nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Remote First Nation's swift action puts halt to COVID-19 outbreak

Quick action by a small , remote First Nation on the West Coast appears to have smothered the spread of COVID-19 in the tiny island community .
But the next big step for the Klahoose First Nation will be to maintain the gains it 's made and continue with household bubbles over the holidays , Chief Kevin Peacey said .
The Klahoose community on Cortes Island , B.C.
, emerged from lockdown last Tuesday after quarantine ended for all four individuals affected by the virus and no new cases were identified , Peacey said .
Island Health will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considers the cluster to be resolving .
Out of an abundance of caution , new measures are in place to continue to protect the community and adhere to the provincial health orders in place across B.C .
until Jan. 8 , Peacey said .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • Will superweeds become stronger with rising temperatures ?
Provincial health authorities have limited social gatherings over the holiday season to members within an individual household .
The province is also asking people to only travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is working hard to ensure the close to 90 community members residing on the reserve will only celebrate Christmas holidays with people within their household , Peacey said .
“ We only have a few elders that actually speak our language , and it ’ s crucial we look after them , ” Peacey said .
“ We can ’ t afford to have them catch the ( virus ) .
” He acknowledged it was a big sacrifice for Klahoose members to make .
The measures aren ’ t in place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s loved ones , he added .
“ Members have a lot of family that are from all over the place , ” he said .
“ But we ’ re really sticking hard about not letting those family members come into the community.
” “ I ’ m heading out , door to door , to talk to each and every member in a positive way , and let them know this is what we have to do to protect ourselves , ” said Klahoose Chief Kevin Peacey on the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID19 cluster .
Everybody ’ s holiday plans , including his own family events , are upside down this year , he said .
But he hoped communicating the importance of the measures to each household in the Klahoose village of Squirrel Cove will help .
“ I ’ m heading out , door to door , to talk to each and every member in a positive way , and let them know this is what we have to do to protect ourselves , ” Peacey said .
Georgina Silby , responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( EOC ) , said residents are now allowed to leave the community for things such as appointments , shopping or essential business , but a monitoring checkpoint remains at the entrance of the village .
The checkpoint will help prevent outside visitors from entering the community and monitor flow and destination of traffic to make any future contact tracing easier , Silby said .
“ It is our own version of an on-the-ground track and trace , ” said Silby , also Peacey ’ s wife .
Klahoose Nation EOC team member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checkpoint to help keep a lid on a COVID-19 cluster now under control in the community .
Photo courtesy of Georgina Silby Public health authorities tend to focus on the immediate contacts of anyone identified with the virus , Silby said .
But the Klahoose also want to be able to identify and prevent how COVID-19 might enter the community , she added .
One reason Klahoose was able to contain the virus so quickly is its medical and EOC teams conducted their own contact tracing alongside the public health system , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to phones or internet , she said .
“ We ’ re collecting information that , should we have another positive case , it ’ s going to help us , ” Silby said .
“ We already know from experience that boots-on-the-ground contact tracing is essential if you want to be effective.
” The checkpoint is also a good place to identify and have initial conversations with anyone who might be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and provide guidance for the next steps , Silby said .
Another reason the community was able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so quickly and effectively is because the community had an emergency operation plan drafted , and help from sister nations , said Klahoose Coun .
Michelle Robinson .
Robinson , in charge of EOC planning , said she , other band members and the community ’ s health nurse started to draft an emergency plan in March .
As well , Tla'amin Nation Fire Chief Erik Blaney assisted the Klahoose during the initial days of lockdown , providing advice based on what his nation learned during a COVID-19 outbreak in the early fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robinson said .
Peacey credited the commitment and dedication of the Klahoose EOC team , medical staff and the folks living in the community for taking action so quickly and following the protocols laid out after the outbreak occurred .
“ Fortunately , we have a great membership , ” said Peacey , adding the good work around sticking to households , washing hands and maintaining distance just needs to continue .
“ I figure this is going to be the biggest concern over the next two weeks , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from different towns ... and to make sure ( members ) aren ’ t bringing anything back .
”

Quick action by a small, remote First Nation on the West Coast appears to have smothered the spread of COVID-19 in the tiny island community. But the next big step for the Klahoose First Nation will be to maintain the gains it's made and continue with household bubbles over the holidays, Chief Kevin Peacey said. The Klahoose community on Cortes Island, B.C., emerged from lockdown last Tuesday after quarantine ended for all four individuals affected by the virus and no new cases were identified, Peacey said. Island Health will continue to monitor the situation until Dec. 27 but considers the cluster to be resolving. Out of an abundance of caution, new measures are in place to continue to protect the community and adhere to the provincial health orders in place across B.C. until Jan. 8, Peacey said.
Provincial health authorities have limited social gatherings over the holiday season to members within an individual household. The province is also asking people to only travel if it’s essential. Klahoose is working hard to ensure the close to 90 community members residing on the reserve will only celebrate Christmas holidays with people within their household, Peacey said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “We only have a few elders that actually speak our language, and it’s crucial we look after them,” Peacey said. “We can’t afford to have them catch the (virus).”
He acknowledged it was a big sacrifice for Klahoose members to make. The measures aren’t in place to control people, but to protect everyone’s loved ones, he added. “I’m heading out, door to door, to talk to each and every member in a positive way, and let them know this is what we have to do to protect ourselves,” said Klahoose Chief Kevin Peacey on the need for pandemic protocols to curb a #COVID19 cluster. “Members have a lot of family that are from all over the place,” he said. “But we’re really sticking hard about not letting those family members come into the community.” Everybody’s holiday plans, including his own family events, are upside down this year, he said. But he hoped communicating the importance of the measures to each household in the Klahoose village of Squirrel Cove will help.
“I’m heading out, door to door, to talk to each and every member in a positive way, and let them know this is what we have to do to protect ourselves,” Peacey said. Georgina Silby, a communications team member with the Klahoose emergency operation centre (EOC), said residents are now allowed to leave the community for things such as appointments, shopping or essential business, but a monitoring checkpoint remains at the entrance of the village. The checkpoint will help prevent outside visitors from entering the community and monitor flow and destination of traffic to make any future contact tracing easier, Silby said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--How one oil industry group went to bizarre lengths to market natural gas to women

This article was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of Canada 's National Observer 's collaboration with Climate Desk .
The website Women for Natural Gas is a pink-tinged , fancy-cursive-drenched love letter to the oil and gas industry .
A prominently featured promo video shows women in hard hats and on rig sites .
“ Who ’ s powering the world ?
We are !
” enthuses the narrator .
Viewers can click through to a “ Herstory ” timeline of women working in the oil sector .
Another page , about the group ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ We are women for natural gas , ” and shows three professionally dressed ladies alongside their testimonials .
There ’ s a Carey White gushing , “ The abundance of oil and gas in Texas helps keep prices at the pump lower.
” One Rebecca Washington raves , “ Natural gas is a safe , reliable source of energy that provides countless numbers of jobs.
” • How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • Will superweeds become stronger with rising temperatures ?
A few months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look into the website ’ s testimonials — my tipster suggested that the group was using stock photos to represent the women who had supposedly contributed testimonials about natural gas .
A reverse image search revealed that two of the images were indeed stock photos .
The third , supposedly of a woman named Carey White , was the professional headshot of Jessi Hempel , a senior editor at-large at LinkedIn .
The photo had been published in a brochure when she appeared at a 2020 Tupelo , Miss.
, conference for landscape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said she had never contributed any photo or testimonial to Women for Natural Gas .
She said she found it “ incredibly disturbing ” that the group was using her image without her permission .
“ Thank you so much for discovering my image on a website I guarantee you I never would have clicked on , ” she told me .
Texans for Natural Gas , an oil and gas industry group that created Women for Natural Gas , never responded to Hempel ’ s or Mother Jones ’ inquiries about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swap out Hempel ’ s image , but only after being contacted twice by a lawyer for Hempel ’ s employer , LinkedIn .
Even then , the testimonial attributed to Carey White remained unchanged — the only difference was that it was accompanied by a new smiling woman ’ s headshot .
A closer examination of Women for Natural Gas revealed that for the last year , the group has cycled through different headshots of women and quotes .
My reporting suggests that it ’ s unlikely that the testimonials are genuine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed testimonials from Natalie White , Carey White and Natalie Smith , with identical quotes for the two Natalies ( notwithstanding the overlapping names ) .
By August , the names had diversified , a little , to Rebecca Washington , Natalie Smith and Carey White , and the identical quotes had also changed again .
The website Women for Natural Gas is a pink-tinged , fancy-cursive-drenched love letter to the oil and gas industry , complete with testimonials from several women .
But there ’ s a catch : The women don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hired for Texans for Natural Gas communications is FTI Consulting , a global consultancy with fossil fuel clients and the subject of Hiroko Tabuchi ’ s New York Times investigation last month .
Tabuchi found that FTI has set up at least “ 15 current and past influence campaigns promoting fossil fuel interests in addition to its direct work for oil and gas clients.
” These campaigns are run by paid consultants , Tabuchi writes , and “ often obscure the industry ’ s role , portraying pro-petroleum groups as grassroots movements.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s spokesperson Matt Bashalany admitted to Texans for Natural Gas ’ use of stock photos , but maintained the supporters and testimonials were real .
I went back to FTI Consulting to ask whether they would stand by the claim , given the screenshots I had of the website swapping out photos and quotes throughout the year .
In response , FTI Consulting distanced itself from the project all together .
Bashalany emphasized that the website was created by a separate contractor hired directly by the client , and that the testimonials came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a website contractor .
Bashalany directed me to the oil and gas companies that sponsor Texans for Natural Gas , listed on the website , which include XTO Energy ( a subsidiary of ExxonMobil ) , EOG Resources and Apache Energy .
Texans for Natural Gas never returned my calls and emails , and the oil companies declined to comment for the story .
As of publishing , the site still had the three testimonials up , but removed the headshots all together for pink cartoonish outlines of women .
As I dug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I found other examples of the group courting women .
Some were on FrackFeed , the group ’ s jokey , cringey meme feed with its own website and an Instagram account of more than 4,000 followers .
On other platforms , Texans for Natural Gas posts memes that downplay the amount of methane that leeches from natural gas operations set against feminine backdrops of fields of flowers and sunsets .
I asked Texans for Natural Gas why it was particularly interested in reaching women , but neither the group nor its sponsors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s worth noting that over the last few years , the oil and gas industry has been plagued by sexual harassment suits .
Employees accused the company Anadarko , acquired last year by Occidental Petroleum , of having “ a culture of treating women as sexual playthings who are present at work merely for men ’ s sexual gratification.
” And one female oil worker filed a $ 100 million suit against the oilfield services company Schlumberger in June , alleging , “ Women who work on oil rigs are sexually assaulted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and treated as sexual objects by their male colleagues.
” The women-centred messaging could be a clumsy attempt to distract from those scandals .
More likely , though , Texans for Natural Gas is simply hoping to convince the public that women are creating a political demand for a future with natural gas .
Other industries have employed this strategy , too : As I reported this year , gas-powered utilities have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on marketing campaigns that hire social media influencers to make cooking with gas stoves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoor air pollution they create .
These industries have reason to be worried : Republican and Democratic women tend to care more about the environment and climate change , polling shows .
The Guardian has reported on internal polling by the Partnership for Energy Progress , a northwestern coalition of gas utilities and natural gas companies , identifies women between ages 35 and 54 who own homes and have college degrees as “ flight risks , ” meaning they could soon stop supporting gas stoves and fossil fuels in buildings for environmental reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas is environmentally friendly is disingenuous .
Though it was once seen as the lesser of two evils compared to coal ’ s high carbon pollution , we ’ ve learned over the past decade that natural gas has come at a high cost .
We ’ ve vastly undercounted the amount of methane escaping from these operations by as much as 60 per cent , reporting from the Environmental Defense Fund shows , as the industry has been largely left to regulate itself .
Texans for Natural Gas , run by oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in downplaying these risks to keep the status quo of a self-regulated industry .
That the gas industry is peddling dubious claims to women is part of a broader pattern : From alternative health products to far-right conspiracy theories , women have emerged as a prime target for purveyors of disinformation .
Indeed , Hempel told me that what bothered her most about the incident was that her photo was being used under a false pretense to spread spurious claims .
“ How many other places am I taking for granted that somebody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trusting that an organization is representing that interest ?
” she said .
“ How many things do I take for granted when I am gathering information in my professional practice and in my daily life that are total hoaxes ?
”

This article was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of Canada's National Observer's collaboration with Climate Desk. The website Women for Natural Gas is a pink-tinged, fancy-cursive-drenched love letter to the oil and gas industry. A prominently featured promo video shows women in hard hats and on rig sites. “Who’s powering the world? We are!” enthuses the narrator. Viewers can click through to a “Herstory” timeline of women working in the oil sector. Another page, about the group’s grassroots network of supporters, announces, “We are women for natural gas,” and shows three professionally dressed ladies alongside their testimonials. There’s a Carey White gushing, “The abundance of oil and gas in Texas helps keep prices at the pump lower.” One Rebecca Washington raves, “Natural gas is a safe, reliable source of energy that provides countless numbers of jobs.” But there’s a catch: The women don’t exist.
A few months ago, I received a tip to look into the website’s testimonials — my tipster suggested that the group was using stock photos to represent the women who had supposedly contributed testimonials about natural gas. A reverse image search revealed that two of the images were indeed stock photos. The third, supposedly of a woman named Carey White, was the professional headshot of Jessi Hempel, a senior editor at-large at LinkedIn. The photo had been published in a brochure when she appeared at a 2020 Tupelo, Miss., conference for landscape architects. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions When I contacted Hempel, she said she had never contributed any photo or testimonial to Women for Natural Gas. She said she found it “incredibly disturbing” that the group was using her image without her permission.
“Thank you so much for discovering my image on a website I guarantee you I never would have clicked on,” she told me. The website Women for Natural Gas is a pink-tinged, fancy-cursive-drenched love letter to the oil and gas industry, complete with testimonials from several women. But there’s a catch: The women don’t exist. Texans for Natural Gas, an oil and gas industry group that created Women for Natural Gas, never responded to Hempel’s or Mother Jones’ inquiries about the photo. The group did eventually swap out Hempel’s image, but only after being contacted twice by a lawyer for Hempel’s employer, LinkedIn. Even then, the testimonial attributed to Carey White remained unchanged — the only difference was that it was accompanied by a new smiling woman’s headshot. A closer examination of Women for Natural Gas revealed that for the last year, the group has cycled through different headshots of women and quotes. My reporting suggests that it’s unlikely that the testimonials are genuine. Back in May, the site showed testimonials from Natalie White, Carey White and Natalie Smith, with identical quotes for the two Natalies (notwithstanding the overlapping names). By August, the names had diversified, a little, to Rebecca Washington, Natalie Smith and Carey White, and the identical quotes had also changed again. The original shop hired for Texans for Natural Gas communications is FTI Consulting, a global consultancy with fossil fuel clients and the subject of Hiroko Tabuchi’s New York Times investigation last month. Tabuchi found that FTI has set up at least “15 current and past influence campaigns promoting fossil fuel interests in addition to its direct work for oil and gas clients.” These campaigns are run by paid consultants, Tabuchi writes, and “often obscure the industry’s role, portraying pro-petroleum groups as grassroots movements.” The NYT reported that FTI Consulting’s spokesperson Matt Bashalany admitted to Texans for Natural Gas’ use of stock photos, but maintained the supporters and testimonials were real. I went back to FTI Consulting to ask whether they would stand by the claim, given the screenshots I had of the website swapping out photos and quotes throughout the year.
In response, FTI Consulting distanced itself from the project all together. Bashalany emphasized that the website was created by a separate contractor hired directly by the client, and that the testimonials came in through an online form managed by a website contractor. Bashalany directed me to the oil and gas companies that sponsor Texans for Natural Gas, listed on the website, which include XTO Energy (a subsidiary of ExxonMobil), EOG Resources and Apache Energy. Texans for Natural Gas never returned my calls and emails, and the oil companies declined to comment for the story. As of publishing, the site still had the three testimonials up, but removed the headshots all together for pink cartoonish outlines of women. As I dug deeper into Texans for Natural Gas, I found other examples of the group courting women. Some were on FrackFeed, the group’s jokey, cringey meme feed with its own website and an Instagram account of more than 4,000 followers.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Canada needs proactive climate change strategies now to avoid huge disaster bills later

Over the past decade , wildfires , flooding , permafrost melt and drought have become a devastating “ new normal ” in Canada .
Disasters attributed to climate change are increasing in number and cost .
In 2018 , 19,000 Canadians were temporarily displaced from their homes due to climate-related disasters such as flooding , and for the last three years , the average annual bill for disaster assistance has been $ 430 million .
The vast majority of that — 80 per cent — has gone to areas affected by spring flooding and rainstorms .
Canadians should heed these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities are built on floodplains and Canada is currently warming up twice as fast as the global average .
Some communities like Beaubassin-est , N.B.
, or Stratford , P.E.I.
, have developed effective zoning regulations and adaptation strategies , such as sea-level rise protection zones , minimum height building standards and community flood risk education .
But for many Canadians , the only realistic approach is to pack up and move .
Flood risk management has been effectively adapted in New Zealand using environmental restoration and strategic community planning .
The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also developed efficient risk management strategies that take nature-based approaches to adaptation and build sound infrastructure to withstand natural disaster .
Additionally , they have improved land use planning and strengthened their insurance policy settings .
Across the world , people are incorporating relocation strategies into their climate action response models , which benefits those most at risk from impending climate emergencies .
`` Unless Canada is willing to plan ahead , rural communities with the lowest capacity to cover costs of ( climate-related disaster ) disruption will continue to be hardest hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UBC 's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs .
How are Canadian communities preparing for these issues ?
In Canada , climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies are ultimately left up to municipalities .
Current programs are focused on larger cities , leaving the needs of smaller communities unmet .
Compared to larger urban centres like Vancouver , the options available to remote communities with scarce finances are limited , meaning expensive barrier strategies are out of reach .
Programs to help mitigate issues related to climate change exist , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Climate Change .
It is intended to meet emissions reduction targets , grow the economy and build resilience to a changing climate , however further funding and research on alternative policy options to anticipate and reduce the number of risks presented by climate change are needed .
To prepare for the impending consequences of climate change , the Canadian government must take a proactive approach on disaster mitigation strategies .
And that means funnelling more resources into smaller communities most susceptible to sea-level rise and less able to raise money on their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an option .
This will save on gigantic climate disaster relief payouts and spare people in these communities the misery of continually uprooting their lives after disaster strikes .
Victoria Ker , Erica Steele , Stephen Patenaude and Brayden Pelham are graduate students at the University of British Columbia 's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs .

Victoria Ker, Stephen Patenaude, Brayden Pelham, Erica Steele

Over the past decade, wildfires, flooding, permafrost melt and drought have become a devastating “new normal” in Canada. Disasters attributed to climate change are increasing in number and cost. In 2018, 19,000 Canadians were temporarily displaced from their homes due to climate-related disasters such as flooding, and for the last three years, the average annual bill for disaster assistance has been $430 million. The vast majority of that — 80 per cent — has gone to areas affected by spring flooding and rainstorms. Canadians should heed these numbers; an overwhelming majority of our cities are built on floodplains and Canada is currently warming up twice as fast as the global average. Sea-level rise is a slow-moving, predictable threat, yet a cohesive national adaptation strategy does not exist. Ottawa has even scrapped successful initiatives, like the termination of the Flood Damage Reduction Program in the 1990s. It is time for Canada to consider proactive strategies to avoid footing the bill for disasters later. For some communities, this may mean relocation. Resettlement will look different for each community, with some moving to higher ground and others moving entirely.
Unless Canada is willing to plan ahead, rural communities with the lowest capacity to cover costs of disruption will continue to be hardest hit. Many are Indigenous communities, such as the Kashechewan First Nation in northern Ontario, where residents are routinely evacuated because of severe spring flooding. These regular evacuations take a toll on communities and impact the health of the population. The Kashechewan Nation has signed a deal with the provincial and federal governments to begin relocation, but there are fears the government will fail to follow through. Kashechewan had a relocation agreement with the 2005 Liberal government, but the deal fell through after the Conservatives came to power in 2006. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Similarly, Lennox Island First Nation on P.E.I. is anticipated to lose 50 per cent of its land to sea-level rise in the next 50 years. Rising waters threaten cultural heritage sites, the community’s water supply, its sewage treatment facility and critical infrastructure, such as the only bridge connecting it to the rest of P.E.I. The band anticipates having to move from its traditional lands and has acquired property on the mainland.
Some communities like Beaubassin-est, N.B., or Stratford, P.E.I., have developed effective zoning regulations and adaptation strategies, such as sea-level rise protection zones, minimum height building standards and community flood risk education. But for many Canadians, the only realistic approach is to pack up and move. "Unless Canada is willing to plan ahead, rural communities with the lowest capacity to cover costs of (climate-related disaster) disruption will continue to be hardest hit," say four grad students at UBC's School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Flood risk management has been effectively adapted in New Zealand using environmental restoration and strategic community planning. The United Kingdom, Singapore and the Netherlands have also developed efficient risk management strategies that take nature-based approaches to adaptation and build sound infrastructure to withstand natural disaster. Additionally, they have improved land use planning and strengthened their insurance policy settings. Across the world, people are incorporating relocation strategies into their climate action response models, which benefits those most at risk from impending climate emergencies. How are Canadian communities preparing for these issues? In Canada, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies are ultimately left up to municipalities. Current programs are focused on larger cities, leaving the needs of smaller communities unmet. Compared to larger urban centres like Vancouver, the options available to remote communities with scarce finances are limited, meaning expensive barrier strategies are out of reach. Programs to help mitigate issues related to climate change exist, such as the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. It is intended to meet emissions reduction targets, grow the economy and build resilience to a changing climate, however further funding and research on alternative policy options to anticipate and reduce the number of risks presented by climate change are needed.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Massive landslide in Bute Inlet wipes out wildlife habitat, poses risks to marine traffic along B.C.

Massive landslide in Bute Inlet wipes out wildlife habitat, poses risks to marine traffic along B.C. coast

An enormous landslide has scoured the watershed of a remote B.C .
inlet and triggered a wave of debris that has wiped out critical salmon and grizzly habitat , and is causing hazards for marine traffic in the region .
Helicopter pilot Bastian Fleury surveyed the devastation along the 12-kilometre slide down the Southgate River that has also pushed trees , rocks and mud into Bute Inlet on B.C.
’ s central coast .
“ It has destroyed a lot of the forest , and there is lots and lots of flooding everywhere in the valley and the inlet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • Will superweeds become stronger with rising temperatures ?
Helicopter pilot Bastian Fleury says the landslide on the upper reaches of Southgate River is at least 12 kilometres long .
Photo courtesy of Bastian Fleury The pilot did his flyover late last week after hearing reports of a cascade of wood debris floating down the inlet .
Based in Campbell River , approximately 60 kilometres southeast of the inlet , Fleury knows the area well from flying people in the resource sector and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has completely changed the course of the Southgate River , ” he said .
It appears a block of a glacier fell into a lake in the upper reaches of the watershed , causing a cascade to descend down the valley , Fleury said .
Poor weather prevented him from getting all the way up to the glacier , he said .
An enormous landslide has scoured the watershed of a remote B.C .
inlet and triggered a wave of debris that has wiped out critical salmon and grizzly habitat , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region .
It ’ s likely the landslide occurred following heavy rains at the end of November , he added .
Fleury is worried the massive landslide has destroyed important habitat many animals rely on .
“ It ’ s got to be very bad for all the wildlife in the area , ” he said .
The Southgate River valley supports important salmon runs , grizzly bears , bobcats and elk populations , Fleury said .
“ We were impressed by the force of mother nature , but there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
Strathcona Regional District director Jim Abram said the environmental impacts are likely to be considerable and debris is already posing hazards for marine traffic off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island .
There has been a glacial lake outburst flood , Elliot Creek just east of the head of Bute Inlet .
Thanks to Interfor ground crews for forwarding the images to Pierre Friele .
Details are sparse but appears part of glacier failed and hit lake .
Location and satellite to follow .
1/3 pic.twitter.com/Umvn6nybaP — Brent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 “ The scouring of that valley seen in the footage is incredible , ” Abram said .
“ Imagine that amount of material out of the canyon has flowed down to Bute Inlet and the debris is continuing out to the ocean.
” Commercial marine operators are already reporting trees in the waters around the Discovery Islands at least 100 kilometres from the head of the inlet , said Abram .
“ We ’ re not just talking about rocks and silt , the slide has taken down hillsides of whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems floating out there in the water.
” Beyond posing a hazard for boaters , trees propelled by waves and wind could cause damage to commercial and private docks and marinas along the coast , he added .
The Southgate River and surrounding streams historically support chinook , coho , chum and pink salmon runs , as well as at-risk species like bull trout , Abram said .
“ We have a situation right now where our wild salmon are in danger .
We ca n't afford for ( spawning habitat ) to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falls within the traditional territory of the Homalco Nation , which recently purchased facilities for an eco-tourist resort for its bear tours in the area , Abram added .
The region is also a haven for kayaking companies , hunters and mountain expeditions , he said .
“ Wilderness tourism is a big part of our economy , and it ’ s just taken a big hit from Mother Nature , ” Abram said .

An enormous landslide has scoured the watershed of a remote B.C. inlet and triggered a wave of debris that has wiped out critical salmon and grizzly habitat, and is causing hazards for marine traffic in the region. Helicopter pilot Bastian Fleury surveyed the devastation along the 12-kilometre slide down the Southgate River that has also pushed trees, rocks and mud into Bute Inlet on B.C.’s central coast. “It has destroyed a lot of the forest, and there is lots and lots of flooding everywhere in the valley and the inlet,” said Fleury.
Helicopter pilot Bastian Fleury says the landslide on the upper reaches of Southgate River is at least 12 kilometres long. Photo courtesy of Bastian Fleury The pilot did his flyover late last week after hearing reports of a cascade of wood debris floating down the inlet. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Based in Campbell River, approximately 60 kilometres southeast of the inlet, Fleury knows the area well from flying people in the resource sector and wilderness tourism into the region.
“It has completely changed the course of the Southgate River,” he said. An enormous landslide has scoured the watershed of a remote B.C. inlet and triggered a wave of debris that has wiped out critical salmon and grizzly habitat, and is causing hazards for marine traffic in the region. It appears a block of a glacier fell into a lake in the upper reaches of the watershed, causing a cascade to descend down the valley, Fleury said. Poor weather prevented him from getting all the way up to the glacier, he said. It’s likely the landslide occurred following heavy rains at the end of November, he added. Fleury is worried the massive landslide has destroyed important habitat many animals rely on.
“It’s got to be very bad for all the wildlife in the area,” he said. The Southgate River valley supports important salmon runs, grizzly bears, bobcats and elk populations, Fleury said. “We were impressed by the force of mother nature, but there’s not much we can do about it,” he said.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--RCMP commits to policy changes on gathering, using information about protesters

OTTAWA — The RCMP has agreed to revamp its policies on the collection and use of information about protesters after a watchdog expressed fresh concerns , a notable shift from the police force ’ s position only months ago .
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki largely embraced a series of Civilian Review and Complaints Commission recommendations that could better protect the privacy of activists .
Lucki acknowledged the inadequacy of current data-handling practices in her response to the commission ’ s investigation into Mountie surveillance of opponents of the now-defunct Northern Gateway pipeline project .
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying the RCMP improperly collected and shared information about people and groups who peacefully opposed the project and attended National Energy Board meetings .
The complaints commission concluded the RCMP acted reasonably for the most part .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • Will superweeds become stronger with rising temperatures ?
The commission ’ s long-awaited final report on the matter , made public Tuesday , said it was acceptable for the Mounties to monitor demonstrations , record video of protesters , scour social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists and collect licence-plate numbers for intelligence-gathering purposes .
However , the commission also found RCMP policies lacked clear guidance when it comes to collection , use and retention of such information .
• Consider implementing a specific policy regarding video-recording protests and demonstrations • Develop policies that make it clear personal information related to demonstrations should be destroyed `` as soon as practicable '' once it is determined that there is no criminal element or that the information is otherwise no longer necessary • Provide clear policy guidance on collection of personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media sites , the uses that can be made of it and what steps should be taken to ensure its reliability • Treat such information from social media sources as a separate category of records — data that should be kept no longer than strictly necessary `` Canadians have the right to expect that the police will not retain their personal information simply for engaging in peaceful protest , '' the complaints commission ’ s final report said .
`` From an operational standpoint , the commission acknowledges the need for the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and operate with reasonable flexibility .
Nevertheless , the net should not be cast wide , and the indiscriminate or widespread collection and retention of personal information of individuals exercising charter-protected rights can not be the goal . ''
The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission 's long-awaited final report on the matter , made public Tuesday , concluded the # RCMP acted reasonably for the most part .
The complaints commission said it hoped that Lucki would take `` substantive action '' based on her five-page November response to the investigation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for several recommendations .
The commission noted Lucki had rejected similar recommendations in her June response to a probe of the RCMP ’ s handling of anti-fracking demonstrations in New Brunswick .
In her recent response to the B.C .
probe , which the commission characterized as a `` striking reversal in position and tone , '' Lucki cited new information including an internal RCMP audit that found room for improvement in the force ’ s practices concerning open-source information .
The civil liberties association said Tuesday the complaints commission report confirms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indigenous and climate activists .
It pointed to the RCMP ’ s collection and retention of people ’ s online comments and opinions as well as the compilation of notes on organizers .
The Mounties also tracked and kept records on people who took part in demonstrations , and even attended an organizing workshop in plain clothes at the Kelowna United Church , the group noted .
The association is `` deeply disappointed '' the complaints commission found most of these activities to be reasonable , even though the commission repeatedly expressed reservations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspicion that people might be involved in criminal activity .
The commission wagged its finger , but ultimately gave the RCMP a free pass for activities that are likely offside with the charter , said Paul Champ , a lawyer for the association .
`` RCMP spying on people who are exercising their right to dissent is an attack on freedom of expression , '' Champ said .
`` It creates a climate of fear that chills free expression and stifles public participation .
This report is telling us to accept a police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a B.C .
group that fights for environmental and Indigenous causes : “ We can not accept the idea that anyone who criticizes the government or the oil industry becomes a target for surveillance . ''
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government would take `` a careful look '' at the report ’ s conclusions and recommendations , adding `` there is much to do '' on how the RCMP deals with certain groups .
The civil liberties association and the complaints commission reiterated their concerns that it took Lucki well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission ’ s 2017 interim report , delaying release of the final document .
`` To be effective , a public complaint system must be timely .
Delays reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of the commission ’ s recommendations and perpetuate the underlying problems , '' she said in the final report .
`` Moreover , years of routine delays diminish or destroy public confidence in the RCMP and in its civilian oversight .
The outrageous delays in this and the many other cases still awaiting the commissioner ’ s response can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15 , 2020 .

OTTAWA — The RCMP has agreed to revamp its policies on the collection and use of information about protesters after a watchdog expressed fresh concerns, a notable shift from the police force’s position only months ago. RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki largely embraced a series of Civilian Review and Complaints Commission recommendations that could better protect the privacy of activists. Lucki acknowledged the inadequacy of current data-handling practices in her response to the commission’s investigation into Mountie surveillance of opponents of the now-defunct Northern Gateway pipeline project. The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association lodged a complaint in February 2014, saying the RCMP improperly collected and shared information about people and groups who peacefully opposed the project and attended National Energy Board meetings. The complaints commission concluded the RCMP acted reasonably for the most part.
The commission’s long-awaited final report on the matter, made public Tuesday, said it was acceptable for the Mounties to monitor demonstrations, record video of protesters, scour social media and other open sources for information about activists and collect licence-plate numbers for intelligence-gathering purposes. However, the commission also found RCMP policies lacked clear guidance when it comes to collection, use and retention of such information. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions It recommended the police force:
Consider implementing a specific policy regarding video-recording protests and demonstrations
Develop policies that make it clear personal information related to demonstrations should be destroyed "as soon as practicable" once it is determined that there is no criminal element or that the information is otherwise no longer necessary
Provide clear policy guidance on collection of personal information from open sources such as social media sites, the uses that can be made of it and what steps should be taken to ensure its reliability
Treat such information from social media sources as a separate category of records — data that should be kept no longer than strictly necessary "Canadians have the right to expect that the police will not retain their personal information simply for engaging in peaceful protest," the complaints commission’s final report said. The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission's long-awaited final report on the matter, made public Tuesday, concluded the #RCMP acted reasonably for the most part. "From an operational standpoint, the commission acknowledges the need for the police to be able to exercise good judgment and operate with reasonable flexibility. Nevertheless, the net should not be cast wide, and the indiscriminate or widespread collection and retention of personal information of individuals exercising charter-protected rights cannot be the goal." The complaints commission said it hoped that Lucki would take "substantive action" based on her five-page November response to the investigation’s interim findings, in which she expressed support for several recommendations. The commission noted Lucki had rejected similar recommendations in her June response to a probe of the RCMP’s handling of anti-fracking demonstrations in New Brunswick. In her recent response to the B.C. probe, which the commission characterized as a "striking reversal in position and tone," Lucki cited new information including an internal RCMP audit that found room for improvement in the force’s practices concerning open-source information.
The civil liberties association said Tuesday the complaints commission report confirms its long-standing allegations of RCMP spying on Indigenous and climate activists. It pointed to the RCMP’s collection and retention of people’s online comments and opinions as well as the compilation of notes on organizers. The Mounties also tracked and kept records on people who took part in demonstrations, and even attended an organizing workshop in plain clothes at the Kelowna United Church, the group noted.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Ottawa to spend $3.16 billion to plant two billion trees over the next 10 years

The Canadian government says it will spend $ 3.16 billion to plant two billion trees over the next ten years .
Natural Resources Minister Seamus O ’ Regan made the funding announcement Monday at a tree nursery in St. John ’ s , saying the project will help Canada achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 .
“ There is no path to net-zero carbon emissions that does n't involve our forests , ” O ’ Regan told reporters .
“ Trees increase our community 's long-term resilience to climate change .
They reduce the likelihood of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ O ’ Regan said the project is “ an endeavour of unprecedented scale and size ” and that the planted trees will cover an area roughly twice the size of Prince Edward Island .
It will also create 4,300 “ good jobs , ” he said .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised during the 2019 election campaign his government would plant two billion trees over a decade .
The Liberals ' pledge is on top of the roughly 600 million trees that are already planted each year in Canada .
• How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthen their legal traditions • First COVID-19 vaccine shipments have arrived in Canada , more en route As of November 2020 , the program hadn ’ t yet been funded and no trees had been planted .
During Monday ’ s announcement , O ’ Regan said the delay was the result of a complicated planning process and the COVID-19 pandemic .
He added , however , Ottawa gave small and medium-sized tree-planting businesses $ 30 million to help them through the health crisis , resulting in the planting of 600 million trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tree-planting spree will begin in the spring .
O ’ Regan was asked by reporters how his government 's tree-planting project and its net-zero emissions goal fit with its recent decision to award hundreds of millions of dollars to the province 's oil and gas industry .
The minister said the two projects fit `` perfectly . ''
“ With increased forest cover , you will see greater absorption , sequestration , capture of ( carbon dioxide ) , ” he said .
Later Monday , Conservative environment and climate change critic Dan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liberals ' plan .
He said because of the delay , the government has nine years left to meet the goal it set in 2019 and plant about 222 million trees a year .
Albas said Monday 's commitment was little more than a `` re-announcement of information and a statement full of vague talking points . ''
The Canadian government says it will spend $ 3.16 billion to plant two billion trees over the next ten years .
# cdnpoli # GHG # ClimateChange This report by The Canadian Press was first @ @ @ @ @ @

The Canadian government says it will spend $3.16 billion to plant two billion trees over the next ten years.
Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan made the funding announcement Monday at a tree nursery in St. John’s, saying the project will help Canada achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“There is no path to net-zero carbon emissions that doesn't involve our forests,” O’Regan told reporters. “Trees increase our community's long-term resilience to climate change. They reduce the likelihood of flooding and the risk of wildland fires.“
O’Regan said the project is “an endeavour of unprecedented scale and size” and that the planted trees will cover an area roughly twice the size of Prince Edward Island. It will also create 4,300 “good jobs,” he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised during the 2019 election campaign his government would plant two billion trees over a decade. The Liberals' pledge is on top of the roughly 600 million trees that are already planted each year in Canada.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Builders laud green grants, but warn Liberal climate plan could increase home costs

The Liberal government ’ s new $ 15-billion climate action plan includes welcome incentives for green renovations , the Canadian Home Builders ’ Association said Monday .
But the CHBA also warned regulators must be careful not to raise housing costs too steeply when updating the building code , which could outlast incentive programs and make renovations more expensive down the line .
The government announced a plan to address climate change on Friday , a step toward its goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40 per cent between 2005 and 2030 .
The plan targets several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but also pledges $ 2.6 billion over seven years to homeowners .
Among the potential changes are $ 5,000 grants for homeowners , free EnerGuide assessments , and a new model code for retrofitting homes with green technology .
The builders ’ association has been pushing for the green grant program , CHBA chief executive Kevin Lee says , to upgrade old homes that lack air sealing , heat recovery ventilation systems , and up-to-scratch basics like insulation , furnaces and water heaters .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 vaccine shipments have arrived in Canada , more en route The free assessments are also helpful for homeowners , who are sometimes deterred by big-ticket items like windows and overlook low-cost renovations , like attic insulation , that can save them money on energy bills , Lee says .
`` I think the education and energy literacy that comes along with this type of programming is very important , '' Lee says , adding that the advisers can show people the potential of how to get the best return on investment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If they have the budget , and they can do it over many years , which is the nice thing about the way the program 's laid out .
That offers a heck of a lot to today 's homeowner rather than just a flat out , 'Here 's a few bucks to do a little bit of work . ''
The CHBA qualifies builders to construct net zero homes and espouses their perks — in addition to producing as much clean energy as they consume , net zero homes are quieter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ association says .
But Lee says that net zero housing is still more expensive to build , and making it mandatory too quickly could raise the price of new homes and tempt homeowners to cut corners on renovations down the road .
`` Having that eye on what 's technically and economically feasible is really critical , especially when it comes to regulation , because now you 're talking about every home having to be built that way , '' Lee says .
`` When you put it into code , you need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways to do it in affordable fashion .
That 's usually our concern when it comes to building codes going too fast : making sure you 're getting the technical stuff right . ''
The Liberal government ’ s new climate plan and green grant program could increase housing prices unless introduced gradually .
# CHBA # GHG # housing # cdnpoli The risk , says Lee , is that a homeowner hoping to replace the siding on their house might be put off by a rule that requires new insulation — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or going without a permit .
Lee says that it 's important that Canada supports research and innovation around green building , so costs will go down by the time the new rules are codified .
`` Under-the-table cash jobs , not having warranties when you do n't have proper contracts and proper permitting — that could be a big problem , '' says Lee .
`` When it comes to doing a renovation , homeowners are much more in tune with how much things cost and how much adding costs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be tricky , because it will inherently mean additional costs . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14 , 2020 .

The Liberal government’s new $15-billion climate action plan includes welcome incentives for green renovations, the Canadian Home Builders’ Association said Monday. But the CHBA also warned regulators must be careful not to raise housing costs too steeply when updating the building code, which could outlast incentive programs and make renovations more expensive down the line. The government announced a plan to address climate change on Friday, a step toward its goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40 per cent between 2005 and 2030. The plan targets several industries, such as transportation and energy, but also pledges $2.6 billion over seven years to homeowners. Among the potential changes are $5,000 grants for homeowners, free EnerGuide assessments, and a new model code for retrofitting homes with green technology. The builders’ association has been pushing for the green grant program, CHBA chief executive Kevin Lee says, to upgrade old homes that lack air sealing, heat recovery ventilation systems, and up-to-scratch basics like insulation, furnaces and water heaters.
The free assessments are also helpful for homeowners, who are sometimes deterred by big-ticket items like windows and overlook low-cost renovations, like attic insulation, that can save them money on energy bills, Lee says. "I think the education and energy literacy that comes along with this type of programming is very important," Lee says, adding that the advisers can show people the potential of how to get the best return on investment in terms of saving on energy costs. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "If they have the budget, and they can do it over many years, which is the nice thing about the way the program's laid out. That offers a heck of a lot to today's homeowner rather than just a flat out, 'Here's a few bucks to do a little bit of work."
The CHBA qualifies builders to construct net zero homes and espouses their perks — in addition to producing as much clean energy as they consume, net zero homes are quieter, hypoallergenic and save water, the association says. But Lee says that net zero housing is still more expensive to build, and making it mandatory too quickly could raise the price of new homes and tempt homeowners to cut corners on renovations down the road. The Liberal government’s new climate plan and green grant program could increase housing prices unless introduced gradually. #CHBA #GHG #housing #cdnpoli "Having that eye on what's technically and economically feasible is really critical, especially when it comes to regulation, because now you're talking about every home having to be built that way," Lee says. "When you put it into code, you need to be sure that you're finding ways to do it in affordable fashion. That's usually our concern when it comes to building codes going too fast: making sure you're getting the technical stuff right." The risk, says Lee, is that a homeowner hoping to replace the siding on their house might be put off by a rule that requires new insulation — and end up either scrapping the project altogether, or going without a permit. Lee says that it's important that Canada supports research and innovation around green building, so costs will go down by the time the new rules are codified. "Under-the-table cash jobs, not having warranties when you don't have proper contracts and proper permitting — that could be a big problem," says Lee.


nationalobserver--2020-12-15--Reconciliation delayed and anti-Indigenous racism increasing: TRC commissioners

Five years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued its final report , commissioners Murray Sinclair , Wilton Littlechild and Marie Wilson are coming together to voice their concerns about the slow pace of reconciliation in Canada .
The commission 's final report provided a detailed account of what happened to Indigenous children who were physically and sexually abused in government boarding schools , where at least 3,200 children died amid abuse and neglect .
The commission also published 94 calls to action urging all levels of government to change policies and programs to repair the harm caused by residential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The three commissioners will be holding a press conference virtually on Tuesday morning to mark the fifth anniversary of the release of their final report .
Littlechild , a Cree chief and former MP who is a residential school survivor , said he 's encouraged by progress on reconciliation but he is concerned about the pace .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • First COVID-19 vaccine shipments have arrived in Canada , more en route `` The pace is what consensus is .
We thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be farther ahead by now after five years , '' he said in an interview with The Canadian Press Monday .
`` It 's kind of an urgent matter now to really refocus on the calls to action . ''
He said the three TRC commissioners have n't been together since the commission finished its work five years ago .
Littlechild said he is also worried about growing racism in Canada .
`` One of the ( areas ) where it 's going backwards , it 's the very open systemic racism and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but escalating . ''
Sen. Murray Sinclair , who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission , said groups advocating for racism in the United States felt empowered in the last few years and that spilled over to Canada .
Truth and Reconciliation Commission commissioners concerned about slow pace of reconciliation in Canada .
# TRC # Indigenousrights # reconciliation # racism He says these groups are targeting specific issues that are important for reconciliation , including the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ( UNDRIP ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced legislation to align federal laws with the United Nations declaration .
`` We need to recognize that there is still some resistance on the part of some elements of Canadian society , '' Sinclair said in an interview .
He said racist and white-supremacist groups are attempting to deny the validity of the Indigenous story .
`` They are feeling empowered and feeling that they have the right to voice their opinions , '' he said .
`` There is a very significant element of resistance that is trying to stir up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Littlechild said he 's troubled that six provinces oppose the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples .
Indigenous-relations ministers from Alberta , Manitoba , Saskatchewan , Quebec , Ontario and New Brunswick called for the delay of the UNDRIP bill in a letter obtained by The Globe and Mail earlier in December .
`` It 's not any more seeking consensus in terms of a non-partisan issue .
It 's no longer about the process .
It 's now politics , '' Littlechild said .
`` That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
He said standing in the way of implementing the UN declaration means standing in the way of reconciliation .
`` Indigenous survival , dignity and well-being should be a non-partisan issue , '' he says .
The commissioners are also concerned that a National Council for Reconciliation has not been established five years after they called for one .
Sinclair said the lack of this council is leaving the entire conversation about priorities in the hands of the government .
`` The government , in some respects , is in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to the process of reconciliation and Indigenous rights , '' he said .
`` They control the legislative process that governs the lives of Indigenous people without attempting to give up that control or to acknowledge it .
They should no longer be in charge . ''
Sinclair said the UN declaration calls upon colonizing states , including Canada , to recognize that they spent a lot of money to take land rights away from Indigenous people , so they have to be willing to spend a lot of money to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recognize that much of the income that governments have earned over the last number of generations , it 's come from the resources that Indigenous people have a right to claim , still belong to them or still to be shared with them . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15 , 2020 This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship .

Five years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued its final report, commissioners Murray Sinclair, Wilton Littlechild and Marie Wilson are coming together to voice their concerns about the slow pace of reconciliation in Canada. The commission's final report provided a detailed account of what happened to Indigenous children who were physically and sexually abused in government boarding schools, where at least 3,200 children died amid abuse and neglect. The commission also published 94 calls to action urging all levels of government to change policies and programs to repair the harm caused by residential schools and move forward with reconciliation. The three commissioners will be holding a press conference virtually on Tuesday morning to mark the fifth anniversary of the release of their final report. Littlechild, a Cree chief and former MP who is a residential school survivor, said he's encouraged by progress on reconciliation but he is concerned about the pace.
"The pace is what consensus is. We thought, as the commissioners, we would be farther ahead by now after five years," he said in an interview with The Canadian Press Monday. "It's kind of an urgent matter now to really refocus on the calls to action." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions He said the three TRC commissioners haven't been together since the commission finished its work five years ago.
Littlechild said he is also worried about growing racism in Canada. Truth and Reconciliation Commission commissioners concerned about slow pace of reconciliation in Canada. #TRC #Indigenousrights #reconciliation #racism "One of the (areas) where it's going backwards, it's the very open systemic racism and discrimination that's not only continuing, but escalating." Sen. Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said groups advocating for racism in the United States felt empowered in the last few years and that spilled over to Canada. He says these groups are targeting specific issues that are important for reconciliation, including the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Earlier this month, the Liberal government introduced legislation to align federal laws with the United Nations declaration.
"We need to recognize that there is still some resistance on the part of some elements of Canadian society," Sinclair said in an interview. He said racist and white-supremacist groups are attempting to deny the validity of the Indigenous story. "They are feeling empowered and feeling that they have the right to voice their opinions," he said. "There is a very significant element of resistance that is trying to stir up fears and misunderstandings and misinformation."


nationalobserver--2020-12-16--Canada's public transit on the rebound from COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to massive declines in public transit ridership across Canada , yet many cities decided to maintain service levels this year , while others even chose to expand .
Not long after the global health crisis reached Canada , rates of public transit use across the country dropped by about 85 per cent , according to prof. Matti Siemiatycki of University of Toronto 's geography and planning department .
The transportation policy expert said there were fears transit agencies in Canada would have to make drastic service cuts .
“ Public transit networks have been among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the pandemic , ” he said in a recent interview .
Instead , provincial and federal funding rescued the country 's transit systems from the verge of collapse , he said .
In the United States , however , public transit systems are facing the `` dreaded transit death spiral , ” Siemiatycki said , where cuts lead to further declines in ridership , which lead to further cuts and declines .
Washington , D.C. , and Boston have announced major service cuts .
In New York City , the local transit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to cut bus and subway service by 40 per cent and lay off more than 9,000 workers .
• How an Anishinaabe lawyer is helping Indigenous communities strengthen their legal traditions • Canada kicks off massive COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Ont .
and Quebec In contrast , Toronto and Montreal are expanding their transit systems .
Luc Tremblay , CEO of the Montreal Transit Corp. said in a recent interview Montreal chose to maintain service levels in 2020 at 2019 levels — despite the fact ridership is about 65 per cent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Montreal , Tremblay said , made that choice so service is available when riders decide to return .
“ It ’ s the key , ” he explained .
“ Build it and they will come.
” On Dec. 15 , as Quebec imposed more COVID-19-related restrictions to stop a surge in infections across the province , the government announced a major expansion to the city 's light rail system .
Twenty-three new stations will be added to the commuter rail network , with construction set to begin in 2023 .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transit Commission said service during the week of Dec. 4 was at 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels .
The transit agency said it will maintain the same level of service in 2021 .
The Ontario government is also moving forward with a $ 28-billion plan to expand transit in the Toronto area .
In British Columbia , transit agencies will receive more than $ 1 billion in federal and provincial funding to maintain service levels .
Federal money also helped Winnipeg 's public transit agency fill a gap in its budget after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Marco D'Angelo , president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association , a trade association that represents the country 's public transit agencies , said service across the country is currently about 87 per cent of pre-COVID levels .
The # COVID19 pandemic has led to massive declines in # PublicTransit ridership across # Canada , yet some cities decided to maintain or expand services .
`` Systems are not planning to reduce service , but that will likely change unless governments extend financial support , '' he said in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is down , the health crisis has shown the importance of public transit .
“ Even through the pandemic , transit played a critical role in our economies , '' he said .
`` Transit was a lifeline service for people to reach their front-line place of employment . ''
Daniel Bergeron with Montreal 's public transit authority said he expects the pandemic-induced decline in ridership to have an almost $ 1-billon impact on the agency 's budget between 2020 and 2022 .
He said government subsidies will help cover most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be cut and improvements put off in order to continue to offer service at 2019 levels .
When the pandemic is over , people will move around differently , he said , adding that he expects service to increase outside traditional peak periods .
People working from home will be more likely to take trips during the day instead of at rush hour , he said .
“ In the short term , there ’ s uncertainty , '' he said .
`` But in 10 , 20 years , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal .
We may have a bit more working from home , but it ’ s not open to everybody.
” People will still have to go to work in shops , restaurants and manufacturing facilities , and he thinks people will still want to go out to restaurants and go shopping downtown .

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to massive declines in public transit ridership across Canada, yet many cities decided to maintain service levels this year, while others even chose to expand. Not long after the global health crisis reached Canada, rates of public transit use across the country dropped by about 85 per cent, according to prof. Matti Siemiatycki of University of Toronto's geography and planning department. The transportation policy expert said there were fears transit agencies in Canada would have to make drastic service cuts. “Public transit networks have been among the most impacted sectors in the economy from the pandemic,” he said in a recent interview. Instead, provincial and federal funding rescued the country's transit systems from the verge of collapse, he said. In the United States, however, public transit systems are facing the "dreaded transit death spiral,” Siemiatycki said, where cuts lead to further declines in ridership, which lead to further cuts and declines. Washington, D.C., and Boston have announced major service cuts. In New York City, the local transit authority said in mid-November it may be forced to cut bus and subway service by 40 per cent and lay off more than 9,000 workers.
In contrast, Toronto and Montreal are expanding their transit systems. Luc Tremblay, CEO of the Montreal Transit Corp. said in a recent interview Montreal chose to maintain service levels in 2020 at 2019 levels — despite the fact ridership is about 65 per cent of what it was before COVID-19 hit. Montreal, Tremblay said, made that choice so service is available when riders decide to return. “It’s the key,” he explained. “Build it and they will come.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions On Dec. 15, as Quebec imposed more COVID-19-related restrictions to stop a surge in infections across the province, the government announced a major expansion to the city's light rail system. Twenty-three new stations will be added to the commuter rail network, with construction set to begin in 2023.
In the country's largest city, the Toronto Transit Commission said service during the week of Dec. 4 was at 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The transit agency said it will maintain the same level of service in 2021. The Ontario government is also moving forward with a $28-billion plan to expand transit in the Toronto area. The #COVID19 pandemic has led to massive declines in #PublicTransit ridership across #Canada, yet some cities decided to maintain or expand services. In British Columbia, transit agencies will receive more than $1 billion in federal and provincial funding to maintain service levels. Federal money also helped Winnipeg's public transit agency fill a gap in its budget after ridership — and fare revenue — declined. Marco D'Angelo, president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association, a trade association that represents the country's public transit agencies, said service across the country is currently about 87 per cent of pre-COVID levels. "Systems are not planning to reduce service, but that will likely change unless governments extend financial support," he said in an email. Siemiatycki said that while ridership is down, the health crisis has shown the importance of public transit. “Even through the pandemic, transit played a critical role in our economies," he said. "Transit was a lifeline service for people to reach their front-line place of employment."
Daniel Bergeron with Montreal's public transit authority said he expects the pandemic-induced decline in ridership to have an almost $1-billon impact on the agency's budget between 2020 and 2022. He said government subsidies will help cover most of the shortfall, but added that expenses will need to be cut and improvements put off in order to continue to offer service at 2019 levels. When the pandemic is over, people will move around differently, he said, adding that he expects service to increase outside traditional peak periods. People working from home will be more likely to take trips during the day instead of at rush hour, he said. “In the short term, there’s uncertainty," he said. "But in 10, 20 years, it will be a new normal but still normal. We may have a bit more working from home, but it’s not open to everybody.”


nationalobserver--2020-12-16--Help developing nations avoid fossil fuel 'lock-in,' study urges

Canada can make a big climate impact by helping developing nations avoid getting stuck with fossil fuel infrastructure embedded in their societies , a new study has found .
Such efforts would go a lot further in cutting global carbon pollution over the long term than initiatives meant to help countries shave their own emissions each year , according to scientists from the University of Waterloo and the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington , D.C. That ’ s because there will only be a “ relatively modest impact ” on global temperature rise , the scientists found , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their emissions for now — compared to much greater consequences if developed countries delay their own decarbonization .
In 2015 , Canada committed to spending $ 2.65 billion on international climate finance by 2020-21 to support developing countries in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of the climate crisis .
The new federal plan says the government has been “ delivering ” on that commitment , and adds that Canada has “ pioneered initiatives to leverage private-sector resources , ” essential to meet the 2009 Copenhagen climate summit goal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable countries ’ response to climate change .
But former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon wrote recently that “ progress has been scant ” with Canada , suggesting the $ 2.65-billion commitment was “ far from what its fair share would be under the 2009 commitment ” based on the gross national income of OECD donors .
“ The way rich countries think about climate policies in poor countries is , ‘ You need to reduce emissions.
’ We should be switching that to say , ‘ How do we stop lock-in from happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moreno-Cruz said Canada would do well to consider how its future international financing will be deployed to get the best bang for its buck .
“ You need this international finance mechanism to allow for that transition to happen earlier , ” he said .
Climate studies often centre around the biggest national polluters , rather than the richest countries , but this study centred on wealth in order to focus on how countries are faced with different decisions depending on their state of development .
More than half the world 's population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GDP is below US $ 10 , 000 .
The study showed that , if these nations developed along historical trends , they would add only about six per cent of total cumulative emissions through to the end of the century .
One reason future fossil fuel lock-in is so important as countries develop is because so much lock-in has happened already , and so much of the Earth ’ s atmosphere is already saturated with carbon .
Research has shown that about three-quarters of the Earth ’ s remaining carbon budget — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that avoid more extreme climate change — has already been emitted .
What ’ s more , existing and proposed energy infrastructure around the world already surpasses this remaining one-quarter of the carbon budget if the world is to stay under 1.5 C warming over pre-industrial levels .
“ If we take lock-in seriously , it means we are way above our targets already , ” said Moreno-Cruz .

Canada can make a big climate impact by helping developing nations avoid getting stuck with fossil fuel infrastructure embedded in their societies, a new study has found. Such efforts would go a lot further in cutting global carbon pollution over the long term than initiatives meant to help countries shave their own emissions each year, according to scientists from the University of Waterloo and the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C. That’s because there will only be a “relatively modest impact” on global temperature rise, the scientists found, if less developed countries don’t cut their emissions for now — compared to much greater consequences if developed countries delay their own decarbonization. The much bigger risk is that, as less developed nations grow, they will choose to commit to fuel-powered infrastructure for big sectors like electricity or transportation. That creates a “technological lock-in to high-emission technologies,” said the scientists — embedding fossil fuels in people’s lives and making decarbonization much harder down the road.
“The real worry is not to get them to zero emissions, but to not allow them to lock in to fossil fuel technologies,” said Juan Moreno-Cruz, Canada Research Chair in Energy Transitions and associate professor at the University of Waterloo, who was one of the authors of Balancing climate and development goals, along with Lei Duan and Ken Caldeira. “The way rich countries think about climate policies in poor countries is, ‘You need to reduce emissions.’ We should be switching that to say, ‘How do we stop lock-in from happening?’” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The findings, published in the research journal Environmental Research Letters, comes as the Canadian government recommits to international climate finance as part of the new federal climate plan, promising “renewed funding” in 2021 to be announced ahead of the next UN conference.
In 2015, Canada committed to spending $2.65 billion on international climate finance by 2020-21 to support developing countries in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to the effects of the climate crisis. “The way rich countries think about climate policies in poor countries is, ‘You need to reduce emissions.’ We should be switching that to say, ‘How do we stop lock-in from happening?’” #climatechange #pollution The new federal plan says the government has been “delivering” on that commitment, and adds that Canada has “pioneered initiatives to leverage private-sector resources,” essential to meet the 2009 Copenhagen climate summit goal of US$100 billion in funding for vulnerable countries’ response to climate change. But former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon wrote recently that “progress has been scant” with Canada, suggesting the $2.65-billion commitment was “far from what its fair share would be under the 2009 commitment” based on the gross national income of OECD donors. Moreno-Cruz said Canada would do well to consider how its future international financing will be deployed to get the best bang for its buck. “You need this international finance mechanism to allow for that transition to happen earlier,” he said.
Climate studies often centre around the biggest national polluters, rather than the richest countries, but this study centred on wealth in order to focus on how countries are faced with different decisions depending on their state of development. “When you’re poor, you’re focused on growth,” Moreno-Cruz said. More than half the world's population currently lives in countries where per capita GDP is below US$10, 000. The study showed that, if these nations developed along historical trends, they would add only about six per cent of total cumulative emissions through to the end of the century.


nationalobserver--2020-12-16--B.C. spot prawn industry nets new markets close to home

For the past 40 years , Guy Johnston has worked six-week stints on his fishing boat without a break , harvesting spot prawns on the central coast of British Columbia .
Johnston said he still likes fishing the red crustaceans , found only in West Coast waters , after all these years .
He calls the catch “ an interesting puzzle , ” one he likes to solve by finding the best places to fish and new ways to be sustainable in the industry .
What he likes about spot prawns themselves ?
“ Eating them , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re pretty darn good to eat.
” “ Lots of fishermen just recognize it was economically impossible to sell at those ( international ) prices , so they really put a lot of effort into selling locally , ” he said .
“ Obviously , people enjoyed that.
” Some years , there aren ’ t that many spot prawns sold locally , so for B.C .
aficionados , this was a nice switch , he added .
Johnston said , in a way , the industry has gone full circle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when Asian buyers started to purchase spot prawns in a big way .
When prices for B.C .
's spot prawns tanked thanks to COVID-19 , fishers steeled themselves for the fallout .
But local buyers have kept the industry afloat , taking a renewed interest in the crustaceans found only in West Coast waters .
“ Often , there certainly were times where you came in with a freezer-load of prawns , ( and ) you ’ d be sitting at the wharf selling it yourself between trips , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from B.C .
dried up due to the pandemic .
Photo by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson Emily Orr , lead rep for the Prawn Industry Caucus ( PIC ) , said the local spot prawn craze is emblematic of a growing `` buy local '' trend , and fishers like Johnston are now realizing the opportunities close to home .
Orr started fishing prawns when she was 19 in the southern Strait of Georgia .
Now out of the fishing side of the business for 10 years , she works with the PIC to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oceans on industry issues while promoting and protecting commercial fisheries .
Orr said it ’ s too soon to know the real impact of the last spot prawn season and what it might mean for the future of the industry .
“ This past season saw a wide range of prices for live and frozen prawns , typically a lower frozen price ( than in ) previous years , ” she said .
“ However , price adjustments are still being made , and it ’ s not clear what the price this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will fetch , so what might be considered an overstock product in cold storage here in Canada now may be exported over the coming months as ... prices stabilize again.
” Frozen spot prawns ready for the market .
Photo by Emily Orr What Orr does know is that local demand for spot prawns went up this past season .
“ Difficulties experienced by supply chains , due to the restrictions related to COVID , have been a catalyst for many harvesters to offer more of their catch for sale domestically , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enjoy more prawns at home , ” she said .

For the past 40 years, Guy Johnston has worked six-week stints on his fishing boat without a break, harvesting spot prawns on the central coast of British Columbia. Johnston said he still likes fishing the red crustaceans, found only in West Coast waters, after all these years. He calls the catch “an interesting puzzle,” one he likes to solve by finding the best places to fish and new ways to be sustainable in the industry. What he likes about spot prawns themselves? “Eating them,” he said, with a laugh. “They’re pretty darn good to eat.” Spot prawns fit into British Columbia’s top 30 agri-food and seafood commodities — prawns and shrimp are 23rd on the list, nestled between hay/clover and wild sablefish. The province harvests about 2,450 metric tonnes of spot prawns each year, mostly from the Strait of Georgia, which has an estimated 3,000 species of marine life. The reddish-brown catch is important to Indigenous communities on the West Coast, who harvest the prawns for ceremonial, food and commercial use. Johnston lives in Cowichan Bay and, like many prawn fishers in the area, saw the international demand for his catch decline due to COVID-19. More than 90 per cent of the province’s commercial catch is usually bought up by Japan and the rest of Asia, but around 1.5 million pounds are now stockpiled in freezers due to cancelled large-scale events, such as the Lunar New Year and the Tokyo Olympics.
“The price dropped by over 50 per cent, so you can imagine,” he said. “It was pretty hard to make up for that. And when you look at young fishermen who are heavily in debt, the effects are ... pretty devastating.” International demand for B.C. spot prawns has tanked thanks to COVID-19, but fishers have found a hunger for them in the local market. Photo by Emily Orr Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions However, along with the disappointment, Johnston also saw hope: Fishers pivoting to sell in local markets. It’s something he has done for many years through his community-supported fishery, which sells directly to local consumers.
“Lots of fishermen just recognize it was economically impossible to sell at those (international) prices, so they really put a lot of effort into selling locally,” he said. “Obviously, people enjoyed that.” When prices for B.C.'s spot prawns tanked thanks to COVID-19, fishers steeled themselves for the fallout. But local buyers have kept the industry afloat, taking a renewed interest in the crustaceans found only in West Coast waters. Some years, there aren’t that many spot prawns sold locally, so for B.C. aficionados, this was a nice switch, he added. Johnston said, in a way, the industry has gone full circle. The industry was smaller before the 1990s, when Asian buyers started to purchase spot prawns in a big way. “Often, there certainly were times where you came in with a freezer-load of prawns, (and) you’d be sitting at the wharf selling it yourself between trips,” he said. International markets for spot prawns from B.C. dried up due to the pandemic. Photo by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson
Emily Orr, lead rep for the Prawn Industry Caucus (PIC), said the local spot prawn craze is emblematic of a growing "buy local" trend, and fishers like Johnston are now realizing the opportunities close to home. Orr started fishing prawns when she was 19 in the southern Strait of Georgia. Now out of the fishing side of the business for 10 years, she works with the PIC to provide input to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on industry issues while promoting and protecting commercial fisheries. Orr said it’s too soon to know the real impact of the last spot prawn season and what it might mean for the future of the industry.


nationalobserver--2020-12-16--Chronic disease is on the rise — and stopping it requires a new Canadian Environmental Protection Ac

Chronic disease is on the rise — and stopping it requires a new Canadian Environmental Protection Act

It ’ s true , more men suffer severe COVID-19 , and more die .
Two new studies discuss how genes , hormones and environmental chemicals that interfere with hormone actions affect risks with COVID-19 .
Reducing environmental exposures could keep us all healthier , and now is the once-in-a-generation chance to do just that .
Looking at more than three million COVID-19 cases globally , researchers in the U.K. and South Africa found that although , on average , equal numbers of men and women got sick , men are 180 per cent more likely to land in intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to die .
The scientists ascribe this to interplay between hormones , genes and the immune system .
Environmental agents play a role , too .
Meanwhile , another international collaboration of scientists , which has not been peer-reviewed , found more severe COVID-19 cases when there were higher blood levels of a persistent pollutant .
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances ( PFAS ) repel water and oil , making items slippery and stain-resistant .
Think of Teflon , Gore-Tex , firefighting foam , de-icing fluid at airports , the paper wrapping your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more .
The PFAS , also called “ forever chemicals , ” build up in the environment and in us , including in our lungs .
They interfere with hormone actions and impair immunity , but there are safer alternatives , as catalogued by the European Union .
As Canadians weather the COVID-19 pandemic , severe cases mirror a slower epidemic of pre-existing conditions .
A small minority of healthy individuals may develop severe COVID-19 , but from young to old , during the darkest days of 2020 , most of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , high blood pressure , asthma , vascular disease , liver disease and/or compromised immunity .
Such chronic conditions are increasing in the young .
Type 2 diabetes was once a disease of aging , but children ’ s hospitals now have busy clinics .
A six per cent annual increase in bowel disease in young children presages increasing colorectal cancer in young adults .
In short , environmental contaminants are causing chronic diseases , and almost all of the severe COVID-19 cases are in individuals with these chronic conditions .
• How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthen their legal traditions • Will superweeds become stronger with rising temperatures ?
Mounting burdens of ill health — birth defects , autism spectrum disorders , multiple chronic diseases and cancers — are persuasively related to chemicals in our air , water , food and household products .
People living in poverty , with poor diets and housing , who live in more polluted areas or have hazardous work are more vulnerable to both chronic diseases and severe COVID-19 .
More polluted neighbourhoods are harder hit , while workers ’ exposures predispose even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radiation for telecommunications may amplify chemical toxicities .
Obesity is associated with many chronic conditions , including metabolic syndrome , Type 2 diabetes , cardiovascular disease , Alzheimer ’ s disease and also higher risks of cancers of the breast , reproductive organs , digestive tract and glands such as the pancreas and thyroid .
While chronic disease is complex , increasing evidence reveals links with the hormone-like effects of “ endocrine-disrupting chemicals , ” or EDCs .

It’s true, more men suffer severe COVID-19, and more die. Two new studies discuss how genes, hormones and environmental chemicals that interfere with hormone actions affect risks with COVID-19. Reducing environmental exposures could keep us all healthier, and now is the once-in-a-generation chance to do just that.
Looking at more than three million COVID-19 cases globally, researchers in the U.K. and South Africa found that although, on average, equal numbers of men and women got sick, men are 180 per cent more likely to land in intensive care and 40 per cent more likely to die. The scientists ascribe this to interplay between hormones, genes and the immune system. Environmental agents play a role, too.
Meanwhile, another international collaboration of scientists, which has not been peer-reviewed, found more severe COVID-19 cases when there were higher blood levels of a persistent pollutant. Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) repel water and oil, making items slippery and stain-resistant. Think of Teflon, Gore-Tex, firefighting foam, de-icing fluid at airports, the paper wrapping your burger and carton of french fries and much more. The PFAS, also called “forever chemicals,” build up in the environment and in us, including in our lungs. They interfere with hormone actions and impair immunity, but there are safer alternatives, as catalogued by the European Union.
As Canadians weather the COVID-19 pandemic, severe cases mirror a slower epidemic of pre-existing conditions. A small minority of healthy individuals may develop severe COVID-19, but from young to old, during the darkest days of 2020, most of those crowding ICUs are overweight, with diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, vascular disease, liver disease and/or compromised immunity.
Such chronic conditions are increasing in the young. Type 2 diabetes was once a disease of aging, but children’s hospitals now have busy clinics. A six per cent annual increase in bowel disease in young children presages increasing colorectal cancer in young adults. In short, environmental contaminants are causing chronic diseases, and almost all of the severe COVID-19 cases are in individuals with these chronic conditions.