nationalobserver--2020-08-18--Green, Blue or Grey? Colour-coded hydrogen holds keys to Canada's energy transition

Masselot ’ s company is a Quebec-based subsidiary of Air Liquide , which describes itself as a world leader in gas , technologies and services for the industry and health sectors .
“ Hydrogen is not new , ” he says in a thick , Parisian-sounding accent .
“ There ’ s a growing need for this molecule.
” To talk to Bertrand Masselot , president and CEO of Air Liquide Canada , is to enter a passionate discussion about hydrogen , the most abundant molecule on the planet .
“ The question is not whether it works , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 2,500 employees across Canada .
“ The question today is the scale up .
The speed.
” Jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom and Canada have yet to follow suit , perceived inaction that frustrates environmentalists , academics and business leaders who say achieving net zero is virtually impossible without hydrogen .
Countries such as Japan , Germany and South Korea have adopted bold hydrogen policies .
The European Commission recently announced its strategy .
The Air Liquide Canada CEO is part of an emerging debate about the role the molecule can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in Canada ’ s case , becoming carbon-neutral by 2050 .
Quite a tall order for such a tiny molecule , especially in the midst of a pandemic and record levels of government debt .
Still , Kirby and Masselot have lots of company in their push for faster government action .
The government ’ s direction on this file is key to attracting the kind of cash needed to produce enough hydrogen to power vehicles , commercial fleets , large industrial sectors such as steel and cement , heat buildings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by solar and wind .
Though the association has yet to officially put a dollar figure on the amount of federal investment it believes is needed to kick-start private investment , Kirby told the National Observer that he ’ d like to see the feds commit $ 3 billion , a proportional amount he says countries including Germany and economic regions such as the European Commission have already announced .
While Kirby says the department ’ s “ general approach makes sense , ” he ’ s still waiting for a signal that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a “ significant financial commitment ” large enough to stimulate investment from his association ’ s members , which include companies such as Air Liquide Canada , Enbridge , Toyota , Ballard Power Systems and Hydrogenics .
“ The government strategy is essential , ” says Mark Kirby , president and CEO of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association , minutes after taking part in a Natural Resources Canada consultation session , one of many the department is conducting in the lead-up to the unveiling of its strategy .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more up-to-date information for inclusion in Canada ’ s hydrogen strategy expected in fall 2020 , ” said a department spokesperson in an emailed response to Canada ’ s National Observer .
Because it has released a document considered to be a blueprint for a hydrogen strategy , expectations are high for Natural Resources Canada ’ s eventual plan .
Much of the discussion revolves around the colours associated with each method of hydrogen production .
Indeed , the hydrogen push has produced interesting bedfellows : business leaders , environmentalists , federal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a broader hydrogen discussion , Pembina recently produced a tip sheet or “ primer , ” explaining the significance of colours .
Typically , hydrogen does not exist on its own .
Instead , it latches on to oxygen and carbon in compounds such as water ( H2O ) , carbohydrates ( sugar , wood , biomass ) and hydrocarbons ( oil , natural gas , biogas ) .
It takes lots of energy to separate the hydrogen , which is stored until needed .
Pure hydrogen can be burned to produce heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like oil or natural gas .
The hydrogen can also be channelled into a fuel cell to produce electricity .
In both instances , water is the only byproduct .
Colours are assigned to each method of hydrogen production : green is cleanest ; blue is fairly clean ; grey is dirty ; black or brown are the dirtiest .
Indeed , in the hydrogen discussion colours are loaded with meaning .
It takes electricity to separate hydrogen from water by splitting the water molecule .
If clean electricity is used , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it uses electricity from clean sources — wind , solar , hydro , nuclear — this method of production is considered to be the gold standard because it produces zero GHG emissions .
The hydrogen can also be stored .
Separating hydrogen from biomass , biogas , oil or natural gas also hives off the carbon , typically as CO2 .
The carbon is captured and stored .
Blue is the colour assigned to this process .
Experts estimate that this process captures up to 90 per cent of the carbon , leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydrogen ) has low to moderate carbon intensity.
” However , if the CO2 is emitted from fossil fuel hydrogen , it is called grey hydrogen .
Because it ’ s a cheap way to produce hydrogen , this method is the world ’ s most common , and increasingly unacceptable because of its greenhouse gas emissions ( CO2 ) .
While it is also part of the colour-coded conversation , brown or black hydrogen , produced by burning coal , are excluded from Pembina ’ s primer .
So , proponents are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and blue .
“ We are less bothered about the colour of hydrogen than the climate benefit , ” says Pembina ’ s Simon Dyer .
There ’ s plenty of agreement over the potential for hydrogen and the role it can play in helping countries such as Canada drastically reduce their emissions .
Indeed , conceptualizing hydrogen as a clean energy source seems easy enough .
Natural Resources Canada acknowledges hydrogen ’ s potential in its Pathways to Hydrogen report , as well as its Clean Fuel Standard discussion paper .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fostering clean-tech investment recently acknowledged the role of hydrogen in its preliminary report .
However , Natural Resources Canada must still address crucial issues such as distribution — and cost .
Other than the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association ’ s Mark Kirby , few advocates seem willing to articulate a precise price tag .
There ’ s no doubt we are talking about tens of billions , a significant increase from the relatively small sums being spent , according to the association ’ s most recent and admittedly outdated estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lunch here , ” says David Tulk , a Calgary-based energy consultant studying ways to make a business case for hydrogen .
“ You ’ ve got to put a lot of energy into making hydrogen .
Though green hydrogen is the gold standard , it is also the most expensive because it depends on electricity , which means from a grid , or sources such as wind , solar power or nuclear .
Even though the cost of producing power from wind and solar is decreasing , and jurisdictions such as Quebec @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydrogen may be more aspirational than realistic , at least within the next several years .
That means blue hydrogen is a logical first step .
“ Hydrogen is almost entirely supplied from natural gas and coal today , ” concludes The Future of Hydrogen , a report by the International Energy Agency .
“ Hydrogen is already with us at industrial scale all around the world , but its production is responsible for annual CO2 emissions equivalent to those of Indonesia and the United Kingdom combined .
Harnessing this existing scale on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires… ( the ) capture of CO2 from hydrogen production from fossil fuels… ” The technology of “ capturing ” carbon and burying it is already well-established , says Chris Gent , policy manager at the London-based Carbon Capture and Storage Association , in an interview with Canada ’ s National Observer .
Though support from the U.K. government has wavered over the last several years , he says hydrogen is now seen as a “ necessity , ” a view echoed by the European Commission in its recent hydrogen strategy .
Gent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.K. government to announce a hydrogen strategy , it has already identified five so-called “ industrial clusters ” , incubators for projects that can produce blue or green hydrogen .
“ Whatever colour of hydrogen you ’ re looking at , the U.K. is well-positioned.
” While the U.K. characterizes these hubs of hydrogen activity as clusters , Dan Wicklum calls similar areas in Canada “ nodes.
” He ’ s the CEO of an Alberta-based non-profit private foundation called the Transition Accelerator , so named because its aim is to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The key to success , he argues , is identifying Canadian regions , or nodes , where the hydrogen production can thrive .
So far , his group has identified five areas in Alberta : Edmonton , three counties to the north of the provincial capital city , and Fort Saskatchewan , collectively known as the “ Edmonton Heartland Region.
” They are regions where municipal politicians and industry work together to develop a hydrogen strategy that could include business endeavours such as converting buses from diesel to hydrogen .
Mark Kirby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association says Vancouver ( dockyards ) and Saint John and Halifax could also be examples of these nodes .
A key part of the strategy is also finding customers for this cleaner source of energy , but not before devising ways to transport , store , export and burn at the source .
In short , building infrastructure almost entirely from scratch .
Hence , the need for cash -- and lots of it .
For instance , there are only a handful of hydrogen filling stations across the country and very few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal dollars .
Below , you 'll find the Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Station Locator map maintained by Natural Resources Canada and the U.S. Department of Energy .
The map provides electric and hydrogen vehicle owners with up-to-date information about alternative fueling station locations in Canada and the United States .
The map is filtered for the 11 hydrogen stations that are already in operation ( publicly available or privately available for a dedicated fleet ) , or have yet to open .
`` The information found on the map is updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a natural resources spokesperson in an email to Canada 's National Observer .
To obtain locations of the charging stations for vehicles powered by other sources such as electricity , click the `` Public Stations ' tab , and then select one the dots on the map for further details .
You can then also select the `` Advanced Filters '' tab to drill down even further .
If you want to return the map to the 11 hydrogen-filling stations , simply place your cursor outside map , right-click and refresh the entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time with this map , what becomes evident is that hydrogen is barely in the game compared to the other sources of power , prompting Wicklum to conclude that the hydrogen distribution-fuelling system does not exist , at least not yet .
Although enthusiasm for hydrogen is abundant in Canada , investment is still scarce .
Too few businesses are willing to spend the money , especially in the absence of the kind of strategy adopted by the European Commission , which envisions hydrogen being used to power vessels such as ships and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expensive .
How much seems to be anyone ’ s guess .
“ People balk at big , public infrastructure spending , but my gosh , take a look at the history of this country , ” says Wicklum .
“ Pipelines and rural roads and highways .
There ’ s always big public investment .
That is something that other countries are doing and Canada needs to do as well.
” Energy consultant David Tulk is still trying to do the math , in part by studying what jurisdictions beyond Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ ve been able to put 10 to 15 per cent of hydrogen into their gas stream .
So , this may be an easy way to reconfigure the fuel stream flowing through Canadian pipelines .
“ If 10 per cent of ( Canada ’ s ) natural gas is hydrogen , that would produce fewer emissions… because you ’ re burning less carbon .
But ( at ) what… cost ?
This is the calculation we ’ re doing.
” Air Liquide ’ s Bertrand Masselot says the key will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use makes sense : commuter bus fleets , taxis , to name a few .
“ Then you can use these refuelling stations .
And the manufacturing side as well .
Not only for the fleet , but in a second step for other types of use .
Your car .
My car .
Or other types of applications .
And that ’ s what I mean by focusing on an application where you can really scale up.
” The discussion always returns to money .
“ We will need incentives .
Tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are entering a phase where we need to gain speed… in the projects we are currently offering .
Something we could do if all the stakeholders are aligned .
Government , industrial players and users.
” The speed with which hydrogen moves from concept to reality remains an open question in Canada .
Other countries are further along .
Because the battle against climate change is global , foreign jurisdictions provide a blueprint for what can be done , even when also dealing with COVID-19-induced debt .
The ultimate direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as this fall .
Until then , the colour-coded hydrogen discussion continues to gather momentum and intensity .

Countries such as Japan, Germany and South Korea have adopted bold hydrogen policies. The European Commission recently announced its strategy .
The Air Liquide Canada CEO is part of an emerging debate about the role the molecule can play in the battle against climate change, in Canada’s case, becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.
Masselot’s company is a Quebec-based subsidiary of Air Liquide, which describes itself as a world leader in gas, technologies and services for the industry and health sectors.
“Hydrogen is not new,” he says in a thick, Parisian-sounding accent. “There’s a growing need for this molecule.”
To talk to Bertrand Masselot, president and CEO of Air Liquide Canada, is to enter a passionate discussion about hydrogen, the most abundant molecule on the planet.
“The question is not whether it works,” says Masselot, whose company has more than 2,500 employees across Canada. “The question today is the scale up. The speed.”
Jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom and Canada have yet to follow suit, perceived inaction that frustrates environmentalists, academics and business leaders who say achieving net zero is virtually impossible without hydrogen.
Though the association has yet to officially put a dollar figure on the amount of federal investment it believes is needed to kick-start private investment, Kirby told the National Observer that he’d like to see the feds commit $3 billion, a proportional amount he says countries including Germany and economic regions such as the European Commission have already announced.
While Kirby says the department’s “general approach makes sense,” he’s still waiting for a signal that the government is ready to back it with a “significant financial commitment” large enough to stimulate investment from his association’s members, which include companies such as Air Liquide Canada , Enbridge , Toyota , Ballard Power Systems and Hydrogenics .
“The government strategy is essential,” says Mark Kirby, president and CEO of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association , minutes after taking part in a Natural Resources Canada consultation session, one of many the department is conducting in the lead-up to the unveiling of its strategy.
“We are working with the industry to have more up-to-date information for inclusion in Canada’s hydrogen strategy expected in fall 2020,” said a department spokesperson in an emailed response to Canada’s National Observer.
Because it has released a document considered to be a blueprint for a hydrogen strategy, expectations are high for Natural Resources Canada’s eventual plan.
Quite a tall order for such a tiny molecule, especially in the midst of a pandemic and record levels of government debt. Still, Kirby and Masselot have lots of company in their push for faster government action.
The government’s direction on this file is key to attracting the kind of cash needed to produce enough hydrogen to power vehicles, commercial fleets, large industrial sectors such as steel and cement, heat buildings and store surplus power from renewable energy produced by solar and wind.
“We are less bothered about the colour of hydrogen than the climate benefit,” says Pembina’s Simon Dyer. Photo provided by Pembina Institute
Indeed, the hydrogen push has produced interesting bedfellows: business leaders, environmentalists, federal and provincial bureaucrats and academics.
Much of the discussion revolves around the colours associated with each method of hydrogen production.
The meaning of colours
To initiate a broader hydrogen discussion, Pembina recently produced a tip sheet or “primer,” explaining the significance of colours.
Typically, hydrogen does not exist on its own. Instead, it latches on to oxygen and carbon in compounds such as water (H2O), carbohydrates (sugar, wood, biomass) and hydrocarbons (oil, natural gas, biogas). It takes lots of energy to separate the hydrogen, which is stored until needed.
Pure hydrogen can be burned to produce heat in a furnace or engine, just like oil or natural gas. The hydrogen can also be channelled into a fuel cell to produce electricity. In both instances, water is the only byproduct.
Colours are assigned to each method of hydrogen production: green is cleanest; blue is fairly clean; grey is dirty; black or brown are the dirtiest.
Indeed, in the hydrogen discussion colours are loaded with meaning.
It takes electricity to separate hydrogen from water by splitting the water molecule. If clean electricity is used, the hydrogen is considered green hydrogen.
If it uses electricity from clean sources — wind, solar, hydro, nuclear — this method of production is considered to be the gold standard because it produces zero GHG emissions. The hydrogen can also be stored.
Separating hydrogen from biomass, biogas, oil or natural gas also hives off the carbon, typically as CO2.
The carbon is captured and stored. Blue is the colour assigned to this process. Experts estimate that this process captures up to 90 per cent of the carbon, leading Pembina to conclude that “(blue hydrogen) has low to moderate carbon intensity.”
However, if the CO2 is emitted from fossil fuel hydrogen, it is called grey hydrogen. Because it’s a cheap way to produce hydrogen, this method is the world’s most common, and increasingly unacceptable because of its greenhouse gas emissions (CO2).
While it is also part of the colour-coded conversation, brown or black hydrogen, produced by burning coal, are excluded from Pembina’s primer.
So, proponents are left with two viable colours: green and blue.
“We are less bothered about the colour of hydrogen than the climate benefit,” says Pembina’s Simon Dyer.
Struggling to find a strategy
There’s plenty of agreement over the potential for hydrogen and the role it can play in helping countries such as Canada drastically reduce their emissions. Indeed, conceptualizing hydrogen as a clean energy source seems easy enough.
Natural Resources Canada acknowledges hydrogen’s potential in its Pathways to Hydrogen report, as well as its Clean Fuel Standard discussion paper. The federal task force responsible for devising ways of fostering clean-tech investment recently acknowledged the role of hydrogen in its preliminary report.
However, Natural Resources Canada must still address crucial issues such as distribution — and cost.
Other than the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association’s Mark Kirby, few advocates seem willing to articulate a precise price tag. There’s no doubt we are talking about tens of billions, a significant increase from the relatively small sums being spent, according to the association’s most recent and admittedly outdated estimates.
“There’s no free lunch here,” says David Tulk, a Calgary-based energy consultant studying ways to make a business case for hydrogen. “You’ve got to put a lot of energy into making hydrogen.
“So, you really have to understand the source of energy that’s going to create this hydrogen molecule.”
Though green hydrogen is the gold standard, it is also the most expensive because it depends on electricity, which means from a grid, or sources such as wind, solar power or nuclear.
Even though the cost of producing power from wind and solar is decreasing, and jurisdictions such as Quebec have an abundance of hydro, green hydrogen may be more aspirational than realistic, at least within the next several years.
That means blue hydrogen is a logical first step.
“Hydrogen is almost entirely supplied from natural gas and coal today,” concludes The Future of Hydrogen, a report by the International Energy Agency.
“Hydrogen is already with us at industrial scale all around the world, but its production is responsible for annual CO2 emissions equivalent to those of Indonesia and the United Kingdom combined. Harnessing this existing scale on the way to a clean energy future requires… (the) capture of CO2 from hydrogen production from fossil fuels…”
The technology of “capturing” carbon and burying it is already well-established, says Chris Gent, policy manager at the London-based Carbon Capture and Storage Association, in an interview with Canada’s National Observer.
Chris Gent, policy manager at the London-based Carbon Capture and Storage Association, says the U.K. government has yet to announce its hydrogen strategy. Photo provided
Though support from the U.K. government has wavered over the last several years, he says hydrogen is now seen as a “necessity,” a view echoed by the European Commission in its recent hydrogen strategy.
Gent says while the industry is waiting for the U.K. government to announce a hydrogen strategy, it has already identified five so-called “industrial clusters”, incubators for projects that can produce blue or green hydrogen.
“Whatever colour of hydrogen you’re looking at, the U.K. is well-positioned.”
While the U.K. characterizes these hubs of hydrogen activity as clusters, Dan Wicklum calls similar areas in Canada “nodes.”
For Dan Wicklum of the Alberta-based group called the Transition Accelerator, hydrogen's success depends on the development of clusters, or " nodes, " of excellence. Photo provided
He’s the CEO of a non-profit private foundation called the Transition Accelerator, so named because its aim is to “accelerate” the speed of clean-tech growth.
The key to success, he argues, is identifying Canadian regions, or nodes, where the hydrogen production can thrive. So far, his group has identified five areas in Alberta: Edmonton, three counties to the north of the provincial capital city, and Fort Saskatchewan, collectively known as the “Edmonton Heartland Region.”
They are regions where municipal politicians and industry work together to develop a hydrogen strategy that could include business endeavours such as converting buses from diesel to hydrogen.
Mark Kirby of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association says Vancouver (dockyards) and Saint John and Halifax could also be examples of these nodes.
A key part of the strategy is also finding customers for this cleaner source of energy, but not before devising ways to transport, store, export and burn at the source. In short, building infrastructure almost entirely from scratch. Hence, the need for cash -- and lots of it.
For instance, there are only a handful of hydrogen filling stations across the country and very few projects in development with the help of federal dollars.
Mapping hydrogen fueling station locations
Below, you'll find the Electric Charging and Alternative Fuelling Station Locator map maintained by Natural Resources Canada and the U.S. Department of Energy. The map provides electric and hydrogen vehicle owners with up-to-date information about alternative fueling station locations in Canada and the United States.
The map is filtered for the 11 hydrogen stations that are already in operation (publicly available or privately available for a dedicated fleet), or have yet to open. "The information found on the map is updated on a regular basis," explained a natural resources spokesperson in an email to Canada's National Observer.
To obtain locations of the charging stations for vehicles powered by other sources such as electricity, click the "Public Stations' tab, and then select one the dots on the map for further details. You can then also select the "Advanced Filters" tab to drill down even further. If you want to return the map to the 11 hydrogen-filling stations, simply place your cursor outside map, right-click and refresh the entire page.
After spending a bit of time with this map, what becomes evident is that hydrogen is barely in the game compared to the other sources of power, prompting Wicklum to conclude that the hydrogen distribution-fuelling system does not exist, at least not yet.
Loading alternative fueling station locator... Please enable JavaScript to view the alternative fueling station locator.
Show me the money
Although enthusiasm for hydrogen is abundant in Canada, investment is still scarce. Too few businesses are willing to spend the money, especially in the absence of the kind of strategy adopted by the European Commission, which envisions hydrogen being used to power vessels such as ships and heat buildings.
Investing in hydrogen production is expensive. How much seems to be anyone’s guess.
“People balk at big, public infrastructure spending, but my gosh, take a look at the history of this country,” says Wicklum.
“Pipelines and rural roads and highways. There’s always big public investment. That is something that other countries are doing and Canada needs to do as well.”
Energy consultant David Tulk is still trying to do the math, in part by studying what jurisdictions beyond Canada are doing.
He says in Europe, they’ve been able to put 10 to 15 per cent of hydrogen into their gas stream. So, this may be an easy way to reconfigure the fuel stream flowing through Canadian pipelines.
“If 10 per cent of (Canada’s) natural gas is hydrogen, that would produce fewer emissions… because you’re burning less carbon. But (at) what… cost? This is the calculation we’re doing.”
Air Liquide’s Bertrand Masselot says the key will be identifying industrial sectors where large-scale hydrogen use makes sense: commuter bus fleets, taxis, to name a few.
“Then you can use these refuelling stations. And the manufacturing side as well. Not only for the fleet, but in a second step for other types of use. Your car. My car. Or other types of applications. And that’s what I mean by focusing on an application where you can really scale up.”
The discussion always returns to money.
“We will need incentives. Tax breaks. Credits,” says Masselot.
“We are entering a phase where we need to gain speed… in the projects we are currently offering. Something we could do if all the stakeholders are aligned. Government, industrial players and users.”
The speed with which hydrogen moves from concept to reality remains an open question in Canada. Other countries are further along. Because the battle against climate change is global, foreign jurisdictions provide a blueprint for what can be done, even when also dealing with COVID-19-induced debt.
The ultimate direction Canada takes could become clearer as early as this fall. Until then, the colour-coded hydrogen discussion continues to gather momentum and intensity.


nationalobserver--2020-08-18--Seed libraries rewriting the book on food sovereignty and climate change

Organic farmer Adam Schick holds a single Rembrandt pea aloft in the light of his drying shed to contemplate the magic and generosity of nature .
“ There we go .
From that we ’ ll get 50 peas next year .
Just from one little tiny seed , '' Schick said .
“ There ’ s no reason why there should be any insecurity when it comes to food.
” Simply put , access to seeds means access to food , says the market gardener for Linnaea Farm — a 314-acre organic co-operative land trust dedicated to sustainable agriculture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Island , B.C .
But the privatization and consolidation of seed production over time has driven down seed diversity — which in turn threatens food sovereignty and resilience to climate change , Schick said .
So , Linnaea Farm is setting up a seed library to keep more seeds in the public domain and to ensure they change along with the local climate .
• Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Linnaea will gather , hold and catalog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeds to safeguard genetic diversity like a typical seed bank , Schick said .
But more importantly , the farm will run a lending library for area growers to check out seeds , so they can continually grow , adapt and even flourish under changing local climate conditions .
“ It ’ s kind of cool that we put these seeds in the vaults just in case there is Armageddon , ” Schick said .
“ But as we 've discovered with this pandemic , you have to live through Armageddon.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t evolve , he stressed .
“ So , seed libraries combine preserving seeds and meeting the momentous changes that the climate is going through right now , ” Schick said .
“ Seeds that are grown out every single year by gardeners are adapting .
And that 's part of the process.
” The seed library also jibes nicely with Linnaea Farm ’ s mandate of public education around sustainable farming practices , Schick said .
“ So , seed libraries combine preserving seeds and meeting the momentous changes that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” organic farmer Adam Schick on ways to keep seeds in the public domain and improve resiliency to global warming .
Island or regional growers who want to borrow organic seeds commit to a short workshop on how to produce , pollinate , select and keep records of plants grown , and then return fresh , good quality seeds back to the library , he said .
The project will ensure continued community access to a diverse selection of locally adapted seeds , Schick said .
As well as preserving heritage seeds on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up with new varieties due to mutations , or as growers select plants and seeds based around personal preferences such as taste , or resistance to disease or pests , he added .
Seeds are cool .
Inspirational ice cubes in the chalice of your imagination on these long hot summer days .
Drink deep and imagine an abundant future .
David Catzel , Farm Folk City Folk ’ s B.C seed program director , said Linnaea ’ s small seed bank is one of many in development or already established across B.C @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mighty , Catzel said .
There ’ s big value in having lots of little communities saving and growing seeds , especially when paired with lots of regional or national information-sharing and cooperation , he said .
“ Lots of little hubs that work together is better than one big hub somewhere , ” Catzel said .
Kale seed grown on rainy Cortes Island will adapt over time to different conditions than the same kale grown in Kamloops ’ dry climate , he said .
“ If you get both of those seeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you plant them side by side they 're going to be quite different , ” Catzel said .
So as the climate shifts , farmers facing new weather patterns , pests or disease can look to their cooperative peer network for seeds that might better suit their new environment .
“ If my area starts losing water and I need seeds that are more drought resistant , maybe I can look to some seed produced in the Okanagan in growing out new plants , ” Catzel said .
David Catzel , B.C .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Folk ( FFCF ) , says small sustainable seed growers are cooperating to improve the quality , yield and regional adaptability of seeds .
Photo supplied by FFCF .
“ The great thing about small seed banks and libraries is the types of seeds that are being saved are not your typical seeds developed by large companies for that monoculture market , ” Catzel said .
This sharing and saving of seeds , once the fundamental right of farmers , has eroded over time with the monopolization and privatization of seeds by large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies often focus their seed research on few strains to increase efficiency , yield and profit , he added .
Conventional farmers buying seed from large companies often have to agree not to save , replant or sell the seed to others .
This concentrates the number and types of seeds into fewer hands , promotes monoculture , and decreases resilience to climate change and disease , Catzel said .
It also means if large companies , or even organic companies , decide to phase out a successful seed due to low profit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no longer gain access to it , he added .
The majority of vegetable seed bought and grown by Canadian farmers is not even bred for Canadian landscapes and climates , Catzel said .
To combat this situation , Linnaea Farm and a host of other sustainable operators are cooperating though the Canadian Organic Vegetable Crop Improvement ( CANOVI ) Variety Trials Network to grow adapted and publicly available seeds , he said .
The project ’ s goal is to identify varieties which perform best in each region , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to improve the availability of high quality vegetable seed for B.C .
agriculture , Catzel said .
Saving seeds !
The turn in the weather is baffling us and encouraging all sorts of ‘ get ‘ er done ’ moments .
Here we are harvesting parsnip seeds out in the 4th .
Seed saving is a big part of food security , and farming as a community builds resilience and strength .
Thankful for the folks surrounding me and making this journey a more enjoyable one !
# seeds # seedsaver # linnaeafarm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pnwfarming Growing organic seeds also allows farms such as Linnaea to diversify their income , Schick said .
Something important in a sector with such unpredictable and low margins as farming , he added .
But farming should never be solely based on maximizing income over notions of sustainability and community good , he added .
Monopolization has distorted the true value of seeds , which should n't solely be measured by profit , Schick said .
“ When we start thinking about these things as commodities , if you just care only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us all so much poorer.
” A single seed is true wealth , intrinsically plentiful , and more so if shared , Schick stressed .
“ If you let one parsnip go to seed , it makes hundreds .
Nature is completely abundant and amazing , ” he said .
“ So how did we blow it ?
” Seed lending libraries are a practical remedy to the commodification of the means to grow life , Schick added .
“ But I can share that seed , ” he said .
“ And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better for you and me.
” Organic market gardener Adam Schick shows off the Linnaea Farm 's famous leeks , grown here for seeds that will soon be part of a lending library and that have been adapting to the Cortes Island climate for over two decades .
Photo Rochelle Baker .

Organic farmer Adam Schick holds a single Rembrandt pea aloft in the light of his drying shed to contemplate the magic and generosity of nature. “There we go. From that we’ll get 50 peas next year. Just from one little tiny seed," Schick said. “There’s no reason why there should be any insecurity when it comes to food.” Simply put, access to seeds means access to food, says the market gardener for Linnaea Farm — a 314-acre organic co-operative land trust dedicated to sustainable agriculture, the environment and education on Cortes Island, B.C. But the privatization and consolidation of seed production over time has driven down seed diversity — which in turn threatens food sovereignty and resilience to climate change, Schick said. So, Linnaea Farm is setting up a seed library to keep more seeds in the public domain and to ensure they change along with the local climate.
Linnaea will gather, hold and catalog its own and other island growers’ seeds to safeguard genetic diversity like a typical seed bank, Schick said. But more importantly, the farm will run a lending library for area growers to check out seeds, so they can continually grow, adapt and even flourish under changing local climate conditions. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “It’s kind of cool that we put these seeds in the vaults just in case there is Armageddon,” Schick said. “But as we've discovered with this pandemic, you have to live through Armageddon.”
But seeds locked up in a vault don’t evolve, he stressed. “So, seed libraries combine preserving seeds and meeting the momentous changes that the climate is going through right now,” organic farmer Adam Schick on ways to keep seeds in the public domain and improve resiliency to global warming. “So, seed libraries combine preserving seeds and meeting the momentous changes that the climate is going through right now,” Schick said. “Seeds that are grown out every single year by gardeners are adapting. And that's part of the process.” The seed library also jibes nicely with Linnaea Farm’s mandate of public education around sustainable farming practices, Schick said. Island or regional growers who want to borrow organic seeds commit to a short workshop on how to produce, pollinate, select and keep records of plants grown, and then return fresh, good quality seeds back to the library, he said. The project will ensure continued community access to a diverse selection of locally adapted seeds, Schick said.
As well as preserving heritage seeds on the island, the library will end up with new varieties due to mutations, or as growers select plants and seeds based around personal preferences such as taste, or resistance to disease or pests, he added. https://www.instagram.com/p/CD_uCtMDV0y/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet


nationalobserver--2020-08-18--Trudeau set to move Freeland to Finance and to prorogue Parliament

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland will be sworn in as Canada 's new finance minister later today .
Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ to prorogue Parliament next month in order to come back with a new speech from @ @ @ @ @ update in October .
Multiple sources confirm to The Canadian Press that Freeland will remain @ @ @ @ @ she adds the finance portfolio to her already packed list of responsibilities .

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland will be sworn in as Canada's new finance minister later today.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also looking to prorogue Parliament next month in order to come back with a new speech from the throne and an economic update in October.
Multiple sources confirm to The Canadian Press that Freeland will remain as deputy prime minister as she adds the finance portfolio to her already packed list of responsibilities.
Bill Morneau announced last night he was leaving the Finance post following much speculation about a growing rift between him and Trudeau.
Both Morneau and Trudeau are embroiled in ethical investigations for not recusing themselves from a decision to award a large student grant contract to WE Charity despite both having close ties to the organization.


nationalobserver--2020-08-18--B.C. officials announce 236 COVID-19 cases over three days, stricter penalties coming

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the B.C .
government will announce stricter penalties this week for those who flout public health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the province .
Officials announced 236 new cases since Friday during a briefing Monday , including the second highest single-day increase of 100 since the pandemic began .
Hospitalizations decreased from 12 cases to four .
Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson said most of those testing positive are young , which suggests the province has done a relatively good job of protecting the most vulnerable .
However , she said young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections and may not realize they have COVID-19 before they spread it to others , adding that severe infections can occur at any age .
• Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce • Trudeau set to move Freeland to Finance and to prorogue Parliament Anyone with even a slight symptom should stay home from work and gatherings , and anyone who has been advised that they 've been in contact with a case should isolate for 14 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
`` You could easily spread the virus to someone who is vulnerable . ''
The new infections bring the total active cases to 743 .
There have been 4,594 confirmed cases since the pandemic began .
Two more people have died from the virus for a total of 198 deaths .
While there are no new community outbreaks , the health authority in northern B.C .
issued an alert after confirming 17 cases linked to a religious gathering held between July 30 and Aug. 2 .
Anyone who attended the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alta.
, is asked to monitor themselves , self-isolate and seek testing if any COVID-19 symptoms develop .
Health Minister Adrian Dix says the B.C .
government will announce stricter penalties this week for those who flout public health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the province .
`` This pandemic is not ending soon , this pandemic that we 're all tired of , '' Dix said .
Officials now expect it to continue `` well through 2021 into 2022 , '' he added .
`` This new normal is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the way that we address that , the way that we deal with that as a society , inevitably , has to be by choice and by engagement . ''
Solicitor General Mike Farnworth will announce stricter penalties later this week for those who break public health rules designed to reduce transmission of the novel coronavirus , said Dix .
Officials are most concerned about private parties and Dix urged people to act responsibly .
`` The places where there 's the greatest danger are private parties where alcohol is involved and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the B.C. government will announce stricter penalties this week for those who flout public health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the province. Officials announced 236 new cases since Friday during a briefing Monday, including the second highest single-day increase of 100 since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations decreased from 12 cases to four. Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson said most of those testing positive are young, which suggests the province has done a relatively good job of protecting the most vulnerable. However, she said young people are more likely to have mild infections and may not realize they have COVID-19 before they spread it to others, adding that severe infections can occur at any age.
Anyone with even a slight symptom should stay home from work and gatherings, and anyone who has been advised that they've been in contact with a case should isolate for 14 days, even if no symptoms develop, she said. "You could easily spread the virus to someone who is vulnerable." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The new infections bring the total active cases to 743. There have been 4,594 confirmed cases since the pandemic began.
Two more people have died from the virus for a total of 198 deaths. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the B.C. government will announce stricter penalties this week for those who flout public health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the province. While there are no new community outbreaks, the health authority in northern B.C. issued an alert after confirming 17 cases linked to a religious gathering held between July 30 and Aug. 2. Anyone who attended the It Is Time event in Deadwood, Alta., is asked to monitor themselves, self-isolate and seek testing if any COVID-19 symptoms develop. "This pandemic is not ending soon, this pandemic that we're all tired of," Dix said. Officials now expect it to continue "well through 2021 into 2022," he added.
"This new normal is going to be in place for a long time and the way that we address that, the way that we deal with that as a society, inevitably, has to be by choice and by engagement." Solicitor General Mike Farnworth will announce stricter penalties later this week for those who break public health rules designed to reduce transmission of the novel coronavirus, said Dix. Officials are most concerned about private parties and Dix urged people to act responsibly.


nationalobserver--2020-08-19--Prorogation of Parliament: what happens next?

Parliament has been prorogued until Sept. 23 , when there will be a speech from the throne .
Here is what that means and what could come next .
Word — The term comes through Middle English and Old French from a Latin root , prorogare , to prolong .
Effect — Prorogation essentially ends a session of Parliament , allowing for a new beginning with a speech from the throne .
Legislation — At one time , prorogation killed all legislation before Parliament , but rule changes now provide that most bills can be revived in the new session @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the previous session ended .
Committees — Committees , including special and legislative committees , cease to exist .
Membership on committees , except the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs , is terminated and all chairs and vice-chairs no longer hold these positions .
• Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce • Trudeau set to move Freeland to Finance and to prorogue Parliament Documents — No document may be tabled until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quote — `` Prorogation of a session brings to an end all proceedings before Parliament .
With certain exceptions , unfinished business 'dies ' on the Order Paper and must be started anew in a subsequent session . ''
— House of Commons Procedure and Practice , Third Edition , 2017 .
Length — Prorogation can be as short as a few hours , or as long as several months .
During this period , the House of Commons and Senate are shut down but the government remains in power and MPs remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prorogued at least once and often there are several prorogations and sessions in the life of a Parliament .
Authority — Prorogation is ordered by the Governor General on the advice of the prime minister .
It is not covered by statute .
Rather it is a personal legal power of the Governor General and by convention the prime minister has the right to provide advice .
And by convention it 's actually the prime minister 's decision .
Granted — Prorogation is routinely granted .
In December 2008 , then-governor general Michaelle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prorogation , but that was a thorny case because opposition parties were threatening to defeat the government and install a coalition government shortly after an election .
Parliament has been prorogued until Sept. 23 , when there will be a speech from the throne .
Here is what that means and what could come next .
Ceremony — At one time , prorogation was done in a formal ceremony in the Senate chamber , but that has n't been used in decades .
A simple proclamation signed by the Governor General does the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their 2015 election platform , the Liberals said Stephen Harper 's Conservatives `` used prorogation to avoid difficult political circumstances .
We will not . ''
Limits — Governments ca n't use prorogation to shut down Parliament indefinitely .
That would violate the constitutional requirement that Parliament meet at least once every 12 months .
And without Parliament to approve a budget and spending estimates , the government would run out of money .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18 , 2020 .

Parliament has been prorogued until Sept. 23, when there will be a speech from the throne. Here is what that means and what could come next.
Word — The term comes through Middle English and Old French from a Latin root, prorogare, to prolong.
Effect — Prorogation essentially ends a session of Parliament, allowing for a new beginning with a speech from the throne.
Legislation — At one time, prorogation killed all legislation before Parliament, but rule changes now provide that most bills can be revived in the new session at the same stage they were at when the previous session ended.
Committees — Committees, including special and legislative committees, cease to exist. Membership on committees, except the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, is terminated and all chairs and vice-chairs no longer hold these positions.


nationalobserver--2020-08-19--Docs suggest public servants recommended WE Charity for student program

Thousands of pages of newly released documents back up the Trudeau government 's contention that it was federal public servants who recommended a student service grant program be administered by WE Charity .
But they also suggest bureaucrats may have been nudged to look in that direction by their political masters .
The documents were released late Tuesday afternoon to members of the House of Commons finance committee , on the orders of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he announced he was proroguing Parliament until Sept. 23 .
Prorogation puts a temporary end to the four committees that have spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close connections to Trudeau 's family was chosen to administer a multimillion-dollar program to encourage students to volunteer in pandemic-related community service .
The controversy over the now-abandoned program has spawned investigations by the federal ethics watchdog into possible conflict of interest on the part of Trudeau and his former finance minister , Bill Morneau , who also has close family ties to WE Charity .
• Speaking out comes at a cost in Alberta .
Just look at the former CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce • Trudeau set to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 5,000-plus pages of government documents were tabled with the finance committee almost two weeks ago but had not been released to committee members because legal counsel was still vetting them to ensure there were no breaches of cabinet confidences or personal privacy .
In deciding to hand them over directly to committee members Tuesday , Trudeau may have hoped to get any controversy associated with them out of the way well before Parliament reopens on what he hopes will be a more positive note — with a throne speech designed to launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery after the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic .
The documents include memorandums to cabinet , ministers and Trudeau , as well as emails , text messages and even hand-written notes about meetings at which WE 's involvement in the Canada Student Service Grant program was discussed by bureaucrats or political staff .
The context , the timing of the communications and the person speaking is not always clear .
Trudeau announced the broad outlines of the grant program on April 22 as part of a $ 9-billion package of measures to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has testified that he only learned on May 8 that Employment and Social Development Canada was proposing that WE Charity oversee delivery of the program .
He has said he removed the proposal from the cabinet agenda that day and asked that more due diligence be done to determine if there was not some other group that could administer the grants , such as the Canada Service Corps .
After the department reported back that WE Charity was the only group with the capacity to deliver the massive program in such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on May 22 .
Trudeau and Morneau have both apologized for not recusing themselves from that decision but have insisted that they were acting strictly on the recommendation of public servants .
Thousands of pages of newly released documents back up the Trudeau government 's contention that it was federal public servants who recommended a student service grant program be administered by WE Charity .
Many of the documents support Trudeau 's version of events .
But they also suggest that Youth Minister Bardish Chagger helped get WE Charity on her bureaucrats ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office helped keep it there .
Chagger spoke with WE co-founder Craig Kielburger on April 17 to discuss an unsolicited proposal by the group to create a youth social entrepreneurship program .
In an email to her on April 22 , Kielburger thanks her for listening to the proposal , which was ultimately rejected by the government .
He then adds : `` We appreciate your thoughtful offer to connect us with relevant members of your ministry .
Our weekend team has also been hard at work to adapt your suggestion of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity . ''
Two days after Chagger 's chat with Kielburger , the documents show that bureaucrats were talking about WE 's possible involvement .
Rachel Wernick , a senior assistant deputy minister at Employment and Social Development Canada , which encompasses Chagger 's ministry , asked in an email on April 19 to speak to Kielburger about `` something we are working on that might be of interest to WE . ''
Michelle Kovacevic , an assistant deputy minister at Finance , wrote the same day that `` ESDC thinks that 'WE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteer matching third party ...
The mission of WE is congruent with national service and they have a massive following on social media . ''
The following day , in an email to PCO officials , Kovacevic wrote that the Prime Minister 's Office had been `` weighing in '' on the latest student grant proposal , which had become `` bit of a shit show . ''
She said there had been `` positive communication with WE '' and that `` discussions are encouraging on that front . ''
Amitpal Singh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , emailed Kovacevic the same day to say he had spoken `` with the team at WE this morning . ''
`` We should be receiving an updated paper soon from them , and as soon as we get policy approvals I think we should reach out and bring them into the fold , '' he wrote .
Kovacevic thanked Singh for `` keeping the relationship with WE strong . ''
`` I think this is the right organization for a call to action for national service . ''
On April 21 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relations , Sofia Marquez , sent Singh the organization 's revised proposal for a national , bilingual service program that would allow 20,000 young Canadians to take part in summer service placements and projects during the COVID-19 pandemic .
She signed off by saying , `` Huge THANK YOU — you 've been most helpful ! ''
The following day , Singh messaged Kovacevic to connect her with Marquez , adding he hoped she could find time `` before the end of the week to quickly touch base '' with the WE representative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next day to arrange a call .
The reason is not entirely clear , but at one point in mid-April , Justin To , Morneau 's deputy chief of staff , joked that Kovacevic was `` a heartless meany proposing indentured servitude for maybe a cookie at the end . ''
Some have criticized the service grant program as a way for not-for-profit groups to effectively hire workers who 'd have been paid less than minimum wage If bureaucrats were unaware of Trudeau 's connection to WE , the charity 's eventual revised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it clear .
It included photos of the organization 's `` celebrity ambassadors '' — among them , the prime minister 's mother , Margaret Trudeau , and his wife , Sophie Gregoire Trudeau .
Trudeau has been a featured speaker at six WE Day events and his wife hosts a podcast for the group , for which they have not been paid .
However , the charity has confirmed it covered expenses for Gregoire Trudeau and paid hundreds of thousands in speaking fees and expenses to Trudeau 's mother and brother for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Nevertheless , the documents make it plain that public servants believed a third party was required to administer the grant program and that WE was the only one that fit the bill .
An April 30 ESDC memorandum says that the department itself could n't do the job because `` no mechanism currently exists to deliver a grant of this type directly to a large number of youth . ''
In the interests of `` speed and simplicity , '' it said a third party should administer the program , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the functions that the government wanted .
Wernick , who has testified that she is the one who recommended WE 's involvement , wrote a lengthy memo on May 13 detailing why Trudeau 's preferred alternative , the Canada Service Corp , was not up to the job .
`` All CSC partners are already struggling to deliver their existing programs and do not have the capacity to take on more ( volunteer ) placements , '' she wrote , adding that the CSC 's community service programs for youth are not geared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service related to the pandemic .
On May 14 , an official at the Privy Council Office informed another bureaucrat that the Prime Minister 's Office `` would brief against '' the proposed grant program as originally presented to cabinet .
A hand-written note about the `` PM '' and the `` service corp '' says `` concern is only thinking about WE . ''
Eventually , however , the clerk of the Privy Council , Ian Shugart , recommended to Trudeau that he approve the plan .
`` WE Charities is well-placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks and technological sophistication should create the necessary demand to ensure the initiative is a success , '' Shugart wrote , adding that a detailed agreement has been negotiated with the charity to `` ensure stewardship of public funds . ''
Trudeau announced the launch of the program on June 25 .
But there was immediate controversy over his perceived conflict of interest and WE Charity pulled out of the agreement , which was to have paid the organization $ 43.5 million , on July 3 .
In an exchange of text messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raged , ESDC deputy minister Graham Flack commiserated with Wernick .
`` The more I reflect , the more I think you should n't worry , '' Flack told her .
`` This was your only option in the timelines and was your advice .
`` Political side understood they would be criticized but this was the right thing to do .
There will be noise but that 's politics . ''
Wernick responded that she and her `` little team worked so hard to make this a success .
It is tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But I guess I underestimated how much the politics would play . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19 , 2020 .

Thousands of pages of newly released documents back up the Trudeau government's contention that it was federal public servants who recommended a student service grant program be administered by WE Charity. But they also suggest bureaucrats may have been nudged to look in that direction by their political masters. The documents were released late Tuesday afternoon to members of the House of Commons finance committee, on the orders of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he announced he was proroguing Parliament until Sept. 23. Prorogation puts a temporary end to the four committees that have spent the summer probing how a charity with close connections to Trudeau's family was chosen to administer a multimillion-dollar program to encourage students to volunteer in pandemic-related community service. The controversy over the now-abandoned program has spawned investigations by the federal ethics watchdog into possible conflict of interest on the part of Trudeau and his former finance minister, Bill Morneau, who also has close family ties to WE Charity.
The 5,000-plus pages of government documents were tabled with the finance committee almost two weeks ago but had not been released to committee members because legal counsel was still vetting them to ensure there were no breaches of cabinet confidences or personal privacy. In deciding to hand them over directly to committee members Tuesday, Trudeau may have hoped to get any controversy associated with them out of the way well before Parliament reopens on what he hopes will be a more positive note — with a throne speech designed to launch the country on the road to economic recovery after the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The documents include memorandums to cabinet, ministers and Trudeau, as well as emails, text messages and even hand-written notes about meetings at which WE's involvement in the Canada Student Service Grant program was discussed by bureaucrats or political staff. The context, the timing of the communications and the person speaking is not always clear.
Trudeau announced the broad outlines of the grant program on April 22 as part of a $9-billion package of measures to support young people during the pandemic. Thousands of pages of newly released documents back up the Trudeau government's contention that it was federal public servants who recommended a student service grant program be administered by WE Charity. He has testified that he only learned on May 8 that Employment and Social Development Canada was proposing that WE Charity oversee delivery of the program. He has said he removed the proposal from the cabinet agenda that day and asked that more due diligence be done to determine if there was not some other group that could administer the grants, such as the Canada Service Corps. After the department reported back that WE Charity was the only group with the capacity to deliver the massive program in such a short timeframe, cabinet approved the proposal on May 22. Trudeau and Morneau have both apologized for not recusing themselves from that decision but have insisted that they were acting strictly on the recommendation of public servants. Many of the documents support Trudeau's version of events. But they also suggest that Youth Minister Bardish Chagger helped get WE Charity on her bureaucrats' radar and political staff in Morneau's office helped keep it there.
Chagger spoke with WE co-founder Craig Kielburger on April 17 to discuss an unsolicited proposal by the group to create a youth social entrepreneurship program. In an email to her on April 22, Kielburger thanks her for listening to the proposal, which was ultimately rejected by the government. He then adds: "We appreciate your thoughtful offer to connect us with relevant members of your ministry. Our weekend team has also been hard at work to adapt your suggestion of a second stream focused on a summer service opportunity." Two days after Chagger's chat with Kielburger, the documents show that bureaucrats were talking about WE's possible involvement.


nationalobserver--2020-08-19--Craft distillers say hefty taxes have them over a barrel

Tyler Dyck lifts a dram of whisky to the light , musing that it holds a field — distilled .
It ’ s the kind of taste the Okanagan-based distiller and president of the Craft Distiller ’ s Guild of B.C .
says could spur renewal of B.C .
farms — but only if there are changes to a tax that 's deeply rooted in Canada ’ s history .
“ ( Making ) whisky , that ’ s the same process as making beer , ” he explained .
“ Except we take the water out of the beer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have to use ten times the amount of grain.
” It ’ s a situation that small-scale distillers are looking to change — a change they say can only come through cuts to excise taxes .
An excise tax is a tax levied at the moment of production , not the moment of sale .
Spirits are currently charged an excise tax to the tune of roughly $ 12.61 per litre , compared to an excise tax of zero ( until June 30 , 2022 ) for wine and between $ 0.03 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For beer , the excise tax is calculated based on the government ’ s estimate of “ social harm ” caused by a molecule of alcohol .
About 80 per cent of Canadians drink , and at least 4.5 million of them risk chronic conditions such as liver disease and cancer .
Costs related to alcohol equalled about $ 14.6 billion in 2002 , according to a 2016 government report .
The taxation rate for spirits isn ’ t proportional to the amount of alcohol they contain — and it 's preventing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one seen in craft breweries over the past 20 years says B.C .
distiller Tyler Dyck .
Craft distilleries are becoming more common in Canada , but they have not seen the kind of exponential growth that has transformed the brewing industry over the past 20 years .
In 2019 , about twice as many people made beer or worked in breweries than in 1999 .
Photo by pxfuel .
The report also said that alcohol ’ s harmful impacts were directly related to how it is consumed , and evaluating its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dyck said the taxation rate for spirits isn ’ t proportional to the amount of alcohol they contain — and it 's preventing a boom in small-scale distilleries similar to the one seen in craft breweries over the past 20 years .
Employment in breweries almost doubled in that period , with 15,540 people working in the industry by 2019 .
He noted that in 2017 , the American government dropped the excise tax on a distiller ’ s first 100,000 proof gallons ( raw alcohol ) by 400 per cent .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distillers , with close to 1,000 new distillers establishing themselves in the country over the past two years , and existing producers growing larger .
Dyck said Canada could see similar growth — with a reduction in the excise tax .
It ’ s a familiar tune for Shirley Tillotson , professor emeritus of history at Dalhousie University and expert in the history of Canadian taxation .
“ One reason to tax alcohol is that it ’ s a luxury , not subsistence .
And it ’ s a nice reliable source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop consuming it .
( Alcohol ) has its oldest foundation as a tax base , ” she said .
For instance , Nova Scotia ’ s first grammar school , founded in the 1790s , was funded exclusively through a tax on alcohol .
That trend continued : Until income taxes were introduced in the 1940s and 1950s , about 15 per cent of government revenue came from excise taxes on alcohol .
That included both imports and domestic production .
Unsurprisingly , for a product that was so valuable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football .
“ It was very intimately a part of how you made political life work in 19th century Canada , ” she said .
It even shaped the Canadian Constitution .
Alcohol and the tax revenues it generated triggered several lawsuits in the period after Confederation that helped clarify the division of powers between the federal and provincial governments .
Photo by Wikimedia commons .
Nor has the pattern changed much .
“ We ’ re totally fine paying our proportional 'sin ' tax , ” Dyck said .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you ’ ve determined that a beer alcohol molecule has this much social harm , that same molecule can ’ t be taxed 20 or 40 per cent higher ( for spirits ) .
” In other words : Why should small-scale distillers — who do n't benefit from economies of scale like their larger , industrial competitors — be taxed differently than craft brewers and wine producers ?
“ It ’ s a pretty standard type of request , ” said Rick Barichello , a professor of food and resource economics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Distilleries rely on small-scale corn and grain farmers to supply them with ingredients for their brews .
According to Dyck , distillers will use up to ten times more grain than beer per litre of alcohol — a major economic contribution to small farming communities .
Photo provided by Tyler Dyck .
Industries are always asking for a special subsidy , he explained , and will try to wrap themselves in desirable attributions such as increased agricultural activity or more employment .
The government needs to evaluate whether the loss of that income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s overall economic growth — and it might not .
“ You could also spend directly on farms producing food , ” he said .
“ Or that money could be used to buy COVID-19 supplies like gloves and masks .
”

Tyler Dyck lifts a dram of whisky to the light, musing that it holds a field — distilled. It’s the kind of taste the Okanagan-based distiller and president of the Craft Distiller’s Guild of B.C. says could spur renewal of B.C. farms — but only if there are changes to a tax that's deeply rooted in Canada’s history. “(Making) whisky, that’s the same process as making beer,” he explained. “Except we take the water out of the beer, put it in barrels — and I have to use ten times the amount of grain.” "When Prohibition happened, the governments in Canada and the U.S. took away over 2,000 licences from distillers, and gave them to five people," said Dyck. It was the start of an industrial spirits industry that endures today. Photo provided by Tyler Dyck. In 2019, Canadians purchased an average of 2.1 litres of spirits per capita, representing roughly 27 per cent of their annual alcohol consumption.
That’s about 75 million litres of spirits consumed annually, and with only a few hundred small-scale distillers in the country, most of those litres come a few from industrial distilleries marketing their products under different names said Dyck. These facilities produce millions of litres a year and rely on industrial grain farms — a form of agriculture that has prevailed across North America since the 1950s, and that has led to farm consolidation, fewer farmers and increased pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “It’s the same oat bag in every (conventional) bottle,” Dyck said.
It’s a situation that small-scale distillers are looking to change — a change they say can only come through cuts to excise taxes. An excise tax is a tax levied at the moment of production, not the moment of sale. The taxation rate for spirits isn’t proportional to the amount of alcohol they contain — and it's preventing a boom in small-scale distilleries similar to the one seen in craft breweries over the past 20 years says B.C. distiller Tyler Dyck. Spirits are currently charged an excise tax to the tune of roughly $12.61 per litre, compared to an excise tax of zero (until June 30, 2022) for wine and between $0.03 and $0.20 per litre for beer. For beer, the excise tax is calculated based on the government’s estimate of “social harm” caused by a molecule of alcohol. About 80 per cent of Canadians drink, and at least 4.5 million of them risk chronic conditions such as liver disease and cancer. Costs related to alcohol equalled about $14.6 billion in 2002, according to a 2016 government report. Craft distilleries are becoming more common in Canada, but they have not seen the kind of exponential growth that has transformed the brewing industry over the past 20 years. In 2019, about twice as many people made beer or worked in breweries than in 1999. Photo by pxfuel. The report also said that alcohol’s harmful impacts were directly related to how it is consumed, and evaluating its impact “is complicated.”
Still, Dyck said the taxation rate for spirits isn’t proportional to the amount of alcohol they contain — and it's preventing a boom in small-scale distilleries similar to the one seen in craft breweries over the past 20 years. Employment in breweries almost doubled in that period, with 15,540 people working in the industry by 2019. He noted that in 2017, the American government dropped the excise tax on a distiller’s first 100,000 proof gallons (raw alcohol) by 400 per cent. The drop led to a boom in small-scale distillers, with close to 1,000 new distillers establishing themselves in the country over the past two years, and existing producers growing larger. Dyck said Canada could see similar growth — with a reduction in the excise tax.


nationalobserver--2020-08-19--Citizens appalled as boaters defying whale sanctuary get off with warning

This is the second year that Transport Canada has banned most vessel activity around “ key foraging areas ” for the Southern Resident Killer Whales — endangered orcas that have seen their numbers dwindle to the low seventies .
Looking out over Boundary Pass on July 13 , near the eastern point of Saturna Island , B.C.
, the retired educator thought back to how he and his daughter had watched , alarmed , as boats blasted their way through the sanctuary for a month and a half , ignoring a federal interim order .
David Osborne watched with joyful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police boat intercepted a vessel that had crossed into an endangered whale sanctuary .
Then his excitement turned to disappointment as he watched the two boats part ways , with the suspect vessel heading back along the same course as before , straight into the sanctuary .
“ Our initial reaction was joy — ‘ Oh , finally , they ’ re pulling someone over .
They ’ re going to give a ticket , this will be publicized , and then there will be some deterrence , ’ ” he remembers thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Canada would start to bring the hammer down .
And for a while on that July day , he said it felt like the moment that things would change .
But by mid-August last year , officials admitted they hadn ’ t handed out any penalties to boaters caught skirting the rules .
The government said it was focused more at the time on raising awareness .
Boaters can face fines or jail time under the Canada Shipping Act for breaching three sanctuary zones around Vancouver Island .
“ Our frustration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creating these ( sanctuary zones ) if you ’ re not going to enforce ?
” she said .
For Susie Washington-Smyth of the Saturna Sighting Network , a group of residents and research scientists who have been tracking nearby whales and boats , it ’ s a maddening problem .
“ Though there have been no administrative penalties or fines issued this year to date , we continue to follow up on reports of alleged violations to the interim sanctuary zones for potential enforcement actions , ” said departmental senior communications advisor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 , Transport Canada had not issued any fines or penalties to boaters caught violating the zones , Canada 's National Observer has confirmed .
The department says it is still deciding whether to pursue any of the incidents that it ’ s already heard about .
Instead of getting tougher on those offenders by issuing fines , Canada is repeating its approach from last year , letting them off with verbal or written warnings .
Island residents , however , say that boaters appear to be unaware of the rules , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas , where the endangered orcas feed on salmon by echolocation .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's government has touted the sanctuaries , in force this year from June 1 to Nov. 30 , as a key part of its multi-pronged effort to protect the whales .
The sanctuaries cover three areas near Saturna Island and Pender Island in the Gulf Islands , and a portion of Swiftsure Bank in Juan de Fuca Strait .
The Saturna Sighting Network has partnered with the Saturna Island Marine Research and Education Society ( SIMRES ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in part to access its hydrophones in the water that can record the sounds that the whales and the boats are making .
As the department continues to weigh its options for enforcement , it has no shortage of reports to draw from .
Two-thirds of the vessels Washington-Smyth ’ s group tracked in July were not in compliance with the Saturna sanctuary , she said .
“ They ’ re a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound to begin with , in terms of being able to really help the orcas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just beyond the pale .
It ’ s insulting to the taxpayer , and it does nothing to protect the whales.
” The network and SIMRES also collaborate with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in order to agree on a methodology for organizing the data they are tracking .
They also report the zone violations that they see to the department .
“ We said , ‘ OK , our role in this is that we will start a citizen science project , using the kind of rigour that is needed so that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the distribution of whales , and their frequency , ’ ” said Washington-Smyth .
During the period from July 6 to 18 , her data showed that out of 104 vessels , 35 respected the zone , while 69 did not .
The figures were collected from nine-to-five visual records confirmed by a rangefinder .
“ What we have observed is that most of the boaters have no idea that there is a sanctuary zone , ” she said .
SIMRES president Martin Wale said he ’ s reached the same conclusion : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sanctuary zones.
” It ’ s not for a lack of resources .
A presentation from Parks Canada , Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Saturna Island Cultural and Recreational Centre on Feb. 8 , 2020 , for example , outlined the “ suite of tools ” the government said it was using to enforce the sanctuaries .
These tools include aerial surveillance , and vessel tracking using transceivers .
As well , three organizations — the RCMP ’ s marine unit , Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the water , and Transport Canada says that all of them have been designated as enforcers of the interim order .
“ Enforcement may not always be visible from shore , but enforcement actions are taking place , ” the presentation assured residents .
Transport Canada ’ s own enforcement team , meanwhile , reviews alleged violation reports , and decides whether to follow up with boaters .
Under the Shipping Act , violators can be subject to a maximum of 18 months imprisonment upon summary conviction , a fine of up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty of up to $ 250,000 .
Washington-Smyth said government officials had promised her in February that , this year , Canada was going to go beyond issuing warnings and actually issue fines .
Such monetary penalties are needed to create a true disincentive for boaters , she said ; everything else is just “ window dressing.
” ‘ We will not hesitate to issue a fine if it is warranted ’ That ’ s not necessarily the case , said Michelle Sanders , director of clean water policy for Transport Canada .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials that Washington-Smyth and Saturna Island residents have been in contact with regarding the sanctuary zones .
She informed an agitated Saturna Island crowd on Aug. 15 , 2019 , for example , that only verbal and written warnings had been issued by that time , according to a report in The Narwhal .
In an interview , Sanders argued that , far from letting people off the hook , receiving a warning from a law enforcement individual actually “ gets your attention ” as a boater .
She said it makes people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are , and it helps inform the broader boating community.
” She also said the government remains committed to slapping boaters with penalties .
“ We will not hesitate to issue a fine if it is warranted .
But we also need to ensure that they understand what the rules are , ” Sanders said .
The government says it ’ s tracking the warnings they give out , and that all the boaters who have been caught so far have been first offenders .
“ We ’ ve not yet had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Sanders .
When officers from one of the three agencies have approached boaters and asked them to leave the zones immediately , they do , she said .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ ve ever had an instance where they ’ re like , ‘ Forget it , I ’ m staying here.
’ ” At the same time , Sanders said the government does not have a policy of letting first-time offenders off with a warning ; it has simply worked out that way so far .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
Asked to specify what circumstances would have to be in play for a first-time offender to be issued a monetary penalty , Sanders said it would depend on other information that might be available .
“ For example , if there are whales that are perhaps in the zone , that might be something that they would take into account , ( or ) if they have a history of non-compliance with other rules — this is information that our officers have , ” she said .
An orca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time of a boating infraction , however , should be beside the point , said SIMRES ’ s Wale .
The zone is meant to protect the foraging area , a permanent fixture , rather than a transient orca .
“ The reason the sanctuary zone is there in the first place is that this is a major foraging area for the Southern Resident Killer Whales .
And that process of foraging — of feeding on salmon , by echolocation — is severely sensitive to disturbance and noise , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone is to protect that feeding zone .
So it ’ s not relevant whether the whales are there or not .
The feeding zone needs to be protected , so that if the whales come , then they won ’ t be disturbed.
” In February , the government said it would apply “ lessons learned ” from the 2019 implementation of the sanctuary zones .
Officials said they realized they needed “ increased and earlier communication ” with boaters about the zones , and better collaboration with outside groups , U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as boat shows .
“ One of the biggest things we learned from last year was the importance of getting out in person and talking to people at the marinas , at the boat shows , because it ’ s such a diverse community that there ’ s no one way we can actually get to all the recreational boaters to make sure they understand , ” Sanders said .
“ We had put in place a pretty robust outreach plan that would include a lot of in-person outreach — meeting with local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to the marinas , making presentations at boat shows.
” Those efforts were thwarted by the COVID-19 pandemic , she said .
Bureaucrats were required to work from home .
Boat shows were cancelled .
Officials couldn ’ t be sent out on ferries due to public health measures .
Basic person-to-person interaction became impossible .
“ As you can appreciate , those are the things that were not able to be done as a result of the pandemic ... so we shifted to a virtual and online approach as best we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as email engagement , and connecting with tourism organizations and visitor centres remotely .
Sanders said it was not as robust an approach as they would have liked to have taken .
Still , by the end of June , B.C .
had moved into the third phase of its COVID-19 reopening plan , encouraging residents to resume non-essential travel throughout the province .
Washington-Smyth said the government had promised that communication materials — such as posters and billboards for docks , marinas and ferries , and brochures for stores , cabins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctuary zones would be forthcoming .
On Aug. 17 , Washington-Smyth said she was told by a Canada Parks official on Saturna Island that they still did not have any brochures or other written information from Transport Canada on the sanctuary zone to hand out .
“ It ’ s now mid-August , and the interim order was in effect June 1 , ” she said .
“ It speaks to my point .
”

But by mid-August last year, officials admitted they hadn’t handed out any penalties to boaters caught skirting the rules. The government said it was focused more at the time on raising awareness.
Boaters can face fines or jail time under the Canada Shipping Act for breaching three sanctuary zones around Vancouver Island.
This is the second year that Transport Canada has banned most vessel activity around “ key foraging areas ” for the Southern Resident Killer Whales — endangered orcas that have seen their numbers dwindle to the low seventies.
Looking out over Boundary Pass on July 13, near the eastern point of Saturna Island , B.C., the retired educator thought back to how he and his daughter had watched, alarmed, as boats blasted their way through the sanctuary for a month and a half, ignoring a federal interim order .
David Osborne watched with joyful anticipation from his kitchen sink as a police boat intercepted a vessel that had crossed into an endangered whale sanctuary.
Then his excitement turned to disappointment as he watched the two boats part ways, with the suspect vessel heading back along the same course as before, straight into the sanctuary.
“Our initial reaction was joy — ‘Oh, finally, they’re pulling someone over. They’re going to give a ticket, this will be publicized, and then there will be some deterrence,’” he remembers thinking.
Osborne became convinced that, this year, Canada would start to bring the hammer down. And for a while on that July day, he said it felt like the moment that things would change.
“Though there have been no administrative penalties or fines issued this year to date, we continue to follow up on reports of alleged violations to the interim sanctuary zones for potential enforcement actions,” said departmental senior communications advisor Sau Sau Liu.
As of Aug. 12, Transport Canada had not issued any fines or penalties to boaters caught violating the zones, Canada's National Observer has confirmed. The department says it is still deciding whether to pursue any of the incidents that it’s already heard about.
Instead of getting tougher on those offenders by issuing fines, Canada is repeating its approach from last year, letting them off with verbal or written warnings.
Island residents, however, say that boaters appear to be unaware of the rules, and are continuing to cross into the foraging areas, where the endangered orcas feed on salmon by echolocation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government has touted the sanctuaries , in force this year from June 1 to Nov. 30, as a key part of its multi-pronged effort to protect the whales. The sanctuaries cover three areas near Saturna Island and Pender Island in the Gulf Islands, and a portion of Swiftsure Bank in Juan de Fuca Strait.
For Susie Washington-Smyth of the Saturna Sighting Network, a group of residents and research scientists who have been tracking nearby whales and boats, it’s a maddening problem.
“Our frustration is, why the hell are you creating these (sanctuary zones) if you’re not going to enforce?” she said.
“They’re a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound to begin with, in terms of being able to really help the orcas, but to not enforce the law is just beyond the pale. It’s insulting to the taxpayer, and it does nothing to protect the whales.”
As the department continues to weigh its options for enforcement, it has no shortage of reports to draw from. Two-thirds of the vessels Washington-Smyth’s group tracked in July were not in compliance with the Saturna sanctuary, she said.
The Saturna Sighting Network has partnered with the Saturna Island Marine Research and Education Society (SIMRES), a non-profit studying the sanctuary zones, in part to access its hydrophones in the water that can record the sounds that the whales and the boats are making.
The network and SIMRES also collaborate with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in order to agree on a methodology for organizing the data they are tracking. They also report the zone violations that they see to the department.
“We said, ‘OK, our role in this is that we will start a citizen science project, using the kind of rigour that is needed so that we can begin to get hard data on the distribution of whales, and their frequency,’” said Washington-Smyth.
During the period from July 6 to 18, her data showed that out of 104 vessels, 35 respected the zone, while 69 did not. The figures were collected from nine-to-five visual records confirmed by a rangefinder.
“What we have observed is that most of the boaters have no idea that there is a sanctuary zone,” she said. SIMRES president Martin Wale said he’s reached the same conclusion: “Most boaters have little awareness of the sanctuary zones.”
It’s not for a lack of resources. A presentation from Parks Canada, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada at the Saturna Island Cultural and Recreational Centre on Feb. 8, 2020, for example, outlined the “suite of tools” the government said it was using to enforce the sanctuaries.
These tools include aerial surveillance, and vessel tracking using transceivers. As well, three organizations — the RCMP’s marine unit, Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada — have a sustained presence on the water, and Transport Canada says that all of them have been designated as enforcers of the interim order.
“Enforcement may not always be visible from shore, but enforcement actions are taking place,” the presentation assured residents.
Transport Canada’s own enforcement team, meanwhile, reviews alleged violation reports, and decides whether to follow up with boaters.
Under the Shipping Act, violators can be subject to a maximum of 18 months imprisonment upon summary conviction, a fine of up to $1 million or an administrative monetary penalty of up to $250,000.
Washington-Smyth said government officials had promised her in February that, this year, Canada was going to go beyond issuing warnings and actually issue fines.
Such monetary penalties are needed to create a true disincentive for boaters, she said; everything else is just “window dressing.”
Susie Washington-Smyth of the Saturna Sighting Network. Photo supplied by Washington-Smyth
‘We will not hesitate to issue a fine if it is warranted’
That’s not necessarily the case, said Michelle Sanders, director of clean water policy for Transport Canada.
Sanders has been one of the federal officials that Washington-Smyth and Saturna Island residents have been in contact with regarding the sanctuary zones. She informed an agitated Saturna Island crowd on Aug. 15, 2019, for example, that only verbal and written warnings had been issued by that time, according to a report in The Narwhal.
In an interview, Sanders argued that, far from letting people off the hook, receiving a warning from a law enforcement individual actually “gets your attention” as a boater. She said it makes people “very aware of what the rules are, and it helps inform the broader boating community.”
She also said the government remains committed to slapping boaters with penalties. “We will not hesitate to issue a fine if it is warranted. But we also need to ensure that they understand what the rules are,” Sanders said.
The government says it’s tracking the warnings they give out, and that all the boaters who have been caught so far have been first offenders. “We’ve not yet had a situation of a repeat non-compliance,” said Sanders.
When officers from one of the three agencies have approached boaters and asked them to leave the zones immediately, they do, she said. “I don’t think we’ve ever had an instance where they’re like, ‘Forget it, I’m staying here.’”
At the same time, Sanders said the government does not have a policy of letting first-time offenders off with a warning; it has simply worked out that way so far. “It completely depends on the circumstances,” she said.
Asked to specify what circumstances would have to be in play for a first-time offender to be issued a monetary penalty, Sanders said it would depend on other information that might be available.
“For example, if there are whales that are perhaps in the zone, that might be something that they would take into account, (or) if they have a history of non-compliance with other rules — this is information that our officers have,” she said.
An orca’s presence in the zone at the time of a boating infraction, however, should be beside the point, said SIMRES’s Wale. The zone is meant to protect the foraging area, a permanent fixture, rather than a transient orca.
“The reason the sanctuary zone is there in the first place is that this is a major foraging area for the Southern Resident Killer Whales. And that process of foraging — of feeding on salmon, by echolocation — is severely sensitive to disturbance and noise,” he said.
“The purpose of the sanctuary zone is to protect that feeding zone. So it’s not relevant whether the whales are there or not. The feeding zone needs to be protected, so that if the whales come, then they won’t be disturbed.”
A family of orcas surface close together. Photo by Monika Wieland Shields / Shutterstock
Public awareness effort thwarted by COVID-19
In February, the government said it would apply “lessons learned” from the 2019 implementation of the sanctuary zones.
Officials said they realized they needed “increased and earlier communication” with boaters about the zones, and better collaboration with outside groups, U.S. officials, and participation at events such as boat shows.
“One of the biggest things we learned from last year was the importance of getting out in person and talking to people at the marinas, at the boat shows, because it’s such a diverse community that there’s no one way we can actually get to all the recreational boaters to make sure they understand,” Sanders said.
“We had put in place a pretty robust outreach plan that would include a lot of in-person outreach — meeting with local community groups, doing dock walks, going to the marinas, making presentations at boat shows.”
Those efforts were thwarted by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. Bureaucrats were required to work from home. Boat shows were cancelled. Officials couldn’t be sent out on ferries due to public health measures. Basic person-to-person interaction became impossible.
“As you can appreciate, those are the things that were not able to be done as a result of the pandemic ... so we shifted to a virtual and online approach as best we could.”
The virtual approach meant things such as email engagement, and connecting with tourism organizations and visitor centres remotely. Sanders said it was not as robust an approach as they would have liked to have taken.
Still, by the end of June, B.C. had moved into the third phase of its COVID-19 reopening plan, encouraging residents to resume non-essential travel throughout the province.
Washington-Smyth said the government had promised that communication materials — such as posters and billboards for docks, marinas and ferries, and brochures for stores, cabins or bed-and-breakfasts — warning boaters of the sanctuary zones would be forthcoming.
On Aug. 17, Washington-Smyth said she was told by a Canada Parks official on Saturna Island that they still did not have any brochures or other written information from Transport Canada on the sanctuary zone to hand out.
“It’s now mid-August, and the interim order was in effect June 1,” she said. “It speaks to my point.”
Carl Meyer / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer