disclosure : I have been a member for much of the past 49 years . )
Given the will , how could the BC NDP leadership restore its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ C , given massive cost overruns and recently discovered geological hazards .
Similarly , it could suspend support for LNG fracking pending a public health review , proper answers to the questions raised by the earlier scientific review and a reconsideration of its economic prospects .
It could give substance to CleanBC by translating its greenhouse gas reduction goals into budgetary allocations and legally binding benchmarks along the way .
As part of a post-COVID recovery , the government could expand investment in green jobs that use the skills of construction and trades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are involved in planning for the transition to a sustainable economy .
Part of the reason for the snap election might be the “ brown ” New Democrats ' wish to govern without the BC Greens constraining their extractivist ambitions .
Former critics of extractivism too often change their tune or fall silent once they become candidates or MLAs .
An emerging generation of leaders who really get the climate emergency could help change that , backed by a grassroots membership demanding a greater say in making policy .
Amongst members who do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fodder , and even amongst the heavily whipped caucus , there may be a critical mass of discontent with the party 's “ command and control ” governance — including bureaucratic obstacles to horizontal communication between riding associations , and to members in some ridings who were blocked from challenging “ establishment ” favourites for nominations .
Finally , what are the options for the 30 per cent of B.C .
voters who see climate change and environment as one of their top three issues but who do n't want a return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an NDP landslide , so they may feel freer than in previous elections to vote for a candidate they like , rather than against a party they fear .
Progressive advocacy group Dogwood BC is encouraging voters to press candidates for a public commitment to end fossil fuel subsidies , even if it means standing against their own party .
Out of that process may come a greener , younger , more climate-savvy legislative body .
It 's a long shot , but better than none at all .
And it 's no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movements in civil society .

On Sept. 18, after a week of choking on smoke from U.S. climate fires, Vancouver recorded the worst air quality of any major city in the world. Three days later, B.C. Premier John Horgan, riding high in the polls from his NDP government's adroit handling of the COVID-19 crisis, announced an early election, mentioning “climate” just once, briefly. In 2019, the Globe and Mail opined that the NDP had done little to alter the previous Liberal government's environmental path. That may overstate the case. A Liberal victory would be the worst outcome for a future that is both socially just and environmentally sustainable. Yes, the Liberals introduced North America's first carbon tax in 2008, the product of then-premier Gordon Campbell's ever-shifting enthusiasms, but it was modest in scale and not a springboard for further climate action. More typically, Liberal policy cut back environmental protections and promoted export-oriented, carbon-heavy industrial mega-projects like the Site C dam and fracking-based LNG. As for social justice, as former Liberal cabinet minister George Abbott has just revealed, Campbell's ideologically driven tax cuts right after the 2001 election decimated social services for the most vulnerable and helped kindle the current opioid crisis. In opposition, the NDP criticized tax breaks for LNG and then promised to use “every tool in the toolbox” to stop the Trans Mountain pipeline from the Albertan bitumen sands. In 2017, the NDP formed a working alliance with the BC Greens and released the CleanBC strategy, with the most ambitious climate action plan of any Canadian province (admittedly an easy bar to jump).
So you'd think that for voters who want no return to the BC Liberals' corporate-oriented politics, voting NDP would be a no-brainer, especially since BC Green votes don't translate into many seats in our antiquated first-past-the-post electoral system. But it's not so simple. Many previous pro-environment NDP voters are thinking twice, and it's not just young people or those working at NGOs. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The Narwhal's comparison of the NDP's 2017 campaign promises with its performance in office helps explain why.
It's, at best, a mixed record. Out of the B.C. provincial election may come a greener, younger, more climate-savvy legislative body. It's a long shot, but better than none at all, writes Robert Hackett. There has been modest progress on banning fish farms from wild salmon migration routes and updating environmental assessment legislation. Grizzly bear trophy hunting has been banned, and big corporate and union donations removed from politics. But the government has not yet passed promised legislation to protect endangered species. Environmentalists feel betrayed by the weak followup to the 2014 Mount Polley copper mine disaster and the mostly business-as-usual management of old-growth forests (chop, chop, export). The latest news? Approval for turning parts of an old-growth forest near Prince George into wood pellets for overseas biofuel markets — nobody's idea of renewable energy! Incorporating the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into B.C. legislation was courageous, although B.C. government collusion in the militarized RCMP invasion to ram a pipeline through Wet'suwet'en territories shows that colonialism is far from dead. It's the interlinked energy and climate files where public policy has the greatest impact on how B.C. deals with the unfolding climate catastrophe, one that will make COVID-19 look like a summer cold.
The anti-pipeline “toolbox” came down to a single long-shot reference case on jurisdiction over bitumen transport, one that the premier seemed anxious to get off his desk. The government opted not to subject Trans Mountain to a “made in B.C.” environmental assessment, even though a Supreme Court decision authorized it to do so in 2016. However reluctantly, Horgan green-lighted the Site C dam, an expensive legacy from the previous Liberal government. Site C's core purpose, argues policy analyst Ben Parfitt, is to provide electricity for the LNG industry, the pipe dream of former Liberal premier Christy Clark. But the Horgan government has offered even bigger tax breaks than Clark did — never mind the environmental impacts of fracking and the dubious long-term benefits to B.C.'s economy. The government-appointed scientific review panel indicated a “profound absence of knowledge” about relevant impacts, but the NDP leadership accepted the Liberals' branding of LNG as a “bridge fuel” to a lower emissions future — a notion that recent scientific evidence on methane emissions from fracking has further undermined. And the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers quietly helped ensure that public health impacts were beyond the panel's mandate.


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--Time is running out to save B.C.’s old-growth forests

This is the final piece in a three-part series on B.C .
's old-growth forest management plan .
You can read the first and second pieces here and here .
On Sept. 11 , the B.C .
government unveiled its new approach to old-growth forest management and released the findings of an independent panel report detailing its previous efforts .
Here are the main takeaways on what the new plan gets right and what still needs to be done to protect the province 's old-growth forests .
This final segment discusses the last three of 10 steps needed to improve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trees .
The Special Tree Protection Regulation is weak , but precedent-setting .
It must be improved .
The B.C .
government announcement includes a Special Tree Protection Regulation .
Although the number of trees set aside is small and largely ignored by the media and commentators , this regulation is precedent-setting .
It lists 11 tree species that are now automatically protected ( including a one-hectare buffer ) if they are a certain size , whether they are on public or private land .
Anyone who violates this regulation by cutting these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province estimates that the regulation will result in up to 1,500 trees being spared .
However , a huge number of the last big , old trees across the province will not be saved by this regulation — even though they are massive — because their diameter doesn ’ t meet the regulation 's bar .
In other words , the minimum diameter set by the government is too high .
• America ’ s QAnon problem is infecting Canada .
What should we do about it ?
• Why some environmentalists are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian Andrew S. Wright 's `` Price of Oil '' shortlisted for international Wildlife Photographer of the Year award There is overwhelming public support for protection of the last big , old trees .
The Special Tree Protection Regulation can be an important part of the solution for the last old-growth forests , but it must be amended to capture many more of the last big , old trees , as well as more tree species .
The independent panel calls for changing forest management overall , not just for old-growth trees .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the independent panel ’ s recommendations is the need to transform forest stewardship overall — not just as it relates to old-growth — and support communities through the necessary shift away from logging old-growth trees .
The panel recommends that we declare the conservation and management of ecosystem health and biodiversity of B.C .
's forests an overarching priority and replace the timber focus of current provincial laws .
The B.C .
government was preparing to change the forestry laws in that direction earlier this year , however , those plans were delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgency .
`` Can we learn from Indigenous knowledge that human well-being and ecological integrity can not be separated , before it ’ s too late to safeguard our web of relations that depend on old , intact forests ? ''
@ JensWieting asks .
The panel also recommended programs to develop alternatives to clear-cutting in order to maintain old forest values .
This would be a crucial step to end a form of management that results too often in a complete loss of old-growth across vast landscapes and transforms them into uniform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant economic restructuring will be required to support forest sector workers and communities as we shift to a new forest management system .
The door has cracked open a little bit .
What happens next is unknown .
It will depend on us .
The independent old-growth panel heard from people from all sectors and all parts of the province .
Its report provides a path for a paradigm shift , safeguarding the web of life , respecting Indigenous governance and supporting a transition for the forestry sector .
It is a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B.C .
government and Indigenous governments within three years , before we face even more dangerous climate and extinction risks .
A few days after the provincial announcement , the Ministry of Forests confirmed that the proposed cutblock with the stunning 1,500-year-old yellow cedar I visited in August has been deferred for at least a year .
Having visited this magical forest and its ancient trees , this hopeful news was more emotional for me than much of the information conveyed by the numbers in this series .
Every single tree of similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has lived through more seasons and stories than any human being ever will .
Every tree left standing can touch countless human and non-human beings , of present and future generations , in myriad , unmeasurable ways .
The decisions communities and governments will need to make about the last groves with huge , old trees must weigh the short- and long-term benefits of logging them or leaving them standing .
What will these decisions tell us about our ability to respond to the danger of global tipping points for ecosystems and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ not~Charlene George , cultural guide and member of the t ’ Sou-ke peoples , shared with us the story of Eagle ( QELEṈSEN ) .
It teaches us that we must fly on a mindful path towards a transformational , inclusive future .
Can we learn from Indigenous knowledge that human well-being and ecological integrity can not be separated , before it ’ s too late to safeguard our web of relations that depend on old , intact forests ?
The first steps taken by the B.C .
government before the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tree Protection Regulation — give a little reason for hope , but are vastly insufficient .
We must use this election to ask all major parties and candidates whether they are committed to fully implementing and funding all the panel ’ s recommendations .

This is the final piece in a three-part series on B.C.'s old-growth forest management plan. You can read the first and second pieces here and here. On Sept. 11, the B.C. government unveiled its new approach to old-growth forest management and released the findings of an independent panel report detailing its previous efforts. Here are the main takeaways on what the new plan gets right and what still needs to be done to protect the province's old-growth forests. This final segment discusses the last three of 10 steps needed to improve overall forest management and protect our big trees. The Special Tree Protection Regulation is weak, but precedent-setting. It must be improved. The B.C. government announcement includes a Special Tree Protection Regulation. Although the number of trees set aside is small and largely ignored by the media and commentators, this regulation is precedent-setting. It lists 11 tree species that are now automatically protected (including a one-hectare buffer) if they are a certain size, whether they are on public or private land. Anyone who violates this regulation by cutting these large trees will be fined. The province estimates that the regulation will result in up to 1,500 trees being spared. However, a huge number of the last big, old trees across the province will not be saved by this regulation — even though they are massive — because their diameter doesn’t meet the regulation's bar. In other words, the minimum diameter set by the government is too high.
There is overwhelming public support for protection of the last big, old trees. The Special Tree Protection Regulation can be an important part of the solution for the last old-growth forests, but it must be amended to capture many more of the last big, old trees, as well as more tree species. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The independent panel calls for changing forest management overall, not just for old-growth trees.
What came through loud and clear in the independent panel’s recommendations is the need to transform forest stewardship overall — not just as it relates to old-growth — and support communities through the necessary shift away from logging old-growth trees. "Can we learn from Indigenous knowledge that human well-being and ecological integrity cannot be separated, before it’s too late to safeguard our web of relations that depend on old, intact forests?" @JensWieting asks. The panel recommends that we declare the conservation and management of ecosystem health and biodiversity of B.C.'s forests an overarching priority and replace the timber focus of current provincial laws. The B.C. government was preparing to change the forestry laws in that direction earlier this year, however, those plans were delayed because of the pandemic, despite their urgency. The panel also recommended programs to develop alternatives to clear-cutting in order to maintain old forest values. This would be a crucial step to end a form of management that results too often in a complete loss of old-growth across vast landscapes and transforms them into uniform, young forests. The panel recognized significant economic restructuring will be required to support forest sector workers and communities as we shift to a new forest management system.
The door has cracked open a little bit. What happens next is unknown. It will depend on us. The independent old-growth panel heard from people from all sectors and all parts of the province. Its report provides a path for a paradigm shift, safeguarding the web of life, respecting Indigenous governance and supporting a transition for the forestry sector. It is a plan that can be implemented by the next B.C. government and Indigenous governments within three years, before we face even more dangerous climate and extinction risks.


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--Young service workers get creative as pandemic drags on

Josh Ricci had worked at the same Italian restaurant in downtown Toronto for almost four and a half years when , in March , COVID-19 put him out of a job — the first time .
He was called back for a few months , only to be laid off again last week , just shy of his five-year work anniversary .
“ It ’ s been an emotional toll , ” said Ricci , who just graduated from nearby Ryerson University and wants to work in socially conscious event planning .
“ It ’ s very hopeless , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s just a lot of different feelings going on.
” His employers at Trattoria Mercatto , a self-described “ unexpected haven ” of sit-down dining in the Eaton Centre mall , offered their long-standing employee his job back in mid-July .
The restaurant , with a patio that is a leisurely walk from city hall in one direction and Yonge-Dundas Square in the other , has told Ricci they ’ ll be in touch as soon as they can serve customers again .
• America ’ s QAnon problem is infecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ?
• Why some environmentalists are turning away from the BC NDP • Canadian Andrew S. Wright 's `` Price of Oil '' shortlisted for international Wildlife Photographer of the Year award But for now , Ricci must instead work out how to apply for one of the recent replacements for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit ( CERB ) and scrape together other employment because the restaurant , like thousands of others in Toronto , next-door Peel Region and Ottawa , has been shuttered again .
Ricci faces a predicament shared by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard hit by the pandemic ’ s economic after-effects because they play an oversized role in service industries : a precarious and ad hoc supply of income .
And it ’ s one he does not feel is going to get settled any time soon .
“ Not knowing what I 'll be doing for work in the next year is a really hard pill to swallow , ” he said .
How adept young people get at navigating their entry into the workforce during the pandemic will have big economic repercussions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lost economic opportunities for recent graduates stunted their earnings for a decade .
Josh Ricci lost his long-term job at a downtown Toronto restaurant last week , for a second time this year , and is now relying more heavily on virtual work as his alter ego , drag performer @ dianasauss .
“ I do drag on the side as well , so that ’ s something I ’ ve been doing in the interim , ” said Ricci , adding that “ even that was lost at the beginning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shows.
” Josh Ricci said the uncertainty of the pandemic has had an emotional toll as he lost steady restaurant work again last week .
Photo supplied by Josh Ricci But while he has made some money since then from virtual shows , Ricci this week accepted a job at a grocery store “ just to make sure that at least for the next month I ’ ll have a paycheque on top of whatever I get from the government.
” “ The precarious nature of the whole job situation ...
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get a different job in something that I do n't really care much about but that I know at least is essential and I wo n't be laid off , ” said Ricci , who completed a liberal arts degree focused on cultural studies and queer theory .
Because he was let go so quickly the first time around , Ricci had applied for employment insurance before Ottawa pulled together the CERB , a $ 500-a-week payment for those who lost their livelihoods because of the public health measures the pandemic demanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to return to work in the summer , as the provincial government allowed restaurants to expand from takeout and delivery to outdoor dining and then restricted indoor service , before last month tightening the rules again as COVID-19 cases kept climbing .
Then , on Friday last week , Premier Doug Ford gave in to mounting calls for action and ordered no more indoor food service in Toronto and other hot spots .
On the same day Ford was putting Ricci back out of work , monthly federal jobs data showed that Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent below where it was in February .
While recent developments have added Ricci and potentially many more young people to the ranks of Canada ’ s unemployed , the young graduate said the pandemic was just the most recent and obvious example of young people being at the whim of outside forces .

Josh Ricci had worked at the same Italian restaurant in downtown Toronto for almost four and a half years when, in March, COVID-19 put him out of a job — the first time. He was called back for a few months, only to be laid off again last week, just shy of his five-year work anniversary. “It’s been an emotional toll,” said Ricci, who just graduated from nearby Ryerson University and wants to work in socially conscious event planning. “It’s very hopeless, it’s very precarious, uncertain. There’s just a lot of different feelings going on.” His employers at Trattoria Mercatto, a self-described “unexpected haven” of sit-down dining in the Eaton Centre mall, offered their long-standing employee his job back in mid-July. The restaurant, with a patio that is a leisurely walk from city hall in one direction and Yonge-Dundas Square in the other, has told Ricci they’ll be in touch as soon as they can serve customers again.
But for now, Ricci must instead work out how to apply for one of the recent replacements for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and scrape together other employment because the restaurant, like thousands of others in Toronto, next-door Peel Region and Ottawa, has been shuttered again. ‘Hard pill to swallow’ Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Ricci faces a predicament shared by many young people, who are particularly hard hit by the pandemic’s economic after-effects because they play an oversized role in service industries: a precarious and ad hoc supply of income.
And it’s one he does not feel is going to get settled any time soon. Josh Ricci lost his long-term job at a downtown Toronto restaurant last week, for a second time this year, and is now relying more heavily on virtual work as his alter ego, drag performer @dianasauss. “Not knowing what I'll be doing for work in the next year is a really hard pill to swallow,” he said. How adept young people get at navigating their entry into the workforce during the pandemic will have big economic repercussions, with data from the 2008 recession showing that lost economic opportunities for recent graduates stunted their earnings for a decade. “I do drag on the side as well, so that’s something I’ve been doing in the interim,” said Ricci, adding that “even that was lost at the beginning of everything in terms of gigs and performances and shows.” Josh Ricci said the uncertainty of the pandemic has had an emotional toll as he lost steady restaurant work again last week. Photo supplied by Josh Ricci
But while he has made some money since then from virtual shows, Ricci this week accepted a job at a grocery store “just to make sure that at least for the next month I’ll have a paycheque on top of whatever I get from the government.” “The precarious nature of the whole job situation ... I felt like I had no choice but to get a different job in something that I don't really care much about but that I know at least is essential and I won't be laid off,” said Ricci, who completed a liberal arts degree focused on cultural studies and queer theory. Because he was let go so quickly the first time around, Ricci had applied for employment insurance before Ottawa pulled together the CERB, a $500-a-week payment for those who lost their livelihoods because of the public health measures the pandemic demanded.


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--World Food Day: UN sounds the alarm on poverty, food security and COVID-19

Oct. 16 and 17 have been designated by the United Nations ( UN ) as World Food Day and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty , respectively .
These observances come at a particularly unsettled time in world history , as political , economic and environmental forces collide with the emerging novel coronavirus disease , COVID-19 .
The UN World Food Program estimates that , on average , some 700 million people went to bed hungry in 2019 .
Meanwhile , conflict-ridden nations like Yemen teeter on the brink of mass starvation , while the intersection of war and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sahel are forcibly displacing tens of thousands as people struggle to stave off hunger .
It has become apparent that many of the most powerful governments in the world — the U.S. , Russia , India , China and Brazil , to name a few — have actively sought to remove themselves from meaningful responses to the pressing issues of our times .
These policies leave those in many parts of the world — including some communities and groups here in Canada — hanging by a thread .
Broad-based supranational organizations like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notable non-profits worldwide ) play an increasingly crucial role in advocating and organizing a cohesive , effective response to these multifarious crises crisscrossed by countless byzantine linkages .
Some corners of the more vile and reactionary regions of the geopolitical swamp have put great effort into dismantling the capacity of international organizations to respond to these monumental disasters .
However , it is plain to see that such manoeuvres can only be understood through the lens of power , with little regard for those in most need , those whose existence too often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sword .
`` Food security and poverty are , self-evidently , entwined .
They are fuelled by — and , in turn , fuel — conflict , climate change and public health disasters , '' Andrew Lodge writes on # WorldFoodDay .
We should not forget that many of these international bodies were formed in the wake of the Second World War and the profoundly fractured landscape of the Cold War .
They were identified as a means of mounting a global response to the plight of those who had no access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They remain as prescient today as ever .
For more information on World Food Day and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty , visit www.un.org .

In any event, data now suggests that the rise of COVID-19 has resulted in an increase in global poverty for the first time in years. This is unsurprising, since we have seen the disruptive impact of emerging infectious diseases in the past, and — given the radically altered socio-geographic topography that globalization has fostered — it's something we are sure to see more of in the future. Food security and poverty are, self-evidently, entwined. They are fuelled by — and, in turn, fuel — conflict, climate change and public health disasters, as we see today with COVID-19, a catastrophe that has a long way to go before it crests. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions None of these forces are discrete entities, but instead operate in fluid terrain where each impacts on the other, often not in an additive process but a geometric one, which compounds problems with greater speed, agility and impact. As a result, these issues cannot be addressed in isolation, but require multi-pronged and — importantly — planned, deliberate and novel approaches in solution-finding.
It has become apparent that many of the most powerful governments in the world — the U.S., Russia, India, China and Brazil, to name a few — have actively sought to remove themselves from meaningful responses to the pressing issues of our times. These policies leave those in many parts of the world — including some communities and groups here in Canada — hanging by a thread. "Food security and poverty are, self-evidently, entwined. They are fuelled by — and, in turn, fuel — conflict, climate change and public health disasters," Andrew Lodge writes on #WorldFoodDay. Broad-based supranational organizations like the UN and its subsidiaries (among other notable non-profits worldwide) play an increasingly crucial role in advocating and organizing a cohesive, effective response to these multifarious crises crisscrossed by countless byzantine linkages. Some corners of the more vile and reactionary regions of the geopolitical swamp have put great effort into dismantling the capacity of international organizations to respond to these monumental disasters. However, it is plain to see that such manoeuvres can only be understood through the lens of power, with little regard for those in most need, those whose existence too often lies utterly vulnerable underneath that mythical Damoclesian sword. We should not forget that many of these international bodies were formed in the wake of the Second World War and the profoundly fractured landscape of the Cold War. They were identified as a means of mounting a global response to the plight of those who had no access to the gates of the citadels of power. They remain as prescient today as ever.


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--Will there be someone to fix the electric vehicle you just bought?

Canadians are being encouraged to drive electric vehicles , but can they trust their local mechanic to know what to do when they need them repaired ?
In fact , demand is growing for automotive technicians to be trained to work on electric vehicles ( EVs ) , according to an associate dean at the British Columbia Institute of Technology ( BCIT ) .
The demand is coming in particular from independent shops outside of dealerships that don ’ t have the luxury of being able to get training from manufacturers , said Mubasher Faruki , associate dean of automotive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
EV maintenance and repairs will also look different around Canada , he noted , given that the country ’ s varying weather means different operating conditions in different regions , so national funding can help develop best practices .
“ It does help to bring it to a national perspective because it allows technicians entering into the field to really understand the bigger picture of how these vehicles operate and what ’ s the best way to keep them maintained and running , ” said Faruki .
“ If you bring it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think everybody can stay in sync with what needs to be done , and you ’ d get a lot more collaboration on what would be the best way to proceed and what this all might look like.
” Demand is growing for mechanics who can work on electric vehicles .
The @ bcit has launched its own EV maintenance training program .
Now , Canada 's Green Budget Coalition wants to see the federal government take that program and make it national .
EVs hold the promise of dramatically lowering Canada ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a country where 82 per cent of the electricity grid is already non-emitting .
The transport sector now makes up 30 per cent of national emissions , according to federal estimates , with most of that related to road transportation , and transport emissions are climbing as Canadians drive more and there are more vehicles on the road .
“ We ’ ve got to get a handle on vehicle emissions if we ’ re going to bend our carbon curve and exceed those 2030 targets — there ’ s just no way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , senior researcher and analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation , who worked with the coalition and is an expert in zero-emission vehicles and other environmental health policy issues .
Gue said the coalition decided to recommend nationally funded training as a way to support the transition of workers who are employed in the conventional automotive value chain .
“ Supporting employment related to zero-emission vehicle sales not only helps future owners , it also supports the whole transition , ” she said .
The Trudeau government has supported zero-emission vehicles through several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Oct. 1 for charging infrastructure and zero-emission buses , as well as a $ 295-million contribution on Oct. 8 to help produce EVs at Ford ’ s assembly plant in Oakville , Ont .
In the throne speech , the government said it would aim to make zero-emission vehicles “ more affordable ” and launch a new fund for attracting zero-emission products .
It has also set a target for 10 per cent of all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be zero-emission by 2025 , rising to 100 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not mandated federally as they are in British Columbia and Quebec , where provincial sales requirements demand a percentage of light-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emission models .
“ Electric vehicle sales are still just hovering around three per cent of total vehicle sales in Canada , ” said Gue .
“ Arguably , that transition needs to happen faster , but we ’ re so far from even that 10 per cent target , it ’ s clear that we need to do more — we really need to ramp up action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to see a $ 150-million top-up to the government ’ s incentive program in its 2019 budget , as well as a $ 300-million top-up to the federal Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program that supports building charging stations .
In addition , it recommended “ more favourable tax treatment ” for EV manufacturing and a $ 250-million fund over five years to develop standards , incentives and policies for sustainable battery recycling and research in EV waste processing .

Canadians are being encouraged to drive electric vehicles, but can they trust their local mechanic to know what to do when they need them repaired? In fact, demand is growing for automotive technicians to be trained to work on electric vehicles (EVs), according to an associate dean at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). The demand is coming in particular from independent shops outside of dealerships that don’t have the luxury of being able to get training from manufacturers, said Mubasher Faruki, associate dean of automotive at BCIT’s School of Transportation. “If you talk to anybody in the industry, I think there’s definitely a growing need for technicians to be trained in this area,” Faruki said in an interview Thursday. BCIT has launched its own EV maintenance training program, with support from B.C.'s climate plan, CleanBC. The provincial government estimates there are now more than 30,000 EVs on the road in the province, and expects to see more interest in mechanics who can service them.
EV maintenance and repairs will also look different around Canada, he noted, given that the country’s varying weather means different operating conditions in different regions, so national funding can help develop best practices. Demand is growing for mechanics who can work on electric vehicles. The @bcit has launched its own EV maintenance training program. Now, Canada's Green Budget Coalition wants to see the federal government take that program and make it national. “It does help to bring it to a national perspective because it allows technicians entering into the field to really understand the bigger picture of how these vehicles operate and what’s the best way to keep them maintained and running,” said Faruki. “If you bring it to a national level, then I think everybody can stay in sync with what needs to be done, and you’d get a lot more collaboration on what would be the best way to proceed and what this all might look like.” Deal with tailpipes, bend the carbon curve EVs hold the promise of dramatically lowering Canada’s carbon pollution profile, especially in a country where 82 per cent of the electricity grid is already non-emitting.
The transport sector now makes up 30 per cent of national emissions, according to federal estimates, with most of that related to road transportation, and transport emissions are climbing as Canadians drive more and there are more vehicles on the road. “We’ve got to get a handle on vehicle emissions if we’re going to bend our carbon curve and exceed those 2030 targets — there’s just no way around it,” said Lisa Gue, senior researcher and analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation, who worked with the coalition and is an expert in zero-emission vehicles and other environmental health policy issues. Gue said the coalition decided to recommend nationally funded training as a way to support the transition of workers who are employed in the conventional automotive value chain.


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--Film reviews: Rebecca remade, Greta Thunberg in action and how Trump bungled COVID-19

Along with these latest reviews , here are a few notes about other films : Monkey Beach , the B.C.-based tale about Indigenous spirituality , is back this week .
It ’ s playing at the International Village and 5th Avenue theatres .
Martin Eden , which I haven ’ t seen yet but which has gotten very strong and positive reviews , is at Vancity Theatre .
REBECCA : No , I don ’ t think this new version of the classic Daphne du Maurier tale will replace Alfred Hitchcock ’ s , which got 12 Oscar nominations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a worthy remake , colourful and elegant , though not quite as tense and eerie as its predecessor .
It respectfully follows the storyline , except for a major change near the end .
Why that , I have no idea , although it does bring a more contemporary slant to the ending .
Another update gives us dialogue about things the movies weren ’ t allowed to discuss all those years ago .
So it ’ s stronger in some ways , too .
The central character , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Lily James , meets the dashing Max de Winter ( Armie Hammer ) in Monte Carlo and is so swept off her feet that within days , she ’ s married to him and headed to his estate in England called Manderley .
There , she encounters the imposing housekeeper Mrs. Danvers ( played brilliantly by Kristin Scott Thomas ) , a large staff , a grizzled man squatting in a cliffside house ( cryptically saying , “ I won ’ t tell ” ) and a chilly ongoing remembrance of Rebecca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She died , but no one will say how .
“ She ’ s still here , ” Danvers says , and later spouts this : “ You ’ ll never replace her .
You ’ re worthless.
” James ' character has a lot to learn about her new life , her husband , his history and the brooding atmosphere in his house .
The film gives it to us at a nimble pace and in classic British style set in the 1930s .
It ’ s directed by Ben Wheatley , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sightseers and Kill List .
( Vancity Theatre and Capitol 6 in Victoria ) 3½ out of 5 TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL : Donald Trump doesn ’ t get all the blame here for the U.S. 's failure in the COVID-19 crisis .
A good part of it goes to bureaucrats doing and saying what they think he wants .
No shutdown of the economy , for instance .
Re-election was at stake .
So when he said the virus was totally under control because there had been only one death ( in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge .
They — many of them political appointees — downplayed the threat even as the deaths mounted .
The one official who dared to sound an alarm , Dr. Nancy Messonnier from the Centers for Disease Control , who accurately predicted what soon happened , was pushed out of the front line .
Mike Pence was put in charge of the virus control effort .
Trump set the tone with his assurance that the virus would magically go away .
This film by top documentarian Alex Gibney , working with two associates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows every step in how the U.S. 's response “ descended into division and chaos.
” If you ’ ve followed the news , you know much of this already .
It ’ s startling , though , to see it assembled in such a comprehensive way , get new details and hear damning insights and regrets from key medical figures and onlookers .
The testing program failed initially because the orders from Washington were faulty .
Jared Kushner ’ s task force to find protective equipment was staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and achieved almost nothing .
Trump , though , assured Americans repeatedly that his people were doing a tremendous job and the Democrats were just pushing another hoax .
The film is so up to date that it could already report more than 200,000 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S .
The day after this film was finished , Trump announced he had tested positive , a fact that appears as a grimly ironic postscript .
It may not be the final history , but for now , it ’ s tremendous .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of 5 I AM GRETA : This film is right there all the way beside Greta Thunberg .
Swedish filmmaker Nathan Grossman lucked out when he first saw and filmed the climate change activist sitting on a sidewalk staging what she called a climate strike .
From that modest start , Thunberg inspired thousands of other students to march and protest , was invited to speak at international meetings ( and even to the Pope ) and peaked with her famous “ how dare you ” speech at the United Nations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
Not as much as we ’ d like , but enough .
Most interesting is to see her change from a mild schoolgirl to a campaigner increasingly annoyed by politicians promising action and not following through .
“ We have started to clean up your mess , and we won ’ t stop , ” she says in Brussels .
“ People will demand things , ” she tells French President Emmanuel Macron .
And so on , through a series of visits and with a growing following .
On Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Swedish child ” and “ mentally ill. ” She has Asperger ’ s syndrome .
One person calls her “ laser-focused , but the president of Brazil calls her “ a brat ” and Trump mocks her .
It ’ s all here , accompanied by lots of media footage and , from earlier years , home movies .
Engrossing stuff .
( International Village ) 4 out of 5 MY PRINCE EDWARD : Movies about romance , comedies or not , often spin complex difficulties on the way to that ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s this for tangled ?
A young woman who works in a Hong Kong wedding shop is on the verge of marriage herself .
Her guy , a slob though he is , has proposed .
His mother is ready to book a banquet and buy them a flat .
Her own mother , estranged from her , is still offended that she left home and moved in with that guy .
Easy to resolve , you say ?
Well , consider this : She ’ s already married .
Ten years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sham ” marriage to help a Chinese man get a Hong Kong residency permit .
She did it for the money .
Now she can ’ t get a divorce because there ’ s no official record and it would take a year or two to find one .
Want more complication ?
She can ’ t tell her fiancé because he would reject her if she were a divorcée .
So she secretly goes looking for the “ husband , ” but he has new demands .
He ’ ll divorce her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another permit or give him money .
It 's an absorbing story , nicely directed by Norris Wong , making her feature debut , and very well acted by Stephy Tang in the lead .
Devious men and a sidebar of real estate are the main themes .
( Vancity Theatre starting Saturday ) 3½ out of 5 2 HEARTS : Sunny , cheery and uplifting are among my reactions to this one .
Cloying and almost maudlin are in there , too .
Maybe that ’ ll help anybody considering it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify with .
The film intercuts the lives of two couples as they meet , develop feelings and learn more about each other .
A college student ( Jacob Elordi ) bumps into a pretty female student ( Tiera Skovbye ) enough times to start a relationship .
Meanwhile , the son of the Cuban Bacardi family ( Adan Canto ) , exiled to Miami and now based in Puerto Rico , chats up a stewardess ( Radha Mitchell ) — he calls her that — on a flight and meets her again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seattle .
Both couples get married , and though time and geography separate them , a plot twist will connect them .
Some say they could see it coming .
I didn ’ t until quite far in .
Sports injuries and doctor and hospital visits recur , and there ’ s a TV movie feel to this one .
The characters are pleasant but not exceptionally interesting .
They and their stories are real , based on a memoir that expounds “ life is happening for us , not to us.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here in Vancouver .
( International Village and suburban theatres ) 2½ out of 5 CLOUDS : Here ’ s another inspirational story taken from real life , but not cloying as many of these are .
The title of the book it is based on , Fly a Little Higher : How God Answered a Mom ’ s Small Prayer in a Big Way , might make you think it ’ s a religious film .
That ’ s there , but it 's subtle , more in the background than up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in France isn ’ t trumpeted very much .
The aim there was to help a young musician rid himself of the cancer that was taking over his life .
Minnesota teen Zach Sobiech was a singer-songwriter who was under treatment for the disease , got the word that it was terminal and decided to do something with the little time he had left .
That included writing songs , one of which , Clouds , went viral and became a hit .
It was No .
1 on iTunes and downloaded 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotional scene near the end when he comes on stage to sing it , can ’ t get the words out and the entire audience sings it for him .
It ’ s a sweet movie advocating for doing what you can with your life .
It ’ ll bring tears .
Fin Argus stars , with Sabrina Carpenter and Madison Iseman as the girls in his life , and Neve Campbell solid as his mother , Laura .
It was filmed in Montreal .
( Streaming on Disney+ ) 3 out of @

The central character, a young woman played a little too lightly by Lily James, meets the dashing Max de Winter (Armie Hammer) in Monte Carlo and is so swept off her feet that within days, she’s married to him and headed to his estate in England called Manderley. There, she encounters the imposing housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (played brilliantly by Kristin Scott Thomas), a large staff, a grizzled man squatting in a cliffside house (cryptically saying, “I won’t tell”) and a chilly ongoing remembrance of Rebecca, the first Mrs. de Winter. She died, but no one will say how. “She’s still here,” Danvers says, and later spouts this: “You’ll never replace her. You’re worthless.” James' character has a lot to learn about her new life, her husband, his history and the brooding atmosphere in his house. The film gives it to us at a nimble pace and in classic British style set in the 1930s. It’s directed by Ben Wheatley, taking a step up from his usual, Sightseers and Kill List. (Vancity Theatre and Capitol 6 in Victoria) 3½ out of 5
REBECCA : No, I don’t think this new version of the classic Daphne du Maurier tale will replace Alfred Hitchcock’s, which got 12 Oscar nominations and won two back in 1941. But it’s a worthy remake, colourful and elegant, though not quite as tense and eerie as its predecessor. It respectfully follows the storyline, except for a major change near the end. Why that, I have no idea, although it does bring a more contemporary slant to the ending. Another update gives us dialogue about things the movies weren’t allowed to discuss all those years ago. So it’s stronger in some ways, too.
TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL: Donald Trump doesn’t get all the blame here for the U.S.'s failure in the COVID-19 crisis. A good part of it goes to bureaucrats doing and saying what they think he wants. No shutdown of the economy, for instance. Re-election was at stake. So when he said the virus was totally under control because there had been only one death (in Seattle), they didn’t challenge. They — many of them political appointees — downplayed the threat even as the deaths mounted. The one official who dared to sound an alarm, Dr. Nancy Messonnier from the Centers for Disease Control, who accurately predicted what soon happened, was pushed out of the front line. Mike Pence was put in charge of the virus control effort.
Courtesy of the White House
Trump set the tone with his assurance that the virus would magically go away. This film by top documentarian Alex Gibney, working with two associates, Ophelia Harutyunyan and Suzanne Hillinger, shows every step in how the U.S.'s response “descended into division and chaos.” If you’ve followed the news, you know much of this already. It’s startling, though, to see it assembled in such a comprehensive way, get new details and hear damning insights and regrets from key medical figures and onlookers. The testing program failed initially because the orders from Washington were faulty. Jared Kushner’s task force to find protective equipment was staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers, who had no contacts or experience and achieved almost nothing. Trump, though, assured Americans repeatedly that his people were doing a tremendous job and the Democrats were just pushing another hoax. The film is so up to date that it could already report more than 200,000 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. The day after this film was finished, Trump announced he had tested positive, a fact that appears as a grimly ironic postscript. It may not be the final history, but for now, it’s tremendous. (Available digitally and on demand) 4½ out of 5
I AM GRETA: This film is right there all the way beside Greta Thunberg. Swedish filmmaker Nathan Grossman lucked out when he first saw and filmed the climate change activist sitting on a sidewalk staging what she called a climate strike. From that modest start, Thunberg inspired thousands of other students to march and protest, was invited to speak at international meetings (and even to the Pope) and peaked with her famous “how dare you” speech at the United Nations. The film tells us a little about her. Not as much as we’d like, but enough.
Courtesy of Mongrel Media
Most interesting is to see her change from a mild schoolgirl to a campaigner increasingly annoyed by politicians promising action and not following through. “We have started to clean up your mess, and we won’t stop,” she says in Brussels. “People will demand things,” she tells French President Emmanuel Macron. And so on, through a series of visits and with a growing following. On Fox News, she’s called that “Swedish child” and “mentally ill.” She has Asperger’s syndrome. One person calls her “laser-focused, but the president of Brazil calls her “a brat” and Trump mocks her. It’s all here, accompanied by lots of media footage and, from earlier years, home movies. Engrossing stuff. (International Village) 4 out of 5
MY PRINCE EDWARD: Movies about romance, comedies or not, often spin complex difficulties on the way to that ending, whatever it may be. How’s this for tangled? A young woman who works in a Hong Kong wedding shop is on the verge of marriage herself. Her guy, a slob though he is, has proposed. His mother is ready to book a banquet and buy them a flat. Her own mother, estranged from her, is still offended that she left home and moved in with that guy.
Courtesy of Cheng Cheng Films
Easy to resolve, you say? Well, consider this: She’s already married. Ten years ago, she got into a “sham” marriage to help a Chinese man get a Hong Kong residency permit. She did it for the money. Now she can’t get a divorce because there’s no official record and it would take a year or two to find one. Want more complication? She can’t tell her fiancé because he would reject her if she were a divorcée. So she secretly goes looking for the “husband,” but he has new demands. He’ll divorce her if she agrees to help him get another permit or give him money. It's an absorbing story, nicely directed by Norris Wong, making her feature debut, and very well acted by Stephy Tang in the lead. Devious men and a sidebar of real estate are the main themes. (Vancity Theatre starting Saturday) 3½ out of 5
2 HEARTS: Sunny, cheery and uplifting are among my reactions to this one. Cloying and almost maudlin are in there, too. Maybe that’ll help anybody considering it. They can choose by which side they identify with.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
The film intercuts the lives of two couples as they meet, develop feelings and learn more about each other. A college student (Jacob Elordi) bumps into a pretty female student (Tiera Skovbye) enough times to start a relationship. Meanwhile, the son of the Cuban Bacardi family (Adan Canto), exiled to Miami and now based in Puerto Rico, chats up a stewardess (Radha Mitchell) — he calls her that — on a flight and meets her again and again in locations like Hawaii and Seattle. Both couples get married, and though time and geography separate them, a plot twist will connect them. Some say they could see it coming. I didn’t until quite far in. Sports injuries and doctor and hospital visits recur, and there’s a TV movie feel to this one. The characters are pleasant but not exceptionally interesting. They and their stories are real, based on a memoir that expounds “life is happening for us, not to us.” It’s faith-based lite, filmed here in Vancouver. (International Village and suburban theatres) 2½ out of 5
CLOUDS: Here’s another inspirational story taken from real life, but not cloying as many of these are. The title of the book it is based on, Fly a Little Higher: How God Answered a Mom’s Small Prayer in a Big Way, might make you think it’s a religious film. That’s there, but it's subtle, more in the background than up front. Even a trip to Lourdes in France isn’t trumpeted very much. The aim there was to help a young musician rid himself of the cancer that was taking over his life.
Courtesy of Disney+
Minnesota teen Zach Sobiech was a singer-songwriter who was under treatment for the disease, got the word that it was terminal and decided to do something with the little time he had left. That included writing songs, one of which, Clouds, went viral and became a hit. It was No. 1 on iTunes and downloaded 200 million times. There’s an emotional scene near the end when he comes on stage to sing it, can’t get the words out and the entire audience sings it for him. It’s a sweet movie advocating for doing what you can with your life. It’ll bring tears. Fin Argus stars, with Sabrina Carpenter and Madison Iseman as the girls in his life, and Neve Campbell solid as his mother, Laura. It was filmed in Montreal. (Streaming on Disney+) 3 out of 5


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--This Canadian's cartoons are helping the Lincoln Project unnerve and unseat Donald Trump

Halifax cartoonist Michael de Adder never expected to become the latest weapon in the United States ' bitter election battle — and certainly not the weapon wielded by disaffected Republicans .
But having been censored and fired by newspapers for his scathing parodies of U.S. President Donald Trump , he says he 's ready for whatever comes his way .
“ If you told me I was going to draw cartoons for former Republicans , I would have thought you were smoking some weed or something !
” the freelance Canadian artist told Canada 's National Observer editor-in-chief Linda Solomon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series Thursday .
“ Every day , these days , we seem to be walking closer to the ledge , ” de Adder said in the public video event Thursday .
“ There 's something end-of-worldly going on south of our border.
” De Adder got his start in political cartooning at his university paper at Mount Allison University in the late 1980s , although he 'd been drawing cartoons since he was a small child .
He initially aspired to become a serious painter , but when one of his early political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed his mind .
Canadian political cartoonist Michael @ deAdder speaks to Canada 's National Observer about becoming @ ProjectLincoln 's latest weapon against U.S. President Donald Trump .
It happened around the same time as his first solo gallery show of his paintings , which he describes as well-attended and successful .
A cartoon in the student paper about U.S.-Canada free trade was so popular he found it posted on many dorm doors and bulletin boards across his campus .
“ That was 'viral ' in the '80s , ” he quipped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw that cartoon , but only about two per cent of them saw my paintings . ''
The prospect of drawing for “ people down on the street ” appealed to de Adder , so he switched gears .
It was n't easy to find success as a political cartoonist , and de Adder says early years of failure helped hone his talents and determination .
Fast-forward 20 years from his first full-time cartooning job in 2000 , and he 's become Canada ’ s most-recognized cartoonist .
This year , he won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He still loves his work .
“ I never get tired of the fact that so many people see my work on a daily basis , ” de Adder says .
But speaking his mind through pen and ink presents challenges for someone like de Adder , who does n't shy away from controversy .
His cartoon of Trump golfing past the iconic image of two migrants who drowned was so controversial he was swiftly fired from his Canadian newspaper .
He said he 's been censored numerous other times as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owned by the powerful Irving family ; in one year , he had 54 cartoons barred from publication .
His artistic battle against Trump has earned him some enemies as well .
He recounted some of the threats he 's received , including death threats from Canadian Trump supporters , since the start of COVID-19 .
It was serious enough that he called police , who revealed his newspaper had also received the threat .
He ’ s not alone and noted many journalists received similar threats , particularly women .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him , but the 2015 massacre of cartoonists at France 's Charlie Hebdo magazine rattled him and other cartoonists deeply .
“ Charlie Hebdo changed everything — I stopped having my phone number and address listed , ” he said .
The bigger threat to his field of work , however , is the same one facing print media in general .
As newspapers make cuts to try to survive , editorial cartoonists have found themselves among the first to get the boot .
Attendance at an American cartoonist convention de Adder regularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago to just 50 , he said .
He blames social media for posting content for free and capturing advertising revenue that once went to media outlets .
He called the massive potential reach on social media a “ two-edged sword.
” That ability to go “ viral ” on social media is the phenomenon that has given de Adder an outsized role in the potentially historic U.S. election now unfolding .
Social media has destroyed the living of many of de Adder ’ s friends , he said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people you can reach ; it 's ushered in a kind of second golden age of cartooning.
” De Adder no longer finds his printed cartoons taped to campus dormitory doors and pinboards .
His images hit the Twitter and Facebook feeds of high-powered politicians and pundits every day , in every corner of the planet .
Coming next : Molly Jong-Fast , humourist and The Daily Beast 's 'The New Abnormal ' pundit , CNN ’ s Jim Sciutto , author of The Madman Theory , and Amy Goodman , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proudly progressive journalists and Democracy Now !
founder .
Then back to Canada with new Green party Leader Annamie Paul .
We ’ ll cap this season off with Mother Jones ’ CEO Monika Baurerlein and publisher Steve Katz .
Check out past podcasts with luminaries Noam Chomsky , Sandy Hudson , Michael de Adder , Tzeporah Berman and Sandy Garossino here .
Also , you can join us on U.S. election night as Sandy Garossino and Linda Solomon Wood talk with Americans and Canadians about the results , the implications , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as the votes are counted .

Halifax cartoonist Michael de Adder never expected to become the latest weapon in the United States' bitter election battle — and certainly not the weapon wielded by disaffected Republicans. But having been censored and fired by newspapers for his scathing parodies of U.S. President Donald Trump, he says he's ready for whatever comes his way. “If you told me I was going to draw cartoons for former Republicans, I would have thought you were smoking some weed or something!” the freelance Canadian artist told Canada's National Observer editor-in-chief Linda Solomon Wood during an interview in her Conversations series Thursday. Video of Michael de Adder, a Canadian icon in the American anti-Trump movement “But they certainly don't pull their punches, and I don't pull my punches,” he said. “It's a weird but good fit.”
The Lincoln Project was founded by several high-profile veterans of the George W. Bush administration, perhaps most prominently the husband of longtime Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway. The registered political action committee has gained attention during this election campaign for its often brutal attack videos, which appeal to GOP voters to turn against the White House on Nov. 3. They even attempt to bait Trump directly with whispers of disloyalty within his own ranks. The Lincoln Project, which sometimes uses conservative rhetoric to antagonize Trump's friends and turn his own allies against him, has not held back. Neither has de Adder, who now works as a freelancer after he left his career as a full-time political cartoonist at a newspaper. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions His most popular image to date for the Lincoln Project is a Sept. 4 image of a casket borne by fellow soldiers, with Trump calling the deceased a “sucker.” It went viral with nearly 50,000 likes on Twitter. Also highly viewed was de Adder's Sept. 30 cartoon of COVID-19-infected Trump emitting a torrent of droplets, which was labelled by the Lincoln Project “Superspreader of hate.” It went viral with more than 43,000 likes on Twitter. Another of Trump walking past hundreds of body bags to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat on Sept. 26 exceeded 25,000 likes on the social media platform.
Another of his images depicts Trump ignoring an asteroid while reassuring dinosaurs, “Let's not cause a panic.” And yet another depicts the senior citizen knocked over and permanently injured by police during a Black Lives Matter protest. Canadian political cartoonist Michael @deAdder speaks to Canada's National Observer about becoming @ProjectLincoln's latest weapon against U.S. President Donald Trump. “Every day, these days, we seem to be walking closer to the ledge,” de Adder said in the public video event Thursday. “There's something end-of-worldly going on south of our border.” De Adder got his start in political cartooning at his university paper at Mount Allison University in the late 1980s, although he'd been drawing cartoons since he was a small child. He initially aspired to become a serious painter, but when one of his early political cartoons captured the public imagination, he changed his mind. It happened around the same time as his first solo gallery show of his paintings, which he describes as well-attended and successful. A cartoon in the student paper about U.S.-Canada free trade was so popular he found it posted on many dorm doors and bulletin boards across his campus.
“That was 'viral' in the '80s,” he quipped. “I realized everybody on campus saw that cartoon, but only about two per cent of them saw my paintings." The prospect of drawing for “people down on the street” appealed to de Adder, so he switched gears. It wasn't easy to find success as a political cartoonist, and de Adder says early years of failure helped hone his talents and determination.


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--A new abnormal with Molly Jong-Fast, purveyor of blunt truth and dark humour for a world in chaos

Disclaimer : Many f-bombs and other expletives will be dropped during this upcoming session ( next Tuesday ) of Conversations , as humourist Molly Jong-Fast chats with host Linda Solomon Wood about the U.S. election .
It ’ s bad enough that we have to deal with one Donald Trump here in the U.S. of A. , says Molly Jong-Fast .
What ’ s worse is that Trump has become a template for a whole planet full of bad-faith actors and wannabe strongmen .
Before becoming the host of a popular podcast with Rick Wilson of @ ProjectLincoln , Jong-Fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her fascinating and unusual life as daughter of celebrity author Erica Jong ( Fear of Flying ) .
Jong-Fast has built a strong following , including 713,000 followers on Twitter , through her sharp wit and biting humour .
“ Amy Coney Barrett , who actually isn ’ t cool enough for a nickname , is the anti-RBG .
The consequences for women will be disastrous … When feminist icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg died I knew this was going to be an opportunity for Donald Trump to once again s**t on women , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soon Judge Barrett will be Justice Barrett , sitting on the highest court in America , and she will turn out to be the same kind of feminist as Ivanka , all shiny hair and good white teeth , but when it comes to your rights , well ladies , you ’ re kind of fucked .
I want her to stay the fuck away from our uteruses .
She ’ ll be as bad for women as RBG was good for women.
” CNN ’ s Jim Sciutto , author of The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of America ’ s most beloved , proudly progressive journalists and Democracy Now !
founder .
Then back to Canada with new Green Party Leader Annamie Paul .
We ’ ll cap this season off with Mother Jones ’ CEO Monika Baurerlein and publisher Steve Katz .
Check out past podcasts with luminaries Noam Chomsky , Sandy Hudson , Michael de Adder , Tzeporah Berman and Sandy Garossino here .
Also , you can join us on U.S. election night as Sandy Garossino and Linda Solomon Wood talk with Americans and Canadians about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears , the hopes and the dreams , as the votes are counted .

Disclaimer: Many f-bombs and other expletives will be dropped during this upcoming session (next Tuesday) of Conversations, as humourist Molly Jong-Fast chats with host Linda Solomon Wood about the U.S. election.
It’s bad enough that we have to deal with one Donald Trump here in the U.S. of A., says Molly Jong-Fast.
What’s worse is that Trump has become a template for a whole planet full of bad-faith actors and wannabe strongmen. Before becoming the host of a popular podcast with Rick Wilson of @ProjectLincoln, Jong-Fast wrote a bunch of funny books on her fascinating and unusual life as daughter of celebrity author Erica Jong (Fear of Flying). Jong-Fast has built a following of fans, including 713,000 followers on Twitter, through her sharp wit and biting humour.
An editor-at-large for the Daily Beast, Jong-Fast’s writing has also appeared in the Atlantic, Playboy, the Bulwark and Glamour. She currently co-hosts the podcast The New Abnormal, supplying “blunt truth and dark humour for a world in chaos.”
Generous with insights about the general “clusterf**kery” of U.S. politics, Fast-Jong’s often uncensored views will prepare you for the hair-ripping frustration in store for all of us in the weeks ahead.
She will join Linda Solomon Wood, editor-in-chief of Canada’s National Observer, for a conversation on voting during a pandemic, the suburban voter base that Trump is alienating, and what a Joe Biden presidency could look like. With her close pulse on this historic election, what has it been like for Jong-Fast to write about the Trump administration in such a divisive time?


nationalobserver--2020-10-16--First Nations chief calls on Prime Minister Trudeau to help settle Nova Scotia lobster dispute

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to do more than send tweets to settle an increasingly violent dispute over an Indigenous-led lobster fishery in Nova Scotia , a First Nations chief said Thursday .
`` Actions speak louder than words , '' Chief Mike Sack of the Sipekne'katik First Nation told a news conference Thursday in Digby , N.S.
, located about 40 kilometres from where a lobster pound was damaged by protesters .
`` They 're sitting in their offices , safe as can be , saying , 'We need safety out there . '
Then send enforcement down , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
Protect Canadians .
.
.
.
Do n't just tweet about it . ''
The RCMP have said about 200 people were present at two violent clashes Tuesday outside lobster pounds in New Edinburgh and Middle West Pubnico .
Describing the events as a hate crime , Sack asked Trudeau to send additional law enforcement personnel to the area to ensure the violence is contained .
• America ’ s QAnon problem is infecting Canada .
What should we do about it ?
• Canadian Andrew S. Wright 's `` Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Photographer of the Year award • Why some environmentalists are turning away from the BC NDP `` This truly is systemic racism , '' Sack said when asked about the RCMP 's actions .
`` Does Trudeau care about our people ?
Does he care about reconciliation ?
They talk about it , but I do n't see any actions towards it .
.
.
.
The RCMP dropped the ball . ''
The chief said his council has decided to take legal action against those who are interfering with the band 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go after everyone , '' he said , adding that his First Nation is considering calling in Indigenous warriors from across the country .
The non-Indigenous protesters say they are opposed to the band 's decision to start a commercial lobster fishing business that has operated outside the federally regulated lobster season since mid-September .
Sack argues Indigenous people in Atlantic Canada and Quebec have a treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood where and when they want , based on a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision that cites treaties signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many non-Indigenous critics , however , cite a clarification issued four months after the 1999 ruling , stating the Mi'kmaq treaty rights would be subject to federal regulations to ensure conservation of the resource .
Colin Sproul , head of the The Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen 's Association , said in an interview he condemns the violent acts but added that they are the product of years of growing concern about the state of the stocks .
First Nations Chief says PM Trudeau must step in to help settle Nova Scotia lobster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trudeau `` We 're Canadians .
We should expect that dialogue is always the way to solve our problems , not through violence , '' he said .
He also criticized the Mounties for failing to take action against any of the parties to the dispute .
He said he was dumbfounded a few weeks ago when he saw Indigenous fishers trying to board a non-Indigenous boat in St. Marys Bay while an RCMP tactical squad observed .
`` I can accept that Indigenous people may have seen acts of violence perpetrated against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too , '' he said .
The RCMP confirmed Thursday they had increased the number of officers in the area following the violent incidents on Tuesday night .
`` What we ’ re hoping for is a peaceful resolution to this very important issue , '' RCMP Sgt .
Andrew Joyce said in an interview .
In Ottawa , Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller said he found the images of Tuesday night 's violence alarming .
`` We 're talking about a fundamental right to earn a moderate livelihood , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to exercise , '' Miller said .
He noted that `` moderate livelihood '' has never been defined in a way that 's acceptable to all sides and said non-Indigenous fishers need be involved in the discussion .
`` The risk , if we do n't get this right , is that people will die .
.
.
.
Violence begets violence , and that is unacceptable , '' he said .
Following a cabinet meeting Thursday , Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said he was `` extremely disappointed '' by the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fishery .
McNeil said Ottawa needs to find a workable solution by sitting down with all sides in the dispute as soon as possible .
`` This is only getting more entrenched .
.
.
they need to be in the same room so everyone knows what each other is saying , '' he said .
McNeil also said the province would provide police with the `` resources necessary , '' including manpower to ensure public safety in the area .
`` If more people are required , we obviously would have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Provincial Justice Minister Mark Furey said he was satisfied with the RCMP response , adding that he thought it 's been a `` measured approach '' under difficult circumstances .
Sack said during the news conference the Mi'kmaq fishery will continue despite the damage done to the holding facilities , the burning of one fisherman 's boat and damage to vehicles in recent weeks .
He said the band is now in the process of purchasing the damaged plant in New Edinburgh , which he said would include a buyer 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's just a matter of doing the paperwork , '' he said .
— With files from Danielle Edwards , Keith Doucette and Michael MacDonald in Halifax .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to do more than send tweets to settle an increasingly violent dispute over an Indigenous-led lobster fishery in Nova Scotia, a First Nations chief said Thursday. "Actions speak louder than words," Chief Mike Sack of the Sipekne'katik First Nation told a news conference Thursday in Digby, N.S., located about 40 kilometres from where a lobster pound was damaged by protesters. "They're sitting in their offices, safe as can be, saying, 'We need safety out there.' Then send enforcement down," Sack said. "Do your job. Protect Canadians . . . . Don't just tweet about it." The RCMP have said about 200 people were present at two violent clashes Tuesday outside lobster pounds in New Edinburgh and Middle West Pubnico. Describing the events as a hate crime, Sack asked Trudeau to send additional law enforcement personnel to the area to ensure the violence is contained.
"This truly is systemic racism," Sack said when asked about the RCMP's actions. "Does Trudeau care about our people? Does he care about reconciliation? They talk about it, but I don't see any actions towards it . . . . The RCMP dropped the ball." The chief said his council has decided to take legal action against those who are interfering with the band's self-regulated lobster fishery. "We'll go after everyone," he said, adding that his First Nation is considering calling in Indigenous warriors from across the country. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The non-Indigenous protesters say they are opposed to the band's decision to start a commercial lobster fishing business that has operated outside the federally regulated lobster season since mid-September.
Sack argues Indigenous people in Atlantic Canada and Quebec have a treaty right to fish for a moderate livelihood where and when they want, based on a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision that cites treaties signed by the Crown in the 1700s. First Nations Chief says PM Trudeau must step in to help settle Nova Scotia lobster dispute. #novascotia #cdnpoli #trudeau Many non-Indigenous critics, however, cite a clarification issued four months after the 1999 ruling, stating the Mi'kmaq treaty rights would be subject to federal regulations to ensure conservation of the resource. Colin Sproul, head of the The Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association, said in an interview he condemns the violent acts but added that they are the product of years of growing concern about the state of the stocks. "We're Canadians. We should expect that dialogue is always the way to solve our problems, not through violence," he said. He also criticized the Mounties for failing to take action against any of the parties to the dispute. He said he was dumbfounded a few weeks ago when he saw Indigenous fishers trying to board a non-Indigenous boat in St. Marys Bay while an RCMP tactical squad observed.
"I can accept that Indigenous people may have seen acts of violence perpetrated against them that the RCMP walked away from, too," he said. The RCMP confirmed Thursday they had increased the number of officers in the area following the violent incidents on Tuesday night. "What we’re hoping for is a peaceful resolution to this very important issue," RCMP Sgt. Andrew Joyce said in an interview. In Ottawa, Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller said he found the images of Tuesday night's violence alarming.