nationalobserver--2020-11-12--Rights of anti-fracking protesters were breached by RCMP, watchdog says

The RCMP watchdog has uncovered shortcomings with the national force 's crowd-control measures , physical searches and collection of social media information while policing anti-fracking protests in New Brunswick .
In a long-awaited report issued today , the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP chastises the Mounties for their reluctance to take action on some of the findings and recommendations .
The commission received 21 public complaints related to the RCMP 's management of protests in 2013 over shale-gas exploration by SWN Resources Canada near the town of Rexton and the Elsipogtog First Nation reserve in Kent County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the province .
The report notes that a primary motivation for Indigenous protesters opposing the actions of SWN was their dedication to protecting land and water they considered their own , unceded to the Crown through treaty or other agreement .
A court-issued injunction limited protest activity and despite some progress through negotiations between the RCMP and demonstrators , the Mounties cleared an encampment in a tactical operation on Oct. 17 , 2013 , sparking a melee and numerous arrests .
• Ford government to take powers away from conservation authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas project rest of Canada hears little about After reviewing the complaints and materials disclosed by the RCMP , the commission then initiated its own complaint and public-interest investigation in December 2014 to examine the issues more broadly .
The commission found considerable evidence that RCMP members `` understood and applied a measured approach '' in planning their operations and while interacting with protesters .
However , it also found some distressing problems .
`` Several incidents or practices interfered to varying degrees with the protesters ' rights to freedom of expression , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission concluded .
It stressed that police may only establish `` buffer zones '' in accordance with parameters set by the courts .
`` As such , decisions to restrict access to public roadways or sites must be specific , reasonable and limited to minimize the impact on people ’ s rights . ''
The commission also found that some of the RCMP 's surveillance practices and physical searches were `` inconsistent with protesters ' charter rights to be free from unreasonable search and seizure . ''
The RCMP watchdog has uncovered shortcomings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , physical searches and collection of social media information while policing anti-fracking protests in New Brunswick .
# RCMP # AntiFracking For example , in conducting `` stop checks , '' RCMP members randomly stopped vehicles for a purpose other than those set out in provincial highway traffic legislation , the report says .
`` Likewise , while unconfirmed reports about the presence of weapons raised a legitimate public safety concern , searching persons entering the protesters ' campsite was inconsistent with the individuals ' charter rights . ''
The commission found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to the collection , use , and retention of personal information obtained from social media or other open sources , particularly in situations where no criminal activity was involved .
The watchdog recommended that RCMP policy describe what personal information from social media sites can be gathered , how it can be used , what steps should be taken to verify its reliability and limits on how long it can be kept .
It urges the RCMP to destroy such material once it is clear there is no criminal or national-security dimension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : — The RCMP 's interactions with SWN Resources were reasonable under the circumstances , and enforcing the law and injunctions did not amount to acting as private security for the company , as some had claimed ; — RCMP members did not differentiate between Indigenous and non-Indigenous protesters when making arrests , nor did they demonstrate bias against Indigenous protesters generally ; — Officers had reasonable grounds to arrest people for offences including mischief and obstruction , and the force used was generally necessary and proportional ; — The Mounties had legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a `` reasonable exercise of their discretion '' to do so , though it would have been prudent to allow more time for negotiations ; — The decision to leave members of the crisis negotiation team out of the loop about operational planning led to the `` unfortunate and regrettable situation '' of the tactical operation occurring shortly after RCMP negotiators offered tobacco to campsite protest leaders ; — At the time the policing efforts began , with some notable exceptions , assigned members did not have sufficient training in Indigenous cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconciliation with Indigenous people includes protecting the rights of those whose voices have been diminished by systemic sources of racism in our society , '' commission chairwoman Michelaine Lahaie said in a statement accompanying the report .
In her response to the report , RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki acknowledged some of the commission 's findings .
She agreed to implement recommendations on sensitivity and awareness training related to Indigenous culture and sacred items , better information-sharing with crisis negotiators and refreshers for RCMP members on law and policy for search and seizure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight of the commission 's 12 recommendations , it believed three needed no further action .
`` This concerns the commission , as these included recommendations concerning roadblocks , exclusion zones and limits to police powers , '' the report says .
`` In stating that she believed the RCMP 's practices are already in line with the recommendations , the RCMP commissioner provided no information indicating that practices have been adjusted since the Kent County events , or that the commission 's concerns have been recognized . ''
Lucki also strongly rejected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information , saying the RCMP must have ready access to data about protesters , even if they have no criminal history .
The RCMP 's right to refuse to implement findings or recommendations , and its statutory obligation to explain itself when it does so , is not meant to provide an opportunity for the police force to act as an appeal body with regard to the commission ’ s findings , the report says .
`` Such a process would amount to giving the RCMP carte blanche to come to its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12 , 2020 .

The RCMP watchdog has uncovered shortcomings with the national force's crowd-control measures, physical searches and collection of social media information while policing anti-fracking protests in New Brunswick. In a long-awaited report issued Thursday, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP chastises the Mounties for their reluctance to take action on some of the findings and recommendations. The commission received 21 public complaints related to the RCMP's management of protests in 2013 over shale-gas exploration by SWN Resources Canada near the town of Rexton and the Elsipogtog First Nation reserve in Kent County, as well as in various other parts of the province. The report notes that a primary motivation for Indigenous protesters opposing the actions of SWN was their dedication to protecting land and water they considered their own, unceded to the Crown through treaty or other agreement. A court-issued injunction limited protests and despite some progress through negotiations between the RCMP and demonstrators, the Mounties cleared an encampment on Oct. 17, 2013, sparking a melee and numerous arrests.
After reviewing the complaints and materials disclosed by the RCMP, the commission then initiated its own investigation in December 2014 to examine the issues more broadly. The commission found considerable evidence that RCMP members "understood and applied a measured approach" in planning their operations and while interacting with protesters. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions However, it also found some distressing problems.
"Several incidents or practices interfered to varying degrees with the protesters' rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly," the commission concluded. The RCMP watchdog has uncovered shortcomings with the national force's crowd-control measures, physical searches and collection of social media information while policing anti-fracking protests in New Brunswick. #RCMP #AntiFracking It stressed that police may only establish "buffer zones" within parameters set by the courts. "As such, decisions to restrict access to public roadways or sites must be specific, reasonable and limited to minimize the impact on people’s rights." The commission also found that some of the RCMP's surveillance practices and physical searches were "inconsistent with protesters' charter rights to be free from unreasonable search and seizure." For example, in conducting "stop checks," RCMP members randomly stopped vehicles for a purpose other than those set out in provincial highway traffic legislation, the report says. "Likewise, while unconfirmed reports about the presence of weapons raised a legitimate public safety concern, searching persons entering the protesters' campsite was inconsistent with the individuals' charter rights."
The commission found that RCMP policy did not provide clear guidance on handling personal information obtained from social media or other open sources, particularly in situations where no criminal activity was involved. The watchdog recommended that RCMP policy describe what personal information from social media sites can be gathered, how it can be used, what steps should be taken to verify its reliability and limits on how long it can be kept. It urges the RCMP to destroy such material once it is clear there is no criminal or national-security dimension.


nationalobserver--2020-11-12--Shell is giving you the option to offset your carbon emissions for two cents per litre

Shell Canada is letting carbon-conscious customers get their two cents in for the environment while filling up at one of its 1,400 stations across Canada .
The Canadian branch of Royal Dutch Shell is launching its Drive Carbon Neutral program today to allow customers to help it produce or buy offset credits to reduce net carbon dioxide emissions from the production , refining and burning of fossil fuels .
The program offered through Shell 's EasyPay app will be free of charge until the end of December when those who choose to continue will be asked to contribute two cents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blamed for global warming .
Shell Canada president Michael Crothers says it 's believed the program is the first of its kind in Canada , adding Shell 's similar offerings in Europe have been well-received , with nearly 20 per cent of customers in Netherlands , for example , signing up .
Shell is also announcing it will provide funding for a B.C .
Interior reforestation project in partnership with Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation , a Tsilhqot ’ in forestry company , to plant 840,000 native trees in areas decimated by wildfires .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservation authorities • Opposition runs high against Quebec natural gas project rest of Canada hears little about Crothers says the cost of the two-year tree-planting project is n't being released but said it could someday provide carbon offset credits if federal and provincial regulations are enacted to make that possible .
`` We see a lot of demand from customers to start helping .
How can a customer who maybe ca n't afford to buy an electric car , but wants to do something to help the environment , get involved ?
, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noting Royal Dutch Shell plans to invest US $ 200 million in 2020 and 2021 in natural ecosystems to act on global climate change.. `` This is part of the transition while we continue to shift our energy mix as a company towards renewable power and renewable fuels . ''
Shell 's presence in Canada was reduced in 2017 when it sold most of its Alberta oilsands assets to Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. , although it is the operator and retains a 10-per-cent interest in the Scotford upgrader and Quest Carbon Capture and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 per cent owned refinery and chemicals plants near Edmonton .
It also heads up the consortium building the $ 40-billion LNG Canada export project on the West Coast and retains interests in conventional oil and gas production .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12 , 2020 .
Shell Canada is letting carbon-conscious customers get their two cents in for the environment while filling up at one of its 1,400 stations across Canada .
# ShellCanada # DriveCarbonNeutral # GlobalWarming

Shell Canada is letting carbon-conscious customers get their two cents in for the environment while filling up at one of its 1,400 stations across Canada.
The Canadian branch of Royal Dutch Shell is launching its Drive Carbon Neutral program today to allow customers to help it produce or buy offset credits to reduce net carbon dioxide emissions from the production, refining and burning of fossil fuels.
The program offered through Shell's EasyPay app will be free of charge until the end of December when those who choose to continue will be asked to contribute two cents per litre to reduce greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
Shell Canada president Michael Crothers says it's believed the program is the first of its kind in Canada, adding Shell's similar offerings in Europe have been well-received, with nearly 20 per cent of customers in Netherlands, for example, signing up.
Shell is also announcing it will provide funding for a B.C. Interior reforestation project in partnership with Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation, a Tsilhqot’in forestry company, to plant 840,000 native trees in areas decimated by wildfires.


nationalobserver--2020-11-12--Ontario sets new COVID-19 case record as Manitoba reports deadliest day

COVID-19 continued its record-setting rise across parts of Canada on Wednesday as Ontario reached another new high for daily infections and Manitoba recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic began .
Health officials reported nine more deaths and 431 new infections in Manitoba -- a province that counted only a handful of active cases throughout much of the summer .
The deaths were concentrated in the Winnipeg area , and more than half were linked to outbreaks in hospitals and care homes .
Both Quebec and Ontario reported about 1,400 new cases , including a new record of 1,426 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of more than 4,000 COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths a day over the past week , according to Canada 's chief public health officer , Dr. Theresa Tam .
• Ford government to take powers away from conservation authorities • Opposition runs high against Quebec natural gas project rest of Canada hears little about In a statement , Tam said the country 's test positivity rate had recently hit 5.8 per cent , and she urged Canadians to continue to follow safety measures such as handwashing , physical distancing and staying away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cumulative number is high and continues to increase , with several regions experiencing accelerated growth , it is important to remember that the vast majority of Canadians remain susceptible to COVID-19 , '' she said .
`` This is why it is important for everyone to continue with individual precautions that will keep ourselves , our families and our communities safer . ''
Ontario 's numbers included at least three cases in London , Ont.
, and five at the University of Windsor that health authorities are linking to large Halloween parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weddings in Vaughan , Ont.
, York Region public health officials said .
Quebec , meanwhile , reported a 39-person spike in hospitalizations , due to what Health Minister Christian Dube said was a rise in infections in several regions of the province .
The province reported 1,378 new cases and another 22 deaths on Wednesday .
COVID-19 continued its record-setting rise across parts of Canada on Wednesday , November 11 , 2020 , as Ontario reached another new high for daily infections and Manitoba recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as deaths continued to be added to Quebec 's total , the province 's public health institute published a study indicating that the novel coronavirus was less lethal over the summer than in the spring .
The study , which measured the proportion of deaths among people with COVID-19 , showed that lethality peaked at 14 per cent between April 5 and May 2 .
It then gradually decreased and stabilized at around one per cent between July and September .
Most provinces opted not to hold COVID-19 briefings as scaled down Remembrance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Royal Canadian Legion explicitly asked Canadians not to attend the ceremonies in person this year out of concern over spread of the virus .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov 11 , 2020

COVID-19 continued its record-setting rise across parts of Canada on Wednesday as Ontario reached another new high for daily infections and Manitoba recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic began. Health officials reported nine more deaths and 431 new infections in Manitoba -- a province that counted only a handful of active cases throughout much of the summer. The deaths were concentrated in the Winnipeg area, and more than half were linked to outbreaks in hospitals and care homes. Both Quebec and Ontario reported about 1,400 new cases, including a new record of 1,426 in Ontario. Canada has diagnosed an average of more than 4,000 COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths a day over the past week, according to Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam.
In a statement, Tam said the country's test positivity rate had recently hit 5.8 per cent, and she urged Canadians to continue to follow safety measures such as handwashing, physical distancing and staying away from crowded, poorly-ventilated spaces. "Though the cumulative number is high and continues to increase, with several regions experiencing accelerated growth, it is important to remember that the vast majority of Canadians remain susceptible to COVID-19," she said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "This is why it is important for everyone to continue with individual precautions that will keep ourselves, our families and our communities safer."
Ontario's numbers included at least three cases in London, Ont., and five at the University of Windsor that health authorities are linking to large Halloween parties. COVID-19 continued its record-setting rise across parts of Canada on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, as Ontario reached another new high for daily infections and Manitoba recorded its deadliest day since the pandemic began. #Covid19 #Canada Another 17 cases were linked to two weddings in Vaughan, Ont., York Region public health officials said. Quebec, meanwhile, reported a 39-person spike in hospitalizations, due to what Health Minister Christian Dube said was a rise in infections in several regions of the province. The province reported 1,378 new cases and another 22 deaths on Wednesday. Even as deaths continued to be added to Quebec's total, the province's public health institute published a study indicating that the novel coronavirus was less lethal over the summer than in the spring. The study, which measured the proportion of deaths among people with COVID-19, showed that lethality peaked at 14 per cent between April 5 and May 2. It then gradually decreased and stabilized at around one per cent between July and September.


nationalobserver--2020-11-12--Assisted-dying bill sparks fiery debate among Canadians with disabilities

The determination of two Quebecers with disabilities to decide when their suffering had become intolerable persuaded the federal government to rewrite the law on medical assistance in dying .
But now advocacy groups for persons with disabilities are the most fierce opponents of the legislation .
Bill C-7 attempts to strike a balance between an individual 's right to personal autonomy and self-determination and the need to protect vulnerable people who might feel pressured — either directly or indirectly by societal attitudes and a lack of support services — into seeking medical help to end their lives .
It would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death is reasonably foreseeable to receive an assisted death .
But it would impose added eligibility hurdles for those who are not near death — safeguards added specifically to help protect the vulnerable .
Those safeguards have done nothing to mollify disability advocates who believe the bill sends a message their lives are not worth living .
• Ford government to take powers away from conservation authorities • Opposition runs high against Quebec natural gas project rest of Canada hears little about `` Our biggest fear has always been that having a disability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suicide , '' Krista Carr , executive vice-president of Inclusion Canada , told the House of Commons justice committee Tuesday .
Catherine Frazee , professor emeritus at Ryerson University 's School of Disability Studies , argued that the government is making it possible for people with disabilities to kill themselves while doing whatever it can to prevent suicide for everyone else .
`` Why only us ? ''
she asked .
`` Why only people whose bodies are altered or painful or in decline ?
Why not everyone who lives outside the margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a neurodegenerative disease that has left him hospitalized , unable to move or care for himself , recounted how he 's been denied home care and allegedly been pressured by hospital staff to seek an assisted death .
People with disabilities debate law on medical assistance in dying .
# AssistedDying # MAID # cdnpoli # cdnlegal `` My life has been devalued .
I have been coerced into an assisted death by abuse , neglect , lack of care and threats , '' said Foley .
He has launched a court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` assisted life . ''
Carr told the committee that `` every national disability organization is opposed '' to Bill C-7 but their voices are `` are getting drowned out by people who do not experience the systemic marginalization , the poverty and the very difficult lack of supports and life circumstances that people with disabilities experience that lead them into situations where MAID ( medical assistance in dying ) is either promoted to them or they feel like it 's their only option . ''
But while disability rights organizations may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the individuals they purport to represent are not .
`` They can not possibly represent and speak for all persons with a disability .
Obviously , because you know they do n't speak for me , '' Sen. Chantal Petitclerc , who won multiple medals as a Paralympic athlete , said in an interview .
She is sponsoring Bill C-7 in the Senate .
Nor , she said , do they speak for Nicole Gladu or Jean Truchon , the two Montrealers who successfully challenged a provision in the assisted-dying law that restricted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death is reasonably foreseeable .
Neither Gladu , who uses a wheelchair due to post-polio syndrome , nor Truchon , who lost the use of all four limbs due to cerebral palsy , qualified for an assisted death because they were n't near death .
Last fall , Quebec Superior Court Justice Christine Baudouin struck down the foreseeable death restriction as an infringement of the guarantee of `` life , liberty and security of the person '' under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms .
She gave the government six months to amend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18 — and , in the meantime , granted an exemption to Gladu and Truchon to seek an assisted death immediately .
Truchon did so in April .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 's government chose not to appeal the ruling and Bill C-7 is intended to bring the law into compliance .
Petitclerc , who sits as a member of the Independent Senators Group , opposed the original assisted-dying law in 2016 because it excluded people suffering intolerably from disabling conditions who were n't near death .
She warned at the time that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting the vulnerable and patronizing them . ''
She thinks the government has struck a better balance in C-7 .
She noted that for anyone not near death , the bill would add a number of new safeguards .
That includes an explicit requirement they be informed of all available means to relieve their suffering , including counselling services , mental health and disability support services , community services and palliative care , and be offered consultations with professionals who provide such services .
As well , one of the two medical practitioners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the person 's medical condition .
Both must agree the person has seriously considered alternative means to relieve their suffering .
`` I feel that this offers protection , safeguards , without being patronizing , '' Petitclerc said .
Steven Fletcher , a former MP , federal cabinet minister and Manitoba member of the legislative assembly , said the new safeguards and talk of protecting the vulnerable are `` insulting '' and `` condescending . ''
Fletcher , who has been living with quadriplegia the age of 23 after his car hit a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disabilities should have the same right , under the same rules , as everyone else to decide when their suffering has become intolerable .
He said there is a huge range of disabling conditions and argued no one , including disability rights groups , can decide for someone else what is tolerable .
`` Everyone is a minority of one , '' Fletcher said in an interview .
`` From that perspective , everyone should have all the rights and responsibilities … as everyone else .
And when you look at it from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't make any sense anymore because we 're going to be protecting the rights of everyone , period . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11 , 2020 .

The determination of two Quebecers with disabilities to decide when their suffering had become intolerable persuaded the federal government to rewrite the law on medical assistance in dying. But now advocacy groups for persons with disabilities are the most fierce opponents of the legislation. Bill C-7 attempts to strike a balance between an individual's right to personal autonomy and self-determination and the need to protect vulnerable people who might feel pressured — either directly or indirectly by societal attitudes and a lack of support services — into seeking medical help to end their lives. It would make it easier for people whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable to receive an assisted death. But it would impose added eligibility hurdles for those who are not near death — safeguards added specifically to help protect the vulnerable. Those safeguards have done nothing to mollify disability advocates who believe the bill sends a message their lives are not worth living.
"Our biggest fear has always been that having a disability would become an acceptable reason for state-provided suicide," Krista Carr, executive vice-president of Inclusion Canada, told the House of Commons justice committee Tuesday. "Bill C-7 is our worst nightmare." Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Catherine Frazee, professor emeritus at Ryerson University's School of Disability Studies, argued that the government is making it possible for people with disabilities to kill themselves while doing whatever it can to prevent suicide for everyone else.
"Why only us?" she asked. People with disabilities debate law on medical assistance in dying. #AssistedDying #MAID #cdnpoli #cdnlegal "Why only people whose bodies are altered or painful or in decline? Why not everyone who lives outside the margin?" Roger Foley, a 45-year-old with a neurodegenerative disease that has left him hospitalized, unable to move or care for himself, recounted how he's been denied home care and allegedly been pressured by hospital staff to seek an assisted death. "My life has been devalued. I have been coerced into an assisted death by abuse, neglect, lack of care and threats," said Foley. He has launched a court challenge based on his right to an "assisted life."
Carr told the committee that "every national disability organization is opposed" to Bill C-7 but their voices are "are getting drowned out by people who do not experience the systemic marginalization, the poverty and the very difficult lack of supports and life circumstances that people with disabilities experience that lead them into situations where MAID (medical assistance in dying) is either promoted to them or they feel like it's their only option." But while disability rights organizations may be united in opposition to the bill, the individuals they purport to represent are not. "They cannot possibly represent and speak for all persons with a disability. Obviously, because you know they don't speak for me," Sen. Chantal Petitclerc, who won multiple medals as a Paralympic athlete, said in an interview.


nationalobserver--2020-11-13--First Nation to launch lawsuits for damages against N.S. commercial fishers

A Mi'kmaq First Nation that encountered violence after it opened a self-regulated lobster fishery says it will launch a series of lawsuits against non-Indigenous fishers for alleged damages incurred by its members .
The band also intends to file a constitutional challenge against a provincial law that has prevented the band from selling its lobster catch , Ron Pink , the lawyer for Sipekne ’ katik First Nation , said Thursday .
`` We 're pursuing injuries to individuals and disruption to their fishing by certain individuals , '' Pink told a news conference at the band office .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who interfere with our fishery . ''
The lawsuits , he said , will also target fish buyers and other businesses that refused to deal with the Mi'kmaq community after it launched its lobster fishery in St. Marys Bay from a wharf in Saulnierville , N.S .
Pink said the band plans to launch multiple complaints before the RCMP 's civilian review commission regarding the federal police force 's response to violence against band members .
`` We are not going to allow this discrimination and bullying tactics by the federal government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` We 're not going to put up with it any more . ''
• Ford government to take powers away from conservation authorities • Opposition runs high against Quebec natural gas project rest of Canada hears little about The lawsuits result from months of tension surrounding the band 's decision to launch a self-regulated lobster fishery in September outside the federally run fishing season .
Pink and Indigenous fishers say a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision affirmed the Mi'kmaq treaty right to fish for a `` moderate livelihood '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision was later clarified by the court , whose members said the federal government could regulate the Mi'kmaq treaty right for conservation and other limited purposes .
Non-Indigenous fishers say the self-regulated fishery violates the Supreme Court decision and should be closed .
Ruth Inniss , adviser with the Maritime Fishermen 's Union , says Pink 's allegations and threats are unhelpful at a time when her group and others are trying to cool tensions and to negotiate with Mi'kmaq fishers .
`` We need to come together and find solutions to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These allegations are n't helpful .
Dialogue is helpful .
There have been altercations on both sides . ''
Sipekne ’ katik Chief Mike Sack , however , says he believes the lawsuits will help protect his members from the intimidation tactics they 've had to endure over the past two months .
Those include the destruction of a lobster pound and the burning of a Sipekne ’ katik band member 's van .
Sack said the band will sue captains of commercial fishing boats for assault , battery and harassment .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , one way or another , '' the chief said .
A # Mi'kmaq First Nation says it will launch a series of lawsuits against non-Indigenous fishers for alleged damages incurred by its members during a lobster dispute .
# cdnpoli # NovaScotia # mikmaqrights # lobsterdispute Court action is already working , he said , referring to a Nova Scotia Supreme Court order prohibiting anyone from `` threatening , coercing , harassing or intimidating '' band members or people doing business with them .
`` The injunction is working very well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's keeping a lot of people away ( from the Indigenous fishers ) . ''
Pink said the first lawsuits will be filed in December .
The constitutional challenge against the province , he said , will be a separate action that will target Nova Scotia 's system for granting fish-buying licences .
Premier Stephen McNeil has argued that the federal government must first define a `` moderate livelihood '' fishery before the province can allow buyers to legally purchase lobster from one .
Sack 's band will not participate in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late November , citing safety issues .
But the band , he said , intends to keep the boats that are part of its self-regulated fishery at the wharf in Saulnierville .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12 , 2020 .

A Mi'kmaq First Nation that encountered violence after it opened a self-regulated lobster fishery says it will launch a series of lawsuits against non-Indigenous fishers for alleged damages incurred by its members. The band also intends to file a constitutional challenge against a provincial law that has prevented the band from selling its lobster catch, Ron Pink, the lawyer for Sipekne’katik First Nation, said Thursday. "We're pursuing injuries to individuals and disruption to their fishing by certain individuals," Pink told a news conference at the band office. "We'll have lawsuits against all those who interfere with our fishery." The lawsuits, he said, will also target fish buyers and other businesses that refused to deal with the Mi'kmaq community after it launched its lobster fishery in St. Marys Bay from a wharf in Saulnierville, N.S. Pink said the band plans to launch multiple complaints before the RCMP's civilian review commission regarding the federal police force's response to violence against band members. "We are not going to allow this discrimination and bullying tactics by the federal government and their agencies against us," Pink said. "We're not going to put up with it any more."
The lawsuits result from months of tension surrounding the band's decision to launch a self-regulated lobster fishery in September outside the federally run fishing season. Pink and Indigenous fishers say a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision affirmed the Mi'kmaq treaty right to fish for a "moderate livelihood" when and where they want. That decision was later clarified by the court, whose members said the federal government could regulate the Mi'kmaq treaty right for conservation and other limited purposes. Non-Indigenous fishers say the self-regulated fishery violates the Supreme Court decision and should be closed. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Ruth Inniss, adviser with the Maritime Fishermen's Union, says Pink's allegations and threats are unhelpful at a time when her group and others are trying to cool tensions and to negotiate with Mi'kmaq fishers.
"We need to come together and find solutions to this together," she said. "These allegations aren't helpful. Dialogue is helpful. There have been altercations on both sides." A #Mi'kmaq First Nation says it will launch a series of lawsuits against non-Indigenous fishers for alleged damages incurred by its members during a lobster dispute. #cdnpoli #NovaScotia #mikmaqrights #lobsterdispute Sipekne’katik Chief Mike Sack, however, says he believes the lawsuits will help protect his members from the intimidation tactics they've had to endure over the past two months. Those include the destruction of a lobster pound and the burning of a Sipekne’katik band member's van. Sack said the band will sue captains of commercial fishing boats for assault, battery and harassment. "They're going to be held accountable here, one way or another," the chief said. Court action is already working, he said, referring to a Nova Scotia Supreme Court order prohibiting anyone from "threatening, coercing, harassing or intimidating'' band members or people doing business with them. "The injunction is working very well," Sack said Thursday. "It's keeping a lot of people away (from the Indigenous fishers)." Pink said the first lawsuits will be filed in December. The constitutional challenge against the province, he said, will be a separate action that will target Nova Scotia's system for granting fish-buying licences.


nationalobserver--2020-11-13--COVID-19 testing numbers down as positive case numbers soar in most provinces

Two months after the City of Ottawa scrambled to expand its COVID-19 testing options to deal with a massive spike in demand , it is now set to cut back on hours at testing sites this weekend because far fewer people are showing up for a swab .
The decline mirrors what is happening in much of the rest of the country , with average daily testing numbers down more than 25 per cent compared to a month ago , even as positive cases soar .
On Oct. 15 , the Public Health Agency of Canada reported an average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day over the previous week , the highest it had ever been .
That fell to an average daily count of 61,000 a week ago , and to below 55,000 this week .
In mid-October , Canada had about 2,300 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed each day .
This week , that number grew to above 4,000 .
Ontario , which on Thursday recorded its fifth record case total in the last six days , was aiming to have 68,000 tests daily by the middle of November .
It has n't hit 40,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and twice dropped below 30,000 tests per day .
• Ford government to take powers away from conservation authorities • Opposition runs high against Quebec natural gas project rest of Canada hears little about The province averaged 38,273 tests per day in October , and this month so far the daily average is 33,870 .
British Columbia averaged 9,369 tests last month .
So far in November the average daily test number is 8,553 .
In many provinces the testing numbers bounce around dramatically .
In Quebec , the province tested 30,919 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the dropped below 19,000 .
By Nov. 10 , it was back up over 30,000 .
Dr. Howard Njoo , the deputy chief public health officer , said last week the decline could be because local health authorities were offering testing to almost anyone who asked for it earlier this fall , regardless of whether they had symptoms or possible exposure to an infected person .
`` I think people are now recognizing that the best approach could or should be more focused that it may not be the best use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow down the testing for those who actually need it , '' he said Nov. 6 .
Ontario 's testing system was unruly in September , forcing the province to massively expand hours and locations of testing sites , make an appointment booking process , and changed the criteria so people without symptoms did n't clog the lines .
In Ottawa , the testing task force that in September was begging people not to get tested unless they had symptoms began last week to beg people to go get a test .
Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city 's main testing sites are being cut from 11 hours a day to eight because so many appointments were going unfilled .
Ottawa public health chief Dr. Vera Etches said weekends have become particularly slow .
She said the overall numbers have come back a bit from earlier in November and did n't express alarm that not enough people are being tested , saying it could be due to Ottawa 's declining infection rate .
Ottawa has mostly bucked Ontario 's trend of rising cases , with the infection rate falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 38 this week .
Toronto 's grew from 57 to almost 100 over that time .
`` You know , if the virus level is dropping , there may be more people without symptoms or fewer people with symptoms presenting to be tested , '' Etches said .
But she said she still wants people to know if they have symptoms , even very mild ones , getting a test is the responsible thing to do because `` we have to detect as much COVID as possible . ''
`` And so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're watching and we continue to work with our partners that run the testing system to try to explore more , '' she said .

Two months after the City of Ottawa scrambled to expand its COVID-19 testing options to deal with a massive spike in demand, it is now set to cut back on hours at testing sites this weekend because far fewer people are showing up for a swab. The decline mirrors what is happening in much of the rest of the country, with average daily testing numbers down more than 25 per cent compared to a month ago, even as positive cases soar. On Oct. 15, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported an average of 77,000 COVID-19 tests had been completed each day over the previous week, the highest it had ever been. That fell to an average daily count of 61,000 a week ago, and to below 55,000 this week. In mid-October, Canada had about 2,300 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed each day. This week, that number grew to above 4,000. Ontario, which on Thursday recorded its fifth record case total in the last six days, was aiming to have 68,000 tests daily by the middle of November. It hasn't hit 40,000 tests once in those six days, and twice dropped below 30,000 tests per day.
The province averaged 38,273 tests per day in October, and this month so far the daily average is 33,870. British Columbia averaged 9,369 tests last month. So far in November the average daily test number is 8,553. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions In many provinces the testing numbers bounce around dramatically. In Quebec, the province tested 30,919 people on Nov. 5. Three days later, the dropped below 19,000. By Nov. 10, it was back up over 30,000.
Dr. Howard Njoo, the deputy chief public health officer, said last week the decline could be because local health authorities were offering testing to almost anyone who asked for it earlier this fall, regardless of whether they had symptoms or possible exposure to an infected person. Demand for COVID-19 tests drops as case numbers soar. #Covid19 #pandemic #tests "I think people are now recognizing that the best approach could or should be more focused that it may not be the best use of resources and it may actually sort of slow down the testing for those who actually need it," he said Nov. 6. Ontario's testing system was unruly in September, forcing the province to massively expand hours and locations of testing sites, make an appointment booking process, and changed the criteria so people without symptoms didn't clog the lines. In Ottawa, the testing task force that in September was begging people not to get tested unless they had symptoms began last week to beg people to go get a test. Today, the weekend hours at one of the city's main testing sites are being cut from 11 hours a day to eight because so many appointments were going unfilled. Ottawa public health chief Dr. Vera Etches said weekends have become particularly slow. She said the overall numbers have come back a bit from earlier in November and didn't express alarm that not enough people are being tested, saying it could be due to Ottawa's declining infection rate.
Ottawa has mostly bucked Ontario's trend of rising cases, with the infection rate falling from 70 per 100,000 people in mid-October to 38 this week. Toronto's grew from 57 to almost 100 over that time. "You know, if the virus level is dropping, there may be more people without symptoms or fewer people with symptoms presenting to be tested," Etches said. But she said she still wants people to know if they have symptoms, even very mild ones, getting a test is the responsible thing to do because "we have to detect as much COVID as possible."


nationalobserver--2020-11-13--Queer youth, elders foster intergenerational conversation amid COVID-19

When Tyler Sloane was growing up in a small , mostly white town in the Prairies , it was difficult to find anyone in real life they could relate to .
Like many young people in search of community in the internet age , they found it online .
So it has not been too much of a stretch for the 27-year-old drag and burlesque performer to revert to that mode as they facilitate a series of online conversations between queer youth and elders .
“ When the pandemic hit , it was oddly familiar to be at home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the multidisciplinary artist and community organizer said in a Zoom interview .
“ It felt very familiar , except this time I knew a critical mass of queer folks , and there ’ s so much more social media than when I was younger.
” The transition has not been as smooth for the elders in the intergenerational dialogue , but Sloane and their co-host , longtime queer activist LeZlie Lee Kam , took turns troubleshooting on the fly during last month ’ s opening episode of the third season of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take powers away from conservation authorities • Opposition runs high against Quebec natural gas project rest of Canada hears little about The project aims to bridge the gap between young LGBTQ+ people and those over 55 , who often have a wealth of knowledge and liberation history to impart , but also risk being pushed back into the closet by isolation .
“ This is a project that I believe is necessary even outside of the queer community , ” Sloane said .
“ I feel like intergenerational conversation is urgently necessary for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the enforced restrictions of 2020 have thrown their schedule out the window and made it harder to read body language and other cues of participants in community conversations , but it has also helped to clarify and simplify their life .
“ The virtual world might feel , there might be a lot of dissonance with people ...
I do n't think it could ever replace the energy of having another body in the room , but I 've oddly probably been the most well in mind , body and spirit than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because I was able to slow down.
” The online edition also makes it possible for people to attend who would otherwise be unable to get to the Buddies in Bad Times theatre on the outskirts of Toronto ’ s gay village , Sloane said , noting that the October edition had people tuning in from across Ontario as well as Trinidad and Israel .
“ We 've entered collectively a moment where we have realized that while video chat may produce fatigue and dissonance , it has opened a door for accessibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who don ’ t have the additional time needed for travel or who either can ’ t leave their homes or can ’ t get into specific buildings .
“ This is a project that I believe is necessary even outside of the queer community , ” said @ tyjsloane , youth facilitator of In Conversations .
“ I feel like intergenerational conversation is urgently necessary for all communities across the board.
” They said they hope those involved in art and community building do not drop remote options when life starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If a vaccine comes and we leave this modality behind , then we 've done a disservice in the progression of where we need to go to be more accessible to all people , ” Sloane said .
The next episode of the monthly series takes place on Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will consider the theme of new beginnings in the context of the wrenching changes and questioning of structures , institutions and systems 2020 has sparked .
There will be additional events in December , January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will bring in three more facilitators to record a podcast .
A promotional image for the next In Conservation event .
Photo via Buddies in Bad Times website Sloane said the relationship they have with Lee Kam is a beautiful example of the dialogue they hope to encourage .
“ When her and I are talking , which is often quite late at night because we 're both busy people , we 're jamming about how to make space and wanting to talk about these oppressions that can happen either with seniors or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community in general , ” they explained .
The two then try to turn these conversations into prompts so participants feel they can speak to the topic and share an anecdote , thought or question .
“ It 's a lot of me and her butting heads really beautifully , ” they said of the passionate argument-conversations that emerge .
“ But we always come to this delicious compromise.
” Outside of the In Conversations series , Sloane performs as part of the all-male Boylesque TO troupe and helps connect marginalized youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Working Arts .
The non-profit offers free art workshops and residences covering mediums such as ceramics , screen printing , visual arts , dance and movement , DJing , music and culinary arts to young people who would otherwise not have access to them .
Sloane said they had their full year planned out before the pandemic hit , with trips scheduled to Edinburgh , Las Vegas and across Canada for various projects .
“ And now I 'm sitting in what I will refer to as a wonderful place of the unknown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 will hold .
”

When Tyler Sloane was growing up in a small, mostly white town in the Prairies, it was difficult to find anyone in real life they could relate to. Like many young people in search of community in the internet age, they found it online. So it has not been too much of a stretch for the 27-year-old drag and burlesque performer to revert to that mode as they facilitate a series of online conversations between queer youth and elders. “When the pandemic hit, it was oddly familiar to be at home in my room longing for a community connection,” the multidisciplinary artist and community organizer said in a Zoom interview. “It felt very familiar, except this time I knew a critical mass of queer folks, and there’s so much more social media than when I was younger.” The transition has not been as smooth for the elders in the intergenerational dialogue, but Sloane and their co-host, longtime queer activist LeZlie Lee Kam, took turns troubleshooting on the fly during last month’s opening episode of the third season of In Conversation.
The project aims to bridge the gap between young LGBTQ+ people and those over 55, who often have a wealth of knowledge and liberation history to impart, but also risk being pushed back into the closet by isolation. “This is a project that I believe is necessary even outside of the queer community,” Sloane said. “I feel like intergenerational conversation is urgently necessary for all communities across the board.” Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Sloane said the enforced restrictions of 2020 have thrown their schedule out the window and made it harder to read body language and other cues of participants in community conversations, but it has also helped to clarify and simplify their life.
“The virtual world might feel, there might be a lot of dissonance with people ... I don't think it could ever replace the energy of having another body in the room, but I've oddly probably been the most well in mind, body and spirit than I have in a very long time because I was able to slow down.” “This is a project that I believe is necessary even outside of the queer community,” said @tyjsloane, youth facilitator of In Conversation. “I feel like intergenerational conversation is urgently necessary for all communities across the board.” The online edition also makes it possible for people to attend who would otherwise be unable to get to the Buddies in Bad Times theatre on the outskirts of Toronto’s gay village, Sloane said, noting that the October edition had people tuning in from across Ontario as well as Trinidad and Israel. “We've entered collectively a moment where we have realized that while video chat may produce fatigue and dissonance, it has opened a door for accessibility,” they said, including for those who don’t have the additional time needed for travel or who either can’t leave their homes or can’t get into specific buildings. They said they hope those involved in art and community building do not drop remote options when life starts to return to some type of normality. “If a vaccine comes and we leave this modality behind, then we've done a disservice in the progression of where we need to go to be more accessible to all people,” Sloane said.
The next episode of the monthly series takes place on Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will consider the theme of new beginnings in the context of the wrenching changes and questioning of structures, institutions and systems 2020 has sparked. There will be additional events in December, January and February, and then the project will bring in three more facilitators to record a podcast. A promotional image for the next In Conservation event. Photo via Buddies in Bad Times website


nationalobserver--2020-11-13--Indigenous archeologist unearthing her ancestors' legacy on the land

Archeologist Christine Roberts ’ work takes her up densely forested mountainsides and down coastal beaches as she delves into the lives of her First Nations ancestors .
But lately , Roberts ’ job has her sifting for treasure on the side of a highway with the roar of traffic and the ocean around her .
Roberts , a member of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation , is monitoring excavations during upgrades to Highway 19 along the east coast of Vancouver Island near Campbell River .
The highway , constructed decades ago , runs through the heart of her nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the asphalt being torn up lies on historical sites already disturbed during previous bouts of construction , Roberts said .
• Ford government to take powers away from conservation authorities • Opposition runs high against Quebec natural gas project rest of Canada hears little about But now as crews work , they call out Roberts any time they uncover anything that might be significant — especially if they spot signs of a shell midden .
Shellfish remnants and other materials deposited in middens are valuable evidence of former Indigenous communities , and are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bones , artifacts or tools and even human remains .
And so far , Roberts has struck gold .
“ It ’ s been pretty interesting because I think we ’ ve found over 30 different spots that weren ’ t documented before , ” Roberts said .
She and her co-workers have also unearthed bone points likely embedded in an ancient herring rake , chipped stone artifacts and a human finger bone .
“ So , a lot of ( these sites have ) been disturbed before , ” Roberts said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ history and their connection to their land doesn ’ t get old for archeologist Christine Roberts , a member of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation .
“ But just the fact of knowing that they are there is really interesting , and it just adds to our story a little bit.
” One find that particularly intrigues Roberts is a beautifully carved bone ornament that emerged from the debris .
“ When you ’ re going through a bunch of dirt and then something like that pops up , it 's pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it might be part of a bracelet , earring or amulet .
Archeologist Christine Roberts found a carved bone fragment while monitoring construction along Highway 19 near Campbell River .
Photo courtesy of Christine Roberts The excitement of unearthing First Nations ’ history and their connection to their land doesn ’ t get old for Roberts .
That wonder and satisfaction is what hooked her in the first place .
“ I ’ ve kind of found my little niche , I guess , ” said Roberts , who got her first taste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a First Nations monitor , accompanying archeologists in the field .
“ I used to go out with the archeologists in the field , but now I ’ m that archeologist , ” she said .
“ I really enjoyed the job , so I got my degree.
” Roberts makes it sound simple .
But she was a single mom of six , with three kids still at home .
She had to do a lot of commuting to Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo , a two-hour drive away , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schooling happen .
But her efforts resulted in interesting work and unique experiences , she said .
Roberts participated in an extensive , multidisciplinary archeological project with the Hakai Institute that examined 13,000 years of human habitation on Quadra Island and research into First Nations clam gardens .
More recently , much of Roberts ’ work with the Wei Wai Kum involves investigating , protecting or monitoring archeological sites on traditional territory , particularly in areas where forestry or other industrial activity is occurring .
That can mean being helicoptered into remote forestry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids of weather .
“ They can drop us off and you might have to climb up 45 minutes just to get to the block.
” But Roberts would rather be outside than at a desk .
She searches areas identified as possible archeological sites for stone burial cairns , ancient rock shelters , tools and artifacts or culturally modified trees ( CMTs ) .
These are trees , typically red or yellow cedars , which ancestors harvested for bark , wood or otherwise carved or adapted , she said .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bark off , and once we 've done that , the tree kind of curls over on itself , ” Roberts said .
“ So , you can tell ( CMTs ) by how they healed.
” The trees are protected , and if enough are found in a cut block , logging the block can be prohibited , she added .
Roberts , who has been working as an archeologist for two decades , likes that the results of her work benefit her nation directly .
“ It ’ s something that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my own territory .
And , it 's the history of my people , ” she said , adding she relies on traditional knowledge-keepers for insights into her work .
Iain McKechnie , who heads the Historical Ecology and Coastal Archaeology Lab at the University of Victoria , said the ever-increasing number of Indigenous archeologists brings additional richness to the discipline .
“ Knowing your own territory and being able to consult with your community members about that territory , and then bringing forward all of the skills that archeologists globally practise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position that you can have as an archeologist , ” McKechnie said .
The 14,000 years of human history along the B.C .
coast overwhelmingly equates to Indigenous history , he added .
So , a culturally informed approach to archeology benefits both Indigenous communities and academia , McKechnie said .
“ That enables a real sharpening of our understanding of human history , ” he said .
Beyond gaining more knowledge about their ancestors , First Nations can use archeological data to inform contemporary conservation or environmental management decisions , or to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or industry , McKechnie said .
While Roberts ’ work around the past can inform the present , it ’ s also shaping the future .
She has taught schoolchildren , Indigenous and not , about her work investigating clam gardens .
“ They seem to enjoy it , and it ’ s nice to get them looking at the beaches where they live a little differently , ” Roberts said .
First Nations have been shaping and adapting their habitat on the B.C .
coast for millennia , she said .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of belonging , a tie to the land she works on .
“ I love my job , ” Roberts said .
“ I always feel I ’ m where I belong .
Where I should be .
”

Much of the asphalt being torn up lies on historical sites already disturbed during previous bouts of construction, Roberts said.
The highway, constructed decades ago, runs through the heart of her nation’s traditional territory.
Roberts, a member of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, is monitoring excavations during upgrades to Highway 19 along the east coast of Vancouver Island near Campbell River.
But lately, Roberts’ job has her sifting for treasure on the side of a highway with the roar of traffic and the ocean around her.
Archeologist Christine Roberts’ work takes her up densely forested mountainsides and down coastal beaches as she delves into the lives of her First Nations ancestors.
And so far, Roberts has struck gold.
Shellfish remnants and other materials deposited in middens are valuable evidence of former Indigenous communities, and are archeological caches that can also include animal bones, artifacts or tools and even human remains.
But now as crews work, they call out Roberts any time they uncover anything that might be significant — especially if they spot signs of a shell midden.
One find that particularly intrigues Roberts is a beautifully carved bone ornament that emerged from the debris.
“But just the fact of knowing that they are there is really interesting, and it just adds to our story a little bit.”
“So, a lot of (these sites have) been disturbed before,” Roberts said.
She and her co-workers have also unearthed bone points likely embedded in an ancient herring rake, chipped stone artifacts and a human finger bone.
“It’s been pretty interesting because I think we’ve found over 30 different spots that weren’t documented before,” Roberts said.
The excitement of unearthing First Nations’ history and their connection to their land doesn’t get old for Roberts. That wonder and satisfaction is what hooked her in the first place.
“When you’re going through a bunch of dirt and then something like that pops up, it's pretty cool,” she said, adding it might be part of a bracelet, earring or amulet.
“I’ve kind of found my little niche, I guess,” said Roberts, who got her first taste of the discipline while she was working as a First Nations monitor, accompanying archeologists in the field.
“I used to go out with the archeologists in the field, but now I’m that archeologist,” she said.
“I really enjoyed the job, so I got my degree.”
Roberts makes it sound simple. But she was a single mom of six, with three kids still at home.
She had to do a lot of commuting to Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, a two-hour drive away, and juggle her family schedule to make her schooling happen.
But her efforts resulted in interesting work and unique experiences, she said.
Roberts participated in an extensive, multidisciplinary archeological project with the Hakai Institute that examined 13,000 years of human habitation on Quadra Island and research into First Nations clam gardens.
More recently, much of Roberts’ work with the Wei Wai Kum involves investigating, protecting or monitoring archeological sites on traditional territory, particularly in areas where forestry or other industrial activity is occurring.
That can mean being helicoptered into remote forestry cut blocks and slogging around in all kids of weather.
“It’s a lot of traipsing around,” Roberts said.
“They can drop us off and you might have to climb up 45 minutes just to get to the block.”
But Roberts would rather be outside than at a desk.
She searches areas identified as possible archeological sites for stone burial cairns, ancient rock shelters, tools and artifacts or culturally modified trees (CMTs).
These are trees, typically red or yellow cedars, which ancestors harvested for bark, wood or otherwise carved or adapted, she said.
“They usually took about six inches of the bark off, and once we've done that, the tree kind of curls over on itself,” Roberts said.
“So, you can tell (CMTs) by how they healed.”
The trees are protected, and if enough are found in a cut block, logging the block can be prohibited, she added.
Roberts, who has been working as an archeologist for two decades, likes that the results of her work benefit her nation directly.
“It’s something that needs to be done and it's in my own territory. And, it's the history of my people,” she said, adding she relies on traditional knowledge-keepers for insights into her work.
Iain McKechnie, who heads the Historical Ecology and Coastal Archaeology Lab at the University of Victoria, said the ever-increasing number of Indigenous archeologists brings additional richness to the discipline.
“Knowing your own territory and being able to consult with your community members about that territory, and then bringing forward all of the skills that archeologists globally practise — that's the strongest kind of position that you can have as an archeologist,” McKechnie said.
The 14,000 years of human history along the B.C. coast overwhelmingly equates to Indigenous history, he added.
So, a culturally informed approach to archeology benefits both Indigenous communities and academia, McKechnie said.
“That enables a real sharpening of our understanding of human history,” he said.
Beyond gaining more knowledge about their ancestors, First Nations can use archeological data to inform contemporary conservation or environmental management decisions, or to strengthen negotiations with various levels of government or industry, McKechnie said.
While Roberts’ work around the past can inform the present, it’s also shaping the future.
She has taught schoolchildren, Indigenous and not, about her work investigating clam gardens.
“They seem to enjoy it, and it’s nice to get them looking at the beaches where they live a little differently,” Roberts said.
First Nations have been shaping and adapting their habitat on the B.C. coast for millennia, she said.
So, her work gives her a profound sense of belonging, a tie to the land she works on.
“I love my job,” Roberts said. “I always feel I’m where I belong. Where I should be.”
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer


nationalobserver--2020-11-13--Movie reviews: A new holiday classic, a gay love story and a festival’s family charmer

There are so many new films this week , I couldn ’ t cover them all .
One , a comedy-horror film , I had no chance to preview , two others I ’ ve postponed to next week and one , The New Corporation , I ’ ve written about before .
It ’ s a second look at the misdeeds of modern companies and I highly recommended it when it was in Vancouver for the film festival ; it ’ s now streaming at VIFF Connect .
AMMONITE : This is the third film I ’ ve seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a real person from the past is reinterpreted as a lesbian .
Mary Anning , the English paleontologist from the 1840s , wasn ’ t known as one , but as the director Francis Lee argues , she wasn ’ t known as heterosexual , either .
So , she ’ s fair game , I guess , and brought to life with star power .
Kate Winslet plays her as a resentful fossil hunter working on her own while the scientific establishment disregards her .
Women don ’ t do science , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In comes a man who does admire her work , but has a devious purpose : To park his wife ( Saoirse Ronan ) for a few weeks to get over her melancholia .
“ It is a woman ’ s position to care for a fellow sister , is it not ?
” he says .
The film is quite obvious in stating its feminist themes .
The inventor ’ s granddaughter ( Madalen Mills ) arrives first , though , and with a sunny philosophy of “ you have to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boy named Edison tries to complete the invention .
Naturally , they manage to break it first .
Their efforts , the impending confrontation and the temper of the times ( Victorian England ) are propelled with songs , one written by John Legend , who is also one of the producers .
There are quiet ballads and huge production numbers with people dancing in the streets .
Whitaker and Key both show they can sing , but the star is newcomer Mills , charming and outgoing .
Ricky Martin voices a pompous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a kind ” ) and there ’ s a terrific snowball fight .
The family will love it all .
( Netflix ) 4½ out of 5 The story , as read by a grandmother ( Phylicia Rashad ) , is about a great inventor of children ’ s toys ( Forest Whitaker ) who has fallen on hard times .
His assistant ran off with his book of future designs and won toymaker of the year over and over again with them .
Now , years later and played by Keegan-Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s one special unfinished toy back at the shop and comes to get it .
JINGLE JANGLE : A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY : The Yuletide movies are coming .
The Hallmark and Lifetime channels between them have 70 this year , but it ’ s going to be hard to find one better than this Netflix offering .
It ’ s being promoted as an instant classic , and I agree .
The story is new , the settings are beautiful and there ’ s a nice mix of sentiment and robust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the writer-director , originally wrote it as a stage show and transferred the action to the screen with spectacular results .
ALL ABOUT ME : The Cinematheque ’ s annual European Union Film Festival is back and opens with a real charmer from Germany .
All About Me tells of the early life of a popular comedian named Hape Kerkeling and proves to be a statement about family and the strength it engenders as well as a potent life credo : “ When you know what you want , just do it.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a moving story of a boy suffering a harsh home life ( mom dies by suicide , dad leaves , two grandmothers raise him ) who finds a way out of his despair with laughter .
He ’ s a natural performer , even as a young child , and he delights in his ability to make people laugh .
The two women have a testy relationship at first and the early parts of the film are the most interesting as they work around their differences .
Winslet is playing withdrawn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes alive believably .
Then as the film seriously slows down , the sad one suddenly kisses the grumpy one and that leads to two extremely realistic sex scenes .
She ’ s able to “ unlock something ” in the lonely woman .
Can it last ?
Jealousy swells up at a tony musical evening and resentment returns on a visit to the British Museum .
The narrative is strong ; the chemistry between them not so much .
( International Village and several suburban theatres ) 3 out of 5 Families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living room will enjoy it completely .
Young Julius Weckauf is perfect as the nine-year-old kid version with a slight show-off tendency and a lot of reason to find liberation in his show-playing .
The relatives are supportive and the family ambience is touching .
Quite a special film .
Trivia : Kerkeling , who became a major TV personality , was also the voice of Olaf in the German dub of Frozen .
( Streaming , includes an interview with the director ) 4 out of 5 The whole festival is streaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Check for content at euffonline.ca and find local Vancouver details here .
HILLBILLY ELEGY : Critics are giving Ron Howard ’ s new film an extremely rough time .
It has problems but doesn ’ t deserve this .
Howard is a mainstream filmmaker , accept it and remember that he can entertain .
And then think of two wonderful performances in this one , Amy Adams as a drug-addled rural mom from Kentucky , and her equally difficult mom , played by Glenn Close .
She ’ s sure to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year for this brave performance , the makeup and clothing that make her look ugly and shabby and the fact that she has been nominated seven times before .
Her acting is compelling in this one .
The film is taken from a bestselling memoir by J.D .
Vance , played here by Gabriel Basso .
Unfortunately , it cuts back on a major part of the book — the analysis of hillbilly country folks , their lives , insular society and lack of opportunity — and mostly focuses on his personal story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopes to go to Yale University and is called back to Kentucky where he grew up .
Through flashbacks and meet-ups , he recalls his life there , his mother ’ s struggles with addiction and his grandmother ’ s equally erratic ways .
The focus is on the family , and by downplaying the society they live in and that shaped them , the film loses what makes the story exceptional .
It becomes one man ’ s quest to rise in status .
Without the context , it feels trite , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many .
I particularly liked the fish-out-of-water sequences at an academic dinner , although , to some , they ’ re just typical of the clichés they see in this film .
( Now at VanCity , 5th Avenue and suburban theatres , starts on Netflix Nov. 24 ) 3 out of 5 THE CLIMB : Here ’ s an unusual and entertaining comedy about friendship , written by two pals and then played by them .
Michael Angelo Covino , who also directed , and Kyle Marvin play Mike and Kyle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their life starting with an eventful cycling tour in France .
That ’ s where Mike admits he has been sleeping with Kyle ’ s fiancée .
How they overcome that revelation , and what seems like a retaliation later when they get back to California , makes this a droll and funny study of the connections people need .
They don ’ t even go together well .
Kyle is easygoing ; Mike is driven .
Mike tries to sabotage Kyle ’ s wedding years later , not out of mean feelings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help him .
Their relationship may be toxic , but they need each other , or maybe they ’ re just going along because they always have .
The film watches ; doesn ’ t pronounce .
Everybody in it talks slow and kind of with a drawl , but they ’ re not hicks .
The pace is languid and the take on friendship is true , if a bit odd .
( International Village ) 3½ out of 5 SAINT FRANCES : Millennials will likely enjoy this .
The situation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are plausible , and the overall tone is accepting , not at all judgmental .
Actually people who judge , like a woman complaining about breastfeeding in public , are dealt with swiftly and with humour .
The main concerns are bigger .
Bridget ( written and played by Kelly O ’ Sullivan ) is a directionless 34-year-old .
She works as a server , hooks up for a one-nighter and finds herself pregnant .
Solution ?
An abortion , with not a lot of regret afterwards but some straining to comfort her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nanny for a precocious little girl with two mothers .
One is Black , the other is white , and they ’ re Christians with a crucifix prominent on a wall .
The film mixes so many attitudes that there can only be two things at play : A contrived script or a realistic view of conflicting ideas existing side by side .
The latter is the case here and exemplified by a comic line after one incident : “ I don ’ t know why I ’ m angry .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tone is light ( mostly ) , the concerns are big , and the connection with the little girl is sweet .
She ’ s written as a sort of spirit guide from whose innocence Bridget can learn .
The script makes her too knowledgeable at times , as when she pretends to hear Bridget ’ s confession in a church , but the interplay works .
( Streaming at https : //viff.org ) 3½ out of 5 DINNER WITH FRIENDS : The talk is brisk and bright , but not all that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just too manufactured as a minor Hollywood couple invites friends over for Thanksgiving dinner .
So you get as diverse a group as you can imagine : Young urbanites , a Black family , a couple of lesbians and more .
The hosts are played by former-Torontonian Malin Akerman and Jack Donnelly , who happen to be married in real life .
That makes an early scene go down more easily when she spanks him as a dominatrix while a baby cries in another room .
Among the guests is her mother , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a former Swedish film star with ribald stories and needs .
There are ex-lovers , people who take mushrooms before dinner and a shaman , and the snappy dialogue bristles with lines like “ You people used to be fun ” and “ You haven ’ t been thinking for years.
” Nicol Paone , who wrote and directed it , is in a sketch comedy group and the film has a lot of that kind of ambience .
Speedy incidents , chaotic spats but little import .
( Streaming digitally and VOD @ @ @ @ @

There are so many new films this week, I couldn’t cover them all. One, a comedy-horror film, I had no chance to preview, two others I’ve postponed to next week and one, The New Corporation, I’ve written about before . It’s a second look at the misdeeds of modern companies and I highly recommended it when it was in Vancouver for the film festival; it’s now streaming at VIFF Connect.
The story, as read by a grandmother (Phylicia Rashad), is about a great inventor of children’s toys (Forest Whitaker) who has fallen on hard times. His assistant ran off with his book of future designs and won toymaker of the year over and over again with them. Now, years later and played by Keegan-Michael Key, he needs more, knows there’s one special unfinished toy back at the shop and comes to get it.
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY : The Yuletide movies are coming. The Hallmark and Lifetime channels between them have 70 this year, but it’s going to be hard to find one better than this Netflix offering. It’s being promoted as an instant classic, and I agree. The story is new, the settings are beautiful and there’s a nice mix of sentiment and robust musical energy. David E. Talbert, the writer-director, originally wrote it as a stage show and transferred the action to the screen with spectacular results.
AMMONITE : This is the third film I’ve seen in the past year or so where a real person from the past is reinterpreted as a lesbian. Mary Anning, the English paleontologist from the 1840s, wasn’t known as one, but as the director Francis Lee argues, she wasn’t known as heterosexual, either. So, she’s fair game, I guess, and brought to life with star power. Kate Winslet plays her as a resentful fossil hunter working on her own while the scientific establishment disregards her. Women don’t do science, the film describes as their attitude. In comes a man who does admire her work, but has a devious purpose: To park his wife (Saoirse Ronan) for a few weeks to get over her melancholia. “It is a woman’s position to care for a fellow sister, is it not?” he says. The film is quite obvious in stating its feminist themes.
The inventor’s granddaughter (Madalen Mills) arrives first, though, and with a sunny philosophy of “you have to believe” and the help of a young boy named Edison tries to complete the invention. Naturally, they manage to break it first. Their efforts, the impending confrontation and the temper of the times (Victorian England) are propelled with songs, one written by John Legend, who is also one of the producers. There are quiet ballads and huge production numbers with people dancing in the streets. Whitaker and Key both show they can sing, but the star is newcomer Mills, charming and outgoing. Ricky Martin voices a pompous self-important toy (“I am one of a kind”) and there’s a terrific snowball fight. The family will love it all. (Netflix) 4½ out of 5
Courtesy of Elevation Pictures
The two women have a testy relationship at first and the early parts of the film are the most interesting as they work around their differences. Winslet is playing withdrawn, but conveys strong emotions, and Ronan comes alive believably. Then as the film seriously slows down, the sad one suddenly kisses the grumpy one and that leads to two extremely realistic sex scenes. She’s able to “unlock something” in the lonely woman. Can it last? Jealousy swells up at a tony musical evening and resentment returns on a visit to the British Museum. The narrative is strong; the chemistry between them not so much. (International Village and several suburban theatres) 3 out of 5
ALL ABOUT ME: The Cinematheque’s annual European Union Film Festival is back and opens with a real charmer from Germany. All About Me tells of the early life of a popular comedian named Hape Kerkeling and proves to be a statement about family and the strength it engenders as well as a potent life credo: “When you know what you want, just do it.” Oscar winner Caroline Link spins these ideas into a moving story of a boy suffering a harsh home life (mom dies by suicide, dad leaves, two grandmothers raise him) who finds a way out of his despair with laughter. He’s a natural performer, even as a young child, and he delights in his ability to make people laugh.
Courtesy of European Film Festival
Families with a child who performs in the living room will enjoy it completely. Young Julius Weckauf is perfect as the nine-year-old kid version with a slight show-off tendency and a lot of reason to find liberation in his show-playing. The relatives are supportive and the family ambience is touching. Quite a special film. Trivia: Kerkeling, who became a major TV personality, was also the voice of Olaf in the German dub of Frozen. (Streaming, includes an interview with the director) 4 out of 5
The whole festival is streaming this year and therefore widely accessible. Check for content at euffonline.ca and find local Vancouver details here.
HILLBILLY ELEGY: Critics are giving Ron Howard’s new film an extremely rough time. It has problems but doesn’t deserve this. Howard is a mainstream filmmaker, accept it and remember that he can entertain. And then think of two wonderful performances in this one, Amy Adams as a drug-addled rural mom from Kentucky, and her equally difficult mom, played by Glenn Close. She’s sure to be a top contender at the Academy Awards next year for this brave performance, the makeup and clothing that make her look ugly and shabby and the fact that she has been nominated seven times before. Her acting is compelling in this one.
Courtesy of Netflix
The film is taken from a bestselling memoir by J.D. Vance, played here by Gabriel Basso. Unfortunately, it cuts back on a major part of the book — the analysis of hillbilly country folks, their lives, insular society and lack of opportunity — and mostly focuses on his personal story. He’s in Ohio, hopes to go to Yale University and is called back to Kentucky where he grew up. Through flashbacks and meet-ups, he recalls his life there, his mother’s struggles with addiction and his grandmother’s equally erratic ways. The focus is on the family, and by downplaying the society they live in and that shaped them, the film loses what makes the story exceptional. It becomes one man’s quest to rise in status. Without the context, it feels trite, although very well-made and sure to please many. I particularly liked the fish-out-of-water sequences at an academic dinner, although, to some, they’re just typical of the clichés they see in this film. (Now at VanCity, 5th Avenue and suburban theatres, starts on Netflix Nov. 24) 3 out of 5
THE CLIMB: Here’s an unusual and entertaining comedy about friendship, written by two pals and then played by them. Michael Angelo Covino, who also directed, and Kyle Marvin play Mike and Kyle, who we follow through several years of their life starting with an eventful cycling tour in France. That’s where Mike admits he has been sleeping with Kyle’s fiancée. How they overcome that revelation, and what seems like a retaliation later when they get back to California, makes this a droll and funny study of the connections people need.
Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
They don’t even go together well. Kyle is easygoing; Mike is driven. Mike tries to sabotage Kyle’s wedding years later, not out of mean feelings, but out of a desire to help him. Their relationship may be toxic, but they need each other, or maybe they’re just going along because they always have. The film watches; doesn’t pronounce. Everybody in it talks slow and kind of with a drawl, but they’re not hicks. The pace is languid and the take on friendship is true, if a bit odd. (International Village) 3½ out of 5
SAINT FRANCES: Millennials will likely enjoy this. The situation is absolutely contemporary, the difficulties that arise are plausible, and the overall tone is accepting, not at all judgmental. Actually people who judge, like a woman complaining about breastfeeding in public, are dealt with swiftly and with humour. The main concerns are bigger. Bridget (written and played by Kelly O’Sullivan) is a directionless 34-year-old. She works as a server, hooks up for a one-nighter and finds herself pregnant. Solution? An abortion, with not a lot of regret afterwards but some straining to comfort her doubts.
Courtesy of Game Theory
She takes a job as a nanny for a precocious little girl with two mothers. One is Black, the other is white, and they’re Christians with a crucifix prominent on a wall. The film mixes so many attitudes that there can only be two things at play: A contrived script or a realistic view of conflicting ideas existing side by side. The latter is the case here and exemplified by a comic line after one incident: “I don’t know why I’m angry. I’m an agnostic feminist.” The tone is light (mostly), the concerns are big, and the connection with the little girl is sweet. She’s written as a sort of spirit guide from whose innocence Bridget can learn. The script makes her too knowledgeable at times, as when she pretends to hear Bridget’s confession in a church, but the interplay works. (Streaming at https://viff.org) 3½ out of 5
DINNER WITH FRIENDS: The talk is brisk and bright, but not all that convincing in context. The situation is just too manufactured as a minor Hollywood couple invites friends over for Thanksgiving dinner. So you get as diverse a group as you can imagine: Young urbanites, a Black family, a couple of lesbians and more. The hosts are played by former-Torontonian Malin Akerman and Jack Donnelly, who happen to be married in real life. That makes an early scene go down more easily when she spanks him as a dominatrix while a baby cries in another room.
Courtesy of VVS Films
Among the guests is her mother, played by Jane Seymour, as apparently a former Swedish film star with ribald stories and needs. There are ex-lovers, people who take mushrooms before dinner and a shaman, and the snappy dialogue bristles with lines like “You people used to be fun” and “You haven’t been thinking for years.” Nicol Paone, who wrote and directed it, is in a sketch comedy group and the film has a lot of that kind of ambience. Speedy incidents, chaotic spats but little import. (Streaming digitally and VOD) 2½ out of 5


nationalobserver--2020-11-13--Pollinators key to sustainability, says Claire Kremen, 2020 Volvo Environment Prize winner

Forget lions , tigers and bears : For Claire Kremen , conserving insects is more important .
Around the world , forests , meadows and wild spaces are being rapidly transformed into farmland , pushing wildlife into steep decline and threatening our food security .
It ’ s a crisis that Kremen , professor of zoology , conservation biologist and recipient of the 2020 Volvo Environment Prize , has dedicated a lifetime to solve .
The annual prize is among the world ’ s most respected environmental honours and includes a cash award of $ 210,000 .
“ Over time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ ve tended to get more simplified , ” said Kremen .
“ Pesticides are being used to control crop pests , but , unfortunately , they tend to be not that targeted and ... affect beneficial insects like pollinators as well , ” Kremen explained .
“ And then there ’ s habitat change.
” That change has been marked by the transformation of biodiverse farm fields , forests or meadows into fields of a single crop , or monocrops .
These are like food “ deserts ” for pollinators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling to find enough food .
B.C.
’ s blueberry farms are an example .
Rows upon rows of blueberry bushes all need to be pollinated when they bloom in the spring — a Herculean task for native pollinators , which are often helped by hives of domesticated honeybees that farmers rent to ensure their crops get pollinated .
But that pollen feast is quickly over , leaving native pollinators with almost nothing to eat for months , and making it difficult for them to survive .
“ I sort of see pollinators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because who doesn ’ t like # pollinators ?
” said @ clairekremen , winner of the 2020 @ envprize .
That ’ s bad news , and not only for the insects .
“ You get into this situation where the farmers become really , really reliant on importing honeybees to provide pollination services because the native pollinators just aren ’ t abundant enough anymore , ” she said .
Imported bees also have problems — collapsing colonies , queen bee shortages — and aren ’ t very good at their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has seen its relative abundance decline by 97 per cent in North America , are much better at harvesting and transporting blueberry pollen than their domesticated cousins .
They ’ re built to fit a blueberry flower and can vibrate their wings at the right frequency to loosen the pollen ; domesticated honeybees can ’ t .
That makes it easier for the bumblebees to coat themselves in pollen and continue pollinating other plants .
“ There is research that has shown in different crops that , sometimes , the combination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective for pollination and getting a good harvest , ” Kremen said .
Increasing that diversity is possible : It ’ s Kremen ’ s life ’ s work .
She studies how agricultural landscapes can be made more diverse to better support pollinators and other wildlife .
It ’ s an agro-ecological approach that can include everything from adding hedgerows to planting pollinator-friendly meadows near farm fields and diversifying the plants under cultivation .
Critics of this approach say it ’ s less efficient and won ’ t be able to produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s growing population .
Kremen disagrees .
Her research has shown that strong native pollinator populations can actually increase yields while helping farmers reduce their costs and reliance on imported bees .
“ ( When you 're ) thinking about a farming system that we can really count on for the long-term future , then it ’ s better not to have all your eggs in one basket , ” she said .
“ Professor Kremen ’ s work on diversified farming systems and conservation has helped us to understand how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustainability , and equity , and — most importantly — how to significantly improve this system so that we can feed ourselves while protecting biodiversity and mitigating climate change , ” the jury of the Volvo Environment Prize Foundation said in a statement announcing Kremen ’ s win .
Claire Kremen receives the Volvo Environment Prize on the UBC campus in a live-streamed , online ceremony .
Photo by Richard Aimes .
“ I ’ m not suggesting that we need to rely solely on native pollinators , but they have a really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Creating conditions in which they can thrive is basically an insurance policy , ” Kremen said .
That insurance policy is increasingly important .
Unprecedented rates of extinction and a changing climate are putting evermore strain on our agricultural and food systems .
Transforming how food is grown in B.C .
and beyond is essential to long-term sustainability and food security .
Focusing on pollinators is a good place to start , she said .
“ I sort of see pollinators as your gateway drug to sustainable agriculture .
Because who doesn @ @ @ @ @ @

Forget lions, tigers and bears: For Claire Kremen, conserving insects is more important. Around the world, forests, meadows and wild spaces are being rapidly transformed into farmland, pushing wildlife into steep decline and threatening our food security. It’s a crisis that Kremen, professor of zoology, conservation biologist and recipient of the 2020 Volvo Environment Prize, has dedicated a lifetime to solve. The annual prize is among the world’s most respected environmental honours and includes a cash award of $210,000. “Over time, our farms have gotten larger, they’ve tended to get more simplified,” said Kremen. That change has made it increasingly difficult for pollinators like bees and flies — responsible for about 75 per cent of the world’s crops — to survive. Fortunately, reversing the catastrophe is possible, she said, by making working lands like farms and ranches more ecologically diverse. Today, Claire Kremen receives the Volvo Environment Prize "for research and action reconciling food production and biodiversity conservation".
Congratulations Claire!@clairekremen @ubcires @ZoologyUBC https://t.co/GDnujn6Kjb — UBC Zoology (@ZoologyUBC) November 12, 2020
Between 60 and 70 per cent of the Earth’s terrestrial surface is used by people for farming, forestry or ranching. They’re the lands that feed us; however, many of the management practices used on them to maximize food or timber production are driving astonishing biodiversity loss. Among the most worrying trends is the rapid decline of pollinators. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 16.5 per cent of pollinators are threatened with extinction. About a third of Europe’s bee and butterfly species are declining. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Industrial agriculture, an approach to food production promoted by governments and agri-business for decades, is largely to blame.
“Pesticides are being used to control crop pests, but, unfortunately, they tend to be not that targeted and ... affect beneficial insects like pollinators as well,” Kremen explained. “And then there’s habitat change.” That change has been marked by the transformation of biodiverse farm fields, forests or meadows into fields of a single crop, or monocrops. These are like food “deserts” for pollinators, Kremen explained, and leave the insects struggling to find enough food. “I sort of see pollinators as your gateway drug to #sustainableagriculture. Because who doesn’t like #pollinators?” said @clairekremen, winner of the 2020 @envprize. B.C.’s blueberry farms are an example. Rows upon rows of blueberry bushes all need to be pollinated when they bloom in the spring — a Herculean task for native pollinators, which are often helped by hives of domesticated honeybees that farmers rent to ensure their crops get pollinated. But that pollen feast is quickly over, leaving native pollinators with almost nothing to eat for months, and making it difficult for them to survive. That’s bad news, and not only for the insects. “You get into this situation where the farmers become really, really reliant on importing honeybees to provide pollination services because the native pollinators just aren’t abundant enough anymore,” she said.
Imported bees also have problems — collapsing colonies, queen bee shortages — and aren’t very good at their job. Native bumblebees, a species that has seen its relative abundance decline by 97 per cent in North America, are much better at harvesting and transporting blueberry pollen than their domesticated cousins. They’re built to fit a blueberry flower and can vibrate their wings at the right frequency to loosen the pollen; domesticated honeybees can’t. That makes it easier for the bumblebees to coat themselves in pollen and continue pollinating other plants. “There is research that has shown in different crops that, sometimes, the combination of honeybees and other pollinators can be more effective for pollination and getting a good harvest,” Kremen said.