nationalobserver--2020-10-28--Urban gardens growing strong amid COVID pandemic

Mike Levenston stands over a half-harvested stalk of kale , eyeing the autumnal remnants slowly disintegrating into the soil .
It ’ s a familiar scene for Levenston , an urban gardener who has been growing food and community in the garden he founded , dubbed City Farmer , for more than 40 years .
At the time , it was almost unheard of to grow food in cities , and gardens weren ’ t given much thought in city planning efforts .
No longer : Urban gardens are thriving worldwide , especially this year as pandemic-bound city dwellers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other green spaces .
“ I ’ m there seven days a week .
It ’ s the best place for my family to be in COVID times because it ’ s a garden with lots of space , ” Levenston said .
“ We ’ re busier than ever because of the backyard garden craze .
We sell city compost bins ( and ) people are picking them up every day , and ( there ) are a lot of new gardens ( in the city ) .
” Andrea Lucy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has recently restarted teaching vermiculture lessons in schools around Metro Vancouver .
Photo by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson Canadians like their gardens , especially in 2020 .
A report released earlier this month by Dalhousie University ’ s Agri-Food Analytics Lab found that roughly 51 per cent of Canadians grow at least one variety of fruit or vegetable at home .
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Canada 's top physician paints bleak picture , too .
Of those , almost a fifth only started growing food this year — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was influenced by the pandemic .
And over half of those from B.C .
who participated in the study gardened — more than anywhere else in the country except the Prairies .
Canadian gardeners aren ’ t limited by space .
Roughly 19 per cent said they grow some food — from a potted plant of basil to a full-on market garden — on balconies .
Most of the others stay on the ground , with about 70 per cent saying they grow produce in their yards .
“ Results show many Canadians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take control of their own food supply during a time of great uncertainty , ” Sylvain Charlebois , professor at Dalhousie University and co-author of the report , said in a written statement .
For Levenston , that ’ s a huge shift .
When he started City Farmer in 1978 , urban gardening wasn ’ t common .
Community gardens were rare ; food-producing green spaces rarely featured in urban planning or policies .
Growing food in the city was piecemeal , relegated to the backyards of a few avid gardeners .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Originally from Ontario , the self-declared environmentalist wanted to inhabit the spirit of the movement ’ s pivot towards agriculture , but without giving up restaurants or outings to the cinema .
“ In my time , it was all back to the land : You get a guitar , you get some dope , you get a farmhouse and you say you ’ re growing something .
And I like the idea of back to the land , but I ( also ) like the city ’ s amenities , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to farm in the city — led him to a city-owned parking lot squeezed against an old train track in Vancouver ’ s Kitsilano neighbourhood .
After convincing the municipal government that building a farm on pavement was indeed possible , Levenston started growing things with a team of staff and volunteers .
When @ CityFarmerNews began four decades ago , # urbangardening wasn ’ t common .
But in 2020 , city dwellers have taken to growing their own food — and building community — amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
# urbanfarming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , urban or not , with a reliable harvest of kale .
Photo by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson More than 40 years later , the garden has expanded and is still going strong .
Groups tour between raised beds and greenhouses , the organization ’ s vermicomposting ( worm compost ) program is thriving on site and in Metro Vancouver schools , and mask-clad people — staff , volunteers , curious passersby — venture through the garden daily , six feet apart .
“ People come to relax , away from the road — ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just a fun place to be every day , ” he said .
It ’ s a pattern echoed across the country , with 69 per cent of Canadian gardeners saying their time among the veggies is relaxing .
For Levenston , the surge of interest in urban farming since he started — particularly this year — points to a future where growing food and community are woven into the fabric of urban life .
And in the meantime , he plans on continuing to help people get back to the @ @ @ @ @ @

Mike Levenston stands over a half-harvested stalk of kale, eyeing the autumnal remnants slowly disintegrating into the soil. It’s a familiar scene for Levenston, an urban gardener who has been growing food and community in the garden he founded, dubbed City Farmer, for more than 40 years. At the time, it was almost unheard of to grow food in cities, and gardens weren’t given much thought in city planning efforts. No longer: Urban gardens are thriving worldwide, especially this year as pandemic-bound city dwellers have sought sustenance in gardens, parks and other green spaces. “I’m there seven days a week. It’s the best place for my family to be in COVID times because it’s a garden with lots of space,” Levenston said. “We’re busier than ever because of the backyard garden craze. We sell city compost bins (and) people are picking them up every day, and (there) are a lot of new gardens (in the city).” Andrea Lucy is the worm educator-in-chief at City Farmer and has recently restarted teaching vermiculture lessons in schools around Metro Vancouver. Photo by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson Canadians like their gardens, especially in 2020. A report released earlier this month by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab found that roughly 51 per cent of Canadians grow at least one variety of fruit or vegetable at home.
Of those, almost a fifth only started growing food this year — a decision that, for most, was influenced by the pandemic. And over half of those from B.C. who participated in the study gardened — more than anywhere else in the country except the Prairies. Canadian gardeners aren’t limited by space. Roughly 19 per cent said they grow some food — from a potted plant of basil to a full-on market garden — on balconies. Most of the others stay on the ground, with about 70 per cent saying they grow produce in their yards. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “Results show many Canadians remain quite anxious and really wanted to take control of their own food supply during a time of great uncertainty,” Sylvain Charlebois, professor at Dalhousie University and co-author of the report, said in a written statement.
For Levenston, that’s a huge shift. When he started City Farmer in 1978, urban gardening wasn’t common. Community gardens were rare; food-producing green spaces rarely featured in urban planning or policies. Growing food in the city was piecemeal, relegated to the backyards of a few avid gardeners. When @CityFarmerNews began four decades ago, #urbangardening wasn’t common. But in 2020, city dwellers have taken to growing their own food — and building community — amid the COVID-19 pandemic. #urbanfarming Still, Levenston wasn’t deterred. Originally from Ontario, the self-declared environmentalist wanted to inhabit the spirit of the movement’s pivot towards agriculture, but without giving up restaurants or outings to the cinema. “In my time, it was all back to the land: You get a guitar, you get some dope, you get a farmhouse and you say you’re growing something. And I like the idea of back to the land, but I (also) like the city’s amenities, so this is perfect.” That quest — to farm in the city — led him to a city-owned parking lot squeezed against an old train track in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. After convincing the municipal government that building a farm on pavement was indeed possible, Levenston started growing things with a team of staff and volunteers. Winter is coming, leaving many farmers, urban or not, with a reliable harvest of kale. Photo by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson
More than 40 years later, the garden has expanded and is still going strong. Groups tour between raised beds and greenhouses, the organization’s vermicomposting (worm compost) program is thriving on site and in Metro Vancouver schools, and mask-clad people — staff, volunteers, curious passersby — venture through the garden daily, six feet apart. “People come to relax, away from the road — (and) we grow everything. It’s just a fun place to be every day,” he said. It’s a pattern echoed across the country, with 69 per cent of Canadian gardeners saying their time among the veggies is relaxing.


nationalobserver--2020-10-28--Canada, it's time to endorse a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty

I am old enough to remember when , in the 1970s , upon entering a city almost anywhere in the world , you would see a sign that said : “ Nuclear-free city.
” At the time , the greatest and most likely threat to humanity was nuclear weapons .
Today , the World Economic Forum identifies the greatest and most likely threat to humanity to be our failure to mitigate climate change .
This summer , many of us on the West Coast sat inside for weeks as smoke from wildfires made the air quality too hazardous to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were not as lucky fled the fires , some losing their homes , others their lives .
The harmful , costly and disruptive impacts of climate change unfortunately rage on , as Canadians and people around the world struggle with the pandemic and economic downturn .
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began , Canada has sunk close to 10 times more money per capita into fossil fuels than any other G20 nation ( $ 340 per capita in Canada versus $ 220 in the U.S. ) .
In addition to ignoring climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Canadians , who want strong action on climate to continue during the pandemic and economic recovery , this approach flies in the face of market signals .
Deutsche Bank , Norway ’ s sovereign fund and other major investors , as well as insurers , are pulling out of Canada ’ s energy sector .
Recent forecasts from the International Energy Agency , Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and oil major BP show demand for fossil fuels down and unlikely to return given the pandemic , growth and affordability of renewable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Carney , the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the current United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance commented just last week at an online conference hosted by Queen ’ s University 's Institute for Sustainable Finance that a multitrillion-dollar realignment is taking place as the world of business joins the battle against climate change , with once-valuable assets such as pipelines being reconsidered .
Relying on # fossilfuels has run its course .
Canada and the world must carve a new path forward for the sake of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tzeporah Berman writes .
@ fossiltreaty There is no way to achieve climate goals and a strong economy without a winding down of fossil fuels , yet we are ignoring the conversation because no one country or province can — or wants to — make this energy transition happen alone .
Early in his first term , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in fact beat Biden in acknowledging the need to wind down the oil industry , but walked it back quickly as soon as the oil industry and Alberta politicians attacked .
Politically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to wind down production and emissions to get to zero — is considered toxic , in large part because we don ’ t have a plan for workers and their families , or to plan for the economic impacts of reduced oil exports .
It ’ s also hard for leaders such as Trudeau because no country wants to be put in an uncompetitive position .
This won ’ t change until we address production of fossil fuels in international agreements .
Unfortunately , no mechanism currently exists within the United Nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a global agreement to phase out fossil fuels and fast-track a fair energy transition that leaves no one behind .
The Paris Agreement doesn ’ t even mention the words oil , gas or coal .
That ’ s why myself and government , civil society , academic , business and youth leaders around the world are calling for Canada and other nations to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative to spur international co-operation to align fossil fuel with the 1.5 C limit and fast-track an equitable transition to clean energy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Treaty Initiative uses an approach similar to banning weapons of mass destruction , with action moving forward under three pillars : Phase out existing oil and gas fields and coal mines , which alone contain enough carbon to push us past 1.5 C. Accelerate the expansion of clean , low-carbon solutions while incorporating the needs of workers , communities and countries dependent on fossil fuels .
The global call for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty is growing .
Vancouver ’ s endorsement on Oct. 15 , with a unanimous city council vote , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop expanding fossil fuels and work together on solutions .
This idea is in its infancy , but already hundreds of organizations and individuals have endorsed the treaty as well , including Bill McKibben , Naomi Klein , the Canadian Union of Postal Workers , Wilderness Committee , Communities Protecting Our Coast , 350.org , World Future Council , Stand.earth and Friends of the Earth , and more are joining every day .
It ’ s time for our provincial and federal governments to have the courage to name the need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a phase-out of fossil fuels and fast-track clean energy solutions that create jobs and economic and health benefits for Canadians .
We also have a responsibility to be part of an international response .
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative provides an opportunity for Canada to join with other nations to develop a multilateral agreement to phase out fossil fuels and fast-track clean energy solutions where everyone contributes their fair share and countries , communities and workers are not left behind .
Canada has a track record of stepping up when humanity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing .
Phasing out ozone-depleting chemicals , asbestos and coal are just a few examples .
We know we can ’ t stop expanding fossil fuels on our own .
We also know that we can ’ t build the future we want if we are focusing our political , financial and intellectual capital on expanding the products we know we need to phase out .
Yes , we will as a society use oil and gas for years to come , but the world already has enough under development to use during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative will provide the basis for an end to expansion everywhere — faster and fairly — in a way that simply relying on the markets will not .
The world is moving away from fossil fuels and towards efficiency , electrification of transport and renewable energy .
Pretending it 's not happening will mean that as a nation we will be constantly scrambling to manage lost revenue , contracts , low price and decreasing demand .
The world is moving to a low-carbon economy , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ default .
Allowing it to happen by default will be more painful , and oil and gas workers and their families deserve better planning than that .
We now share a lived experience of listening to the science to try to bend the curve — in order to do that on climate , we need courage , international co-operation and big , new , bold ideas .
I grew up being told that the threat we faced of nuclear war was real , and if we heard the sirens we should hide under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up being told that the climate threat is real , but they have nowhere to hide .
It ’ s time for all of us to stop avoiding the hard stuff and work together to plan to wind down fossil fuel production and encourage our government to pursue a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty .
Tzeporah Berman is an adjunct professor of environmental studies at York University , chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative and the international program director at Stand.earth .

I am old enough to remember when, in the 1970s, upon entering a city almost anywhere in the world, you would see a sign that said: “Nuclear-free city.” At the time, the greatest and most likely threat to humanity was nuclear weapons. Today, the World Economic Forum identifies the greatest and most likely threat to humanity to be our failure to mitigate climate change. This summer, many of us on the West Coast sat inside for weeks as smoke from wildfires made the air quality too hazardous to go outside. Tens of thousands of others who were not as lucky fled the fires, some losing their homes, others their lives. The harmful, costly and disruptive impacts of climate change unfortunately rage on, as Canadians and people around the world struggle with the pandemic and economic downturn. Knowing the role cities played in encouraging governments to work together to create the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, I find great hope in my own city of Vancouver becoming the first city in the world to endorse a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty. Vancouver could be followed by the city of New York, where council is voting on a similar motion. We need a new plan to deliver prosperity, health and climate security. In Canada, climate commitments have been made and billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on stimulus, yet the pieces don’t add up.
To address the climate emergency, the federal government and province of B.C. have committed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. At the same time, they continue approving and funding oil and gas expansion at levels that make it impossible to meet these goals. The United Nations Environment Program made it clear in its Production Gap report that national government plans for fossil fuel expansion would lock in 120 times more emissions than what is needed to stay to 1.5 C. Last week, U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden had the courage to name the elephant in the room — the astounding, continued growth of oil and gas development in North America (85 per cent of planned global oil and gas development is in North America) despite the reality that 80 per cent of climate warming emissions come from oil, gas and coal. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Biden went on to commit to wind down the oil industry by 2050. The idea that this was a shocking statement illustrates the fallacy of current climate leadership and policy, where the majority of the world’s countries, including our own, commit to the Paris Agreement to keep warming to below 2 C and even “net-zero by 2050,” while continuing under the fallacy that fossil fuel production can increase at the same time.
It’s also hard for leaders such as Trudeau because no country wants to be put in an uncompetitive position. This won’t change until we address production of fossil fuels in international agreements. Unfortunately, no mechanism currently exists within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to develop a global agreement to phase out fossil fuels and fast-track a fair energy transition that leaves no one behind. The Paris Agreement doesn’t even mention the words oil, gas or coal. That’s why myself and government, civil society, academic, business and youth leaders around the world are calling for Canada and other nations to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative to spur international co-operation to align fossil fuel with the 1.5 C limit and fast-track an equitable transition to clean energy and low-carbon solutions.


nationalobserver--2020-10-28--Huawei CFO's lawyer accuses RCMP officer of dishonesty in explanation of arrest

A lawyer for Meng Wanzhou is accusing an RCMP officer of lying about why he didn ’ t arrest the Huawei executive immediately at Vancouver ’ s airport two years ago .
Richard Peck told Const .
Winston Yep during cross-examination Wednesday that he does not believe Yep was honest when he told the B.C .
Supreme Court this week why the arrest only happened after Canada Border Services Agency officials questioned Meng for three hours .
Yep is the first in a series of witnesses called to testify at the request of Meng ’ s defence team , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make next year that she was subjected to an abuse of process .
The request by the United States for her extradition on fraud charges has soured relations between Canada and China .
Yep testified border officials told him they had their own concerns about Meng ’ s immigration status and he didn ’ t want to infringe on their jurisdiction , so agreed that they should screen Meng first then he would make the arrest .
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Although a senior RCMP officer suggested boarding the plane and arresting Meng immediately after it landed , Yep also told the court he did not know who Meng was travelling with and was concerned about public and officer safety .
`` My view is that ’ s not an honest answer , '' Peck told Yep .
`` Safety was never an issue . ''
`` There is a risk there , because there are lots of people around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have to mitigate the risk as much as possible . ''
Yep confirmed when asked by Peck that nowhere in his notes from the time leading up to Meng ’ s arrest did he write down any concerns about safety or jurisdiction .
The defence has alleged there was a `` co-ordinated strategy '' to have the RCMP delay her arrest so border officials could question Meng for three hours under the pretence of a routine immigration exam .
It ’ s one of several allegations of wrongdoing that Meng ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CBSA , along with accusations they kept intentionally poor notes and failed to arrest her immediately according to the warrant ’ s requirements .
# MengWanzhou 's defence team is gathering evidence for arguments it will make next year that the # Huawei CFO was subjected to an abuse of process .
Yep also testified Wednesday he did not ask any border officials to record the passcodes for Meng ’ s electronic devices , nor did he hear any of his colleagues make such a request .
Yep testified that he did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border officials created an unacceptable delay .
He did not have concerns that the delay meant he was violating a stipulation in the provisional warrant for an `` immediate '' arrest , he said .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28 , 2020 .

A lawyer for Meng Wanzhou is accusing an RCMP officer of lying about why he didn’t arrest the Huawei executive immediately at Vancouver’s airport two years ago.
Richard Peck told Const. Winston Yep during cross-examination Wednesday that he does not believe Yep was honest when he told the B.C. Supreme Court this week why the arrest only happened after Canada Border Services Agency officials questioned Meng for three hours.
Yep is the first in a series of witnesses called to testify at the request of Meng’s defence team, which is gathering evidence for arguments it will make next year that she was subjected to an abuse of process.
The request by the United States for her extradition on fraud charges has soured relations between Canada and China.
Yep testified border officials told him they had their own concerns about Meng’s immigration status and he didn’t want to infringe on their jurisdiction, so agreed that they should screen Meng first then he would make the arrest.


nationalobserver--2020-10-28--Evacuation of Ontario First Nation highlights gaps in clean water solutions

The evacuation of a remote Ontario First Nation over the latest development in a decades−long water crisis has highlighted the need to focus on reserve water infrastructure systems as a whole and involve community members in managing them , observers say .
Training residents to manage First Nation water facilities , ensuring distribution systems function properly , and developing standards for on−reserve water infrastructure are all examples of what can be done to solve the issues such as those experienced by the Neskantaga First Nation , experts and Indigenous officials said .
Neskantaga is subject to Canada ’ s longest−standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place for a quarter of a century .
Residents were evacuated last week −− for the second time since last year −− following the discovery of an oily sheen in the reservoir .
Amid the evacuations , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked back his previous commitment to lift all on−reserve boil−water advisories by March 2021 , saying the pandemic was behind the delay .
Dawn Martin−Hill , who leads research projects related to water and Indigenous communities at McMaster University and Six Nations of the Grand River , said lifting boil−water advisories looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a larger issue that demands a slate of solutions , including community involvement .
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Her researchers are developing a training program for water management that people will be able to follow remotely from their communities , including a virtual reality component .
“ This is a government strategy that should have been developed when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But as I travel the country , that ’ s what ’ s desperately needed ... they need people trained and they need access to certifying them , ” said the Indigenous studies associate professor .
One of Martin−Hill ’ s research teams is developing sensors for community members to test water at different stages , she said .
Other sensors will be used for digital maps of source water systems .
Local Indigenous knowledge is also underutilized , Martin−Hill said , pointing to some solutions she ’ s come across in her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources to help clean the water before it gets to treatment plants .
In Neskantaga , Chief Chris Moonias has said the community urgently needs fixes to its water distribution system so residents can have access to running water 24/7 .
He has also requested repairs to water−related hardware in homes , the installation of two mobile membrane water treatment units , and a review of the plan to end the drinking water advisory .
“ As long as we don ’ t have any kind of standards developed and resources for communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we will continue to see situations like what we ’ re seeing now Neskantaga , ” Fiddler said .
# cleanwater # CNDpoli Moonias has further called for an investigation into the business practices of contractors and engineering companies that have worked on water treatment facilities in Indigenous communities .
Ottawa has committed to provide $ 16 million for upgrades in Neskantaga , and has said it will cover the costs related to the evacuation and bottled water for the residents who stayed behind .
Michael McKay , director of infrastructure and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario including Neskantaga −− said there are issues with water infrastructure work done in the 1990s on reserves by outside contractors .
Neskantaga was placed on a boil water advisory shortly after the treatment facility was built early in the decade due to issues with treating the source water , McKay said .
Alvin Fiddler , Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation , said there ’ s also a need for standards for water on reserves .
“ As long as we don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for communities to be able to meet those standards , we will continue to see situations like what we ’ re seeing now Neskantaga , ” Fiddler said .
One Ontario First Nation , located northeast of Kenora , Ont.
, recently lifted a drinking water advisory this month following upgrades to its water treatment and distribution system .
But the chief of Grassy Narrows −− which has also been dealing for years with water−related mercury poisoning that Ottawa has committed to building a treatment centre for −− said the community still faces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community ’ s current water treatment plant does not have capacity for the population growth that ’ s expected over the next few years , and the community needs a new one .

The evacuation of a remote Ontario First Nation over the latest development in a decades−long water crisis has highlighted the need to focus on reserve water infrastructure systems as a whole and involve community members in managing them, observers say. Training residents to manage First Nation water facilities, ensuring distribution systems function properly, and developing standards for on−reserve water infrastructure are all examples of what can be done to solve the issues such as those experienced by the Neskantaga First Nation, experts and Indigenous officials said. Neskantaga is subject to Canada’s longest−standing boil−water advisory, which has been in place for a quarter of a century. Residents were evacuated last week −− for the second time since last year −− following the discovery of an oily sheen in the reservoir. Amid the evacuations, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked back his previous commitment to lift all on−reserve boil−water advisories by March 2021, saying the pandemic was behind the delay. Dawn Martin−Hill, who leads research projects related to water and Indigenous communities at McMaster University and Six Nations of the Grand River, said lifting boil−water advisories looks good on paper, but water access is a larger issue that demands a slate of solutions, including community involvement.
Her researchers are developing a training program for water management that people will be able to follow remotely from their communities, including a virtual reality component. “This is a government strategy that should have been developed when they started building these water treatment plants. But as I travel the country, that’s what’s desperately needed ... they need people trained and they need access to certifying them,” said the Indigenous studies associate professor. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions One of Martin−Hill’s research teams is developing sensors for community members to test water at different stages, she said. Other sensors will be used for digital maps of source water systems.
Local Indigenous knowledge is also underutilized, Martin−Hill said, pointing to some solutions she’s come across in her research like reintroducing Indigenous plants to water sources to help clean the water before it gets to treatment plants. “As long as we don’t have any kind of standards developed and resources for communities to be able to meet those standards, we will continue to see situations like what we’re seeing now Neskantaga,” Fiddler said. #cleanwater #CNDpoli In Neskantaga, Chief Chris Moonias has said the community urgently needs fixes to its water distribution system so residents can have access to running water 24/7. He has also requested repairs to water−related hardware in homes, the installation of two mobile membrane water treatment units, and a review of the plan to end the drinking water advisory. Moonias has further called for an investigation into the business practices of contractors and engineering companies that have worked on water treatment facilities in Indigenous communities. Ottawa has committed to provide $16 million for upgrades in Neskantaga, and has said it will cover the costs related to the evacuation and bottled water for the residents who stayed behind.
Michael McKay, director of infrastructure and housing with Nishnawbe Aski Nation −− which represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario including Neskantaga −− said there are issues with water infrastructure work done in the 1990s on reserves by outside contractors. Neskantaga was placed on a boil water advisory shortly after the treatment facility was built early in the decade due to issues with treating the source water, McKay said. Alvin Fiddler, Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, said there’s also a need for standards for water on reserves.


nationalobserver--2020-10-28--Culture the latest front in Canadian military's fight against sexual misconduct

The Canadian Armed Forces is preparing to take a close look at its culture as part of its latest plan to eliminate the `` wicked problem '' of sexual misconduct in the ranks .
The new plan launched Wednesday says the military 's efforts to stop inappropriate and illegal sexual behaviour over the past five-plus years has had mixed results — and that changes are needed .
That includes moving from simply supporting victims and punishing perpetrators to changing the parts of the military ’ s culture that are “ contributing to a permissive environment that allowed incidents of sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : identifying the various aspects of the Canadian Armed Forces culture , including those parts that need changing to help prevent such behaviour .
“ The military ethos of the CAF is founded on respect for dignity of all persons , a principle that is embodied in CAF culture , ” reads the new plan , called The Path to Dignity and Respect .
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“ While the majority of men and women in the CAF perform their duty with honour , the prevalence of sexual misconduct in the CAF clearly indicates that there is a disconnection between the desired CAF culture , and the reality experienced by many members in their day-to-day work.
” That disconnect has been highlighted in a number of reports compiled and released since the military first found itself under fire in 2014 over its handling of sexual assault complaints and other inappropriate behaviour .
A Statistics Canada report released last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the ranks .
The auditor general released a scathing assessment in 2018 that the military was failing to support victims properly and resolve cases quickly .
Reflecting on those and other criticisms , the plan says : “ It was clear that the CAF ’ s previous attempts to address sexual misconduct had not achieved the desired effect , and a more comprehensive and sustained approach to addressing sexual misconduct was required.
” At the same time , the plan describes sexual misconduct as a “ wicked problem , ” which it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and with no easy answers .
The military is promising to step up previous efforts to support victims and hold perpetrators to account .
The Canadian Armed Forces is planning a deep dive into its own culture to eliminate sexual misconduct .
# canadianarmedforces # CAF # sexualmisconduct Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau , who as vice-chief of the defence staff is second in command of the Armed Forces , says more is needed to ensure real change in the military .
“ There 's a lot that 's been done since 2015 , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian Press .
“ But it was mostly reactive work .
It was getting after the immediate , urgent things in the face of this really big problem that we had to deal with .
“ Over the course of that time , we kind of got a handle on some of these foundational issues .
We got some of the research done .
We consulted external experts , and today , releasing The Path , which is this strategy that aligns us culturally , signals a shift from the reactive to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which Rouleau said includes hammering home the point that there is “ zero contradiction ” between being “ the ultimate soldier ” and treating people well .
“ They 're not mutually exclusive , ” he said .
“ And so this is the message , this is the crux of the issue .
There is no machismo and conflict-oriented culture that renders it permissible to treat people inappropriately .
“ Anybody who still lives in that arcane space , needs to leave .
”

The Canadian Armed Forces is preparing to take a close look at its culture as part of its latest plan to eliminate the "wicked problem" of sexual misconduct in the ranks. The new plan launched Wednesday says the military's efforts to stop inappropriate and illegal sexual behaviour over the past five-plus years has had mixed results — and that changes are needed. That includes moving from simply supporting victims and punishing perpetrators to changing the parts of the military’s culture that are “contributing to a permissive environment that allowed incidents of sexual misconduct to occur.” The first step: identifying the various aspects of the Canadian Armed Forces culture, including those parts that need changing to help prevent such behaviour. “The military ethos of the CAF is founded on respect for dignity of all persons, a principle that is embodied in CAF culture,” reads the new plan, called The Path to Dignity and Respect.
“While the majority of men and women in the CAF perform their duty with honour, the prevalence of sexual misconduct in the CAF clearly indicates that there is a disconnection between the desired CAF culture, and the reality experienced by many members in their day-to-day work.” That disconnect has been highlighted in a number of reports compiled and released since the military first found itself under fire in 2014 over its handling of sexual assault complaints and other inappropriate behaviour. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions A Statistics Canada report released last year found minimal progress in eradicating sexual misconduct in the ranks. The auditor general released a scathing assessment in 2018 that the military was failing to support victims properly and resolve cases quickly.
Reflecting on those and other criticisms, the plan says: “It was clear that the CAF’s previous attempts to address sexual misconduct had not achieved the desired effect, and a more comprehensive and sustained approach to addressing sexual misconduct was required.” The Canadian Armed Forces is planning a deep dive into its own culture to eliminate sexual misconduct. #canadianarmedforces #CAF #sexualmisconduct At the same time, the plan describes sexual misconduct as a “wicked problem,” which it defines as one that is extremely complex and with no easy answers. The military is promising to step up previous efforts to support victims and hold perpetrators to account. Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau, who as vice-chief of the defence staff is second in command of the Armed Forces, says more is needed to ensure real change in the military. “There's a lot that's been done since 2015,” Rouleau said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “But it was mostly reactive work. It was getting after the immediate, urgent things in the face of this really big problem that we had to deal with.
“Over the course of that time, we kind of got a handle on some of these foundational issues. We got some of the research done. We consulted external experts, and today, releasing The Path, which is this strategy that aligns us culturally, signals a shift from the reactive to the proactive.” Hence the focus on culture, which Rouleau said includes hammering home the point that there is “zero contradiction” between being “the ultimate soldier” and treating people well. “They're not mutually exclusive,” he said. “And so this is the message, this is the crux of the issue. There is no machismo and conflict-oriented culture that renders it permissible to treat people inappropriately.


nationalobserver--2020-10-28--Bank of Canada holds interest rate steady, says COVID-19 economic recovery likely by 2022

The Bank of Canada kept its key interest rate on hold Wednesday as it said the country 's economy wo n't fully recover what was lost to COVID-19 until 2022 , with the road to there dependent on the path of the pandemic .
In July , the Bank of Canada said it believed the country had been spared from a worst-case scenario .
The bank 's updated outlook in its monetary policy report said the rebound over the summer was stronger than expected as the country reversed about two-thirds of the decline seen in the first half of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shrink by 5.7 per cent this year , but grow by 4.2 per cent next year , and 3.7 per cent in 2022 .
The report also says the country 's headline inflation barometer , Statistics Canada 's consumer price index , will stay below the bank 's two per cent target through 2022 .
• Biden not alone in warning of 'dark winter ' .
Canada 's top physician paints bleak picture , too .
• Donald Trump has few friends left in Canada .
What happens if he wins ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent this year , 1.0 per cent next year , and 1.7 per cent in 2022 .
Governor Tiff Macklem has said the bank will keep its key policy rate as low at it can go at 0.25 per cent until the economy has recovered and inflation is back on target .
The bank held its overnight rate target at 0.25 per cent , on Wednesday , but announced it intended to buy more longer-term bonds because those have a `` more direct influence on the borrowing rates that are most important for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for growth and inflation mark a return to the bank 's usual practice of giving a longer view for the economy in its quarterly monetary policy report .
The report said the six months of experience with containment measures and support programs , as well as more information on medical developments like vaccines , has given the bank a better foundation to make a base-case forecast .
Underpinning the bank 's outlook are two major assumptions : That widespread lockdowns wo n't be utilized again and that a vaccine or effective treatment will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bank of Canada holds interest rate steady , predicts recovery by 2022 .
# interestrates # canada # bankofcanada # covidrecovery The country has recouped about two-thirds of the three million jobs lost in March and April .
Emergency federal aid has replaced lost wages for millions of workers , and provided loans and wage subsidies to struggling businesses .
The recuperation from the drop earlier this year has been uneven , the report notes .
The hardest hit sectors , such as restaurants , travel and accommodations , continue to lag .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and youth and low-wage workers , continue to face high levels of unemployment , the report says .
All may be hit hard again by any new rounds of restrictions , the report notes .
Some areas of the country have already imposed such public health restrictions in the face of rising COVID-19 case counts .
`` The breadth and intensity of re-imposed containment measures , including impacts on schools and the availability of child care , could lead to setbacks , '' the report says .
`` Long breaks in employment have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ income prospects of vulnerable groups . ''

The Bank of Canada kept its key interest rate on hold Wednesday as it said the country's economy won't fully recover what was lost to COVID-19 until 2022, with the road to there dependent on the path of the pandemic. In July, the Bank of Canada said it believed the country had been spared from a worst-case scenario. The bank's updated outlook in its monetary policy report said the rebound over the summer was stronger than expected as the country reversed about two-thirds of the decline seen in the first half of the year. Officials estimate the economy will shrink by 5.7 per cent this year, but grow by 4.2 per cent next year, and 3.7 per cent in 2022. The report also says the country's headline inflation barometer, Statistics Canada's consumer price index, will stay below the bank's two per cent target through 2022.
The report forecasts annual inflation at 0.6 per cent this year, 1.0 per cent next year, and 1.7 per cent in 2022. Governor Tiff Macklem has said the bank will keep its key policy rate as low at it can go at 0.25 per cent until the economy has recovered and inflation is back on target. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The bank held its overnight rate target at 0.25 per cent, on Wednesday, but announced it intended to buy more longer-term bonds because those have a "more direct influence on the borrowing rates that are most important for households and businesses."
The projections for growth and inflation mark a return to the bank's usual practice of giving a longer view for the economy in its quarterly monetary policy report. The Bank of Canada holds interest rate steady, predicts recovery by 2022. #interestrates #canada #bankofcanada #covidrecovery The report said the six months of experience with containment measures and support programs, as well as more information on medical developments like vaccines, has given the bank a better foundation to make a base-case forecast. Underpinning the bank's outlook are two major assumptions: That widespread lockdowns won't be utilized again and that a vaccine or effective treatment will be widely available by mid-2022. The country has recouped about two-thirds of the three million jobs lost in March and April. Emergency federal aid has replaced lost wages for millions of workers, and provided loans and wage subsidies to struggling businesses. The recuperation from the drop earlier this year has been uneven, the report notes. The hardest hit sectors, such as restaurants, travel and accommodations, continue to lag.
Workers in those sectors, as well and youth and low-wage workers, continue to face high levels of unemployment, the report says. All may be hit hard again by any new rounds of restrictions, the report notes. Some areas of the country have already imposed such public health restrictions in the face of rising COVID-19 case counts. "The breadth and intensity of re-imposed containment measures, including impacts on schools and the availability of child care, could lead to setbacks," the report says.


nationalobserver--2020-10-28--A class-action suit against Facebook comes from Calgary

Two Facebook users are seeking damages on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Canadians whose personal data may have been improperly used for political purposes .
The proposed class-action lawsuit filed by Calgary residents Saul Benary and Karma Holoboff asks the Federal Court to order the social-media giant to bolster its security practices to better protect sensitive information and comply with federal privacy law .
It also seeks $ 1,000 for each of the approximately 622,000 Canadians whose information was shared with others through a digital app .
The commissioners concluded that Facebook broke Canada ’ s privacy law governing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meaningful consent of app users and their friends , and that it had `` inadequate safeguards '' to protect user information .
Despite its public acknowledgment of a `` major breach of trust '' in the Cambridge Analytica scandal , Facebook disputed the report 's findings and the commissioners said the company refused to implement their recommendations .
As a result , Therrien launched his own Federal Court action in February , asking a judge to declare that Facebook violated Canadian privacy law .
Two Facebook users are seeking damages on behalf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data may have been improperly used for political purposes .
In turn , Facebook asked a judge to toss out the watchdog 's finding that the social media giant 's lax practices allowed personal data to be used for political purposes .
Facebook has repeatedly said there is no evidence that Canadian user data was shared with Cambridge Analytica .
In their application to the court , however , Benary and Holoboff say they were informed by Facebook in April 2018 that their information `` had been disclosed to Cambridge Analytica without their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Therrien 's office about the improper collection and disclosure of their information .
In October last year , the commissioner informed Benary and Holoboff they were entitled to pursue their complaints in Federal Court .
The notice of application asks the court to certify the action as a class proceeding and declare that Facebook was obliged to safeguard their information under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act .

Two Facebook users are seeking damages on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Canadians whose personal data may have been improperly used for political purposes. The proposed class-action lawsuit filed by Calgary residents Saul Benary and Karma Holoboff asks the Federal Court to order the social-media giant to bolster its security practices to better protect sensitive information and comply with federal privacy law. It also seeks $1,000 for each of the approximately 622,000 Canadians whose information was shared with others through a digital app. In April last year, privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien and his British Columbia counterpart, Michael McEvoy, uncovered major shortcomings in Facebook's procedures and called for stronger laws to protect Canadians. The probe followed reports that Facebook let an outside organization use an app to access users' personal information, and that some of the data was then passed to others.
Recipients of the information included the firm Cambridge Analytica, which was involved in U.S. political campaigns. The app, at one point known as "This is Your Digital Life," encouraged users to complete a personality quiz but collected much more information about the people who installed the app as well as data about their Facebook friends, the commissioners said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions About 300,000 Facebook users worldwide added the app, leading to the potential disclosure of the personal information of approximately 87 million others, including some 622,000 Canadians, the report said.
The commissioners concluded that Facebook broke Canada’s privacy law governing companies by failing to obtain valid and meaningful consent of app users and their friends, and that it had "inadequate safeguards" to protect user information. Two Facebook users are seeking damages on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Canadians whose personal data may have been improperly used for political purposes. Despite its public acknowledgment of a "major breach of trust" in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook disputed the report's findings and the commissioners said the company refused to implement their recommendations. As a result, Therrien launched his own Federal Court action in February, asking a judge to declare that Facebook violated Canadian privacy law. In turn, Facebook asked a judge to toss out the watchdog's finding that the social media giant's lax practices allowed personal data to be used for political purposes. Facebook has repeatedly said there is no evidence that Canadian user data was shared with Cambridge Analytica.
In their application to the court, however, Benary and Holoboff say they were informed by Facebook in April 2018 that their information "had been disclosed to Cambridge Analytica without their consent." The two subsequently complained to Therrien's office about the improper collection and disclosure of their information. In October last year, the commissioner informed Benary and Holoboff they were entitled to pursue their complaints in Federal Court.


nationalobserver--2020-10-29--Without fast action from Canada and the U.S., North American right whales could perish

A conservation group is calling on the Canadian and U.S. governments to take action to protect North Atlantic right whales after new data revealed a sharp decline in the animal 's population .
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that as of January 2019 , an estimated 366 North Atlantic right whales remained in the ocean , down from the previous count of 412 in 2018 .
Oceana Canada campaign director Kim Elmslie said the decline is `` a reality check . ''
`` It 's going towards the edge of extinction and something needs to happen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her organization is asking governments on both sides of the border to impose speed limits in order to prevent collisions with the whales .
The area of concern in Canada , Elmslie said , is the Cabot Strait , between Cape Breton and Newfoundland and Labrador .
• Donald Trump has few friends left in Canada .
What happens if he wins ?
• Give 50.4 % of the world back to nature — here 's how Transport Canada suggests boats reduce speeds to 10 knots or less in the straight -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Elmslie said , is the `` magic mark '' for right whales , as they have a `` fairly '' good chance of surviving a possible collision with a boat .
But compliance with the voluntarily restriction is less than 50 per cent , she said .
Areas with mandatory restrictions see nearly perfect levels of compliance , she explained .
Moira Brown , a senior scientist at the Canadian Whale Institution , said , `` It 's pretty clear that more right whales have died than have been born for quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is in decline . ''
Part of the problem , Brown explained in an interview Wednesday , is that the right whales have shifted their habitat dramatically in the last decade and are now appearing in large numbers in the Gulf of St. Lawrence .
Governments and the fishing industry have been forced to adapt to work around the quickly moving population , she said .
Oceana Canada said entanglement in fishing gear is another leading cause of injury and death for right whales .
In response , the group is also campaigning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fishing lines in the water .
Sean Brillant , a senior conservation biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation , is researching `` ropeles '' fishing technology , which he says allows lines to be stored with traps at the bottom of the ocean .
Without quick action from Canada and the U.S. , North Atlantic right whales could perish .
# whales # rightwhales # savethewhales The traps are released when a fisher is ready to harvest their catch , which he said could help balance the interests of the fishing industry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding a way to continue to benefit from using the oceans , such as fishing , but without accidentally driving species to extinction , '' he said in an interview Wednesday .
Barre Campbell , spokesman with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans , said his office will work closely with his U.S. counterparts and with academics to improve protection measures for the whales .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28 , 2020 .
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press @ @ @

A conservation group is calling on the Canadian and U.S. governments to take action to protect North Atlantic right whales after new data revealed a sharp decline in the animal's population. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that as of January 2019, an estimated 366 North Atlantic right whales remained in the ocean, down from the previous count of 412 in 2018. Oceana Canada campaign director Kim Elmslie said the decline is "a reality check." "It's going towards the edge of extinction and something needs to happen," she said in an interview Wednesday. Her organization is asking governments on both sides of the border to impose speed limits in order to prevent collisions with the whales. The area of concern in Canada, Elmslie said, is the Cabot Strait, between Cape Breton and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Transport Canada suggests boats reduce speeds to 10 knots or less in the straight -- but compliance is voluntary. That speed, Elmslie said, is the "magic mark" for right whales, as they have a "fairly" good chance of surviving a possible collision with a boat. But compliance with the voluntarily restriction is less than 50 per cent, she said. Areas with mandatory restrictions see nearly perfect levels of compliance, she explained. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Moira Brown, a senior scientist at the Canadian Whale Institution, said, "It's pretty clear that more right whales have died than have been born for quite a few years now and the population is in decline."
Part of the problem, Brown explained in an interview Wednesday, is that the right whales have shifted their habitat dramatically in the last decade and are now appearing in large numbers in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Governments and the fishing industry have been forced to adapt to work around the quickly moving population, she said. Without quick action from Canada and the U.S., North Atlantic right whales could perish. #whales #rightwhales #savethewhales Oceana Canada said entanglement in fishing gear is another leading cause of injury and death for right whales. In response, the group is also campaigning for a reduction in the number of fishing lines in the water. Sean Brillant, a senior conservation biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, is researching "ropeles" fishing technology, which he says allows lines to be stored with traps at the bottom of the ocean. The traps are released when a fisher is ready to harvest their catch, which he said could help balance the interests of the fishing industry and conservationists. "We're interested in finding a way to continue to benefit from using the oceans, such as fishing, but without accidentally driving species to extinction," he said in an interview Wednesday.
Barre Campbell, spokesman with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said his office will work closely with his U.S. counterparts and with academics to improve protection measures for the whales. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2020. - - -


nationalobserver--2020-10-29--How America's exit could impact the future of the Paris Agreement

This article was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of Canada 's National Observer 's collaboration with Climate Desk .
An important date is coming up .
On Nov. 4 , the day after the election , the United States will earn a dubious distinction : It will become the only country in the world to formally exit the Paris Agreement .
In the historic global climate change deal , struck in 2015 , 189 countries agreed on non-binding domestic targets to keep global temperatures well below a disastrous 2 degrees Celsius .
The Paris deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapidly growing nations like China and India to take action to combat climate change alongside the United States and Europe , historically the world ’ s largest sources of emissions .
Rather than set universal emissions cuts , it allowed each nation to determine their contributions .
The countries ’ initial pledges were considered a starting point — the expectation was that everyone would return to the negotiating table in 2020 with more ambitious cuts to carbon pollution .
In 2017 , President Trump , surprising no one , announced his intent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There was a silver lining : Instead of inspiring a complete unravelling of the plan , his threat had the opposite effect — no country exited the agreement , and in fact 38 more countries have joined since 2017 .
• Donald Trump has few friends left in Canada .
What happens if he wins ?
• Give 50.4 % of the world back to nature — here 's how Yet the future stability of the Paris deal still depends heavily on whether the United States stays in .
Trump allies like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have hinted they may also exit .
November 2020 was supposed to be a pivotal month when countries returned to the negotiating table to evaluate their progress and make new goals .
COVID-19 delayed the annual international climate meeting until 2021 , but even in the chaos of the pandemic , other major economies have ramped up their climate ambitions .
China recently announced its goal to be carbon-neutral by 2060 .
India has raised its goal to install 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 , double @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 175 gigawatts in 2022 .
And the European Union just officially adopted a net-zero carbon pollution target for 2050 as binding law .
Since his 2017 announcement , Trump has been repeating two dangerous lies about U.S. participation in the deal : His first lie was that the agreement would come at immense cost to Americans while other major polluters would contribute nothing ; his second was that the United States has already exited the accord .
“ The Paris Accord , I took us out because we were going to have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treated very unfairly , ” Trump said in the extensive climate section of the debate .
About that : First of all , Trump didn ’ t actually withdraw — rather , the United States will be in the Paris deal until Nov. 4 because of a required three-year waiting period .
Second , it ’ s absurd to imagine that the United States , as the biggest and richest polluter somehow got shortchanged in the agreement .
This isn ’ t the United States bending to the will of the United Nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guided the terms of the agreement .
The cost Trump is ostensibly alluding to — President Obama ’ s pledge of $ 3 billion to the Green Climate Fund for developing nations — is to help other nations cut pollution and fight climate impacts .
Those investments would undoubtedly help the United States , as well : As we ’ ve seen this year , from hurricanes to western wildfires , the United States is not immune to experiencing climate crises at home .
On Nov. 4 — the day after the # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only country in the world to formally exit the Paris Agreement .
# Election2020 “ It ’ s clear that we should ’ ve been spending the last four years doing more , ” says Jake Schmidt , an expert on international climate negotiations and senior adviser to the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund .
Yet in spite of Trump ’ s hostility toward the Paris Agreement , the United States has made some progress over the last four years .
The Michael Bloomberg and Jerry Brown-led group America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by cities , states and companies could cut U.S. emissions by a third by 2030 .
Still , the world is a long way off from meeting its commitments in Paris .
Carbon pollution has temporarily fallen during the COVID crisis , but the economic recovery will matter more for whether the world is still on its worst-case , business-as-usual path .
It would be easy for a Biden administration to rejoin the Paris deal in January , but they would have much more work to do to repair relationships and trust in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more to do on the domestic front to repair Trump ’ s war on climate science .
Just yesterday , the New York Times reported that the Trump administration removed a chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after he asked climate-skeptic political appointees to adhere to the agency ’ s scientific integrity policy .
“ It ’ s hard when you have the world ’ s largest market and a major global player either sitting on the sidelines , ” says Schmidt .
“ Or in Trump ’ s case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things backward .
”

This article was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of Canada's National Observer's collaboration with Climate Desk. An important date is coming up. On Nov. 4, the day after the election, the United States will earn a dubious distinction: It will become the only country in the world to formally exit the Paris Agreement. In the historic global climate change deal, struck in 2015, 189 countries agreed on non-binding domestic targets to keep global temperatures well below a disastrous 2 degrees Celsius. The Paris deal marked a breakthrough in that it encouraged rapidly growing nations like China and India to take action to combat climate change alongside the United States and Europe, historically the world’s largest sources of emissions. Rather than set universal emissions cuts, it allowed each nation to determine their contributions. The countries’ initial pledges were considered a starting point — the expectation was that everyone would return to the negotiating table in 2020 with more ambitious cuts to carbon pollution. In 2017, President Trump, surprising no one, announced his intent to withdraw the United States from the agreement. There was a silver lining: Instead of inspiring a complete unravelling of the plan, his threat had the opposite effect — no country exited the agreement, and in fact 38 more countries have joined since 2017.
Yet the future stability of the Paris deal still depends heavily on whether the United States stays in. Trump allies like Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have hinted they may also exit. November 2020 was supposed to be a pivotal month when countries returned to the negotiating table to evaluate their progress and make new goals. COVID-19 delayed the annual international climate meeting until 2021, but even in the chaos of the pandemic, other major economies have ramped up their climate ambitions. China recently announced its goal to be carbon-neutral by 2060. India has raised its goal to install 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, double its goal it set in Paris for 175 gigawatts in 2022. And the European Union just officially adopted a net-zero carbon pollution target for 2050 as binding law. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Since his 2017 announcement, Trump has been repeating two dangerous lies about U.S. participation in the deal: His first lie was that the agreement would come at immense cost to Americans while other major polluters would contribute nothing; his second was that the United States has already exited the accord.
“The Paris Accord, I took us out because we were going to have to spend trillions of dollars and we were treated very unfairly,” Trump said in the extensive climate section of the debate. On Nov. 4 — the day after the #USelection — the United States will become the only country in the world to formally exit the Paris Agreement. #Election2020 About that: First of all, Trump didn’t actually withdraw — rather, the United States will be in the Paris deal until Nov. 4 because of a required three-year waiting period. Second, it’s absurd to imagine that the United States, as the biggest and richest polluter somehow got shortchanged in the agreement. This isn’t the United States bending to the will of the United Nations; instead, the United States basically guided the terms of the agreement. The cost Trump is ostensibly alluding to — President Obama’s pledge of $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund for developing nations — is to help other nations cut pollution and fight climate impacts. Those investments would undoubtedly help the United States, as well: As we’ve seen this year, from hurricanes to western wildfires, the United States is not immune to experiencing climate crises at home. “It’s clear that we should’ve been spending the last four years doing more,” says Jake Schmidt, an expert on international climate negotiations and senior adviser to the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund. Yet in spite of Trump’s hostility toward the Paris Agreement, the United States has made some progress over the last four years. The Michael Bloomberg and Jerry Brown-led group America’s Pledge estimated that emissions reduction goals made by cities, states and companies could cut U.S. emissions by a third by 2030. Still, the world is a long way off from meeting its commitments in Paris. Carbon pollution has temporarily fallen during the COVID crisis, but the economic recovery will matter more for whether the world is still on its worst-case, business-as-usual path. It would be easy for a Biden administration to rejoin the Paris deal in January, but they would have much more work to do to repair relationships and trust in American leadership.


nationalobserver--2020-10-29--Why do the feds keep 17 million dead bugs in filing cabinets?

“ Working on this fundamental backbone to biology — understanding taxonomy and diversity and how things are related — sets the stage for all the other biological sciences , ” said Jeff Skevington , a researcher who co-manages the collection and studies hover flies .
The Canadian National Collection of Insects , Arachnids and Nematodes is one of the world ’ s largest , and it ’ s essential to Canadian agriculture .
Managing bugs is a key part of agriculture , whether it is combating pests and invasive species or trying to prevent the loss of pollinator populations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ identifying species , is fundamental to this work .
For instance , Skevington explained , some researchers are trying to see how hedgerows and other pollinator-friendly habitats can support agriculture if planted alongside farm fields .
But first , they need to figure out which bugs are living in certain kinds of habitats ( e.g .
hedges , fields ) .
To do so , they ’ ll check the collection in the same way a writer consults a dictionary .
The shocking decline is tied to widespread pesticide use and habitat losses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the collection alone won ’ t solve the problem , it provides a valuable reference for those studying it .
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature , 16.5 per cent of vertebrate pollinators are threatened with global extinction .
About a third of Europe ’ s bee and butterfly species are declining .
And in North America , the relative abundance of bumblebees is estimated to have crashed by 97 per cent .
Those sciences are more important than ever .
About 85 per cent of food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollinator populations — including bees , birds and hover flies like the ones Skevington studies — are declining worldwide .
“ You have to be able to put a name on those ( insects ) to be able to work on them , and the collection is the resource that allows you to check your specimen against named ones and vouch for your material , ” he said .
Identifying pollinators isn ’ t the collection ’ s only use .
When new pests appear in Canadian fields and forests , Agriculture and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the collection , which has bugs from across the globe , to identify the new arrival — and other insects that might help eliminate it .
For that reason , the work that Skevington and other taxonomists working on the collection do is critically important , though many people have never heard of the discipline .
Most of his work is going out in the field , catching bugs , drying them out and looking at them under a microscope for distinctive characteristics .
Once those characteristics are identified , Skevington will compare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them “ borrowed ” from other bug libraries around the world , to try figure out if he ’ s looking at a new species or not .
If so , he ’ ll then give it a Latin name based on its characteristics , announce a new species — and wait for a response to his work .
“ ( A species name ) is a hypothesis , it ’ s like any process in science , ” he said .
“ I can propose a new species , and in two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and do a whole bunch of groundwork and study the thing in the wild and come back and say , ‘ No , I think Skevington is wrong , and this is why , and I think it ’ s not a new species.
’ ” It ’ s a dialogue that ’ s been going on for generations .
The world ’ s earliest taxonomic bug collections were created in the 1600s , making Canada ’ s collection — established in 1886 — relatively young .
Years of field research trips @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada and beyond subsequently helped grow the library into the world ’ s fifth largest .
Still , while the collection is highly valued within taxonomic circles , some advocates are concerned for its future .
It is currently stored in filing cabinets that line hallways and rooms across the federal government ’ s experimental farm near Ottawa , explained Carolyn Callaghan , senior conservation biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation .
Humidity , proximity to labs that use flammable alcohol and the lack of a firewall to protect the collection are all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe in perpetuity .
These risks could be mitigated with a new building explicitly designed for the collection , she said — an investment of roughly $ 45 million , according to Canada ’ s Green Budget Coalition .

Hidden in anodyne filing cabinets scattered across the federal government’s Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa is a library of 17 million dead bugs. The Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes is one of the world’s largest, and it’s essential to Canadian agriculture. Managing bugs is a key part of agriculture, whether it is combating pests and invasive species or trying to prevent the loss of pollinator populations. And taxonomy, or the science of identifying species, is fundamental to this work. “Working on this fundamental backbone to biology — understanding taxonomy and diversity and how things are related — sets the stage for all the other biological sciences,” said Jeff Skevington, a researcher who co-manages the collection and studies hover flies. Those sciences are more important than ever. About 85 per cent of food grown globally depends on pollination, yet pollinator populations — including bees, birds and hover flies like the ones Skevington studies — are declining worldwide. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 16.5 per cent of vertebrate pollinators are threatened with global extinction. About a third of Europe’s bee and butterfly species are declining. And in North America, the relative abundance of bumblebees is estimated to have crashed by 97 per cent.
The shocking decline is tied to widespread pesticide use and habitat losses that are largely driven by industrial agriculture. While the collection alone won’t solve the problem, it provides a valuable reference for those studying it. For instance, Skevington explained, some researchers are trying to see how hedgerows and other pollinator-friendly habitats can support agriculture if planted alongside farm fields. But first, they need to figure out which bugs are living in certain kinds of habitats (e.g. hedges, fields). To do so, they’ll check the collection in the same way a writer consults a dictionary. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The hard exoskeletons of bugs make it possible for them to last hundreds of years if well cared for, making Canada's national collection an invaluable resource for researchers worldwide for generations. Photo provided by Jeff Skevington
“You have to be able to put a name on those (insects) to be able to work on them, and the collection is the resource that allows you to check your specimen against named ones and vouch for your material,” he said. “You have to be able to put a name on those (insects) to be able to work on them, and the collection is the resource that allows you to check your specimen against named ones and vouch for your material,” says researcher Jeff Skevington. @CWF_FCF Identifying pollinators isn’t the collection’s only use. When new pests appear in Canadian fields and forests, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s bio-control team uses the collection, which has bugs from across the globe, to identify the new arrival — and other insects that might help eliminate it. “It’s like an insurance against potential invasive (species), because you want to stamp out a lot of these things before they ever get going,” Skevington explained. For that reason, the work that Skevington and other taxonomists working on the collection do is critically important, though many people have never heard of the discipline. Most of his work is going out in the field, catching bugs, drying them out and looking at them under a microscope for distinctive characteristics. Once those characteristics are identified, Skevington will compare them against existing specimens, some of them “borrowed” from other bug libraries around the world, to try figure out if he’s looking at a new species or not. If so, he’ll then give it a Latin name based on its characteristics, announce a new species — and wait for a response to his work.
“(A species name) is a hypothesis, it’s like any process in science,” he said. “I can propose a new species, and in two years from now, somebody can go out and do a whole bunch of groundwork and study the thing in the wild and come back and say, ‘No, I think Skevington is wrong, and this is why, and I think it’s not a new species.’” It’s a dialogue that’s been going on for generations. The world’s earliest taxonomic bug collections were created in the 1600s, making Canada’s collection — established in 1886 — relatively young. Years of field research trips by taxonomists working for the collection in Canada and beyond subsequently helped grow the library into the world’s fifth largest. Still, while the collection is highly valued within taxonomic circles, some advocates are concerned for its future. It is currently stored in filing cabinets that line hallways and rooms across the federal government’s experimental farm near Ottawa, explained Carolyn Callaghan, senior conservation biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation.


nationalobserver--2020-10-29--How will we know if a COVID-19 vaccine is safe? By listening to scientists

This article was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of Canada 's National Observer 's collaboration with Climate Desk .
The first COVID-19 vaccines will be approved in the next few months , but many Americans say they won ’ t immediately take them .
A STAT/Harris poll last week found that 42 per cent of respondents don ’ t trust the vaccines in development — up from 31 per cent in August .
Among Black Americans , who have suffered disproportionately from the coronavirus , the number is even higher : 57 per cent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get the vaccine right away in the October poll , compared to 35 per cent in August .
Americans ’ hesitation is understandable : Top officials at the White House have been pushing for months to speed up the vaccine review process — most recently , they tried to bar safety measures proposed by the Food and Drug Administration .
( They failed . )
The Trump administration has applied pressure on scientists in myriad other ways , from meddling with CDC coronavirus guidance to downplaying the risks of climate change .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nature , Columbia University epidemiologist Jeffrey Shaman described Trump ’ s anti-science crusade succinctly : “ This is not just ineptitude , it ’ s sabotage.
” • Donald Trump has few friends left in Canada .
What happens if he wins ?
• Give 50.4 % of the world back to nature — here 's how So how will we be able to tell if a COVID-19 vaccine is really safe — or a Trump-influenced rush job ?
A good place to start is the experts .
Luckily for us , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this : On Oct. 22 , the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee convened to make recommendations to the FDA about safety and standards for COVID-19 vaccines .
The group is almost entirely composed of independent scientists — authorities in their field who are not connected to the FDA .
The meeting was public : If you were up for it , you could sit through all seven hours from the comfort of your laptop .
Once a drug company submits data about a specific vaccine , the committee will convene again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully expected to adopt the recommendations that the committee makes .
But let ’ s pretend that 2020 throws us yet another curve ball and that , for political reasons , the FDA opts not to follow the advice of the advisory committee .
Without these safeguards , how will we know whether the vaccine meets the rigorous safety criteria that the FDA has laid out ?
There is a simple answer : We will know whether to trust a vaccine because scientists will tell us .
Epidemiologists , virologists , and infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the process .
Some will air their concerns through official channels : California , for example , has already convened a panel of its own scientists to review any vaccine that the FDA approves .
But that ’ s not the only place you ’ ll hear experts weigh in .
If scientists have any concerns about the safety of a vaccine , you can bet they will sing them from the rooftops of Twitter , cable news and op-ed pages .
“ The scientific community has a much bigger voice now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past , especially on the cable news networks and in the media , ” virologist Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine told me in August .
“ I think that if the White House tried to pull a fast one and tried to get the vaccine out before we knew it was safe and effective , the scientific community is strong enough.
” They ’ ve done this before .
Back in May , Rick Bright , who had recently been removed from his role as the director of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research and Development Agency , spoke out in a whistleblower complaint about political manipulation of science .
In June , bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel and vaccine scientist Paul Offit — who sits on the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee — wrote an op-ed in the New York Times titled “ Could Trump Turn a Vaccine Into a Campaign Stunt ?
” Throughout the course of the pandemic , scores of scientists and physicians have sounded the alarm over President Trump ’ s repeated endorsement of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if a # COVID19 # vaccine is really safe — or a Trump-influenced rush job ?
A good place to start is the experts .
With any luck , scientists won ’ t need to sound the alarm over a vaccine .
Since our August conversation , Hotez says he has become more confident in the integrity of the vaccine approval process .
“ We were in an almost adversarial position with ( the Health and Human Services agency ) a month ago , ” he told me last week .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to try to diffuse that and really came around to make good decisions .
We ’ re in a far better position now.
” On 60 Minutes last week , Dr. Anthony Fauci said : “ I trust the permanent professionals in the FDA .
The director , the commissioner of the FDA , has been very public that he will not let politics interfere.
” Still , the public health community is on high alert .
There is no version of the next few months where an unsafe vaccine is secretly released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Scientists are livid about the ways in which President Trump has undermined public trust in their work .
If Trump wants to regain Americans ’ confidence in the vaccine approval process , his administration will have to step back and let scientists ensure that the vaccine is as safe and effective as possible .
The stakes couldn ’ t be higher .
There ’ s a saying among immunologists : Vaccines don ’ t save lives ; vaccinations save lives .
In other words , the shot doesn ’ t do any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant portion of Americans really opt out of the vaccine , COVID-19 is going to be with us for an awfully long time .

This article was originally published by Mother Jones and appears here as part of Canada's National Observer's collaboration with Climate Desk. The first COVID-19 vaccines will be approved in the next few months, but many Americans say they won’t immediately take them. A STAT/Harris poll last week found that 42 per cent of respondents don’t trust the vaccines in development — up from 31 per cent in August. Among Black Americans, who have suffered disproportionately from the coronavirus, the number is even higher: 57 per cent of Black respondents said they wouldn’t get the vaccine right away in the October poll, compared to 35 per cent in August. Americans’ hesitation is understandable: Top officials at the White House have been pushing for months to speed up the vaccine review process — most recently, they tried to bar safety measures proposed by the Food and Drug Administration. (They failed.) The Trump administration has applied pressure on scientists in myriad other ways, from meddling with CDC coronavirus guidance to downplaying the risks of climate change. In an October piece in the scientific journal Nature, Columbia University epidemiologist Jeffrey Shaman described Trump’s anti-science crusade succinctly: “This is not just ineptitude, it’s sabotage.”
So how will we be able to tell if a COVID-19 vaccine is really safe — or a Trump-influenced rush job? A good place to start is the experts. Luckily for us, there’s an easy way to do this: On Oct. 22, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee convened to make recommendations to the FDA about safety and standards for COVID-19 vaccines. The group is almost entirely composed of independent scientists — authorities in their field who are not connected to the FDA. The meeting was public: If you were up for it, you could sit through all seven hours from the comfort of your laptop. Once a drug company submits data about a specific vaccine, the committee will convene again to review it. The FDA is fully expected to adopt the recommendations that the committee makes. But let’s pretend that 2020 throws us yet another curve ball and that, for political reasons, the FDA opts not to follow the advice of the advisory committee. Without these safeguards, how will we know whether the vaccine meets the rigorous safety criteria that the FDA has laid out? Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions There is a simple answer: We will know whether to trust a vaccine because scientists will tell us. Epidemiologists, virologists, and infectious disease specialists will be watching every step of the process. Some will air their concerns through official channels: California, for example, has already convened a panel of its own scientists to review any vaccine that the FDA approves.
But that’s not the only place you’ll hear experts weigh in. If scientists have any concerns about the safety of a vaccine, you can bet they will sing them from the rooftops of Twitter, cable news and op-ed pages. How will we be able to tell if a #COVID19 #vaccine is really safe — or a Trump-influenced rush job? A good place to start is the experts. “The scientific community has a much bigger voice now than we’ve had in the past, especially on the cable news networks and in the media,” virologist Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine told me in August. “I think that if the White House tried to pull a fast one and tried to get the vaccine out before we knew it was safe and effective, the scientific community is strong enough.” They’ve done this before. Back in May, Rick Bright, who had recently been removed from his role as the director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, spoke out in a whistleblower complaint about political manipulation of science. In June, bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel and vaccine scientist Paul Offit — who sits on the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee — wrote an op-ed in the New York Times titled “Could Trump Turn a Vaccine Into a Campaign Stunt?” Throughout the course of the pandemic, scores of scientists and physicians have sounded the alarm over President Trump’s repeated endorsement of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. With any luck, scientists won’t need to sound the alarm over a vaccine. Since our August conversation, Hotez says he has become more confident in the integrity of the vaccine approval process. “We were in an almost adversarial position with (the Health and Human Services agency) a month ago,” he told me last week. “But now FDA has made a good-faith effort to try to diffuse that and really came around to make good decisions. We’re in a far better position now.”


nationalobserver--2020-10-29--Sharmarke Dubow champions climate justice, mitigation through community

As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis , writer Patricia Lane interviews Victoria Coun .
Sharmarke Dubow .
The 1990s were personally tough for me .
I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science , trying , and by all accounts failing , to stem the tide .
Hardest of all , death and dementia came to my family .
As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor , grief had become a pretty constant companion .
I could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger : love .
To choose love is to hope .
But I had forgotten how .
So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be .
I chose to study hope .
Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope .
I am grateful for Canada 's National Observer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these determined , joyful and , yes , hopeful young people a voice .
Sharmarke Dubow is a former refugee who fled Somalia when conflict over resource shortages led to civil war .
He spent 20 years seeking a safe haven until Canada offered him a home .
As soon as he was eligible to vote , he ran for office and won a seat on Victoria ’ s city council , where he is a champion for climate mitigation and justice issues .
• Donald Trump has few friends left in Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Give 50.4 % of the world back to nature — here 's how Dubow has also served on the board of the Canadian Council for Refugees .
My first appointment to interview him was postponed to allow Dubow to be with a member of the Somali community who was having a difficult time .
His compassion and care shone through our conversation .
His insistence on seeing the bright side is key to his obvious resilience .
Tell us about your childhood .
I have been on the move since I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Somalia was facing a resource scarcity exaggerated by climate change .
People with power began attacking others to control the remaining water and wealth .
We fled to a refugee camp in Mombasa , Kenya .
My mother did not come with us .
She was used to standing up for herself .
When my father took a second wife , she fought to divorce him and made her own way .
She wanted to preserve our chances in our homeland .
At age 12 , when the camp closed , I moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started middle school .
I didn ’ t have access to school in the refugee camp and I had to work hard to catch up to my schoolmates .
In 2001 , there were student uprisings and civil unrest in Ethiopia , and it was not safe to be a student , so I sought asylum in Cairo , ( Egypt ) where I lived with my aunt .
I finished high school and enrolled in university .
With the help of my older brothers , who paid my tuition , I got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interesting twist of fate from Cape Breton University ’ s Cairo campus .
`` The moral place to start is to ask how our decisions will care for the most vulnerable , '' says Victoria Coun .
@ deardubow , a former refugee .
`` We must see government budgets as a moral compass .
Where we spend money shows what we value . ''
How did you come to Canada ?
In Cairo , I worked with non-profit organizations helping asylum seekers , migrants and refugee communities .
But after the Arab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanitarian work and refugee status made me a target of the Egyptian military .
The international community told us it was time to go “ home.
” But where was I to go ?
I had no country to call home .
In 2012 , Canada offered me a home .
My refugee application was expedited because of my human rights work and refugee status , and my experience helped me find work fast with the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society .
How did you come to seek elected office ?
Victoria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for migrants and suggested I run for council .
I had never thought about running , but community organizers and grassroots organizations told me I could make a big difference for them as a city councillor .
I am a young Black man , renter , transit user .
Voices from identities like mine are underrepresented in politics .
Cities are where migrants come to build a better future .
I know what it is like to be afraid in the face of displacement and therefore bring an authentic voice to many community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of many wicked problems , including population growth , displacement , unaffordability and lack of housing supply , transportation , public health , income disparities , climate change , environmental degradation , racial and social inequities , disability justice , Islamophobia , public safety and public space concerns .
My voice and others like mine must be at the city table to resolve the generational inequities between the haves and have-nots that are the foundation of many of these issues .
It is unusual to get elected on your first try .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a group of citizens who endorse a slate of progressive candidates .
They endorsed me and two other first-time candidates .
We were all elected .
I brought over 10 years of community development and was able to mobilize community groups that are often underrepresented and underserved .
What is your approach to leadership ?
Leadership is authentic relationships with the community and working in partnership with community members .
I take a power-sharing approach with co-governance , with care and compassion in order to create the space to listen to different perspectives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a city councillor ?
Governments exist to protect people , to offer care and work with the people to serve them .
The moral place to start is to ask how our decisions will care for the most vulnerable .
We must see government budgets as a moral compass .
Where we spend money shows what we value .
In a changing climate , how cities spend money can make their communities more resilient and more equitable .
Point to something in your city that makes you proud .
I am really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are under 19 , transit is free .
For an immigrant family with three kids , this is huge .
Sharmarke Dubow doorknocking with a friend 's child during the 2018 Victoria civic election .
Photo submitted by Sharmarke Dubow What is your advice to younger people who may see themselves in your story ?
Be curious and look for relationships and mentors .
I have lived so many years full of uncertainty and anxiety .
I know how hard it is not to be able to move around freely , to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt that governments care about you .
My curiosity and relationships have grounded me and helped me through .
What about older people ?
How can they help ?
I don ’ t advise elders .
They advise me .
I am so grateful to the multitude of elders that are active in this city for “ ubuntu.
” By choosing to act in ways that benefit your community , you are giving my generation great gifts .
I am filled with gratitude .
What keeps you going ?
What gives you hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ocean , I feel a sense of mystery .
When I see children playing in the shadow of caring adults , I can dream of a better world .
I can hope .

As part of a series highlighting the work of young people in addressing the climate crisis, writer Patricia Lane interviews Victoria Coun. Sharmarke Dubow. The 1990s were personally tough for me. I spent the decade immersed in action based on climate catastrophe science, trying, and by all accounts failing, to stem the tide. Hardest of all, death and dementia came to my family. As my awareness deepened about the growing divide between young and old and rich and poor, grief had become a pretty constant companion. I could choose to go further into the abyss of fear and loss or choose the only thing stronger: love. To choose love is to hope. But I had forgotten how. So I made a resolution — one that could last a year or even a decade if need be. I chose to study hope. Part of my journey is to seek out promising young people who are contending in evidence-based and impactful ways with the climate crisis and engage them in conversations about hope. I am grateful for Canada's National Observer’s commitment to solutions journalism, which provides these determined, joyful and, yes, hopeful young people a voice. Sharmarke Dubow is a former refugee who fled Somalia when conflict over resource shortages led to civil war. He spent 20 years seeking a safe haven until Canada offered him a home. As soon as he was eligible to vote, he ran for office and won a seat on Victoria’s city council, where he is a champion for climate mitigation and justice issues.
Dubow has also served on the board of the Canadian Council for Refugees. My first appointment to interview him was postponed to allow Dubow to be with a member of the Somali community who was having a difficult time. His compassion and care shone through our conversation. His insistence on seeing the bright side is key to his obvious resilience. Sharmarke Dubow at Victoria city hall. Photo submitted by Sharmarke Dubow Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Tell us about your childhood.
I have been on the move since I was eight years old. In 1992, Somalia was facing a resource scarcity exaggerated by climate change. People with power began attacking others to control the remaining water and wealth. We fled to a refugee camp in Mombasa, Kenya. My mother did not come with us. She was used to standing up for herself. "The moral place to start is to ask how our decisions will care for the most vulnerable," says Victoria Coun. @deardubow, a former refugee. "We must see government budgets as a moral compass. Where we spend money shows what we value." When my father took a second wife, she fought to divorce him and made her own way. She wanted to preserve our chances in our homeland. At age 12, when the camp closed, I moved to Ethiopia as an undocumented person and started middle school. I didn’t have access to school in the refugee camp and I had to work hard to catch up to my schoolmates. In 2001, there were student uprisings and civil unrest in Ethiopia, and it was not safe to be a student, so I sought asylum in Cairo, (Egypt) where I lived with my aunt. I finished high school and enrolled in university. With the help of my older brothers, who paid my tuition, I got my bachelor’s degree in an interesting twist of fate from Cape Breton University’s Cairo campus. How did you come to Canada? In Cairo, I worked with non-profit organizations helping asylum seekers, migrants and refugee communities. But after the Arab Spring uprising, the combination of my humanitarian work and refugee status made me a target of the Egyptian military. The international community told us it was time to go “home.” But where was I to go? I had no country to call home. In 2012, Canada offered me a home. My refugee application was expedited because of my human rights work and refugee status, and my experience helped me find work fast with the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society.
How did you come to seek elected office? Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps saw me speaking up for migrants and suggested I run for council. I had never thought about running, but community organizers and grassroots organizations told me I could make a big difference for them as a city councillor. I am a young Black man, renter, transit user. Voices from identities like mine are underrepresented in politics. Cities are where migrants come to build a better future. I know what it is like to be afraid in the face of displacement and therefore bring an authentic voice to many community concerns. Cities are at the heart of many wicked problems, including population growth, displacement, unaffordability and lack of housing supply, transportation, public health, income disparities, climate change, environmental degradation, racial and social inequities, disability justice, Islamophobia, public safety and public space concerns. My voice and others like mine must be at the city table to resolve the generational inequities between the haves and have-nots that are the foundation of many of these issues.