nationalobserver--2020-10-13--Federal review shows CSIS sees warrant process as 'burdensome' and a 'necessary evil

Canadian Security Intelligence Service employees see the spadework needed to obtain a judicial warrant as `` a necessary evil '' that detracts from more valuable activities , says an independent review that calls for a cultural shift inside the spy agency .
The review , obtained by The Canadian Press , found that ineffective training , excessive secrecy and a generally poor understanding of responsibilities contributed to CSIS failing to meet its obligation of full and frank disclosure to the Federal Court when seeking investigative warrants .
The problems have prompted judges to criticize CSIS for falling short of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court , including a recent case in which the spy agency neglected to disclose its reliance on information that was likely collected illegally in support of warrants to probe extremism .
In September 2019 , CSIS director David Vigneault asked Morris Rosenberg , a former federal deputy minister of justice , to conduct an independent review with the aim of addressing the ongoing difficulties .
Rosenberg , who had access to CSIS documentation and employees , examined spy service policies , procedures and operational files , as well as Federal Court transcripts relating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada He also consulted Justice Department lawyers , including those assigned to CSIS , and officials from the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency , a spy agency watchdog .
`` While warrants are seen as an essential investigatory tool , work supporting the warrant acquisition process is seen as burdensome and has not been valued in the culture of the Service , '' Rosenberg concluded .
`` Supporting positions are difficult to staff as the role is seen as career limiting in a culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with operational roles . ''
The review says the role of the affiant , a CSIS employee who swears to a supporting affidavit , `` is seen as a necessary evil , done on the side of the desk , and taking away from intelligence work . ''
The Canadian Press recently obtained a redacted version of the secret review , completed early this year , through the Access to Information Act .
Review shows CSIS considers judicial warrants as `` a necessary evil '' that detract from more valuable activities .
# @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the duty of candour varies , even among supervisors , with some senior managers unaware of the protocol ; — Inadequate time and resources are allocated for training ; — The role of the Federal Court is not valued or understood , and employees do not understand the reasons for court decisions ; — There were clashes between the duty to be forthcoming with the `` need to know culture '' at CSIS that emphasizes shielding sensitive intelligence ; — Court findings of a breach of the duty of candour have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The review urges improvements including better training and clarification of roles , but says they wo n't succeed without addressing the `` cultural issues around warrants . ''
In a note accompanying the review , CSIS said it agreed with Rosenberg 's findings , adding they reveal issues that go beyond the service 's disclosure responsibilities with the court .
As a result , Vigneault has launched a project that will draw on the review , consider concerns raised in recent Federal Court rulings and build on other initiatives already underway , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Townsend said that since the launch of the project in June there has been extensive engagement with employees to solicit ideas .
The project aims to adapt existing policies and practices , as well as provide extensive training to employees , Townsend said .
Training modules developed to date focus on increasing awareness of CSIS 's candour requirements as well as clarifying roles and responsibilities for operational employees , affiants and counsel , he said .
In a ruling made public in July , Federal Court Justice Patrick Gleeson found CSIS had breached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in probing extremism , part of a troubling pattern dating back years .
“ Having approved operations that were on their face illegal , the service then collected information which in turn was put before this court in support of warrant applications , without notifying the court of the likely illegality , ” Gleeson ’ s ruling said .
“ The circumstances raise fundamental questions relating to respect for the rule of law , the oversight of security intelligence activities and the actions of individual decision-makers . ''
This report by The Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .

Canadian Security Intelligence Service employees see the spadework needed to obtain a judicial warrant as "a necessary evil" that detracts from more valuable activities, says an independent review that calls for a cultural shift inside the spy agency. The review, obtained by The Canadian Press, found that ineffective training, excessive secrecy and a generally poor understanding of responsibilities contributed to CSIS failing to meet its obligation of full and frank disclosure to the Federal Court when seeking investigative warrants. The problems have prompted judges to criticize CSIS for falling short of its "duty of candour" to the court, including a recent case in which the spy agency neglected to disclose its reliance on information that was likely collected illegally in support of warrants to probe extremism. In September 2019, CSIS director David Vigneault asked Morris Rosenberg, a former federal deputy minister of justice, to conduct an independent review with the aim of addressing the ongoing difficulties. Rosenberg, who had access to CSIS documentation and employees, examined spy service policies, procedures and operational files, as well as Federal Court transcripts relating to warrant applications.
He also consulted Justice Department lawyers, including those assigned to CSIS, and officials from the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency, a spy agency watchdog. "While warrants are seen as an essential investigatory tool, work supporting the warrant acquisition process is seen as burdensome and has not been valued in the culture of the Service," Rosenberg concluded. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "Supporting positions are difficult to staff as the role is seen as career limiting in a culture where status and advancement are generally associated with operational roles."
The review says the role of the affiant, a CSIS employee who swears to a supporting affidavit, "is seen as a necessary evil, done on the side of the desk, and taking away from intelligence work." Review shows CSIS considers judicial warrants as "a necessary evil" that detract from more valuable activities. #CSIS #cdnpoli The Canadian Press recently obtained a redacted version of the secret review, completed early this year, through the Access to Information Act. Among Rosenberg's other findings: — Employees' understanding of the duty of candour varies, even among supervisors, with some senior managers unaware of the protocol; — Inadequate time and resources are allocated for training;
— The role of the Federal Court is not valued or understood, and employees do not understand the reasons for court decisions; — There were clashes between the duty to be forthcoming with the "need to know culture" at CSIS that emphasizes shielding sensitive intelligence; — Court findings of a breach of the duty of candour have been followed by inconsistent implementation of corrective measures.


nationalobserver--2020-10-13--COVID-19 cases rising again in long-term care homes: Tam

Canada 's chief public health officer says the spread of COVID-19 is shifting towards seniors , adding to the mounting signs suggesting a second wave could hit just as hard as the first .
In a statement Saturday , Dr. Theresa Tam said that while the summer saw cases concentrated in the 20 to 39 age range , infection rates are now accelerating in older populations .
Reports of outbreaks in long-term care centres and retirement homes have been rising in recent weeks , but seem to be more contained than the eruption of cases that overwhelmed several facilities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's a troubling trend given the heightened health risks the virus poses to older Canadians , said Tam , warning that we 've already seen how spread in care homes can have deadly consequences .
`` We all have a shared responsibility to help protect those at highest risk , '' Tam said in a statement .
`` When spread of COVID-19 is kept to low levels in the community this decreases the risk of exposure for older Canadians . ''
• New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provinces are scrambling to prevent such a worst-case scenario by introducing new restrictions to rein in the surge in regional hot spots .
Ontario reported 809 new cases on Saturday , including 358 in Toronto , 123 in the Peel Region and 94 in Ottawa .
The numbers come on the first day of the province 's new measures to curb the consistent climb of cases in those areas , including closing gyms , movie theatres and casinos and suspending indoor dining at bars and restaurants .
The government also reported seven new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total , 213 people are hospitalized in Ontario because of COVID-19 ; 47 people are in intensive care and 29 are on ventilators .
The picture was n't any prettier in Quebec , which reported another 1,097 new cases on Saturday -- the sixth day out of the last seven that the province surpassed 1,000 new cases .
Quebec also reported 14 additional deaths .
Hospitalizations rose by 11 to 444 , and six more people were in intensive care , for a total of 73 .
COVID-19 cases once again rising in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In response , the province was set to expand restrictions in nearly all the regions along the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City on Saturday night .
Bars , restaurant dining rooms and gyms in so-called `` red zones '' must be closed , sports are limited and private citizens are not allowed to gather in private homes with anyone outside their household , with few exceptions .
In Manitoba , health officials reported two more deaths from COVID-19 , as well as 97 new cases .
The province said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two women in Winnipeg — one in her 80s and another in her 90s — had died since the last update on Friday .
Public health officials also reminded people that residents of personal care homes are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 , and that any visits over the Thanksgiving weekend should be planned with caution .
Even the Atlantic bubble seems to have been perforated by the pandemic 's second wave .
There were 20 new cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick on Saturday , bringing the province 's total number of active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief medical officer of health said 12 of the new cases are in the Moncton region and seven are in the Campbellton region .
Both regions remain in the `` orange '' level of restrictions under the province 's COVID-19 plan .
Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia each reported three new cases on Saturday .

Canada's chief public health officer says the spread of COVID-19 is shifting towards seniors, adding to the mounting signs suggesting a second wave could hit just as hard as the first. In a statement Saturday, Dr. Theresa Tam said that while the summer saw cases concentrated in the 20 to 39 age range, infection rates are now accelerating in older populations. Reports of outbreaks in long-term care centres and retirement homes have been rising in recent weeks, but seem to be more contained than the eruption of cases that overwhelmed several facilities in April and May, said Tam. It's a troubling trend given the heightened health risks the virus poses to older Canadians, said Tam, warning that we've already seen how spread in care homes can have deadly consequences. "We all have a shared responsibility to help protect those at highest risk," Tam said in a statement. "When spread of COVID-19 is kept to low levels in the community this decreases the risk of exposure for older Canadians."
Meanwhile, some of the hardest-hit provinces are scrambling to prevent such a worst-case scenario by introducing new restrictions to rein in the surge in regional hot spots. Ontario reported 809 new cases on Saturday, including 358 in Toronto, 123 in the Peel Region and 94 in Ottawa. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The numbers come on the first day of the province's new measures to curb the consistent climb of cases in those areas, including closing gyms, movie theatres and casinos and suspending indoor dining at bars and restaurants.
The government also reported seven new deaths related to the virus. In total, 213 people are hospitalized in Ontario because of COVID-19; 47 people are in intensive care and 29 are on ventilators. COVID-19 cases once again rising in long term care homes. #COVID-19 The picture wasn't any prettier in Quebec, which reported another 1,097 new cases on Saturday -- the sixth day out of the last seven that the province surpassed 1,000 new cases. Quebec also reported 14 additional deaths. Hospitalizations rose by 11 to 444, and six more people were in intensive care, for a total of 73. In response, the province was set to expand restrictions in nearly all the regions along the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City on Saturday night. Bars, restaurant dining rooms and gyms in so-called "red zones" must be closed, sports are limited and private citizens are not allowed to gather in private homes with anyone outside their household, with few exceptions.
In Manitoba, health officials reported two more deaths from COVID-19, as well as 97 new cases. The province said in its daily pandemic update on Saturday that two women in Winnipeg — one in her 80s and another in her 90s — had died since the last update on Friday. Public health officials also reminded people that residents of personal care homes are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, and that any visits over the Thanksgiving weekend should be planned with caution.


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--Enlist, encourage youngsters to spread public health messaging to peers, experts say

Dr. Naheed Dosani wants less reprimanding of young people and more meaningful engagement with an age cohort whose active embrace of sustained public health restrictions will be key in Ontario ’ s effort to contain COVID-19 over the winter .
The 35-year-old Brampton-area palliative care physician has collected nearly 100,000 views for some of the COVID-19 public service announcements he ’ s added in recent months to his TikTok account , which he ’ d previously used to reduce stigma around dying and push for action on social issues , such as the opioid epidemic and homelessness .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engaging , innovative , creative ways of communicating , using platforms that these populations use , speaking to ethnic and cultural media as well , to get the message across , ” Dosani said , adding that the bad rap is helping no one .
“ I talk to a lot of people under the age of 40 .
They care about this virus , and they care about this pandemic .
They don ’ t want things to get worse , ” says Dosani , who is also a social justice advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is just me .
One has to wonder if there was a co-ordinated and resourced approach to utilizing these platforms , we may actually be able to meet people where they 're at and change public health behaviours throughout the second wave , ” he said .
• New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada • Humans don ’ t need to 'reject modernity in order to embrace nature ' : Chúk Odenigbo Relatable messaging shared by trusted voices on social media can effectively change behaviour , Dosani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ To think that we are so far into the pandemic , and we have n't tapped the potential of that , that 's worrisome , ” he said .
“ We need to make moves now.
” With people under 40 accounting for well over half of new infections in Ontario during these early days and weeks of a second wave , it is imperative that any effort to bring the numbers back under control reaches out and embraces them .
Instead , as Ontario lurched into back-to-school and a partial reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned students starting post-secondary studies to “ cool your jets with the partying , ” and other provincial politicians and public health officials have been quick to chastise the young for not taking enough precautions .
Such messaging is ineffective and alienating , says Dosani , and psychology experts agree .
Creative approaches to # COVID19 messaging could help politicians and public health officials reach young people more effectively , experts and health workers such as @ NaheedD say .
“ I talk to a lot of people under the age of 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get worse , ” says Dr. Naheed Dosani .
Photo by Vishal Trivedi “ What we 've been seeing so far have been authoritarian , heavy-handed , parental-style approaches , ” said Dr. Steven Taylor , a professor and clinical psychologist at the University of British Columbia .
“ As we go into winter when it 's all gloomy outside , the last thing we need is another depressing thing in our lives , ” said Taylor , who had his book The Psychology of Pandemics published just before COVID-19 broke out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creative ways of solving problems around managing COVID that don ’ t involve oppressive things like punishments or shame , that look at positive ways of engaging people.
” But Taylor said such positive efforts can also fall flat , pointing to a news conference in August where B.C .
Premier John Horgan asked actors Ryan Reynolds and Seth Rogen to help reach people not heeding government warnings .
Reynolds responded a couple of days later with a voice message joking about not wanting young people in the province to kill his mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reply that has garnered 420,000 views and 12,500 shares on a celebrity account with 16.6 million followers .
Taylor said that young people are at a development stage where they are striving for greater autonomy and rely heavily on peer acceptance to shape their behaviour .
So it could help them to hear messages from their peers about how wearing a mask , socially distancing and other measures are choices they can make that their social group is also making , and if you care about your community , you will do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get young people involved creatively on social media with the aim that such messaging gets liked , shared and riffed on by large groups of people , otherwise known as “ going viral.
” Dr. Steven Taylor thinks governments should actively encourage young people to create easily shareable and replicable public health messages .
Photo supplied by Steven Taylor He said this could take the form of an incentive program for public service announcements targeted for youth , with perhaps $ 5,000 available for technical support and audiovisual equipment .
Creative control should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would become a kind of arts program , which would be hugely positive and creative at finding ways of getting messages across to particular demographic groups , ” Taylor said .
“ It sends the message that , ‘ Hey , we think your voice is important , and we want to hear what you have to say , and we 're going to give resources to make your voice important , ” he said , contrasting that to top-down messaging that disregards what the broader public has to say .
‘ Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ It ’ s hard for younger people who feel invulnerable to make the cognitive leap from “ I go to a party with my friends ” to “ my grandpa dies , ” says Diana Brecher , a clinical psychologist and scholar-in-residence for positive psychology at Ryerson University .
She said public health messaging could echo the thoughts of Donald Meichenbaum , one of the founders of cognitive behaviour therapy , who she once heard give a lecture about how people should only floss the teeth they want to keep .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , and there are consequences for inaction .
Brecher said those 18 to 25 are prone to take more risks than older people and that their lack of concern was justified early on by pronouncements the virus did not appear to hit them hard .
But she said that as more young people get infected and more stories about the ill effects circulate , the message will get through .
Brecher noted that people can change behaviour on a larger scale when required , pointing to a previous epidemic , the AIDS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1980s and early 1990s and later led to the widespread adoption of condom use to prevent sexual transmission .
Referring to the story of a young man in Texas who died after attending a party designed to prove the COVID-19 virus was fake , she said : “ My guess is that young man ’ s friends , his peers , they probably got majorly shook up and are thinking about this very differently .
“ Maybe they were even at the same party .
They ’ re not going to be so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .

Dr. Naheed Dosani wants less reprimanding of young people and more meaningful engagement with an age cohort whose active embrace of sustained public health restrictions will be key in Ontario’s effort to contain COVID-19 over the winter. The 35-year-old Toronto-area palliative care physician has collected nearly 100,000 views for some of the COVID-19 public service announcements he’s added in recent months to his TikTok account, which he’d previously used to reduce stigma around dying and push for action on social issues, such as the opioid epidemic and homelessness. “We need to be thinking about fun, engaging, innovative, creative ways of communicating, using platforms that these populations use, speaking to ethnic and cultural media as well, to get the message across,” Dosani said, adding that the bad rap is helping no one. “I talk to a lot of people under the age of 40. They care about this virus, and they care about this pandemic. They don’t want things to get worse,” says Dosani, who is also a social justice advocate active on Instagram and Twitter.
“This is just me. One has to wonder if there was a co-ordinated and resourced approach to utilizing these platforms, we may actually be able to meet people where they're at and change public health behaviours throughout the second wave,” he said. Relatable messaging shared by trusted voices on social media can effectively change behaviour, Dosani said, and must be harnessed. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “To think that we are so far into the pandemic, and we haven't tapped the potential of that, that's worrisome,” he said. “We need to make moves now.”
With people under 40 accounting for well over half of new infections in Ontario during these early days and weeks of a second wave, it is imperative that any effort to bring the numbers back under control reaches out and embraces them. Creative approaches to #COVID19 messaging could help politicians and public health officials reach young people more effectively, experts and health workers such as @NaheedD say. Instead, as Ontario lurched into back-to-school and a partial reopening of the economy, Premier Doug Ford warned students starting post-secondary studies to “cool your jets with the partying,” and other provincial politicians and public health officials have been quick to chastise the young for not taking enough precautions. Such messaging is ineffective and alienating, says Dosani, and psychology experts agree. “I talk to a lot of people under the age of 40 ... They don’t want things to get worse,” says Dr. Naheed Dosani. Photo by Vishal Trivedi “What we've been seeing so far have been authoritarian, heavy-handed, parental-style approaches,” said Dr. Steven Taylor, a professor and clinical psychologist at the University of British Columbia.
“As we go into winter when it's all gloomy outside, the last thing we need is another depressing thing in our lives,” said Taylor, who had his book The Psychology of Pandemics published just before COVID-19 broke out. “So we should look at creative ways of solving problems around managing COVID that don’t involve oppressive things like punishments or shame, that look at positive ways of engaging people.” But Taylor said such positive efforts can also fall flat, pointing to a news conference in August where B.C. Premier John Horgan asked actors Ryan Reynolds and Seth Rogen to help reach people not heeding government warnings. Reynolds responded a couple of days later with a voice message joking about not wanting young people in the province to kill his mother or David Suzuki or each other, a reply that has garnered 420,000 views and 12,500 shares on a celebrity account with 16.6 million followers.


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--These simple farming techniques can curb greenhouse gas emissions

Saving our climate — and the future of food — could be as simple as planting fields of clover or putting cows to pasture on wheat fields in winter .
These steps could go a long way in reducing farmers ’ need for artificial nitrogen fertilizers that are driving rising nitrous oxide ( N2O ) emissions , a greenhouse gas roughly 300 times more potent than CO2 .
A study published last week in the scientific journal Nature revealed that , without major transformations to farming systems globally , these emissions will send global temperatures soaring far above the 1.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 2015 Paris climate agreement .
“ ( This ) is really caused by the excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer , and nitrogen fertilizer used in areas that was above what the plant needed , and in wetlands , ” said Ian McCreary , a Saskatchewan grain and cattle farmer and member of Farmers for Climate Solutions , an organization aimed at helping farmers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions .
Nitrogen fertilizers dominate human contributions to global N2O emissions , which have increased by 30 per cent since 1980 .
And in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicator of how much is used in the country , have almost doubled in the past decade .
That increase is driving rising greenhouse gas emissions from Canada ’ s agricultural sector — the country ’ s sixth-largest emitter .
Reducing these emissions will be impossible without transforming how food is grown in the country , said Darrin Qualman , director of climate policy at the National Farmers Union — and what it ’ s grown for .
• New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada • Humans don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to embrace nature ' : Chúk Odenigbo “ The core of the federal government ’ s agricultural policy is to increase export , ” he said .
“ And increasing exports translates into increasing production ; increasing production translates into increasing fertilizer use .
What we ’ re seeing ( with ) the nitrous oxide is a fairly predictable outcome of the federal government ’ s focus on maximizing production and exports.
” Artificial nitrogen fertilizers are a relatively new creation , with the industrial process required to create them having only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was an invention that revolutionized agriculture , fuelling a global postwar boom in industrial high-yield agriculture .
That growth came with consequences , beyond N2O emissions : Excessive nitrogen fertilizer use can also seriously harm soil health and water quality .
However , managing emissions is a particularly tricky problem , explained Sean Smukler , a professor of land and food systems at the University of British Columbia .
“ I describe ( the breakdown of nitrogen ) as a leaky pipe , ” he said .
Nitrogen in the soil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soil — and the type of bacteria involved is key .
“ During the microbial transformations ( that break down chemical nitrogen into gas ) , you have some that leak out into the atmosphere in a very benign way .
Or you could have it leak out in a way that ’ s actually contributing to global climate change.
” For instance , if soil is more than 60 per cent saturated with water , the bacteria living in that environment will produce N2O .
That means reducing the amount of excess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t been absorbed by plants during the growing season — is key to reducing emissions , he said .
Farmers and researchers are trying to help Canada 's agricultural sector reduce its emissions of nitrous oxide , a greenhouse gas roughly 300 times more potent than CO2 .
And while chemical nitrogen is particularly harmful because it is so concentrated , manure and even cover crops — the two other key sources for the nutrient — can also lead to emissions if they end up putting too much nitrogen in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the release of N2O occurs is complicated , Smukler explained , because the emissions vary depending on microbial activity in the soil .
“ You can ’ t just turn on the engine and measure what ’ s coming out , ” which is the method commonly used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from cars or industrial sources , he said .
Instead , researchers like Smukler rely on year-round field measurements in their efforts to figure out how farmers can use nitrogen to maintain yields without destroying the climate .
Because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or wetlands , measuring N2O emissions is complicated , Sean Smukler says .
Photo provided by Ian McCreary Healthy soil , which can be nurtured by livestock grazing in the off-season , can help reduce emissions .
Cover crops like alfalfa and clover , which both take nitrogen out of the atmosphere and put it in the soil , can also help .
Then there ’ s soil mapping — making a map of the varying nitrogen concentrations across specific areas , said McCreary , the farmer in Saskatchewan .
“ We use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constantly adjust our fertilizer rate as ( it is applied ) across the field , ” he said .
That kind of precision , Smukler said , when combined with more traditional techniques such as letting livestock graze on — and add manure to — fallow fields or cover cropping , can work well to reduce N2O emissions .
“ The more the plant takes up in terms of nitrogen , the less you have floating around in the ecosystem that could be susceptible to losses , ” he said .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best is being able to use a hybrid approach ( to ) reduce emissions without any yield penalty.
” Still , making these changes on a national and global scale will take more than good research .
There also needs to be incentives for farmers to make the shift , especially if the transition to a more sustainable agricultural system might put them out of business , McCreary said .
“ There will have to be international trade rules that limit N2O so everybody has to quit using so much nitrogen .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have barely changed in 40 years ) has to come up a little .
( The federal government ) will also have to readjust farm support programs so they ’ re specific to supporting cover crops , ” he said .
Agriculture can deliver real solutions to # climatechange .
Farm land can absorb vast quantities of carbon and farmers can cut down on # nitrousoxide and other emissions .
But it ’ s going to take farmers and governments working together .
➡ https : //t.co/PpVo6k5F57 # CdnAg # cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/iFRho9l9hb — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) October 8 , 2020 These are calls McCreary and Qualman think the Trudeau government has heard , noting that last month ’ s throne speech acknowledged “ farmers , foresters and ranchers as key partners in the fight against climate change ” and that the federal government will support “ their efforts to reduce emissions and build resilience.
” In the meantime , McCreary is putting his cows to work .
“ Our cattle right now are out grazing on a wheat field , which is where I want them , ” @ @ @

Saving our climate — and the future of food — could be as simple as planting fields of clover or putting cows to pasture on wheat fields in winter. These steps could go a long way in reducing farmers’ need for artificial nitrogen fertilizers that are driving rising nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a greenhouse gas roughly 300 times more potent than CO2. A study published last week in the scientific journal Nature revealed that, without major transformations to farming systems globally, these emissions will send global temperatures soaring far above the 1.5 C “safe” limit agreed to in the 2015 Paris climate agreement. “(This) is really caused by the excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer, and nitrogen fertilizer used in areas that was above what the plant needed, and in wetlands,” said Ian McCreary, a Saskatchewan grain and cattle farmer and member of Farmers for Climate Solutions, an organization aimed at helping farmers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrogen fertilizers dominate human contributions to global N2O emissions, which have increased by 30 per cent since 1980. And in Canada, nitrogen fertilizer shipments, an indicator of how much is used in the country, have almost doubled in the past decade. That increase is driving rising greenhouse gas emissions from Canada’s agricultural sector — the country’s sixth-largest emitter. Reducing these emissions will be impossible without transforming how food is grown in the country, said Darrin Qualman, director of climate policy at the National Farmers Union — and what it’s grown for.
“The core of the federal government’s agricultural policy is to increase export,” he said. “And increasing exports translates into increasing production; increasing production translates into increasing fertilizer use. What we’re seeing (with) the nitrous oxide is a fairly predictable outcome of the federal government’s focus on maximizing production and exports.” Artificial nitrogen fertilizers are a relatively new creation, with the industrial process required to create them having only been developed during the Second World War. It was an invention that revolutionized agriculture, fuelling a global postwar boom in industrial high-yield agriculture. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions That growth came with consequences, beyond N2O emissions: Excessive nitrogen fertilizer use can also seriously harm soil health and water quality.
However, managing emissions is a particularly tricky problem, explained Sean Smukler, a professor of land and food systems at the University of British Columbia. Farmers and researchers are trying to help Canada's agricultural sector reduce its emissions of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas roughly 300 times more potent than CO2. “I describe (the breakdown of nitrogen) as a leaky pipe,” he said. Nitrogen in the soil is broken down by bacteria in the soil — and the type of bacteria involved is key. “During the microbial transformations (that break down chemical nitrogen into gas), you have some that leak out into the atmosphere in a very benign way. Or you could have it leak out in a way that’s actually contributing to global climate change.” For instance, if soil is more than 60 per cent saturated with water, the bacteria living in that environment will produce N2O. That means reducing the amount of excess nitrogen in the soil — nitrogen that hasn’t been absorbed by plants during the growing season — is key to reducing emissions, he said. And while chemical nitrogen is particularly harmful because it is so concentrated, manure and even cover crops — the two other key sources for the nutrient — can also lead to emissions if they end up putting too much nitrogen in the soil. However, figuring out when the release of N2O occurs is complicated, Smukler explained, because the emissions vary depending on microbial activity in the soil.
“You can’t just turn on the engine and measure what’s coming out,” which is the method commonly used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from cars or industrial sources, he said. Instead, researchers like Smukler rely on year-round field measurements in their efforts to figure out how farmers can use nitrogen to maintain yields without destroying the climate. Because they're spread across wide areas like fields or wetlands, measuring N2O emissions is complicated, Sean Smukler says. Photo provided by Ian McCreary Healthy soil, which can be nurtured by livestock grazing in the off-season, can help reduce emissions. Cover crops like alfalfa and clover, which both take nitrogen out of the atmosphere and put it in the soil, can also help. Then there’s soil mapping — making a map of the varying nitrogen concentrations across specific areas, said McCreary, the farmer in Saskatchewan.


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--Shaena Lambert finds her muse in feminist eco-activist Petra Kelly

Acclaimed author Shaena Lambert was electrified by Petra Kelly — a founder of the original Green party struggling to save the world in Cold War-era Germany — when the activist spoke at a massive Vancouver peace festival in 1986 .
Lambert , herself a full-time anti-war activist in the 1980s , was captivated by Kelly ’ s vision of ecology , feminism , justice and world peace .
But Lambert was equally struck by Kelly ’ s mysterious and shocking romance with a former German general who had converted to his lover ’ s cause .
Decades later , Lambert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the focus of her third novel , Petra .
The work examines Kelly ’ s extraordinary life as a woman who transformed environmental politics forever but whose personal life was entangled in a love triangle , jealousy and murder .
Lambert — still actively committed to social change and arrested in the not-too-distant past at a Kinder Morgan pipeline protest in B.C .
— spoke with Canada ’ s National Observer about how much of herself is reflected in the novel ’ s protagonist , Petra , and about why she is such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lambert discusses how the novel and its protagonist are relevant to today 's climate change movement .
• New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada • Humans don ’ t need to 'reject modernity in order to embrace nature ' : Chúk Odenigbo Why were you so drawn to your protagonist and her life as the central theme of your novel ?
Petra Kelly founded the German Green party , and she also was a key figure in the fight against nuclear missiles in Europe in the 1980s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sexy and volatile — a bundle of contradictions , really , which is one of the things that fascinated me about her .
People would say she was , you know , both incredibly generous and narcissistic , and , you know , that ’ s a good character for a book .
And she has quite the complicated love life as well .
In real life , she fell in love with a German general — fictionalized by the character Emil Gerhardt in the novel — in the 1980s when NATO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was deploying all these nuclear missiles in Germany .
The missiles were up against the Iron Curtain and , on the other side , there were Russia ’ s SS missiles .
It was a potential battleground for nuclear war and possible worldwide conflagration that could occur in seconds .
`` These flame bearers for change are often women , and they speak so deeply to a generation .
In that generation , it was Petra Kelly , '' says author Shaena Lambert , discussing her new novel based on the life of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this principled general left NATO , got involved with Petra Kelly , and they became lovers .
And , for 10 years , they were the king and queen of the German peace movement .
Then , in my book , some very dark and difficult things happen between them , and that ’ s what I 'm tracing in the novel .
So Petra Kelly makes for an interesting character , but what compelled you to dig into her life and relationships ?
Well , I met her in the 1980s .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the anti-nuclear movement .
And in 1986 , a citywide peace festival took place in Vancouver , and Petra Kelly came with her general .
She was absolutely riveting as a speaker .
She had such a huge intersectional agenda for peace , for ecology and for feminism .
I had shivers on my arms just listening to her .
And afterwards , I saw what so many people reported about her strange relationship to the general .
She would be so strong on stage , channelling this kind of power that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ’ d come off stage , and this guy was like her baggage carrier , dogging around behind her .
He was 20 years older than her , opening doors for her .
He ran and got an umbrella so that they could cross the street , even though it was only lightly raining .
It was so mysterious .
I was like , “ Why has she gotten involved with this general ?
What is it that 's going on in this relationship ?
” Did writing Petra tap into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activist at a personal level ?
I am interested in activists .
I am interested in people who want to change the world .
And I always find the complications in character that go on with people who are very driven fascinating .
How much of you was channelled into Petra ’ s character ?
I felt a kinship with her , but Petra was very much her own person .
She 's such a star .
She was a peace diva , an ecological diva , and she was larger than life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I had to really travel deeply into her very particular , and quite brilliant , character .
When you 're a novelist , you sort of weave together whatever you can grab from your past life , but then I would also do research and interview people who 'd known her .
Here in Canada , the Green party , both federally and in B.C.
, is engaged in a struggle to define itself : whether to compromise in order to move forward or worry about selling out .
Does that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's a big part of it , actually .
I mean , they came together as this tiny little group of visionaries , and then they grew and gained electoral power .
They really changed the face of German , European and , arguably , world politics .
But almost as soon as they were elected , they were pitted against each other in a fight .
And so the party really split into these two pretty different , difficult and thorny branches .
It was hard growing pains for the Greens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that big question about how much do you compromise and what do you do in order to gain power .
I just do n't think there 's a very easy answer to that .
Myself , I believe that there 's some kind of melding between dancing strategically , as one needs to do in order to actually create political change , and holding onto the deepest principles one holds dear .
Right now , I ’ m very excited ( about ) Annamie Paul being elected as federal leader of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I thought , `` I think this is a woman a lot of people are going to get behind . ''
Petra details the evolution of the Green party and a different era of activism , but does the novel have relevance for the climate change movement now ?
I would say one of the biggest connections is that these flame bearers for change are often women , and they speak so deeply to a generation .
In that generation , it was Petra Kelly .
Now we have Greta Thunberg or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are able to channel the angst and needs and desires of people and galvanize them .
As we face the climate crisis , I think one of the biggest things we can learn from Petra and the Greens is not only did they have an incredibly visionary agenda , but they also had the energy and belief that you can change the world .
Petra did n't give up , even though her life became very dark .
She continued to believe , until the very ... moment of her death , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that we can take that and use that .
So , I think it 's important not to take false hope from the past , but to take real hope from what people can do when they come together .
This interview has been edited for length and clarity .

Acclaimed author Shaena Lambert was electrified by Petra Kelly — a founder of the original Green party struggling to save the world in Cold War-era Germany — when the activist spoke at a massive Vancouver peace festival in 1986. Lambert, herself a full-time anti-war activist in the 1980s, was captivated by Kelly’s vision of ecology, feminism, justice and world peace. But Lambert was equally struck by Kelly’s mysterious and shocking romance with a former German general who had converted to his lover’s cause. Decades later, Lambert’s ongoing fascination with Kelly became the focus of her third novel, Petra. The work examines Kelly’s extraordinary life as a woman who transformed environmental politics forever but whose personal life was entangled in a love triangle, jealousy and murder. Lambert — still actively committed to social change and arrested in the not-too-distant past at a Kinder Morgan pipeline protest in B.C. — spoke with Canada’s National Observer about how much of herself is reflected in the novel’s protagonist, Petra, and about why she is such a compelling role model. As well, Lambert discusses how the novel and its protagonist are relevant to today's climate change movement.
Why were you so drawn to your protagonist and her life as the central theme of your novel? Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Petra Kelly founded the German Green party, and she also was a key figure in the fight against nuclear missiles in Europe in the 1980s.
She was very charismatic, powerful, sexy and volatile — a bundle of contradictions, really, which is one of the things that fascinated me about her. People would say she was, you know, both incredibly generous and narcissistic, and, you know, that’s a good character for a book. "These flame bearers for change are often women, and they speak so deeply to a generation. In that generation, it was Petra Kelly," says author Shaena Lambert, discussing her new novel based on the life of the original Green party founder. And she has quite the complicated love life as well. In real life, she fell in love with a German general — fictionalized by the character Emil Gerhardt in the novel — in the 1980s when NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was deploying all these nuclear missiles in Germany. The missiles were up against the Iron Curtain and, on the other side, there were Russia’s SS missiles. It was a potential battleground for nuclear war and possible worldwide conflagration that could occur in seconds. So this principled general left NATO, got involved with Petra Kelly, and they became lovers. And, for 10 years, they were the king and queen of the German peace movement. Then, in my book, some very dark and difficult things happen between them, and that’s what I'm tracing in the novel. So Petra Kelly makes for an interesting character, but what compelled you to dig into her life and relationships?
Well, I met her in the 1980s. I was very, very involved in the anti-nuclear movement. And in 1986, a citywide peace festival took place in Vancouver, and Petra Kelly came with her general. She was absolutely riveting as a speaker. She had such a huge intersectional agenda for peace, for ecology and for feminism. I had shivers on my arms just listening to her. And afterwards, I saw what so many people reported about her strange relationship to the general. She would be so strong on stage, channelling this kind of power that we see in really charismatic leaders. Then she’d come off stage, and this guy was like her baggage carrier, dogging around behind her. He was 20 years older than her, opening doors for her. He ran and got an umbrella so that they could cross the street, even though it was only lightly raining. It was so mysterious. I was like, “Why has she gotten involved with this general? What is it that's going on in this relationship?”


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--This is how we save the planet from ourselves

All across the world , there are people who still know and honour the names of places , winds and waters .
There are people who know why their ancestors did what they did — when and why they hunted or harvested , why they conducted ceremony in the way they did .
There are people whose calendars reflect the natural cycles of life .
There are people who understand what it is to leave a place better than when you found it , whose respect for reciprocity is as instinctual as a salmon that returns to its spawning grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal technologies are more advanced than our artificial technologies , people who navigate endless bodies of water with their senses , people who see the silver or lightning spirits or feel the memory of place .
There are people who let the spirit of the day in when they open the door in the morning before they step outside and people who pour some out or lay a plate before they take a drink or eat .
There are people who have been taught how to do the work to let spirit speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orixas , ancestors .
There are people who ask permission before they traverse a body of water or harvest medicines , people who drop prayer-infused tobacco before they build a home and people who recognize themselves in others in their everyday greetings .
There are people who sit in silence for days , without food and water , to remember again the teachings of sacrifice and suffering , people who sweat , bleed and break , more spirit than human .
There are people who know how many fish to pull from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when to not go out at all .
There are people building energy solutions that flow with the cycles of nature , rather than seek to destroy them .
The point is , we have nothing to lose and everything to learn from the natural world , those who know her oldest stories and laws and those who embody them in their everyday lives .
If we want to restore balance , we must look back to those who have different value systems embedded in their languages , laws and cultures — values @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have built an unnatural world .
We have poured our time , money and resources into technology , and we have been careless about the destructive impacts .
We can not build ourselves out of this mess .
As far as those of us with enough money to do so wish to gaze into deep space , we will not find the solutions that already exist .
We can not colonize other planets after we destroy this one , we are not immune to the viruses we cause , and if we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not eat money .
We are slowly killing ourselves , choking ourselves out on metal , smoke and plastic .
We have made it extremely difficult to reach a state of clarity , presence and peace .
We are normalizing this new normal — masks , alcohol , distance , fear .
Many of us are functioning on autopilot , driven by embodied trauma , acting out of ignorance , the illusion of separation , the victim mentality or chronic chemical addictions .
We ’ re addicted to likes , photos , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcohol , drugs , sex , short-lived attention , external admiration , gaming , violence , buying , consuming , forgetting .
I see our species sloppier than we must have been before .
But there is hope , there is always hope .
People everywhere are waking up , evolving into the awareness that we can not continue with the way things were .
People are not well and want to be well , drawn back into a deeper sense of balance , belonging , place and purpose .
I have spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders , all with their own stories of struggle , trauma , resistance and old ways forward .

All across the world, there are people who still know and honour the names of places, winds and waters.
There are people who know why their ancestors did what they did — when and why they hunted or harvested, why they conducted ceremony in the way they did.
There are people whose calendars reflect the natural cycles of life. There are people who understand what it is to leave a place better than when you found it, whose respect for reciprocity is as instinctual as a salmon that returns to its spawning grounds to die.
There are people whose internal technologies are more advanced than our artificial technologies, people who navigate endless bodies of water with their senses, people who see the silver or lightning spirits or feel the memory of place.
There are people who let the spirit of the day in when they open the door in the morning before they step outside and people who pour some out or lay a plate before they take a drink or eat. There are people who have been taught how to do the work to let spirit speak through, to incorporate the supernatural, orixas, ancestors.
There are people who ask permission before they traverse a body of water or harvest medicines, people who drop prayer-infused tobacco before they build a home and people who recognize themselves in others in their everyday greetings. There are people who sit in silence for days, without food and water, to remember again the teachings of sacrifice and suffering, people who sweat, bleed and break, more spirit than human.
There are people who know how many fish to pull from the river, when to give back, when to not go out at all. There are people building energy solutions that flow with the cycles of nature, rather than seek to destroy them.
From a despacho ceremony with Q'ero Pampamesayok (wisdom-keeper) Juan Gabriel in October 2019. Photo by Emilee Gilpin
The point is, we have nothing to lose and everything to learn from the natural world, those who know her oldest stories and laws and those who embody them in their everyday lives. If we want to restore balance, we must look back to those who have different value systems embedded in their languages, laws and cultures — values of reciprocity, respect and connection.
We have built an unnatural world. We have poured our time, money and resources into technology, and we have been careless about the destructive impacts.
Artificial intelligence reflects human ignorance in many ways.
We cannot build ourselves out of this mess. As far as those of us with enough money to do so wish to gaze into deep space, we will not find the solutions that already exist. We cannot colonize other planets after we destroy this one, we are not immune to the viruses we cause, and if we need yet another reminder, we cannot eat money.
We are slowly killing ourselves, choking ourselves out on metal, smoke and plastic. We have made it extremely difficult to reach a state of clarity, presence and peace. We are normalizing this new normal — masks, alcohol, distance, fear. Many of us are functioning on autopilot, driven by embodied trauma, acting out of ignorance, the illusion of separation, the victim mentality or chronic chemical addictions. We’re addicted to likes, photos, the entertainment industry, the distraction industry, alcohol, drugs, sex, short-lived attention, external admiration, gaming, violence, buying, consuming, forgetting.
I see our species sloppier than we must have been before. But there is hope, there is always hope. People everywhere are waking up, evolving into the awareness that we cannot continue with the way things were. People are not well and want to be well, drawn back into a deeper sense of balance, belonging, place and purpose.
I have spent this COVID-19 health pandemic listening to Indigenous leaders, all with their own stories of struggle, trauma, resistance and old ways forward.


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--What’s in B.C.’s new plan to manage old-growth forests?

This August , one month before the B.C .
government shared an independent panel report calling for changes to old-growth forest management , I visited an awe-inspiring ancient forest in a cutblock proposed by BC Timber Sales in the Sunshine Coast ’ s Dakota Valley in Squamish Nation territory .
Among the huge trees in this pocket of land stands a majestic yellow cedar about 1,500 years old .
Even in this part of the world , there are few trees of this age , and walking among them is like visiting a sacred place .
Standing next to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within a year , felt dreadful .
This tree has a diameter of 2.28 metres and is the 14th largest in B.C.
, according to the Big Tree Registry .
Yet it will not be protected under the government ’ s new measures .
Why ?
The new Special Tree regulation only protects trees of this species if they are wider ( 2.65 metres ) , and the Dakota Valley is not on the list of areas where logging has been deferred .
This regulation was announced by the provincial government on Sept. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect old-growth forests .
The independent panel ’ s report was released the same day .
The report shows how decades of industrial logging practices are leaving a legacy of damaged ecosystems and loss of biodiversity .
It was good news to see the B.C .
government working with Indigenous governments to defer logging in nine areas .
Yet , the story of the ancient yellow cedar in the Dakota Valley illustrates the shortcomings of the provincial response .
The B.C .
government did not commit to implementing or funding all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a timeline for additional deferrals .
• New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada • Humans don ’ t need to 'reject modernity in order to embrace nature ' : Chúk Odenigbo A closer review of the deferral areas shows that while the list includes some spectacular landscapes , the province inflated the numbers by including forests that were already protected or were not at risk of logging .
On the positive side , the B.C .
government acknowledged for the first time that provincial old-growth management had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that officials “ need to do better.
” Importantly , the panel and the B.C .
government have recognized what Indigenous Peoples have been saying all along : Indigenous governments must have a say in decisions about what happens on their land .
For the first time in decades , it seems like the door to protecting what little remains of the last ancient giants across the province has cracked open a little bit .
It feels like there is room for hope — a welcome reprieve from the despair we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big old trees are left standing and how fast they are being cut down .
To make the most of this moment , we must keep fighting for what remains standing .
In the midst of this provincial election , let ’ s take a closer look at the old-growth panel recommendations , the provincial response and what more is needed .
Here are some things to know about the old-growth panel report and the provincial response so far : This map shows forest areas across vast parts of the province already have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old-growth ( in red ) remaining compared to what existed before industrial logging began .
Source : Last Stand for Biodiversity report The old-growth panel report confirms we are in an ecological emergency .
`` For the first time in decades , it seems like the door to protecting what little remains of the last ancient giants across ( B.C . )
has cracked open a little bit , '' writes @ JensWieting .
The panel report confirms the alarming findings of the three independent ecologists who shared their Last Stand for Biodiversity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dire state of high-productivity , low-elevation old-growth .
They also summarize the risk thresholds long established in ecosystem-based management research and used in the Great Bear Rainforest showing that logging more than 70 per cent of old-growth forest ecosystems in a landscape results in very high risk for biodiversity , a limit that has long been crossed for almost all of B.C.
’ s forests with big , old trees .
The panel illustrated this emergency with one of the maps from the Last Stand for Biodiversity report .
It shows that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province already have less than 30 per cent of their old-growth remaining compared to what existed before industrial logging began .
( Less than 30 per cent means high ecological risk , more than 70 per cent means low risk . )
Forests in this map include those with relatively small trees — minimum site index 10 — and the maps look worse for old forests with big trees .
The panel report calls for a paradigm shift in the way we relate to forests .
After meeting with people from across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed we need to shift how we relate to old-growth forests because business as usual puts ecosystems at increasingly high risk for the species that depend on them .
The panellists also found the B.C .
government has failed for decades to follow through with past recommendations or strategies that could have prevented the severity of the old-growth crisis the province is faced with today .
The report lists numerous examples of where prior commitments were not met , such as a lack of compliance in meeting regional old-growth targets , areas supposedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact , not old forests and a lack of monitoring .
The old-growth panel recommendations provide a path to solutions within three years .
In its report , the independent panel outlines a blueprint for how the B.C .
government can work with Indigenous governments to address risks to old-growth ecosystems and reform forest stewardship within three years .
As outlined in the following graphic from the report , the recommended response includes full involvement of Indigenous Peoples , immediate action for ecosystems at high risk , improved management , certainty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @

This August, one month before the B.C. government shared an independent panel report calling for changes to old-growth forest management, I visited an awe-inspiring ancient forest in a cutblock proposed by BC Timber Sales in the Sunshine Coast’s Dakota Valley in Squamish Nation territory. Among the huge trees in this pocket of land stands a majestic yellow cedar about 1,500 years old. Even in this part of the world, there are few trees of this age, and walking among them is like visiting a sacred place. Standing next to this tree, knowing it could get logged within a year, felt dreadful. This tree has a diameter of 2.28 metres and is the 14th largest in B.C., according to the Big Tree Registry. Yet it will not be protected under the government’s new measures. Why? The new Special Tree regulation only protects trees of this species if they are wider (2.65 metres), and the Dakota Valley is not on the list of areas where logging has been deferred. This regulation was announced by the provincial government on Sept. 11 as part of its initial steps to protect old-growth forests. The independent panel’s report was released the same day. The report shows how decades of industrial logging practices are leaving a legacy of damaged ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. It was good news to see the B.C. government working with Indigenous governments to defer logging in nine areas. Yet, the story of the ancient yellow cedar in the Dakota Valley illustrates the shortcomings of the provincial response. The B.C. government did not commit to implementing or funding all the panel recommendations, nor did it commit to a timeline for additional deferrals.
A closer review of the deferral areas shows that while the list includes some spectacular landscapes, the province inflated the numbers by including forests that were already protected or were not at risk of logging. On the positive side, the B.C. government acknowledged for the first time that provincial old-growth management had “caused a loss of biodiversity” and that officials “need to do better.” Importantly, the panel and the B.C. government have recognized what Indigenous Peoples have been saying all along: Indigenous governments must have a say in decisions about what happens on their land. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions For the first time in decades, it seems like the door to protecting what little remains of the last ancient giants across the province has cracked open a little bit. It feels like there is room for hope — a welcome reprieve from the despair we’ve become accustomed to considering how few big old trees are left standing and how fast they are being cut down.
To make the most of this moment, we must keep fighting for what remains standing. In the midst of this provincial election, let’s take a closer look at the old-growth panel recommendations, the provincial response and what more is needed. "For the first time in decades, it seems like the door to protecting what little remains of the last ancient giants across (B.C.) has cracked open a little bit," writes @JensWieting. Here are some things to know about the old-growth panel report and the provincial response so far: This map shows forest areas across vast parts of the province already have less than 30 per cent of their old-growth (in red) remaining compared to what existed before industrial logging began. Source: Last Stand for Biodiversity report The old-growth panel report confirms we are in an ecological emergency. The panel report confirms the alarming findings of the three independent ecologists who shared their Last Stand for Biodiversity report earlier this year, particularly about the dire state of high-productivity, low-elevation old-growth.
They also summarize the risk thresholds long established in ecosystem-based management research and used in the Great Bear Rainforest showing that logging more than 70 per cent of old-growth forest ecosystems in a landscape results in very high risk for biodiversity, a limit that has long been crossed for almost all of B.C.’s forests with big, old trees. The panel illustrated this emergency with one of the maps from the Last Stand for Biodiversity report. It shows that forest areas across vast parts of the province already have less than 30 per cent of their old-growth remaining compared to what existed before industrial logging began. (Less than 30 per cent means high ecological risk, more than 70 per cent means low risk.) Forests in this map include those with relatively small trees — minimum site index 10 — and the maps look worse for old forests with big trees. The panel report calls for a paradigm shift in the way we relate to forests.


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--BC Liberals say they would accelerate LNG export projects

British Columbia ’ s two dominant political parties are backing liquefied natural gas development as part of their re-election campaign platforms .
The BC Liberals say they want to “ expedite ” LNG export projects , while the BC NDP has offered qualified support for LNG development , saying that any such effort must fit into the provincial climate plan and use “ world-leading regulations and technologies ” to cut methane .
Both positions stand in contrast to that of the BC Greens , whose leader Sonia Furstenau is against all new fossil fuel infrastructure and argues that a massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blow by the province ’ s 2050 climate target .
“ It shows that when people work together , we can balance our economic , environmental , social , and reconciliation priorities , ” reads the platform .
“ This project will be comprehensively monitored to ensure it delivers on B.C.
’ s conditions , including living up to our climate commitments.
” Proponents of the project have said it will bring in $ 23 billion to the B.C .
government , as well as jobs and economic activity to the province , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region .
It also has support from the federal government ; the Trudeau Liberals have given $ 275 million to the project .
But research is still being done on the sector 's environmental benefits ; for example , the claim that using natural gas will lower emissions because it will likely displace older coal-fired power plants since gas burns cleaner than coal .
British Columbia ’ s two dominant political parties are backing the liquefied natural gas industry as part of their re-election campaign platforms .
# bcpoli Natural gas exploitation releases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful as carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20-year period .
Studies have linked a rise in global methane levels with the boom in fracking .
The oil and gas industry is the largest industrial contributor to methane emissions in Canada .
Last month , a study showed how newer gas plants in the United States were projected over their lifetimes to shave much of the gains off of U.S. coal plant shutdowns .
The study , first reported by HuffPost , said that when researchers included other factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this further reduced the potential emissions savings .
Previous work has also shown that natural gas not only competes with coal power but with other energy sources , such as solar power .
In a statement sent to Canada 's National Observer , the BC NDP said it has been clear that “ any LNG development must fit into our climate plan.
” “ CleanBC is the most ambitious climate plan in North America and any project must be consistent with our climate targets .
We won ’ t compromise those targets and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in partnership with the federal government , ” reads the statement .
“ Lastly , to make sure our reduction goals are being met , we ’ ll employ world-leading regulations and technologies to detect and reduce harmful methane emissions.
” But Furstenau argued the province ’ s CleanBC plan only gets three-quarters of the way to its 2030 targets .
“ Including LNG Canada , emissions from oil and gas production would exceed B.C.
’ s 2050 target by 160 per cent , even if emissions from the rest of the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ The science is clear : We can not keep building fossil fuel infrastructure that will pollute for many decades into the future if we are serious about avoiding a climate catastrophe .
If the NDP is serious about climate action , it should cancel fossil fuel subsidies now .
”

British Columbia’s two dominant political parties are backing liquefied natural gas development as part of their re-election campaign platforms. The BC Liberals say they want to “expedite” LNG export projects, while the BC NDP has offered qualified support for LNG development, saying that any such effort must fit into the provincial climate plan and use “world-leading regulations and technologies” to cut methane. Both positions stand in contrast to that of the BC Greens, whose leader Sonia Furstenau is against all new fossil fuel infrastructure and argues that a massive export project being built in Kitimat would blow by the province’s 2050 climate target. On Oct. 13, the BC Liberals released their election platform declaring that, if elected, they would “expedite LNG export projects.” “We must ensure respect, certainty and clarity for employment in the natural resource sectors,” it stated. “Thriving natural resource industries are vital to sustaining our health care, education and other public services — and B.C.’s industries must be globally competitive in order to succeed.”
The party platform said a BC Liberal government would speed up such projects by forging “collaborative agreements with Indigenous groups involved in LNG” and “work with them to establish accelerated review and approval processes.” Meanwhile, the BC NDP’s platform, released earlier, touted an “LNG industry that meets B.C.’s needs and conditions” in a section on natural resources. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The platform references the $40-billion LNG Canada project, expected to transport natural gas supplied by the Coastal GasLink pipeline to markets in Asia. The NDP said that project is “expected to feature one of the lowest GHG-emission intensities” of any global LNG facility.
“It shows that when people work together, we can balance our economic, environmental, social, and reconciliation priorities,” reads the platform. “This project will be comprehensively monitored to ensure it delivers on B.C.’s conditions, including living up to our climate commitments.” British Columbia’s two dominant political parties are backing the liquefied natural gas industry as part of their re-election campaign platforms. #bcpoli Proponents of the project have said it will bring in $23 billion to the B.C. government, as well as jobs and economic activity to the province, and give a boost to the northern region. It also has support from the federal government; the Trudeau Liberals have given $275 million to the project. But research is still being done on the sector's environmental benefits; for example, the claim that using natural gas will lower emissions because it will likely displace older coal-fired power plants since gas burns cleaner than coal. Natural gas exploitation releases methane, which is 86 times as powerful as carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20-year period. Studies have linked a rise in global methane levels with the boom in fracking. The oil and gas industry is the largest industrial contributor to methane emissions in Canada. Last month, a study showed how newer gas plants in the United States were projected over their lifetimes to shave much of the gains off of U.S. coal plant shutdowns.
The study, first reported by HuffPost, said that when researchers included other factors, such as leaks of methane, this further reduced the potential emissions savings. Previous work has also shown that natural gas not only competes with coal power but with other energy sources, such as solar power. In a statement sent to Canada's National Observer, the BC NDP said it has been clear that “any LNG development must fit into our climate plan.” “CleanBC is the most ambitious climate plan in North America and any project must be consistent with our climate targets. We won’t compromise those targets and have a legislated plan to address methane in partnership with the federal government,” reads the statement.


nationalobserver--2020-10-13--Trick-or-treating can still happen if COVID-19 safety rules are followed: health officials

Canada 's chief public health officer says trick-or-treating should be possible this Halloween as long as little goblins take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
Dr. Theresa Tam cautions , however , that parents should listen to local public health authorities for advice on their particular communities .
Tam says outdoor trick-or-treating can be safe when people respect physical distancing , wear masks , use hand sanitizer and ensure treats are prepackaged .
`` I think Canadians are resilient , they can adapt , '' Njoo said .
`` It 's possible to give and receive candy safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using a hockey stick to hand out treats or having a pool noodle handy to remind people to stay two metres apart .
Health officials also plan to put safety tips on a federal website before Oct. 31 .
Canada 's chief public health officer says outdoor trick-or-treating can be safe when people respect physical distancing , wear masks , use hand sanitizer and ensure treats are prepackaged .
The advice comes amid a second wave of COVID-19 across the country that is causing fear and uncertainty .
Quebec reported 815 new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of September , but put three new regions on its highest alert level .
In two districts near Montreal , plus the Charlevoix region near Quebec City , bars , gyms and other indoor venues will have to close and large private gatherings are being banned .
In Ontario , the province is calling in the Red Cross to help in several long-term care homes .
Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday he 's praying he wo n't see a need to impose restrictions in more parts of the province after rolling Toronto , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an earlier stage of reopening just before the Thanksgiving long weekend .
In Saskatchewan , the chief medical officer of health cut the number of people allowed to gather in a private residence to 15 from 30 .
And in New Brunswick , a province relatively lightly touched by the pandemic so far , authorities announced six new cases , including one in a special-care home and one linked to a high school .
Tam acknowledged the challenges Canadians face as communities reopen businesses and services , only to roll them back when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fine-tune the balance to allow for a sustained rhythm and more predictability for the public , she said .
`` I think the bottom line is , nobody has that precise playbook . ''
The balance will be different in individual communities across the country , she added .
`` People are giving it a really good try but it 's not going to be easy , and we need everyone to collaborate on that front . ''
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , sitting alongside Tam at the briefing , said now is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 by following public health advice .
Ensuring rapid testing across the country is a key to managing the pandemic , Trudeau said .
`` But it is not in and of itself a panacea .
It is going to be important that it be deployed properly to maximize the impact . ''
The federal government will work with provinces on how to maximize all the technology the country is able to deploy , he added .
Remote communities have had point-of-care rapid tests since the spring because of the lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for laboratory analysis .
Tam said additional units should be available in the coming days .
How they are rolled out is up to the provinces and territories , she said , adding they would likely go to locations with the most need .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13 , 2020 .

Canada's chief public health officer says trick-or-treating should be possible this Halloween as long as little goblins take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Dr. Theresa Tam cautions, however, that parents should listen to local public health authorities for advice on their particular communities. Tam says outdoor trick-or-treating can be safe when people respect physical distancing, wear masks, use hand sanitizer and ensure treats are prepackaged. She notes a cloth mask can even be incorporated into some costumes. "So there are ways to actually manage this, outdoors in particular," Tam told a news briefing Tuesday in Ottawa.
"I think that's some of the safest way of doing trick or treating." Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said Halloween celebrations will vary across the country. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But he pointed to the way people creatively adapted to safely enjoy Thanksgiving as an example to follow.
"I think Canadians are resilient, they can adapt," Njoo said. "It's possible to give and receive candy safely." Canada's chief public health officer says outdoor trick-or-treating can be safe when people respect physical distancing, wear masks, use hand sanitizer and ensure treats are prepackaged. Tam offered ideas such as using a hockey stick to hand out treats or having a pool noodle handy to remind people to stay two metres apart. Health officials also plan to put safety tips on a federal website before Oct. 31. The advice comes amid a second wave of COVID-19 across the country that is causing fear and uncertainty. Quebec reported 815 new cases Tuesday, the fewest since the end of September, but put three new regions on its highest alert level. In two districts near Montreal, plus the Charlevoix region near Quebec City, bars, gyms and other indoor venues will have to close and large private gatherings are being banned.
In Ontario, the province is calling in the Red Cross to help in several long-term care homes. Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday he's praying he won't see a need to impose restrictions in more parts of the province after rolling Toronto, suburban Peel Region and Ottawa back to an earlier stage of reopening just before the Thanksgiving long weekend. In Saskatchewan, the chief medical officer of health cut the number of people allowed to gather in a private residence to 15 from 30. And in New Brunswick, a province relatively lightly touched by the pandemic so far, authorities announced six new cases, including one in a special-care home and one linked to a high school.


nationalobserver--2020-10-10--Legault asks Quebecers to make 'sacrifices' to slow COVID-19

Premier Francois Legault called on Quebecers to make `` sacrifices '' and avoid contact with others over the Thanksgiving weekend as authorities reported more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the seventh time in eight days .
`` Resist the temptation to see your friends and family , '' Legault told a news conference in Quebec City Friday .
Health authorities reported 1,102 new COVID-19 infections Friday , bringing the total number of cases in the province to 84,094 .
Legault said the fact that the daily case rate has stayed relatively stable over the past week is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic is working .
The government has imposed strict , partial lockdowns on the province 's most populated areas , forcing bars , restaurant dining areas , gyms and other venues to close .
Indoor and outdoor private gatherings are also prohibited .
He urged people not to let down their guard by getting together over the weekend .
`` Yes , I 'm asking you to make sacrifices , '' he said , adding that they were necessary to protect the vulnerable elderly and to ensure children can continue going to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renewable energy job growth in Canada • Humans don ’ t need to 'reject modernity in order to embrace nature ' : Chúk Odenigbo As of Wednesday , active cases of COVID-19 had been reported at 774 public and private schools , with 1,451 students and 318 staff members infected .
More than 1,000 classes have been closed , affecting about three per cent of all elementary and high school students .
Health authorities reported 22 additional deaths from the novel coronavirus Friday , including four that occurred in the past 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously thought to have been caused by COVID-19 was found to be from other causes , bringing Quebec 's death toll is 5,936 .
There are now 433 people being treated for COVID-19 in hospital , an increase of eight from the day before , with 67 people in intensive care , one less than the prior day .
On Friday afternoon , Quebec 's National Institute of Excellence in Health and Social Services warned that Montreal and surrounding regions could run out of hospital beds within four weeks .
The institute , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of beds designated for COVID-19 patients and does not consider staff levels , warns that the Montreal metropolitan area could run out of intensive care beds before the end of October and regular hospital beds in early November if the current rate of new hospitalizations continues .
On Wednesday , Legault warned that major surgeries may have to be postponed to take pressure off an `` already fragile '' health-care system .
Premier Francois Legault called on Quebecers to make `` sacrifices '' and avoid contact with others over the Thanksgiving weekend as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 for the seventh time in eight days .
Dr. Matthew Oughton , an infectious disease specialist at Montreal 's Jewish General Hospital , said in an interview this week that fatigue and exhaustion among health-care workers is also putting strain on Quebec hospitals .
Hundreds of nurses left the profession during and after the first wave , Oughton said , and he 's worried the same thing will happen with medical technologists .
Much of southern Quebec is now at the province 's highest COVID-19 alert level , with new restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Montreal and Quebec City beginning Saturday at midnight .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9 , 2020 This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

Premier Francois Legault called on Quebecers to make "sacrifices" and avoid contact with others over the Thanksgiving weekend as authorities reported more than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the seventh time in eight days.
"Resist the temptation to see your friends and family," Legault told a news conference in Quebec City Friday.
Health authorities reported 1,102 new COVID-19 infections Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 84,094.
Legault said the fact that the daily case rate has stayed relatively stable over the past week is a sign his government's approach to the pandemic is working. The government has imposed strict, partial lockdowns on the province's most populated areas, forcing bars, restaurant dining areas, gyms and other venues to close. Indoor and outdoor private gatherings are also prohibited.
He urged people not to let down their guard by getting together over the weekend. "Yes, I'm asking you to make sacrifices," he said, adding that they were necessary to protect the vulnerable elderly and to ensure children can continue going to school.


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--Horgan tries to clarify debate answer on white privilege with Twitter post

VANCOUVER — NDP Leader John Horgan is trying to clarify an answer he gave on white privilege during Tuesday night ’ s leaders debate in the B.C .
election .
In a statement issued on Twitter , Horgan says he wished he had given a different answer when the three party leaders were asked how they have reckoned with white privilege .
Horgan answered by sharing his experience playing lacrosse as a youth , saying he doesn ’ t see colour .
Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson discussed his time working in rural B.C .
as a doctor in Indigenous communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Furstenau said she can not comprehend that some mothers tell their children to be wary of the police .
• New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada • BC Liberals say they would accelerate LNG export projects But Horgan later revised his answer on Twitter , admitting it could have upset people .
`` Saying ' I don ’ t see colour ' causes pain and makes people feel unseen , '' he wrote .
`` I ’ m sorry .
I ’ ll never fully understand , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of systemic racism .
I ’ m listening , learning , and I ’ ll keep working every day to do better . ''
At a campaign stop on Wednesday in Richmond , Horgan expanded on his Twitter comment .
“ I was jolted out of my comfort last night and I ’ m going to reflect on that .
I profoundly regret that I alienated and hurt people last night.
” The Coalition on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls in B.C .
has also sent a letter to the three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that safety of Indigenous people does not appear to be a priority for them .
The letter , signed by 18 people and groups , including the Union of B.C .
Indian Chiefs , says none of the party platforms released so far offer plans to implement findings from the national inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women .
BC NDP Leader John Horgan later revised an answer he gave on white privilege during Tuesday night ’ s debate , writing on Twitter : `` Saying ' I don ’ t see colour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unseen.
” # BCpoli # BCelxn2020 The New Democrat and Liberal parties have unveiled their platforms and Furstenau is slated to release her party ’ s policies and goals at an event in New Westminster later in the day .
In her answer on Tuesday night , Furstenau pledged to work to end systemic racism but admitted neither she nor the other two party leaders , who are all white , could ever grasp its nuances .
The letter from the coalition says the COVID−19 pandemic shows all levels of government can act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be life−threatening .
`` The negligence of government and its failure to act swiftly to implement the ( findings ) betrays a lack of value for the lives of Indigenous women , '' the letter says .
The letter urges each party to immediately release its plan to act on the findings and to respond to recommendations from the committee about how the plan will be implemented and funded .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14 , 2020 .

VANCOUVER — NDP Leader John Horgan is trying to clarify an answer he gave on white privilege during Tuesday night’s leaders debate in the B.C. election. In a statement issued on Twitter, Horgan says he wished he had given a different answer when the three party leaders were asked how they have reckoned with white privilege. Horgan answered by sharing his experience playing lacrosse as a youth, saying he doesn’t see colour. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson discussed his time working in rural B.C. as a doctor in Indigenous communities. The Green party’s Sonia Furstenau said she cannot comprehend that some mothers tell their children to be wary of the police.
But Horgan later revised his answer on Twitter, admitting it could have upset people. "Saying 'I don’t see colour' causes pain and makes people feel unseen," he wrote. "I’m sorry. I’ll never fully understand, as a white person, the lived reality of systemic racism. I’m listening, learning, and I’ll keep working every day to do better." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions At a campaign stop on Wednesday in Richmond, Horgan expanded on his Twitter comment.
“I was jolted out of my comfort last night and I’m going to reflect on that. I profoundly regret that I alienated and hurt people last night.” BC NDP Leader John Horgan later revised an answer he gave on white privilege during Tuesday night’s debate, writing on Twitter: "Saying 'I don’t see colour' causes pain and makes people feel unseen.” #BCpoli #BCelxn2020 The Coalition on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls in B.C. has also sent a letter to the three party leaders expressing "grave concern" that safety of Indigenous people does not appear to be a priority for them. The letter, signed by 18 people and groups, including the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, says none of the party platforms released so far offer plans to implement findings from the national inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women. The New Democrat and Liberal parties have unveiled their platforms and Furstenau is slated to release her party’s policies and goals at an event in New Westminster later in the day. In her answer on Tuesday night, Furstenau pledged to work to end systemic racism but admitted neither she nor the other two party leaders, who are all white, could ever grasp its nuances.
The letter from the coalition says the COVID−19 pandemic shows all levels of government can act quickly when failing to do so can be life−threatening. "The negligence of government and its failure to act swiftly to implement the (findings) betrays a lack of value for the lives of Indigenous women," the letter says. The letter urges each party to immediately release its plan to act on the findings and to respond to recommendations from the committee about how the plan will be implemented and funded.


nationalobserver--2020-10-14--Indigenous fishers in N.S. have lobster taken, van burned as tensions escalate: Chief Mike Sack

HALIFAX — The chief of a Mi ’ kmaq First Nation says an angry group of non-Indigenous people damaged lobster pounds holding his people ’ s catch and burned a vehicle on Tuesday night .
Video being circulated on social media shows a van being set alight in West Pubnico , N.S.
, during one of the tense encounters .
Chief Mike Sack of Sipekne ’ katik First Nation says damage occurred at two locations , one in West Pubnico and the other in the Weymouth area , and lobster caught by the Indigenous fishers was removed from lobster pounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying facilities and did a lot of damage , burned vehicles , took lobsters , '' Sack said in a telephone interview Wednesday .
`` Whatever they wanted to do , happened . ''
Sack said two Indigenous harvesters were at the lobster pound in West Pubnico when people broke a door , a van was burned and their catch was taken away .
• New technologies show potential for renewable energy job growth in Canada • BC Liberals say they would accelerate LNG export projects `` My reaction is , I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away with these terrorist , hate crime acts and the police are there , '' he said .
`` I called an emergency meeting with my council this morning , and we ’ re trying to figure out our next steps to figure out what we ’ re going to do to ensure our people ’ s safety . ''
The RCMP were present for some of the incident but did not have official comment Wednesday morning on what had occurred .
The Indigenous fishers are conducting a fishery outside of the federally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court of Canada decision that ruled East Coast Indigenous groups have the right to fish for a `` moderate livelihood , '' though a second ruling stated this was subject to federal regulation .
Since the Mi ’ kmaq fishery opened last month , there have been tensions on and off the water , with traps hauled from the sea by non-Indigenous harvesters and a boat belonging to a Mi ’ kmaq fisherman burned at a wharf .
Sack says he has contacted federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan about the growing strife as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assembly of First Nations .
Chief Mike Sack of Sipekne ’ katik First Nation says damage occurred at two locations Tuesday night and lobster caught by the Indigenous fishers was removed from lobster pounds .
The chief says the latest incidents began to unfold Tuesday evening as he was meeting with the 11 lobster harvesters his band has licensed for a moderate livelihood fishery in St. Marys Bay .
Each of their boats uses about 50 traps in the inshore fishery , while commercial Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers who operate beginning in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sack says that as the Indigenous fishers were meeting , they heard of the incidents at the holding pounds , and some of the Indigenous fishers went to the locations .
The chief said nobody was hurt in the incidents , but there were confrontations and shouting at the scenes .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14 , 2020 .

HALIFAX — The chief of a Mi’kmaq First Nation says an angry group of non-Indigenous people damaged lobster pounds holding his people’s catch and burned a vehicle on Tuesday night. Video being circulated on social media shows a van being set alight in West Pubnico, N.S., during one of the tense encounters. Chief Mike Sack of Sipekne’katik First Nation says damage occurred at two locations, one in West Pubnico and the other in the Weymouth area, and lobster caught by the Indigenous fishers was removed from lobster pounds. "Local fishermen attacked two lobster buying facilities and did a lot of damage, burned vehicles, took lobsters," Sack said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "Whatever they wanted to do, happened." Sack said two Indigenous harvesters were at the lobster pound in West Pubnico when people broke a door, a van was burned and their catch was taken away.
"My reaction is, I can’t believe how they are getting away with these terrorist, hate crime acts and the police are there," he said. "I called an emergency meeting with my council this morning, and we’re trying to figure out our next steps to figure out what we’re going to do to ensure our people’s safety." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The RCMP were present for some of the incident but did not have official comment Wednesday morning on what had occurred.
The Indigenous fishers are conducting a fishery outside of the federally regulated season based on a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision that ruled East Coast Indigenous groups have the right to fish for a "moderate livelihood," though a second ruling stated this was subject to federal regulation. Chief Mike Sack of Sipekne’katik First Nation says damage occurred at two locations Tuesday night and lobster caught by the Indigenous fishers was removed from lobster pounds. Since the Mi’kmaq fishery opened last month, there have been tensions on and off the water, with traps hauled from the sea by non-Indigenous harvesters and a boat belonging to a Mi’kmaq fisherman burned at a wharf. Sack says he has contacted federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan about the growing strife as well as the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations. The chief says the latest incidents began to unfold Tuesday evening as he was meeting with the 11 lobster harvesters his band has licensed for a moderate livelihood fishery in St. Marys Bay. Each of their boats uses about 50 traps in the inshore fishery, while commercial Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishers who operate beginning in late November use between 375 and 400 traps. Sack says that as the Indigenous fishers were meeting, they heard of the incidents at the holding pounds, and some of the Indigenous fishers went to the locations. The chief said nobody was hurt in the incidents, but there were confrontations and shouting at the scenes.