nationalobserver--2020-11-26--Spy watchdog urges justice minister to fix gaps in regime for whistle-blowers

The national spy watchdog is urging Justice Minister David Lametti to close gaps in the federal whistle-blowing framework to protect Canada 's deepest secrets and the public servants who keep them .
In a letter to Lametti , the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency warns of the `` serious risks '' to both the country and employees when there are poor protocols — or none at all — for disclosing wrongdoing , harassment and discrimination .
The Canadian Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain a copy of the February letter and an internal Justice Department memo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murray Rankin , who was chairman of the review agency at the time , says a key concern arises from the Security of Information Act .
It prohibits the many federal employees who are permanently bound to secrecy from unlawfully discussing special operational information .
If someone is charged with revealing such secrets , they may raise the defence that they made the disclosure in the public interest , Rankin noted .
• The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Nova Scotia First Nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right whales • 1 % of farmers own 70 % of the world 's farmland : report However , an accused person can not rely on the defence unless they brought the concern to internal authorities before making the disclosure .
Historically , the Security Intelligence Review Committee , the review agency 's predecessor , was identified in the secrets law as a place whistleblowers could go .
But as many as 15 years ago , the committee 's executive director told senators the secrets law left the committee 's role undefined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She called for more clarity on the matter , something the senators studying the issue recommended in 2007 .
Amendments to the secrets law last year , part of a sweeping national-security overhaul , transferred the review committee 's responsibilities to the new review agency .
But the changes `` did not address any of the substantive issues '' with the whistle-blowing provisions , Rankin wrote .
The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act includes safeguards to shield government employees from retaliation when they blow the whistle on alleged wrongdoing .
The national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lametti to close gaps in the federal whistle-blowing framework .
# cdnpoli # NSIRA # CSIS However , the Canadian Security Intelligence Service , the Communications Security Establishment and the Canadian Armed Forces are excluded from the act .
These agencies are responsible for their own procedures .
In addition , the act does not allow agencies to accept or examine disclosures of special operational information .
Rankin also points out that some employees of the national-security community are not allowed to bring complaints of harassment and discrimination before external bodies such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Board .
It means that when CSIS employees are dissatisfied with the spy service 's internal procedures , they must go to court , he said .
`` Most recently , employees from CSIS filed a statement of claim with the Federal Court alleging discrimination and harassment in the workplace .
This is not the first time these types of allegations have been raised by CSIS employees before the Federal Court , '' he wrote .
There have been calls for the government to put in place `` additional protections and explicit mechanisms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these types of workplace complaints , Rankin pointed out .
`` The review agency wishes to play our part in ensuring that our national security workforce is both healthy and productive .
We support all initiatives to promote a culture of respect and equity within the community . ''
Rankin recently left the review agency to successfully run for a seat in the British Columbia legislature .
Justice Department spokesman Ian McLeod said there was no written response to Rankin 's letter before he left the review agency .
`` Implicated departments are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers . ''

The national spy watchdog is urging Justice Minister David Lametti to close gaps in the federal whistle-blowing framework to protect Canada's deepest secrets and the public servants who keep them. In a letter to Lametti, the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency warns of the "serious risks" to both the country and employees when there are poor protocols — or none at all — for disclosing wrongdoing, harassment and discrimination. The Canadian Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain a copy of the February letter and an internal Justice Department memo about the issue. The letter from Murray Rankin, who was chairman of the review agency at the time, says a key concern arises from the Security of Information Act. It prohibits the many federal employees who are permanently bound to secrecy from unlawfully discussing special operational information. If someone is charged with revealing such secrets, they may raise the defence that they made the disclosure in the public interest, Rankin noted.
However, an accused person cannot rely on the defence unless they brought the concern to internal authorities before making the disclosure. Historically, the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the review agency's predecessor, was identified in the secrets law as a place whistleblowers could go. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions But as many as 15 years ago, the committee's executive director told senators the secrets law left the committee's role undefined, with no direction as to its obligations. She called for more clarity on the matter, something the senators studying the issue recommended in 2007.
Amendments to the secrets law last year, part of a sweeping national-security overhaul, transferred the review committee's responsibilities to the new review agency. But the changes "did not address any of the substantive issues" with the whistle-blowing provisions, Rankin wrote. The national spy watchdog is urging Justice Minister David Lametti to close gaps in the federal whistle-blowing framework. #cdnpoli #NSIRA #CSIS He also mentioned broader concerns. The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act includes safeguards to shield government employees from retaliation when they blow the whistle on alleged wrongdoing. However, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Communications Security Establishment and the Canadian Armed Forces are excluded from the act. These agencies are responsible for their own procedures. In addition, the act does not allow agencies to accept or examine disclosures of special operational information.
Rankin also points out that some employees of the national-security community are not allowed to bring complaints of harassment and discrimination before external bodies such as the Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board. It means that when CSIS employees are dissatisfied with the spy service's internal procedures, they must go to court, he said. "Most recently, employees from CSIS filed a statement of claim with the Federal Court alleging discrimination and harassment in the workplace. This is not the first time these types of allegations have been raised by CSIS employees before the Federal Court," he wrote.


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Alberta's top doc says she feels betrayed by leak to media, launches investigation

Alberta ’ s chief medical officer of health says a member of her inner circle committed a “ personal betrayal ” and fractured the working relationship of her COVID-19 team by leaking private conversations to the media .
Dr. Deena Hinshaw says public officials took an oath not to publicize private discussions and that there will be an investigation .
“ This is a personal betrayal and a betrayal of the trust that our hard-working team has placed in each other .
“ These meetings should be a safe space where public servants have candid and ongoing conversations and debates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broken.
” • 1 % of farmers own 70 % of the world 's farmland : report • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Canada is losing the race to low-carbon prosperity Hinshaw said she doesn ’ t know who did the leaking but that they will try to find out .
“ There will be an investigation to determine who has done this because this has serious repercussions and is a violation of the oath that all of us have taken , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shandro , with Hinshaw at the news conference , said he was concerned about the story because “ it violated Dr. Hinshaw ’ s confidence and it embarrassed her . ''
He said Hinshaw has his complete confidence , adding : “ This is a critical juncture for COVID here in Alberta.
” Hinshaw was referring to a CBC story published earlier in the day citing anonymous sources and audio recordings of meetings between Hinshaw and 40 or so colleagues as they developed recommendations to fight the pandemic .
The story suggests Shandro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in enforcement of public health orders in order to limit tickets to violators .
# Alberta ’ s chief medical officer of health says leaks from her inner circle were a “ personal betrayal ” and rattled her COVID-19 team .
# COVID19 # COVID19AB # ableg Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley quoted from the CBC story in the house in questions directed at Premier Jason Kenney .
“ ( Hinshaw ) is on tape , ( saying ) ‘ They don ’ t want us to enforce anything .
They just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ’ ” said Notley .
She asked Kenney : “ Why would you pass public health orders and then direct they not be enforced ?
Don ’ t you realize that in doing this you are risking the lives and livelihoods of Albertans ?
” Kenney replied , “ No such directive has been made .
That is categorically false.
” Shandro , asked later by reporters if his ministry is intervening in COVID enforcement , replied , “ Nothing goes through our office .
That ’ s a totally insane question.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been 41,368 complaints and action requests tied to COVID-19 .
There have been 102 COVID-19-related orders , with 84 since rescinded .
Earlier this week , Kenney said the government is looking to expand the number of enforcement officers who can hand out tickets for violations .
The CBC story also references discussions in which Hinshaw and Kenney ’ s government have been at odds on some aspects of policy , including serology and asymptomatic testing .
Hinshaw said the story reflects a distorted slice of the long-running and wide-ranging discussions that featured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hinshaw has found herself at the centre of a political firestorm in the legislature over the best way for Alberta to combat its surging infection rate .
The province , once a national leader in COVID-19 management , has some of the highest daily case counts in Canada .
There have been more than 1,000 new cases a day for a week .
On Thursday , Hinshaw announced 1,077 new cases with 383 people in hospital , 84 of them in intensive care .
There were 10 more deaths for a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some doctors and infectious disease specialists , have been calling for a short , sharp and sweeping shutdown to reverse the numbers and prevent intensive care beds from being overrun .
Kenney instead brought in new measures this week , which include reduced capacity for most businesses while keeping them open .
Kenney has said his goal is to save lives but at the same time keep critical revenue flowing for workers , business owners and their families .
The New Democrats say the orders , and the absence of a provincial mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will ultimately imperil both public health and the economy .
They have asked Kenney to show Albertans all the options Hinshaw has proposed to let members of the public judge for themselves .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26 , 2020 .

Alberta’s chief medical officer of health says a member of her inner circle committed a “personal betrayal” and fractured the working relationship of her COVID-19 team by leaking private conversations to the media. Dr. Deena Hinshaw says public officials took an oath not to publicize private discussions and that there will be an investigation. “I am profoundly disappointed,” Hinshaw told reporters Thursday. “This is a personal betrayal and a betrayal of the trust that our hard-working team has placed in each other. “These meetings should be a safe space where public servants have candid and ongoing conversations and debates. This safety and trust are now broken.”
Hinshaw said she doesn’t know who did the leaking but that they will try to find out. “There will be an investigation to determine who has done this because this has serious repercussions and is a violation of the oath that all of us have taken,” she said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Health Minister Tyler Shandro, with Hinshaw at the news conference, said he was concerned about the story because “it violated Dr. Hinshaw’s confidence and it embarrassed her."
He said Hinshaw has his complete confidence, adding: “This is a critical juncture for COVID here in Alberta.” #Alberta’s chief medical officer of health says leaks from her inner circle were a “personal betrayal” and rattled her COVID-19 team. #COVID19 #COVID19AB #ableg Hinshaw was referring to a CBC story published earlier in the day citing anonymous sources and audio recordings of meetings between Hinshaw and 40 or so colleagues as they developed recommendations to fight the pandemic. The story suggests Shandro’s office has taken a direct interest in enforcement of public health orders in order to limit tickets to violators. Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley quoted from the CBC story in the house in questions directed at Premier Jason Kenney. “(Hinshaw) is on tape, (saying) ‘They don’t want us to enforce anything. They just want us to educate. No enforcement,’” said Notley.
She asked Kenney: “Why would you pass public health orders and then direct they not be enforced? Don’t you realize that in doing this you are risking the lives and livelihoods of Albertans?” Kenney replied, “No such directive has been made. That is categorically false.” Shandro, asked later by reporters if his ministry is intervening in COVID enforcement, replied, “Nothing goes through our office. That’s a totally insane question.”


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--The glaring problem with Canada’s solar sector and how to fix it

In 2020 , Canada ’ s solar sector is expected to produce 700 metric tonnes of waste from decommissioned solar panels .
By 2030 , that figure could rise to 13,000 metric tonnes , yet Canada has no dedicated solar panel recycling facility , nor any incentives for sustainable manufacturing .
Where do all these dead solar panels go , and what is Canada doing , if anything , to plan for the tsunami of e-waste to come ?
Giant solar farms have been widely heralded as great news for green energy in Canada .
But is solar energy really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solar panels , there has been a conspicuous silence about the environmental costs of production and what happens to all those panels at end of life .
“ We are not equipped to properly recycle metals and minerals we use in our daily lives , let alone the massive mineral boom coming up with the energy transition demand ( EV cars , wind , solar , storage ) , ” says Ugo Lapointe , the Canadian program co-ordinator of Mining Watch Canada .
Most solar panels have a lifespan of around 25 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing the problem of how to dispose of them .
While solar is heralded as a clean , green source of renewable energy , this is only true if the panels are manufactured sustainably and can be recycled and kept out of landfills .
Solar panel recycling is challenging .
It is difficult to separate raw materials such as glass , aluminum and the rare and valuable materials ( including tellurium , iridium and gallium ) used to construct the modules .
This was recognized in a 2010 report by Natural Resources Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relative newness of solar installations in 2010 and their long lifespans meant there was “ very little experience with or knowledge of the disposal or recycling of PV modules.
” The overall environmental impact of solar panels is much higher if they are dumped in landfills , where hazardous chemicals and heavy metals can leach into groundwater .
A policy intentions paper published by the B.C .
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in September acknowledged that solar panels can be recycled , but said “ producers need to establish collection and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly rural and remote , that otherwise will have limited options to divert from disposal.
” In British Columbia , municipalities have asked for more products to be added to the recycling regulations , said Sue Maxwell , a director with Zero Waste BC .
Solar panels are not included in any provincial and territorial EPRs , nor in the most recent Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility report published in 2009 by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment ( CCME ) .
Canada ’ s lack of solar panel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failure to classify photovoltaics as hazardous or electronic waste ( e-waste ) .
This is the responsibility of provinces and territories , which are also responsible for extended producer responsibility ( EPR ) regulations that aim to keep e-waste out of landfills .
Like Canada , the U.S. used to transport solar panels to other countries for recycling .
However , a partnership between American and European industry associations , Recycle PV and PV Cycle , enabled the rapid development of nationwide solar panel recycling .
In August 2018 , Recycle PV opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the U.S. For now , the only solar panel recycling options available for Canadians lie outside the country .
A decade later , that knowledge gap persists , despite the report also warning that increased production of photovoltaics raises the need to monitor the environmental and health impact of “ hazardous materials such as lead , brominated flame retardants and hexavalent chromium.
” Solar panel design makes disassembly difficult and costly , disincentivizing the recovery of raw materials from dead panels .
Refurbishment is also unappealing in Canada because technological advances make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s standards .
Maxwell thinks Canada could learn from the European Union , where there are “ funds or tax incentives for repair/reuse/refurbishment , Right to Repair and mandatory warranty laws , policies to encourage sharing , policies to minimize new fossil fuel infrastructure , and bans on further harmful products and materials.
” Ideally , recycling incentives are built into the panel , so that the cost is borne and recouped by the producer rather than the consumer .
This is the basis of EPR and the idea behind Washington state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take effect in January .
The program requires manufacturers to take back panels sold after July 2017 for recycling at no cost to consumers .
EPR regulations aim to prevent waste , and done correctly , can promote a more sustainable , circular economy .
When forced to pay to recycle their own panels , manufacturers are incentivized to design them to be easy and inexpensive to take apart and develop processes to reclaim materials for reuse .
The Washington stewardship program could offer a framework for Canadian policy-makers developing regulations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Canada , the U.S. and the EU are “ convoluted , ” according to Josh Lepawsky , professor of geography at Memorial University and author of Reassembling Rubbish : Worlding Electronic Waste .
Despite how they ’ re portrayed , “ ultimately , consumers pick up the tab of recycling electronics , ” he said .
“ Recycling rules and regulations are written by non-profit industry associations , then adopted by governments who mandate things like ‘ eco-fees ’ or ‘ advance disposal fees ’ collected at the time of consumer purchase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These fees help fund recycling infrastructure , but ultimately , “ the costs of running those systems are kept away from the bottom line of original equipment manufacturers and brands .
That is the exact opposite of what EPR is supposed to achieve.
” Investment in recycling infrastructure is important , and regulations like EPR could help promote greater adoption of high-value recycling .
This is something First Solar Inc. is trying to develop to establish “ circularity in the PV value chain.
” The U.S.-based photovoltaics company has a large presence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Canada ’ s largest solar farms .
First Solar recovers “ over 90 per cent of the semiconductor and 90 per cent of the glass from end-of-life panels to proactively reduce our life cycle environmental footprint , ” according to Andreas Wade , First Solar ’ s director of global sustainability .
A new high-value electrochemical recycling process that extracts purer metals from solar cells could help make recycling lucrative rather than a financial burden for manufacturers .
The development of this process is being led by Meng Tao , professor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tao said that “ with sufficient funding , we are almost ready to deploy a prototype solar recycling line.
” The International Renewable Agency ( IRENA ) estimates that $ 15 billion could be recovered from recycling solar panels by 2050 .
As of Feb. 14 , 2014 , the EU banned electronic products , including solar panels , from going to landfills , but the EU has been recycling solar panels for far longer .
PV Cycle , a European solar panel recycling industry association , estimates its members have recycled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ In Europe , they got recycling because the industry associations co-operated and actually spun it out of the industry association , ” said Dustin Mulvaney , a professor in the environmental studies department at San Jose State University .
He added that they “ only did that because they were going to be regulated ...
In the United States , ( the ) industry association has done everything ( it ) can to stick branches in the spokes of regulation .
This policy does not work without regulation.
” In 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directive to manage solar panel waste in every EU country .
The WEEE ( Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment ) Directive requires companies operating in the EU to manufacture solar panels in a sustainable manner and to take back and properly dispose of all panels sold after August 2005 .
The number of solar panels reaching end of life in Europe doubles every year ; 35,000 metric tonnes of solar panel e-waste is expected in 2020 alone .
The good news is that the industry has recycling rates of up to 90 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 97 per cent for non-silicon-based modules .
In 2018 in Rousset , the French water and waste group Veolia opened Europe ’ s first dedicated solar panel recycling facility in partnership with PV Cycle .
Here , robots disassemble solar panels and recover component materials such as glass , aluminum , silicon and copper for reuse .
Veolia aims to create the capacity to recycle 4,000 tonnes of panels by 2022 and all decommissioned panels in France shortly thereafter .
In Canada , solar panel recycling options rest primarily on Dynamic Lifecycle Interventions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The company collects defunct solar panels and ships these to recycling facilities in the U.S .
In October 2010 , the Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant went online , becoming the largest solar farm in the world , with the capacity to power up to 12,000 homes .
A decade later — nearly halfway through the panels ’ lifespan — Canada has no capacity to safely decommission and recycle the 1.3 million solar modules when they stop working .
Sarnia is a First Solar installation subsequently sold to Enbridge .
First Solar owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and initially offered unconditional recycling of its modules through a takeback policy .
Modules covered under that historical policy are still eligible for free recycling through First Solar .
The company has since transitioned to an optional end-of-life payment for recycling with First Solar or an alternative recycling vendor .
First Solar has no recycling facilities in Canada and instead ships modules to the U.S. or Malaysia for recycling .
Wade said a standalone recycling facility in Canada is not yet viable .
However , First Solar has “ recycled over 2,000 metric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ installations in our recycling facility in Perrysburg , Ohio — which is about 60 minutes away from Windsor , Ont.
, ” he said .
Wade added : “ We co-locate our current recycling facilities with our manufacturing operations since the majority of what we recycle today is manufacturing scrap.
” First Solar is also investigating the potential for mobile recycling units , which will become more viable as larger volumes of PV modules start to be decommissioned .
The future of solar panel recycling in Canada On Nov. 19 , Canada laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas emissions by 2050 .
Renewable energy sources , including wind and solar , are key parts of this net-zero strategy , but this push for renewables is unsustainable without regulations governing hazardous e-waste , resource extraction , and recycling to reclaim raw materials for reuse .
By 2050 , Canada is expected to produce 650,000 tonnes of solar panel waste .
Right now , Canada has no capacity to recycle the 350 tonnes produced in 2016 alone .
Although experts agree that decommissioning requires urgent attention , it is during resource extraction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reducing hazardous waste production .
This is one of Lepawsky ’ s key criticisms of e-waste discussions .
By thinking of e-waste only at the household level , “ substantial effort is directed toward attempting to change what happens at the end of the pipe instead of toward changing what comes down the pipe in the first place , ” Lepawsky said .
If the e-waste problem is only addressed post-purchase , “ consumers — who are least able to effect significant change — will bear the burden of responsibility .
”

Most solar panels have a lifespan of around 25 years, which means early adopters are now facing the problem of how to dispose of them. While solar is heralded as a clean, green source of renewable energy, this is only true if the panels are manufactured sustainably and can be recycled and kept out of landfills.
In 2020, Canada’s solar sector is expected to produce 700 metric tonnes of waste from decommissioned solar panels. By 2030, that figure could rise to 13,000 metric tonnes , yet Canada has no dedicated solar panel recycling facility, nor any incentives for sustainable manufacturing. Where do all these dead solar panels go, and what is Canada doing, if anything, to plan for the tsunami of e-waste to come?
Giant solar farms have been widely heralded as great news for green energy in Canada. But is solar energy really sustainable? In the clamour to promote solar panels, there has been a conspicuous silence about the environmental costs of production and what happens to all those panels at end of life.
“We are not equipped to properly recycle metals and minerals we use in our daily lives, let alone the massive mineral boom coming up with the energy transition demand (EV cars, wind, solar, storage),” says Ugo Lapointe, the Canadian program co-ordinator of Mining Watch Canada.
A policy intentions paper published by the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in September acknowledged that solar panels can be recycled, but said “producers need to establish collection and recycling programs for homeowners and communities, particularly rural and remote, that otherwise will have limited options to divert from disposal.”
In British Columbia, municipalities have asked for more products to be added to the recycling regulations, said Sue Maxwell, a director with Zero Waste BC.
Solar panels are not included in any provincial and territorial EPRs, nor in the most recent Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility report published in 2009 by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME).
Canada’s lack of solar panel recycling facilities is partly due to a failure to classify photovoltaics as hazardous or electronic waste (e-waste). This is the responsibility of provinces and territories, which are also responsible for extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations that aim to keep e-waste out of landfills.
Solar panel recycling is challenging. It is difficult to separate raw materials such as glass, aluminum and the rare and valuable materials (including tellurium, iridium and gallium) used to construct the modules.
This was recognized in a 2010 report by Natural Resources Canada and Environment Canada. It noted the relative newness of solar installations in 2010 and their long lifespans meant there was “very little experience with or knowledge of the disposal or recycling of PV modules.”
The overall environmental impact of solar panels is much higher if they are dumped in landfills, where hazardous chemicals and heavy metals can leach into groundwater.
“Failing to reclaim these materials through recycling contributes to resource depletion,” the report noted.
A decade later, that knowledge gap persists, despite the report also warning that increased production of photovoltaics raises the need to monitor the environmental and health impact of “hazardous materials such as lead, brominated flame retardants and hexavalent chromium.”
For now, the only solar panel recycling options available for Canadians lie outside the country.
Like Canada, the U.S. used to transport solar panels to other countries for recycling. However, a partnership between American and European industry associations, Recycle PV and PV Cycle, enabled the rapid development of nationwide solar panel recycling. In August 2018, Recycle PV opened the first dedicated solar panel recycling facility in the U.S.
Incentivizing solar panel recycling
Solar panel design makes disassembly difficult and costly, disincentivizing the recovery of raw materials from dead panels. Refurbishment is also unappealing in Canada because technological advances make older panels highly inefficient by today’s standards.
Maxwell thinks Canada could learn from the European Union, where there are “funds or tax incentives for repair/reuse/refurbishment, Right to Repair and mandatory warranty laws, policies to encourage sharing, policies to minimize new fossil fuel infrastructure, and bans on further harmful products and materials.”
Ideally, recycling incentives are built into the panel, so that the cost is borne and recouped by the producer rather than the consumer. This is the basis of EPR and the idea behind Washington state’s new solar stewardship program, set to take effect in January. The program requires manufacturers to take back panels sold after July 2017 for recycling at no cost to consumers.
EPR regulations aim to prevent waste, and done correctly, can promote a more sustainable, circular economy. When forced to pay to recycle their own panels, manufacturers are incentivized to design them to be easy and inexpensive to take apart and develop processes to reclaim materials for reuse.
The Washington stewardship program could offer a framework for Canadian policy-makers developing regulations for photovoltaic decommissioning. But many EPR programs in Canada, the U.S. and the EU are “convoluted,” according to Josh Lepawsky, professor of geography at Memorial University and author of Reassembling Rubbish: Worlding Electronic Waste.
Despite how they’re portrayed, “ultimately, consumers pick up the tab of recycling electronics,” he said.
“Recycling rules and regulations are written by non-profit industry associations, then adopted by governments who mandate things like ‘eco-fees’ or ‘advance disposal fees’ collected at the time of consumer purchase of devices,” Lepawsky said.
These fees help fund recycling infrastructure, but ultimately, “the costs of running those systems are kept away from the bottom line of original equipment manufacturers and brands. That is the exact opposite of what EPR is supposed to achieve.”
Image by GreenMatch, 2017
Investment in recycling infrastructure is important, and regulations like EPR could help promote greater adoption of high-value recycling. This is something First Solar Inc. is trying to develop to establish “circularity in the PV value chain.” The U.S.-based photovoltaics company has a large presence in Canada, having established at least three of Canada’s largest solar farms.
First Solar recovers “over 90 per cent of the semiconductor and 90 per cent of the glass from end-of-life panels to proactively reduce our life cycle environmental footprint,” according to Andreas Wade, First Solar’s director of global sustainability.
A new high-value electrochemical recycling process that extracts purer metals from solar cells could help make recycling lucrative rather than a financial burden for manufacturers. The development of this process is being led by Meng Tao, professor and Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Alternative Energy Technology. Tao said that “with sufficient funding, we are almost ready to deploy a prototype solar recycling line.”
The International Renewable Agency (IRENA) estimates that $15 billion could be recovered from recycling solar panels by 2050.
Lessons from Europe
As of Feb. 14, 2014, the EU banned electronic products, including solar panels, from going to landfills, but the EU has been recycling solar panels for far longer. PV Cycle, a European solar panel recycling industry association, estimates its members have recycled 17,000 metric tonnes of photovoltaics since 2010.
“In Europe, they got recycling because the industry associations co-operated and actually spun it out of the industry association,” said Dustin Mulvaney, a professor in the environmental studies department at San Jose State University. He added that they “only did that because they were going to be regulated ... In the United States, (the) industry association has done everything (it) can to stick branches in the spokes of regulation. This policy does not work without regulation.”
In 2012, the EU created a specific policy directive to manage solar panel waste in every EU country. The WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive requires companies operating in the EU to manufacture solar panels in a sustainable manner and to take back and properly dispose of all panels sold after August 2005.
The number of solar panels reaching end of life in Europe doubles every year; 35,000 metric tonnes of solar panel e-waste is expected in 2020 alone. The good news is that the industry has recycling rates of up to 90 per cent for silicon-based modules and up to 97 per cent for non-silicon-based modules.
In 2018 in Rousset, the French water and waste group Veolia opened Europe’s first dedicated solar panel recycling facility in partnership with PV Cycle. Here, robots disassemble solar panels and recover component materials such as glass, aluminum, silicon and copper for reuse.
Veolia aims to create the capacity to recycle 4,000 tonnes of panels by 2022 and all decommissioned panels in France shortly thereafter.
Solar panel recycling in Canada
Created by GreenMatch
In Canada, solar panel recycling options rest primarily on Dynamic Lifecycle Interventions, which has locations in four provinces. The company collects defunct solar panels and ships these to recycling facilities in the U.S.
In October 2010, the Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant went online, becoming the largest solar farm in the world, with the capacity to power up to 12,000 homes. A decade later — nearly halfway through the panels’ lifespan — Canada has no capacity to safely decommission and recycle the 1.3 million solar modules when they stop working.
Sarnia is a First Solar installation subsequently sold to Enbridge. First Solar owns at least three solar farms in Ontario and initially offered unconditional recycling of its modules through a takeback policy. Modules covered under that historical policy are still eligible for free recycling through First Solar. The company has since transitioned to an optional end-of-life payment for recycling with First Solar or an alternative recycling vendor.
First Solar has no recycling facilities in Canada and instead ships modules to the U.S. or Malaysia for recycling. Wade said a standalone recycling facility in Canada is not yet viable. However, First Solar has “recycled over 2,000 metric tonnes of end-of-life PV modules from Canadian installations in our recycling facility in Perrysburg, Ohio — which is about 60 minutes away from Windsor, Ont.,” he said.
Wade added: “We co-locate our current recycling facilities with our manufacturing operations since the majority of what we recycle today is manufacturing scrap.”
First Solar is also investigating the potential for mobile recycling units, which will become more viable as larger volumes of PV modules start to be decommissioned.
The future of solar panel recycling in Canada
On Nov. 19, Canada laid out legislation aiming to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Renewable energy sources, including wind and solar, are key parts of this net-zero strategy, but this push for renewables is unsustainable without regulations governing hazardous e-waste, resource extraction, and recycling to reclaim raw materials for reuse.
By 2050, Canada is expected to produce 650,000 tonnes of solar panel waste. Right now, Canada has no capacity to recycle the 350 tonnes produced in 2016 alone.
Although experts agree that decommissioning requires urgent attention, it is during resource extraction and manufacturing that the greatest opportunities lie for reducing hazardous waste production.
This is one of Lepawsky’s key criticisms of e-waste discussions. By thinking of e-waste only at the household level, “substantial effort is directed toward attempting to change what happens at the end of the pipe instead of toward changing what comes down the pipe in the first place,” Lepawsky said.
If the e-waste problem is only addressed post-purchase, “consumers — who are least able to effect significant change — will bear the burden of responsibility.”


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Don’t assume because I’m brown, I must be an activist

Following the killing of George Floyd by local officers , Black Lives Matter activists drove to Minneapolis to abolish the city ’ s police department .
That sent an important message to both Black and non-Black people of colour : When we organize to make change , when we do it together , we ’ re unstoppable .
But does that mean racialized people should feel compelled to work towards making change ?
As someone who has always been both brown and angry at the world , I ’ ve spent my life becoming an activist .
I volunteer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of my undergrad has involved working 80 hours a week in the name of bringing Black , Indigenous and people of colour ( BIPOC ) justice — as a journalist , student leader and friend .
This comes with a feeling that I ’ m never doing enough , a feeling that became unbearable the more my identity became entwined with my “ activist ” label .
When I started attending Queen ’ s , a very white university , I was surrounded by people who were either waiting for me to mess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their spaces — using my shortfalls as an excuse to keep brown people out — or waiting for me to open doors for other BIPOC .
• 1 % of farmers own 70 % of the world 's farmland : report • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • Canada is losing the race to low-carbon prosperity Making change turned from being something I wanted to do to what my world was telling me I had to do .
I was also being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With diversity clubs popping up everywhere and millions in funding going towards similar projects , I was told implicitly that activism needed to be hyper-productive , constant and public .
Deep down , I wanted to do grassroots work .
I wanted to go out and be kind and volunteer — I wanted to care directly for sex workers and undocumented immigrants and anyone else whose needs I was being taught to ignore in my business classes .
But there were competing pressures ; I had a resume and friends who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a summer internship yet .
At some point , being an activist was no longer a form of selflessness .
It was something to put on my LinkedIn , and a way to further my ambitions , because activism was seen as all I could offer the world as a POC , despite any of my other talents .
White people and non-white folks alike were sending this message .
I had to be a part of every fundraiser and claim a title in every initiative claiming to help BIPOC .
I loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and wasn ’ t enjoying most of the work I was doing .
I just knew that , as one of the few POC in my environment , I had to be doing it and , equally importantly , it was the only way I could succeed .
`` For BIPOC , ( activism ) should be a choice , and it should be done when we decide we ’ re willing and able to do it , '' writes Aysha Tabassum .
I realized how deeply I was being tokenized — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in all contexts — when I got an inconspicuous Slack message from the white editor-in-chief of my student newspaper in my second year .
Another publication had put out a feature on Black representation in English curriculums , and although I am neither Black nor a features writer , I was asked to replicate the piece .
My editor had many more years of experience than I , and in other instances where I had pitched a story related to race , he had fought me on it .
But he had suddenly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — which ignored Black students — look good by using one of his few writers of colour .
Out of character , I eventually dumped the story , and I should have continued to refuse to engage in activism that made me uncomfortable .
I didn ’ t .
A year later , I was saying yes to every opportunity to add to the work I was doing .
This was true of the BIPOC I worked with , who I ’ m sure felt the same pressures , as well as white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It took personal failures , where I was punishing those around me when I felt they were falling short of my arbitrary standards for activism , and the threat of burnout , to push me to reconsider who I was becoming .
Activism isn ’ t about forcing someone to go to any one specific protest , writing any one specific story or denouncing efforts to make changes that fall short of perfect .
Activism shouldn ’ t be about furthering your own goals , particularly when you ’ re not confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own trauma as a racialized person .
For BIPOC , it should be a choice , and it should be done when we decide we ’ re willing and able to do it .

Following the killing of George Floyd by local officers, Black Lives Matter activists drove to Minneapolis to abolish the city’s police department. That sent an important message to both Black and non-Black people of colour: When we organize to make change, when we do it together, we’re unstoppable. But does that mean racialized people should feel compelled to work towards making change? As someone who has always been both brown and angry at the world, I’ve spent my life becoming an activist. I volunteer, I protest, and a good chunk of my undergrad has involved working 80 hours a week in the name of bringing Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) justice — as a journalist, student leader and friend. This comes with a feeling that I’m never doing enough, a feeling that became unbearable the more my identity became entwined with my “activist” label. When I started attending Queen’s, a very white university, I was surrounded by people who were either waiting for me to mess up so they could discredit my presence in their spaces — using my shortfalls as an excuse to keep brown people out — or waiting for me to open doors for other BIPOC.
Making change turned from being something I wanted to do to what my world was telling me I had to do. I was also being instructed exactly how to make this change. With diversity clubs popping up everywhere and millions in funding going towards similar projects, I was told implicitly that activism needed to be hyper-productive, constant and public. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Deep down, I wanted to do grassroots work. I wanted to go out and be kind and volunteer — I wanted to care directly for sex workers and undocumented immigrants and anyone else whose needs I was being taught to ignore in my business classes. But there were competing pressures; I had a resume and friends who were constantly asking if I’d secured a summer internship yet.
At some point, being an activist was no longer a form of selflessness. It was something to put on my LinkedIn, and a way to further my ambitions, because activism was seen as all I could offer the world as a POC, despite any of my other talents. "For BIPOC, (activism) should be a choice, and it should be done when we decide we’re willing and able to do it," writes Aysha Tabassum. White people and non-white folks alike were sending this message. I had to be a part of every fundraiser and claim a title in every initiative claiming to help BIPOC. I loved those missions, but I was burning out and wasn’t enjoying most of the work I was doing. I just knew that, as one of the few POC in my environment, I had to be doing it and, equally importantly, it was the only way I could succeed. I realized how deeply I was being tokenized — forced to play change-maker for all BIPOC in all contexts — when I got an inconspicuous Slack message from the white editor-in-chief of my student newspaper in my second year. Another publication had put out a feature on Black representation in English curriculums, and although I am neither Black nor a features writer, I was asked to replicate the piece.
My editor had many more years of experience than I, and in other instances where I had pitched a story related to race, he had fought me on it. But he had suddenly found an opportunity to make his paper — which ignored Black students — look good by using one of his few writers of colour. Out of character, I eventually dumped the story, and I should have continued to refuse to engage in activism that made me uncomfortable. I didn’t. A year later, I was saying yes to every opportunity to add to the work I was doing.


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Oilpatch unlikely to reduce pollution without more public money, bank report says

The oil and gas industry “ likely won ’ t meaningfully reduce ” its carbon pollution this decade without more government funding , according to a new Royal Bank of Canada report .
There are projects already in operation in Canada that capture and store the carbon dioxide emitted from industrial facilities , which have already received government support .
But RBC economist Colin Guldimann said in a Nov. 25 report that much of the technology is still “ costly ” and “ high-risk ” during construction , and can also have lower returns than typical fossil-fuel-sector projects .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other major emitters “ will not invest in these ( carbon capture ) projects if they do not meet return thresholds , particularly if they continue to be capital constrained.
” “ The most trade-exposed industries , like oil , gas , metals , and cement , likely won ’ t meaningfully reduce or abate emissions this decade without public support , given the high capital costs of abatement , ” it continued .
The oil and gas sector has already slashed $ 12 billion this year in planned capital investments , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is related to projects that focus on cutting emissions .
The oil and gas industry `` likely won ’ t meaningfully reduce '' its carbon pollution this decade without more public money , says an RBC report .
But one oilpatch CEO says any focus on carbon capture ignores the `` low-hanging fruit '' of methane emissions .
One example is Suncor ’ s $ 1.4-billion plan to replace its petroleum coke boilers with natural gas at its base plant north of Fort McMurray , Alta .
The company said this would cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production by roughly 25 per cent and cut sulphur dioxide , another air pollutant , by 45 per cent .
But Suncor has suspended the project and is now asking the federal government to “ collaborate ” on it .
“ Putting all your resources into carbon capture and sequestering ( means ) you ’ re missing the opportunity to actually make an impact right now , ” says Audrey Mascarenhas , president and CEO at Questor Technology .
Photo from Questor Technology Many oil and gas companies have committed to tackling their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been a major source of carbon pollution .
A request for comment to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers was not returned before publication .
Guldimann said there is an opportunity for governments to “ spur research and development ” in capturing and using carbon , as well as encouraging uptake of these technologies , by providing more capital , loans or tax credits to the industry .
A recent report by the Canada Energy Regulator suggests that carbon capture use and storage could lead to 15 megatonnes per year of sequestered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report estimates that if carbon capture follows the trajectory of wind turbines — costs fall 12 per cent every time capacity doubles — that would mean a $ 17-billion investment would cut costs by one-third by 2030 .
“ There ’ s an opportunity for Canada here because Canadian firms are at the forefront of that innovation ... we don ’ t want to lose that advantage , ” said Guldimann .
Opening the spending taps to fund carbon capture isn ’ t a new idea : an Alberta report from 12 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal and provincial governments to allocate $ 2 billion in public funds to leverage “ billions of dollars of industry investment.
” One oilpatch CEO argues that any more government investment in capturing carbon dioxide is misguided , because it ignores another greenhouse gas , methane , that is a more potent heat-trapper over a shorter period and has been proven to be a bigger problem for the industry than previously thought .
Audrey Mascarenhas , president and CEO at Questor Technology , noted that methane is 86 times as powerful as carbon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being emitted from the oilpatch at rates that are nearly twice as high as previously calculated .
Her company converts oil and gas equipment to capture methane gas at the source , and she says she can do it at a low cost with proven technology .
Tackling a potent greenhouse gas now is “ low-hanging fruit , ” she said in an interview .
“ If you want to have an impact in the next 20 years , at a cost of less than $ 2 per tonne ?
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Mascarenhas .
“ By trying to do the carbon thing , and putting all your resources into carbon capture and sequestering , you ’ re missing the opportunity to actually make an impact right now.
” Guldimann ’ s report does note that “ addressing methane emissions in oil and gas production costs significantly less.
” He said cutting methane remains a worthwhile pursuit , but it was important to note that methane was only part of overall oil and gas sector emissions .
“ While carbon capture is expensive now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .

All of this means firms could “prioritize core operations” over pollution-cutting endeavours, said Guldimann. “Promising though carbon capture and storage technology might be, it’s incredibly expensive at the moment,” he said in an interview. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions “The real problem is that so much of these technologies are viewed as non-economically viable ... many of these projects just don’t have a clear source of cash flows or revenues.”
The report says oil and gas companies and other major emitters “will not invest in these (carbon capture) projects if they do not meet return thresholds, particularly if they continue to be capital constrained.” The oil and gas industry "likely won’t meaningfully reduce" its carbon pollution this decade without more public money, says an RBC report. But one oilpatch CEO says any focus on carbon capture ignores the "low-hanging fruit" of methane emissions. “The most trade-exposed industries, like oil, gas, metals, and cement, likely won’t meaningfully reduce or abate emissions this decade without public support, given the high capital costs of abatement,” it continued. The oil and gas sector has already slashed $12 billion this year in planned capital investments, said Guldimann. He said part of that is related to projects that focus on cutting emissions. One example is Suncor’s $1.4-billion plan to replace its petroleum coke boilers with natural gas at its base plant north of Fort McMurray, Alta. The company said this would cut the carbon pollution it generates from steam production by roughly 25 per cent and cut sulphur dioxide, another air pollutant, by 45 per cent.
But Suncor has suspended the project and is now asking the federal government to “collaborate” on it. “Putting all your resources into carbon capture and sequestering (means) you’re missing the opportunity to actually make an impact right now,” says Audrey Mascarenhas, president and CEO at Questor Technology. Photo from Questor Technology


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Movies about top-notch journalism, a horse classic and Christmas times two

The theatres are closed again and big titles , like The Croods , which were to be playing now , will have to wait .
Or maybe go elsewhere , as so many films have been doing .
Your choices for streaming are growing .
There ’ s Stardust for instance , a film about David Bowie .
Netflix has an intimate tag-along with Shawn Mendes on one of his tours , and Disney+ has a musical session where Taylor Swift performs every song from her acclaimed Folklore album and tells the background of each tune .
And Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whistler Film Festival starts .
It ’ ll be streaming only and therefore easily accessible anywhere in B.C .
It ’ ll show 30 features and 67 shorts , many of them Canadian , including a new one by Carl Bessai , a new short by Guy Maddin and an opening film called Sugar Daddy about a woman working as an escort while hoping for a music career .
COLLECTIVE : Here ’ s one of the best depictions of investigative journalism ever put on film .
It ’ s a documentary from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to look for the truth .
There ’ s no Deep Throat handing you the facts .
You dig , interpret and , most of all , dare to ask questions , repeatedly , of the perpetrators or their covering-up associates .
We watch Catalin Tolontan do exactly that after 27 people died in a nightclub fire five years ago .
What caused the fire ?
Why was there only one exit door ?
Those were the obvious questions .
Tolontan and his colleagues at a small newspaper noticed that many more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in hospital .
He followed that trail and uncovered a net of corruption involving government officials , bribed doctors , business connections and diluted medicines .
A whistleblower had reported it years before , but nothing was done about it .
Director Alexander Nanau followed the scandal from its early stages , and you ’ ll be amazed at what he was able to film .
Not just press conferences , but private conversations and briefings .
You get right into the story , more than what most reporters ever manage .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Streaming VOD on Apple TV ) 4 out of 5 BLACK BEAUTY : The classic story of a girl ’ s love for a horse ( and vice versa ) has been filmed many times , and this time with updating changes .
Some work , some don ’ t , but overall , the film charms and could be a family viewing treasure .
There ’ s a very strong lesson here about animal welfare .
They have feelings , too , someone says , and the story amply illustrates that through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature of Anna Sewell ’ s novel ) : The horse , voiced by Kate Winslet , tells the story .
It ’ s overly anthropomorphic but does the job .
Beauty is separated from her mother , is angry and untrainable at a rescue farm and gradually warms up to a young woman ( Mackenzie Foy ) with whom she shares a history .
They ’ re both orphans .
The growth of their friendship is lovely as we see it on the screen , as scripted and directed by Ashley Avis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Her message promoting animal welfare , and occasionally inducing tears , comes through without being overdone .
Beauty is sent to a succession of owners , and we see the whole range of how people mistreat animals .
A rich family pushes her into dressage , while a clumsy daughter pokes her with spurs .
A tourism horse cart operator keeps her in a dirty stall and overworks her .
She gets ill after a chilly river rescue because a stable hand didn ’ t know horses .
Good humans are a relief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be very emotional .
That overcomes the changes , which move the story from England to present-day U.S. and make Beauty a mustang rounded up in Wyoming and mistreated in New York .
The story is strong wherever .
( Disney+ ) 3½ out of 5 DOLLY PARTON ’ S CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE : I take it she wrote this as a stage show , and visually , it ’ s been well-transferred to the screen by director Debbie Allen and a crew of designers , choreographers and dressers .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal to anyone looking for a warm-hearted holiday movie , and it ’ s hard to criticize because of that .
It ’ s kitschy , derivative ( think of A Christmas Carol and It ’ s a Wonderful Life as influences ) , but pleasant with both Parton 's charm and songs and Christine Baranski ’ s icy-hearted Grinch .
Baranski plays Regina , who owns a small town and hands out eviction notices on the day before Christmas Eve because she wants to sell out to a shopping mall developer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resist , and a woman ( Dolly Parton ) who usually solicits change on the street to help the underprivileged comes to her as an angel to ask her to relent .
That familiar storyline is dressed up with a few surprises ( motives , family history , medical subplots ) and a lot of singing , dancing in the street and a couple of numbers pepped up with gospel fervour .
It ’ s not real , but it ’ s congenial and comforting .
( Netflix ) 3 out of 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the first , here ’ s a sequel to a popular Netflix holiday movie .
Once again , Kurt Russell has a lively time playing Santa Claus ( with Goldie Hawn having a much larger presence this time as his wife ) , and once again , Christmas is in danger and has to be saved .
An eternal plot line if there ever was one .
First time , the problem was reindeer missing and a sleigh damaged in Chicago .
This time , a resentful elf ( Julian Dennison ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa ’ s enterprise down because he hasn ’ t been getting enough attention from him .
He lures Kate ( Darby Camp ) , who was in the first film , out of a Mexican vacation and whisks her and a prospective stepbrother to the North Pole .
He aims to cause havoc .
This is not a sweet , homey holiday tale .
It ’ s high-tech and high-energy .
There ’ s a vortex and a wormhole through which they travel .
Santa boasts his venture is bigger than Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he dances exuberantly .
Also , I didn ’ t know he plays the saxophone .
The elf steals the star from the Christmas tree , you know the one linked to the Star of Bethlehem , and that shuts down the power .
How to recover from that ?
Time travel , to a place that lacks Christmas spirit : a crowded airport .
It ’ s pretty goofy , written by the same writer as the first , but now directed by Chris Columbus , a veteran of Hollywood comedies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typical message ; he delivers adventure .
This time , it wasn ’ t filmed in Toronto , but here in Vancouver where , come to think of it , Kurt and Goldie used to live years ago .
( Netflix ) 2½ out of 5 ZAPPA : This one was much-anticipated by Frank Zappa ’ s fans , but with the theatres closed , they ’ ll have to settle for video on demand .
They ’ ll be glad if they search it out because here ’ s a close , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rocker and avant garde composer .
Alex Winter , better known as Bill of Bill & Ted , is obviously a fan , but doesn ’ t settle for a standard biography .
He ’ s concerned with what drives an artist .
You ’ ll have to decide for yourself if he managed to answer that question .
It seems a bit hazy to me , though the journey is exhilarating .
Winter had a tremendous amount of material to draw on .
There are former band members , like Steve Vai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who tell stories , not all complimentary .
Also , Alice Cooper , whom Zappa got started on records , Zappa ’ s wife Gail ( before she died ) and , interestingly , not his children .
That ’ s not explained .
Most everything else is , particularly the perfectionism with which he pushed the musicians who played for him .
The film also touches on his dabbling in public issues , like music censorship , and has wonderful archival material , TV interviews , congressional committee testimony and a guest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Winter had access to Zappa ’ s huge hoard of tapes , film and documents and has given us a full image of an amiable , as well as prickly , artist .
3½ out of 5 KOKO-DI KOKO-DA : Sounds like a children ’ s song , because it is — in Sweden , anyway .
And you hear it a few times in this eerie , dream-laden film that feels like a comedy at times and a creepy horror film at others .
A couple goes out camping , and whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that happen to them , they repeat over and over .
While they sleep , a trio of strange people comes along and attacks them .
There 's a man in a white suit and hat , a tough-looking woman and a goon carrying a dead dog and leading a live one .
It happens several times , a little different each time .
They collapse the tent , sic the dog inside and apparently kill one or the other .
Why ?
That ’ s for us to figure out .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a child in an accident , which we see at the beginning of the film .
Is it unprocessed grief rising up ?
Can they fight off the three invaders ?
This is an unusual and intriguing film written and directed by Johannes Nyholm , whose music videos , shorts and previous features also straddle dreams and reality .
It ’ s easy to like because it ’ s a puzzle , and does explain itself , sort of , at the end .
( Streaming by VIFF Connect ) 3 out of @

And Tuesday, this year’s edition of the Whistler Film Festival starts. It’ll be streaming only and therefore easily accessible anywhere in B.C. It’ll show 30 features and 67 shorts, many of them Canadian, including a new one by Carl Bessai, a new short by Guy Maddin and an opening film called Sugar Daddy about a woman working as an escort while hoping for a music career.
Your choices for streaming are growing. There’s Stardust for instance, a drama about David Bowie. Netflix has an intimate tag-along with Shawn Mendes on one of his tours, and Disney+ has a musical session where Taylor Swift performs every song from her acclaimed Folklore album and tells the background of each tune.
The theatres are closed again and big titles, like The Croods, which were to be playing now, will have to wait. Or maybe go elsewhere, as so many films have been doing.
COLLECTIVE : Here’s one of the best depictions of investigative journalism ever put on film. It’s a documentary from Romania but speaks to anybody anywhere about how to look for the truth. There’s no Deep Throat handing you the facts. You dig, interpret and, most of all, dare to ask questions, repeatedly, of the perpetrators or their covering-up associates.
BLACK BEAUTY : The classic story of a girl’s love for a horse (and vice versa) has been filmed many times, and this time with updating changes. Some work, some don’t, but overall, the film charms and could be a family viewing treasure. There’s a very strong lesson here about animal welfare. They have feelings, too, someone says, and the story amply illustrates that through its main narrative device (also a feature of Anna Sewell’s novel): The horse, voiced by Kate Winslet, tells the story. It’s overly anthropomorphic but does the job. Beauty is separated from her mother, is angry and untrainable at a rescue farm and gradually warms up to a young woman (Mackenzie Foy) with whom she shares a history. They’re both orphans.
We watch Catalin Tolontan do exactly that after 27 people died in a nightclub fire five years ago. What caused the fire? Why was there only one exit door? Those were the obvious questions. Tolontan and his colleagues at a small newspaper noticed that many more of the people who survived later died in hospital. He followed that trail and uncovered a net of corruption involving government officials, bribed doctors, business connections and diluted medicines. A whistleblower had reported it years before, but nothing was done about it. Director Alexander Nanau followed the scandal from its early stages, and you’ll be amazed at what he was able to film. Not just press conferences, but private conversations and briefings. You get right into the story, more than what most reporters ever manage. This search plays like a thriller. (Streaming VOD on Apple TV) 4 out of 5
Courtesy of Disney+
The growth of their friendship is lovely as we see it on the screen, as scripted and directed by Ashley Avis, clearly a horse lover herself. Her message promoting animal welfare, and occasionally inducing tears, comes through without being overdone. Beauty is sent to a succession of owners, and we see the whole range of how people mistreat animals. A rich family pushes her into dressage, while a clumsy daughter pokes her with spurs. A tourism horse cart operator keeps her in a dirty stall and overworks her. She gets ill after a chilly river rescue because a stable hand didn’t know horses. Good humans are a relief and scenes with the young woman grow to be very emotional. That overcomes the changes, which move the story from England to present-day U.S. and make Beauty a mustang rounded up in Wyoming and mistreated in New York. The story is strong wherever. (Disney+) 3½ out of 5
DOLLY PARTON’S CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE: I take it she wrote this as a stage show, and visually, it’s been well-transferred to the screen by director Debbie Allen and a crew of designers, choreographers and dressers. What they’ve managed to assemble will appeal to anyone looking for a warm-hearted holiday movie, and it’s hard to criticize because of that. It’s kitschy, derivative (think of A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life as influences), but pleasant with both Parton's charm and songs and Christine Baranski’s icy-hearted Grinch.
Courtesy of Netflix
Baranski plays Regina, who owns a small town and hands out eviction notices on the day before Christmas Eve because she wants to sell out to a shopping mall developer. The local pastor rallies his people to resist, and a woman (Dolly Parton) who usually solicits change on the street to help the underprivileged comes to her as an angel to ask her to relent. That familiar storyline is dressed up with a few surprises (motives, family history, medical subplots) and a lot of singing, dancing in the street and a couple of numbers pepped up with gospel fervour. It’s not real, but it’s congenial and comforting. (Netflix) 3 out of 5
THE CHRISTMAS CHRONICLES 2: Three years after the first, here’s a sequel to a popular Netflix holiday movie. Once again, Kurt Russell has a lively time playing Santa Claus (with Goldie Hawn having a much larger presence this time as his wife), and once again, Christmas is in danger and has to be saved. An eternal plot line if there ever was one. First time, the problem was reindeer missing and a sleigh damaged in Chicago. This time, a resentful elf (Julian Dennison) wants to end Christmas entirely by shutting Santa’s enterprise down because he hasn’t been getting enough attention from him. He lures Kate (Darby Camp), who was in the first film, out of a Mexican vacation and whisks her and a prospective stepbrother to the North Pole. He aims to cause havoc.
Courtesy of Netflix
This is not a sweet, homey holiday tale. It’s high-tech and high-energy. There’s a vortex and a wormhole through which they travel. Santa boasts his venture is bigger than Amazon and all the others put together, and he dances exuberantly. Also, I didn’t know he plays the saxophone. The elf steals the star from the Christmas tree, you know the one linked to the Star of Bethlehem, and that shuts down the power. How to recover from that? Time travel, to a place that lacks Christmas spirit: a crowded airport. It’s pretty goofy, written by the same writer as the first, but now directed by Chris Columbus, a veteran of Hollywood comedies. He doesn’t push a typical message; he delivers adventure. This time, it wasn’t filmed in Toronto, but here in Vancouver where, come to think of it, Kurt and Goldie used to live years ago. (Netflix) 2½ out of 5
ZAPPA: This one was much-anticipated by Frank Zappa’s fans, but with the theatres closed, they’ll have to settle for video on demand. They’ll be glad if they search it out because here’s a close, appreciative and informative portrait of the iconoclastic rocker and avant garde composer. Alex Winter, better known as Bill of Bill & Ted, is obviously a fan, but doesn’t settle for a standard biography. He’s concerned with what drives an artist. You’ll have to decide for yourself if he managed to answer that question. It seems a bit hazy to me, though the journey is exhilarating.
Courtesy of Mongrel Media
Winter had a tremendous amount of material to draw on. There are former band members, like Steve Vai, Ian Underwood and Ruth Underwood, who tell stories, not all complimentary. Also, Alice Cooper, whom Zappa got started on records, Zappa’s wife Gail (before she died) and, interestingly, not his children. That’s not explained. Most everything else is, particularly the perfectionism with which he pushed the musicians who played for him. The film also touches on his dabbling in public issues, like music censorship, and has wonderful archival material, TV interviews, congressional committee testimony and a guest host clip from Saturday Night Live. Winter had access to Zappa’s huge hoard of tapes, film and documents and has given us a full image of an amiable, as well as prickly, artist. 3½ out of 5
KOKO-DI KOKO-DA: Sounds like a children’s song, because it is — in Sweden, anyway. And you hear it a few times in this eerie, dream-laden film that feels like a comedy at times and a creepy horror film at others. A couple goes out camping, and whether these are only dreams or real events that happen to them, they repeat over and over. While they sleep, a trio of strange people comes along and attacks them. There's a man in a white suit and hat, a tough-looking woman and a goon carrying a dead dog and leading a live one.
Courtesy of Dark Star Films
It happens several times, a little different each time. They collapse the tent, sic the dog inside and apparently kill one or the other. Why? That’s for us to figure out. It's three years since the couple lost a child in an accident, which we see at the beginning of the film. Is it unprocessed grief rising up? Can they fight off the three invaders? This is an unusual and intriguing film written and directed by Johannes Nyholm, whose music videos, shorts and previous features also straddle dreams and reality. It’s easy to like because it’s a puzzle, and does explain itself, sort of, at the end. (Streaming by VIFF Connect) 3 out of 5


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Compostable plastic is booming in Canada — but it may still end up in landfills

Bio-based plastics are not made equal .
Some break down easily ; others need months in an industrial composting machine before they disintegrate into organic compounds .
And they ’ re classified through a labyrinthine system that leaves everyone — from manufacturers to waste managers to consumers — confused .
Bio-based plastics , most of them compostable to some degree , are proliferating across Canada .
Yet millions of compostable cups , containers and bags will probably still end up in landfills .
Less than one-tenth of this plastic is recycled , and the trend isn ’ t reversing : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a fifth of the world ’ s oil will be used to make plastic by 2050 , according to a forthcoming study by Li .
Over 90 per cent of the world ’ s plastics are produced from fossil fuels , accounting for roughly six per cent of global oil consumption .
In practice , that means most conscientious Canadians trying to dispose of their plastic waste appropriately have two choices : The recycling bin or the trash can .
“ Differentiating between the different definitions , that in itself is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of innovation at Simon Fraser University ’ s Food Systems Lab , which is leading a research project on biodegradable plastics .
Bio-based plastics have emerged in recent years as an alternative against this backdrop — but what falls in that category is broad .
According to research by Li ’ s team , the term is used to describe everything from plastics made from plants to plastics that can be broken down into their molecular parts by composting and plastics that are both plant-based and biodegradable .
That ’ s largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to describe bio-based plastics aren ’ t consistently regulated , Li explained .
For instance , a coffee cup lid could be labelled as “ biodegradable ” or “ compostable , ” but what those words actually say about the whether the plastic can be broken down into organic matter is inconsistent .
“ If you have something that ’ s certified organic ( for example ) , it ’ s actually certified ” according to standards set by the federal government , she explained .
“ With bio-plastics , none of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ label something as anything you want — compostable , biodegradable , plant-based.
” While there are several third-party certifications available to bio-based plastics manufacturers , being certified is voluntary , she said .
And each certification standard also has different requirements on how long it takes for plastics to disintegrate and the kinds of technology needed to actually break them down .
And often , those standards aren ’ t actually reflected in municipal waste management systems .
“ The conditions that the tests have are really hard to replicate in the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , plastic that meets the ASTM D6400 standard — one of the more common classifications for compostable plastics — assumes the plastic will spend at least 180 days in an industrial composter .
“ ( For ) a lot of composting facilities , their process isn ’ t that long .
They need to get their stuff through faster than that because they just don ’ t have the ( space ) , ” she said .
“ So there ’ s a mismatch between the types of tests being done to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result , many municipalities across the country — including those in Metro Vancouver — will remove bio-based plastics from the organic waste stream , even if they ’ re technically compostable .

Bio-based plastics, most of them compostable to some degree, are proliferating across Canada. Yet millions of compostable cups, containers and bags will probably still end up in landfills. It’s a crisis driven, in part, by bad communication. Bio-based plastics are not made equal. Some break down easily; others need months in an industrial composting machine before they disintegrate into organic compounds. And they’re classified through a labyrinthine system that leaves everyone — from manufacturers to waste managers to consumers — confused. “Differentiating between the different definitions, that in itself is a project,” said Belinda Li, director of innovation at Simon Fraser University’s Food Systems Lab, which is leading a research project on biodegradable plastics. In practice, that means most conscientious Canadians trying to dispose of their plastic waste appropriately have two choices: The recycling bin or the trash can.
Belinda Li, director of innovation at Simon Fraser University's Food Systems Lab, says the mosaic of certification standards means most bio-based plastics don't get composted. Photo provided by Belinda Li Over 90 per cent of the world’s plastics are produced from fossil fuels, accounting for roughly six per cent of global oil consumption. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Less than one-tenth of this plastic is recycled, and the trend isn’t reversing: Researchers estimate that on the current trajectory, a fifth of the world’s oil will be used to make plastic by 2050, according to a forthcoming study by Li.
Bio-based plastics have emerged in recent years as an alternative against this backdrop — but what falls in that category is broad. According to research by Li’s team, the term is used to describe everything from plastics made from plants to plastics that can be broken down into their molecular parts by composting and plastics that are both plant-based and biodegradable. Researchers estimate that on the current trajectory, a fifth of the world’s oil will be used to make plastic by 2050. Bio-based plastics present an alternative — but the definition of compostable plastic is broad. That’s largely because, in Canada, the words used to describe bio-based plastics aren’t consistently regulated, Li explained. For instance, a coffee cup lid could be labelled as “biodegradable” or “compostable,” but what those words actually say about the whether the plastic can be broken down into organic matter is inconsistent. “If you have something that’s certified organic (for example), it’s actually certified” according to standards set by the federal government, she explained. “With bio-plastics, none of that exists right now. You can label something as anything you want — compostable, biodegradable, plant-based.” While there are several third-party certifications available to bio-based plastics manufacturers, being certified is voluntary, she said. And each certification standard also has different requirements on how long it takes for plastics to disintegrate and the kinds of technology needed to actually break them down. And often, those standards aren’t actually reflected in municipal waste management systems.
“The conditions that the tests have are really hard to replicate in the field,” she said. For instance, plastic that meets the ASTM D6400 standard — one of the more common classifications for compostable plastics — assumes the plastic will spend at least 180 days in an industrial composter. “(For) a lot of composting facilities, their process isn’t that long. They need to get their stuff through faster than that because they just don’t have the (space),” she said. “So there’s a mismatch between the types of tests being done to show compostability and on-the-ground compostability.”


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Ford lashes out at anti-lockdown protesters outside his house, begs them to stop

TORONTO — An angry Premier Doug Ford lashed out on Friday at anti-lockdown protesters outside his home , accusing them of intimidating nearby residents and saying their actions wouldn ’ t sway him .
His neighbours , Ford said in offering them a sincere apology for getting caught up in the situation , make no government decisions and never signed up to be targets .
`` Stop acting like a bunch of buffoons out there and start respecting the people of Ontario , '' Ford said at his daily briefing .
`` This is totally unacceptable that my neighbours are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these people , they need to stop . ''
Protesters opposed to measures aimed at curbing the lethal spread of COVID-19 have gathered outside the premier ’ s west-end Toronto home daily .
Their actions , he said , are unacceptable .
`` You want to protest me , come down to Queen ’ s Park , '' Ford said .
`` You can do cartwheels , you can jump up and down . ''
• 1 % of farmers own 70 % of the world 's farmland : report • The key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • The glaring problem with Canada ’ s solar sector and how to fix it Ford took aim at Independent legislator Randy Hillier , who did lead an anti-mask and anti-lockdown rally at the legislature on Thursday .
Police ticketed Hillier , whom Ford called irresponsible , for allegedly breaking health rules imposed to curb COVID-19 .
Hillier ’ s supporters took to social media to denounce the citation and restrictions as unnecessary .
Ford , however , said it ’ s unfathomable that some people believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when in fact the virus is so serious .
`` Look at the states to the south of us that want to ignore the regulations — they ’ re blowing up , '' he said .
`` They have mobile morgues driving around in Texas collecting bodies .
If that ’ s not a wake-up call , I don ’ t know what is . ''
On Friday , Ontario reported a record 1,855 new infections , a 25 per cent surge in a day , and 20 new deaths .
The province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them fatal .
Ford defended the restrictions that have shut down many businesses and limited gatherings as public health authorities urged people to stay home except for essential reasons .
The measures , he said , were proven effective earlier this year .
`` The proof is in the pudding : When we did it last time , we were down to almost 100 cases , which is unheard of in a population of 14.77 million people . ''
`` You want to protest me , come down to Queen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to anti-lockdown protesters outside his home .
`` You can do cartwheels , you can jump up and down . ''
# COVID19 The protesters outside his house , Ford said , were special interest and political groups .
Small business owners on his street and elsewhere in the neighbourhood were among those anti-lockdown protests end up hurting , he added .
Ultimately , Ford said , the protesters were violating the very tenets of political discourse .
`` There ’ s an unwritten rule here in Canada : You don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and neighbours , '' he said .
`` You want to come at me , come at me , and leave my family and leave my neighbours alone . ''
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27 , 2020 .

TORONTO — An angry Premier Doug Ford lashed out on Friday at anti-lockdown protesters outside his home, accusing them of intimidating nearby residents and saying their actions wouldn’t sway him.
His neighbours, Ford said in offering them a sincere apology for getting caught up in the situation, make no government decisions and never signed up to be targets.
"Stop acting like a bunch of buffoons out there and start respecting the people of Ontario," Ford said at his daily briefing. "This is totally unacceptable that my neighbours are being intimidated, being threatened, and these people, they need to stop."
Protesters opposed to measures aimed at curbing the lethal spread of COVID-19 have gathered outside the premier’s west-end Toronto home daily. Their actions, he said, are unacceptable.
"You want to protest me, come down to Queen’s Park," Ford said. "You can do cartwheels, you can jump up and down."


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Most Canadians could receive COVID-19 vaccine by September 2021, says Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed back against critics of his government ’ s COVID-19 vaccination plan with assurances most Canadians would be inoculated by September 2021 , with a former NATO commander leading distribution .
Trudeau announced Friday that Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin will lead the nation ’ s vaccine distribution efforts , overseeing logistics that include cold storage requirements , data sharing and reaching Indigenous communities .
He also acknowledged the public ’ s eagerness to know when those efforts might begin , but said what matters most is the `` finish line . ''
Trudeau said most citizens are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it was important to make sure this was done as safely as possible .
Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo has suggested he hoped to see most Canadians vaccinated by the end of next year , but this is the most specific the Liberal government has been .
• 1 % of farmers own 70 % of the world 's farmland : report • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • The glaring problem with Canada ’ s solar sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the prime minister ’ s prediction is `` in the same ballpark '' as previous rollout plans , and said September was a good target to work towards .
Trudeau said that plan positions Canada well , despite criticism the country may not start vaccinations as early as the United States , Germany and the United Kingdom .
`` The fact that the doctors highlighted that if all goes according to plan , we should be able to have the majority of Canadians vaccinated by next September puts us in very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re going to continue to do everything we can to deliver for Canadians , listening to experts working with top people to make sure that we ’ re doing this , right , and quickly and safely for all Canadians . ''
Ottawa has finalized agreements with five vaccine makers and is in advanced negotiations with two more .
The deals would secure 194 million doses with the option to buy another 220 million , said Arianne Reza , the assistant deputy minister with Public Services and Procurement Canada .
Deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the prime minister ’ s prediction is `` in the same ballpark '' as previous rollout plans , and said September was a good target to work towards .
# COVID19 The news follows more alarming daily COVID-19 case numbers from Ontario , which reported a record 1,855 new cases , and 20 more deaths on Friday .
Quebec reported 1,269 new COVID-19 infections and 38 more deaths linked to the virus , including nine that occurred in the past 24 hours .
Nunavut announced four new cases of COVID-19 .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published Nov. 27 , 2020 .

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pushed back against critics of his government’s COVID-19 vaccination plan with assurances most Canadians would be inoculated by September 2021, with a former NATO commander leading distribution.
Trudeau announced Friday that Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin will lead the nation’s vaccine distribution efforts, overseeing logistics that include cold storage requirements, data sharing and reaching Indigenous communities.
He also acknowledged the public’s eagerness to know when those efforts might begin, but said what matters most is the "finish line."
Trudeau said most citizens are expected to be vaccinated by September 2021, and it was important to make sure this was done as safely as possible.
Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo has suggested he hoped to see most Canadians vaccinated by the end of next year, but this is the most specific the Liberal government has been.


nationalobserver--2020-11-27--Horgan expands cabinet; keeps Dix in health to fight pandemic, Robinson to finance

B.C .
Premier John Horgan 's new cabinet relies on some familiar faces in key positions with Adrian Dix remaining in health and David Eby at attorney general , but he appointed new finance and education ministers Thursday in an expanded inner circle that will focus on keeping people safe through the pandemic .
Selina Robinson , the former minister of municipal affairs and housing , was named finance minister , replacing Carole James , who did not seek re-election last month due to health reasons .
Horgan said his government will rely on a variety of ministers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province 's economic recovery efforts .
But Dix , Robinson and Ravi Kahlon , who was appointed jobs , economic recovery and innovation minister , will carry many of the pandemic duties .
Khalon is taking on `` an enormous responsibility '' and will be responsible for the province 's recovery plan announced in September , Horgan told a news conference .
`` Ravi will be the point person and I 'm confident that he is going to make sure everything we can do will be done , '' Horgan said .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the world 's farmland : report • The key to fighting future pandemics ?
Old-growth forests , says mushroom guru Paul Stamets • The glaring problem with Canada ’ s solar sector and how to fix it Khalon , a former Olympic field hockey player , served as Horgan 's parliamentary secretary in the forests ministry in the last NDP government .
Horgan had similar praise for Robinson , saying her work ethic is unprecedented and she 's well known across B.C .
from her work as the municipal affairs and housing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city council member in Coquitlam .
`` I have tremendous trust in her capacity , '' he said .
`` I gave her an awful lot to do on the housing file , on the municipal affairs file .
Her understanding of the people of B.C .
is unmatched . ''
James will continue to work with Horgan as a special adviser , taking a post that pays $ 1 a year , Horgan said .
Newcomer Jennifer Whiteside , a former official with the Hospital Employees ' Union who ran for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named education minister , replacing Rob Fleming , who was moved to the transportation portfolio .
Horgan says his 57-member caucus will be engaged in the government 's decision making either as parliamentary secretaries or through new government caucus committees that have been put in place .
He described the cabinet as `` a diverse and dynamic team . ''
B.C .
Premier John Horgan expands cabinet to fight pandemic ; keeps Adrian Dix in health , Selina Robinson to finance .
# bcpoli # COVID19 # BCNDP The NDP won a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capturing 57 of the 87 seats in the legislature .
The new cabinet includes 20 ministers and four ministers of state .
Horgan named 12 men and 12 women to cabinet posts , who are supported by 13 parliamentary secretaries .
The premier kept some of his most senior ministers in their previous cabinet posts , including Mike Farnworth as solicitor general and Harry Bains as labour minister .
Eby was given the added responsibility of housing .
Three former MPs were handed cabinet posts , with Murray Rankin being named Indigenous relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister of state for lands , natural resource operations ; and Sheila Malcolmson , who served in the last legislature after leaving federal politics , becoming the minister of mental health and addictions .
Fin Donnelly , also a former MP , was named parliamentary secretary for fisheries and aquaculture .
Among the newcomers to cabinet are Mitzi Dean at children and family development ; former Tofino mayor Josie Osbourne at municipal affairs ; and Nicholas Simons at social development and poverty reduction .
The swearing-in ceremony was different because of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Austin at the University of Victoria for the ceremony , while all the cabinet ministers , except Eby who was at the university , were sworn in through video links .
People across B.C .
are struggling with the burdens of the pandemic , now in its ninth month , Horgan said .
`` But we are buoyed by the good news of vaccines on the way , but until then , we have to continue to do our level best to keep the second wave of COVID-19 under control and prepare for @ @ @ @ @

B.C. Premier John Horgan's new cabinet relies on some familiar faces in key positions with Adrian Dix remaining in health and David Eby at attorney general, but he appointed new finance and education ministers Thursday in an expanded inner circle that will focus on keeping people safe through the pandemic. Selina Robinson, the former minister of municipal affairs and housing, was named finance minister, replacing Carole James, who did not seek re-election last month due to health reasons. Horgan said his government will rely on a variety of ministers in the fight against COVID-19 and to steer the province's economic recovery efforts. But Dix, Robinson and Ravi Kahlon, who was appointed jobs, economic recovery and innovation minister, will carry many of the pandemic duties. Khalon is taking on "an enormous responsibility" and will be responsible for the province's recovery plan announced in September, Horgan told a news conference. "Ravi will be the point person and I'm confident that he is going to make sure everything we can do will be done," Horgan said.
Khalon, a former Olympic field hockey player, served as Horgan's parliamentary secretary in the forests ministry in the last NDP government. Horgan had similar praise for Robinson, saying her work ethic is unprecedented and she's well known across B.C. from her work as the municipal affairs and housing minister. She is also a former city council member in Coquitlam. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions "I have tremendous trust in her capacity," he said. "I gave her an awful lot to do on the housing file, on the municipal affairs file. Her understanding of the people of B.C. is unmatched."
James will continue to work with Horgan as a special adviser, taking a post that pays $1 a year, Horgan said. B.C. Premier John Horgan expands cabinet to fight pandemic; keeps Adrian Dix in health, Selina Robinson to finance. #bcpoli #COVID19 #BCNDP Newcomer Jennifer Whiteside, a former official with the Hospital Employees' Union who ran for the New Democrats in New Westminster, was named education minister, replacing Rob Fleming, who was moved to the transportation portfolio. Horgan says his 57-member caucus will be engaged in the government's decision making either as parliamentary secretaries or through new government caucus committees that have been put in place. He described the cabinet as "a diverse and dynamic team." The NDP won a majority government in last month's election, capturing 57 of the 87 seats in the legislature. The new cabinet includes 20 ministers and four ministers of state. Horgan named 12 men and 12 women to cabinet posts, who are supported by 13 parliamentary secretaries.
The premier kept some of his most senior ministers in their previous cabinet posts, including Mike Farnworth as solicitor general and Harry Bains as labour minister. Eby was given the added responsibility of housing. Three former MPs were handed cabinet posts, with Murray Rankin being named Indigenous relations and reconciliation minister; Nathan Cullen as minister of state for lands, natural resource operations; and Sheila Malcolmson, who served in the last legislature after leaving federal politics, becoming the minister of mental health and addictions. Fin Donnelly, also a former MP, was named parliamentary secretary for fisheries and aquaculture.