nationalobserver--2020-07-21--Ford government’s COVID-19 economic recovery bill broke the law, auditor general says

The Ford government broke the law by passing its omnibus economic recovery bill Tuesday without consulting the public on major environmental changes , auditor general Bonnie Lysyk said .
The government used its majority to pass the legislation , Bill 197 , on Tuesday night over the objections of opposition parties .
The omnibus bill makes sweeping changes to 20 pieces of legislation , including major rewrites of environmental law .
Under Ontario ’ s Environmental Bill of Rights , the Progressive Conservative government is required to post measures that impact the environment on the Environmental Registry and consult the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted notices on the registry but did not hold consultations about Bill 197 , which was introduced in early July .
“ We did give ( the government ) a heads up indicating that we had concerns on Friday , ” Lysyk said in a phone interview with Canada ’ s National Observer .
“ We indicated that the bill , before it passes third reading , should be posted on the Environmental Registry ( for a full 30 day consultation ) .
” • Federal COVID-19 payment for people living with disabilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives on hold as immigration system stalled out • ‘ We feel like we 're held hostage ’ say diesel-dependent First Nations Green advocates have said measures in the bill amount to a rollback of environmental protections .
It includes a rewrite of environmental assessment rules — the government will now decide which projects get environmental assessments , rather than reviewing most public sector projects by default .
It also streamlines assessments for projects that do need them , and removes a mechanism that allows the public to ask the environment minister to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The government has said it ’ s working on more regulations to decide which projects should get assessments , and to define what streamlined assessments would look like .
The bill also expands the government ’ s power to override the normal land planning process and potential opposition to projects through Ministerial Zoning Orders ( MZOs ) .
Premier Doug Ford has previously said the proposed rewrite would be used to speed up infrastructure projects that would help Ontario recover from the financial hit it has taken during COVID-19 .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental assessments ) or anything , ” Ford told reporters when the legislation was first introduced .
Ontario NDP environment critic Ian Arthur wrote to the province 's auditor general to ask for an investigation into Bill 197 , which Arthur said may be a violation of the Environmental Bill of Rights .
# onpoli “ We ’ re going to make sure we strengthen them , but we ’ re going to do them quicker and smarter.
” The government previously told National Observer it included a measure in the bill to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Environmental Bill of Rights .
Lysyk said only the portion of the bill that deals with environmental assessments included that exception , not the one about MZOs .
And either way , the government still needs to consult the public , she said , adding that it would be “ precedent-setting ” to allow the government to retroactively give itself an exception to the rules .
“ It could undermine public confidence , ” she said .
NDP environment critic Ian Arthur said the legislative process doesn ’ t work the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ You can ’ t embed a change that affects legislation being tabled in the legislation itself , ” he said .
Arthur said he hopes the bill will be challenged in court .
“ ( The Ford government is ) on a mission and it ’ s to run roughshod over environmental protections , and they ’ ll do that at any cost , ” Arthur said in a phone interview .
“ I certainly hope that they ’ re not allowed to do this without some sort of pushback.
” Ontario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation shows a `` total lack of respect '' for environmental oversight .
`` Bill 197 was a rush job that subverted the democratic process and bypassed public input , '' he said in a statement .
`` I hope the AG will hold them accountable . ''
Last October , an Ontario court found that Ford ’ s government broke the law when it axed the province ’ s cap-and-trade program without holding consultations in 2018 .
( The court didn ’ t compel the government to restore the program . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is responsible for environmental assessments and Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark , who is responsible for MZOs , did not immediately reply to a request for comment .
Ontario NDP environment critic Ian Arthur questions Environment Minister Jeff Yurek at Queen 's Park on July 21 , 2020 about changes to environmental assessments .
Photo from Legislative Assembly of Ontario NDP MPP wrote to auditor general earlier Tuesday to ask for investigation In a letter to Lysyk earlier Tuesday , Arthur asked that she and Jerry Demarco , assistant auditor general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government ’ s push to pass the environmental changes in the economic recovery bill .
Not only did the government not hold public consultations , he said , it was also using its majority to skip the committee stage and fast-track the bill .
Lysyk said late Tuesday that she had not yet received Arthur ’ s letter , but said her office is already done assessing the issue .
“ We already concluded on that , ” she said .
“ We will issue a report on compliance or noncompliance with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And we ’ ll address it in that.
” During question period at Queen ’ s Park Tuesday , Arthur asked the government to withdraw the “ potentially illegal ” changes .
Ontario Environment Minister Jeff Yurek fired back in response , saying the bill would modernize the province ’ s 50-year-old environmental assessment system and focus government efforts on higher-risk projects .
Though Yurek didn ’ t directly address the Environmental Bill of Rights , he pointed to provisions in the bill that would preserve treaty rights for First Nations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I do n't know why the member is against those changes to environmental assessments , ” Yurek said .
“ I have yet to hear the member opposite or that opposition party come up with a plan for the environment for the province of Ontario .
All they say is , ‘ no , no , no.
’ ” Green and Liberal MPPs also flagged concerns about the bill .
Speaking by phone Tuesday night , Arthur said it ’ s “ in character ” for the government to pass the bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights .
“ They view any sort of environmental regulation as red tape , ” he said .
“ I think that this government is so sure of themselves and their view of what is right that there is very little consideration for what anyone brings to the table , be it the auditor general or the opposition .
”

The Ford government was "not compliant" with the law by passing its omnibus economic recovery bill Tuesday without consulting the public on major environmental changes, auditor general Bonnie Lysyk said. The government used its majority to pass the legislation, Bill 197, on Tuesday night over the objections of opposition parties. The omnibus bill makes sweeping changes to 20 pieces of legislation, including major rewrites of environmental law. Under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, the Progressive Conservative government is required to post measures that impact the environment on the Environmental Registry and consult the public for 30 days. The government posted notices on the registry but did not hold consultations about Bill 197, which was introduced in early July. “We did give (the government) a heads up indicating that we had concerns on Friday,” Lysyk said in a phone interview with Canada’s National Observer. “We indicated that the bill, before it passes third reading, should be posted on the Environmental Registry (for a full 30 day consultation).”
Green advocates have said measures in the bill amount to a rollback of environmental protections. It includes a rewrite of environmental assessment rules — the government will now decide which projects get environmental assessments, rather than reviewing most public sector projects by default. It also streamlines assessments for projects that do need them, and removes a mechanism that allows the public to ask the environment minister to require a full review of a project. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The government has said it’s working on more regulations to decide which projects should get assessments, and to define what streamlined assessments would look like.
The bill also expands the government’s power to override the normal land planning process and potential opposition to projects through Ministerial Zoning Orders (MZOs). Ontario NDP environment critic Ian Arthur wrote to the province's auditor general to ask for an investigation into Bill 197, which Arthur said may be a violation of the Environmental Bill of Rights. #onpoli Premier Doug Ford has previously said the proposed rewrite would be used to speed up infrastructure projects that would help Ontario recover from the financial hit it has taken during COVID-19. “We aren’t going to dodge (environmental assessments) or anything,” Ford told reporters when the legislation was first introduced. “We’re going to make sure we strengthen them, but we’re going to do them quicker and smarter.” The government previously told National Observer it included a measure in the bill to exempt it from public consultation requirements under the Environmental Bill of Rights.
Lysyk said only the portion of the bill that deals with environmental assessments included that exception, not the one about MZOs. And either way, the government still needs to consult the public, she said, adding that it would be “precedent-setting” to allow the government to retroactively give itself an exception to the rules. “It could undermine public confidence,” she said. NDP environment critic Ian Arthur said the legislative process doesn’t work the way government was attempting to use it.


nationalobserver--2020-07-21--Ontario budget watchdog says Ford government’s autism plan falls short

Ontario Premier Doug Ford 's government would need to more than double the funding it has allocated for autism services or sharply cut their per-child provision if it wanted to eliminate a growing waiting list , according to an audit of the plans conducted by Ontario ’ s budget watchdog .
Amid fierce resistance from parents and caregivers , the Progressive Conservatives did a U-turn last year on their initial plans to move autism spending away from a needs-based system to one reliant on `` childhood budgets . ''
At the time , the government said the age-based and means-tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reversing course , the government has been slow to make one-off payments to families left floundering between the two plans , according to the Financial Accountability Office ( FAO ) report released on Tuesday , which showed that both overall spending and the waitlist have grown .
The waitlist was at 24,900 in 2018-19 ; by contrast , in 2011-12 , just 1,600 children were on the waitlist .
In the last decade there has been a broad increase in the number of autism diagnoses in Canada and elsewhere , which experts say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disorder and looser diagnostic criteria .
About 15 out of every 1,000 children and youth in Canada live with autism , according to a 2018 national study .
Ontario 's budget watchdog @ InfoFAO said @ fordnation would need to more than double its $ 600 million autism budget to get rid of waiting lists and provide support to all children with autism equivalent to what was available in 2018 “ This government has ignored , belittled and hurt families and children with autism , ” the NDP 's Horwath said during question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services Todd Smith replied by saying the FAO report showed that no government had gotten the autism file right .
“ We are determined to get this right and will continue to support children and youth during the transition ” to the new program , he said , adding that the government had worked closely with a panel of stakeholders on a redesign it hopes will move 8,000 youth off the waitlist in its first year .
The previous Liberal government of Kathleen Wynne had its own struggles , developing its more comprehensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chaos it created for families of children aged 5 and older it cut from intensive treatment from the province .
In its last budget before the 2018 election , Wynne ’ s government allocated $ 250 million over three years to speed up the identification of the one in five students with special education needs .
Parents who once shared their frustrations with the Wynne government on Twitter with the hashtag # autismdoesntendat5 have more recently updated that to # autismdoesntendatFord .
@ ToddSmithPC bragging about the budget is meaningless if there isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
Finish the program .
No more delays .
Families have waited long enough.
# AutismDoesntEndAtFord # NeedsBasedTherapy # onpoli 6/6 — Patrick Monaghan ( @ drpmonaghan ) July 21 , 2020 “ When Doug Ford implemented his disastrous changes to the Ontario Autism Program last year , everyone told him it was the wrong thing to do , ” said Michaal Coteau , the Liberal critic for the autism file , who was the children ’ s minister under Wynne .
“ The sad reality is because Doug Ford decided to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children and parents through completely unnecessary hardship , ” he said , adding that upending the program that was in place had led to job losses and less capacity , especially in the north of the province .
One parents ’ advocacy group , Northern Autism Families , warned in March that the Ford government ’ s underspending on services meant that those living in more remote areas of the province were missing out .
“ In many cases these meager funds do not meet the needs of children and potentially leave massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the group said at the time .
Smith said more young people were accessing provincial autism services now .
But the FAO report showed that they were getting less support .
A chart from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario shows autism spending in the last years of the previous Liberal government and by the current Progressive Conservative government The FAO said the government had spent $ 8,100 a year per client for childhood budgets in 2019 and 2020 , compared to the just under $ 30,000 per client being spent on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The other option the FAO presented as a way to eliminate the waitlist was for a 56 per cent reduction from 2018 service levels , to $ 13,100 per child .
The NDP ’ s Horwath said families of children with autism in Ontario have been forced to sell off assets to fund necessary support under both the Progressive Conservatives and prior Liberal government .
“ It ’ s absolutely horrific that this government has done such a bad job when it comes to supporting the parents of children with autism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FAO that it did not know if there were enough qualified behavioural clinicians , speech language pathologists and occupational therapists required to meet the demand anticipated under the new OAP .
Editor ’ s note : This article was updated at 7:04 p.m. Eastern time on July 21 , 2020 , to include comments from NDP Leader Andrea Horwarth , Liberal MPP Michael Coteau , government response , context and other details .

Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government would need to more than double the funding it has allocated for autism services or sharply cut their per-child provision if it wanted to eliminate a growing waiting list, according to an audit of the plans conducted by Ontario’s budget watchdog. Amid fierce resistance from parents and caregivers, the Progressive Conservatives did a U-turn last year on their initial plans to move autism spending away from a needs-based system to one reliant on "childhood budgets." At the time, the government said the age-based and means-tested allowances would help eliminate waitlists. Since reversing course, the government has been slow to make one-off payments to families left floundering between the two plans, according to the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) report released on Tuesday, which showed that both overall spending and the waitlist have grown. “These are children who are languishing on waitlists without the needs-based services that they were promised by this government when it was running for election,” the official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said at Queen’s Park after the release of the report. The government aims to get its needs-based program up and running by 2021. But that program does not maintain the Ford government’s earlier goal of getting rid of the waitlist entirely.
@ToddSmithPC promised there would be a continuum of care for those in service, but the numbers would suggest otherwise.
It's the "gold standard to childhood budget switcheroo" that @MacLeodLisa dreamt up.#AutismDoesntEndAtFord #onpoli — Scott Corbett (@ScottCorb) July 17, 2020 The province would have to spend $1.4 billion a year, more than double its $600 million budget for the new Ontario Autism Program (OAP), if it wanted to maintain 2018 service levels and eliminate the waitlist, the watchdog said. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions There were 27,600 children and youth on the autism waitlist in 2019-20, the FAO said, out of a total of 42,000 children and youth it estimates live with autism in Ontario.
The waitlist was at 24,900 in 2018-19; by contrast, in 2011-12, just 1,600 children were on the waitlist. Ontario's budget watchdog @InfoFAO said @fordnation would need to more than double its $600 million autism budget to get rid of waiting lists and provide support to all children with autism equivalent to what was available in 2018 In the last decade there has been a broad increase in the number of autism diagnoses in Canada and elsewhere, which experts say stems from growing awareness of the neurological disorder and looser diagnostic criteria. About 15 out of every 1,000 children and youth in Canada live with autism, according to a 2018 national study. (Here's a closer look at the numbers in the FAO report)
'Ignored, belittled and hurt' “This government has ignored, belittled and hurt families and children with autism,” the NDP's Horwath said during question period. Minister for Children and Social Services Todd Smith replied by saying the FAO report showed that no government had gotten the autism file right.


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--Hibernia offshore oil production halted after apparent drilling fluids spill

Production at the Hibernia offshore production platform 315 kilometres east of St. John ’ s , N.L.
, has been @ @ @ @ @ of drilling and production fluids .
In a post on its website , the Hibernia @ @ @ @ @ was observed in the water about 2.5 kilometres from the platform .
The company says @ @ @ @ @ well flowback operations indicated an `` exceedance '' on the produced water discharge and production @ @ @ @ @

Production at the Hibernia offshore production platform 315 kilometres east of St. John’s, N.L., has been halted after an apparent spill of drilling and production fluids.
In a post on its website, the Hibernia management company says a sheen was observed in the water about 2.5 kilometres from the platform.
The company says water sampling late Sunday during well flowback operations indicated an "exceedance" on the produced water discharge and production was immediately shut down.
It says airborne observations on Monday could not confirm the sheen but a vessel dispatched to check it out reported a light sheen. It says there have been no observed impacts on wildlife and personnel are safe.
Hibernia was shut down for a month last year after a release of oil and water from its drain system in August.


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--Finance Minister Bill Morneau to testify today on deal with WE Charity

Finance Minister Bill Morneau will appear today before a House of Commons committee that is probing a cancelled agreement for WE Charity to run a student-volunteer program .
Morneau has apologized for not recusing himself from the cabinet discussions and vote on the agreement , given his daughters have ties to WE — including one who works in an administrative arm of the organization .
He will be the latest cabinet minister to be grilled over the aborted deal that would have seen WE receive more than $ 43.5 million to oversee a program with a budget of up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , is being investigated by the federal ethics watchdog for possible violations of conflict of interest rules .
On Tuesday , Canada 's top bureaucrat said he could n't see not having the finance minister and prime minister involved in discussions about a program as big in scope and price as the Canada Student Service Grant program .
• Federal COVID-19 payment for people living with disabilities could reach 1.7M Canadians • Thousands of lives on hold as immigration system stalled out The program proposed paying students up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of hours they volunteer .
The Liberals have said the non-partisan public service recommended going with WE as it was the only organization in the country to administer a program as quickly and as broadly as what the government wanted .
In early July , the organization handed back control of the program to the government amid the controversy about its connections to Trudeau .
The organization has paid speaking fees to his mother and brother .
The finance committee also heard Tuesday from the head of the Public Service Alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered the program , while lawyer Joshua Mandryk raised concerns about effectively paying students below minimum wage and calling it volunteering .
The Canadian Federation of Students is calling on the government to abandon the program and push all the money into an emergency benefit for out-of-work students .
The group warns students may be unable to accumulate enough hours to receive grants because it 's almost August and there is no clarity on when the program will launch .
Finance Minister Bill Morneau will appear today , July 22 , 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is probing a cancelled agreement for WE Charity to run a student-volunteer program .
`` Students have waited for this program to roll out since April and now they 're told they have to wait even longer , '' national chair Sofia Descalzi said in a statement .
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22 , 2020 .

Finance Minister Bill Morneau will appear today before a House of Commons committee that is probing a cancelled agreement for WE Charity to run a student-volunteer program.
Morneau has apologized for not recusing himself from the cabinet discussions and vote on the agreement, given his daughters have ties to WE — including one who works in an administrative arm of the organization.
He will be the latest cabinet minister to be grilled over the aborted deal that would have seen WE receive more than $43.5 million to oversee a program with a budget of up to $912 million.
Morneau, like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is being investigated by the federal ethics watchdog for possible violations of conflict of interest rules.
On Tuesday, Canada's top bureaucrat said he couldn't see not having the finance minister and prime minister involved in discussions about a program as big in scope and price as the Canada Student Service Grant program.


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--Who owns B.C.'s fisheries?

Who owns B.C.'s fisheries?

In British Columbia , the right to fish is a commodity .
A commodity many fish harvesters can ’ t afford .
That ’ s because licences and quotas — regulatory “ keys ” to harvest the province ’ s fish worth tens of thousands of dollars each — are being bought by corporations , as well as Canadian and foreign investors .
A May 2019 report by the federal Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans noted that 0.9 per cent of B.C .
commercial fishing licence-holders controlled about two-thirds of the 6,563 licences available .
Both the committee and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t necessarily reflect what ’ s happening on the water .
Private contracts between fish harvesters and processing companies will often give these companies control over several licences that appear unrelated on paper .
Fisheries and Oceans Canada does not track the nationality of licence-holders .
Without this data , it is hard to identify the beneficiaries of these licences , the department acknowledged in a recent assessment of the system 's social and economic impacts .
• Federal COVID-19 payment for people living with disabilities could reach 1.7M Canadians • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system stalled out Independent fish harvesters — particularly those entering the industry , those from working fishing families and Indigenous commercial harvesters — can ’ t compete .
Instead , they rent the right to fish .
Leasing fees can cost up to 80 per cent of the anticipated value of their catch , and account for the bulk of their operating costs .
Licences and quota are expensive , forcing many young harvesters , rural fishing families and Indigenous harvesters to rent the right to fish .
These fees make up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ecotrust Canada/T .
Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation ) Licence holders profit most from the harvest .
And fish harvesters take on more of the risk — an inequity reflected in their incomes .
In 2015 , fifteen years after the current system was implemented in most B.C .
fisheries , the average B.C .
fish harvester earned six per cent less than in 2000 .
By 2016 , the average income of a fish harvester in B.C .
was 56 per cent below the national average fishing income .
Still , during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caught in the province remained relatively stable .
On June 30 , Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan stated in a letter sent to the fisheries committee that the 2019 Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans report would help the federal government revise its licensing policy to better meet social , economic and environmental objectives .
In British Columbia , the right to fish is a commodity .
A commodity many fish harvesters can ’ t afford .
That ’ s because licences and quotas are being bought by corporations , as well as Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented to the sector was a more immediate concern , she wrote .

In British Columbia, the right to fish is a commodity. A commodity many fish harvesters can’t afford.
That’s because licences and quotas — regulatory “keys” to harvest the province’s fish worth tens of thousands of dollars each — are being bought by corporations, as well as Canadian and foreign investors.
A May 2019 report by the federal Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans noted that 0.9 per cent of B.C. commercial fishing licence-holders controlled about two-thirds of the 6,563 licences available.
Both the committee and Fisheries and Oceans Canada say these numbers don’t necessarily reflect what’s happening on the water. Private contracts between fish harvesters and processing companies will often give these companies control over several licences that appear unrelated on paper.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada does not track the nationality of licence-holders. Without this data, it is hard to identify the beneficiaries of these licences, the department acknowledged in a recent assessment of the system's social and economic impacts.


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--B.C. fishermen say their industry needs a lifeline

“ Everybody who has ever been a fisherman was drawn to it because of the freedom , ” Erikson said .
A fourth-generation commercial fisherman , Erikson started fishing on his father ’ s vessel at the age of five , graduating to paid deckhand by age eight .
By 19 , he ’ d purchased his first boat — and its associated halibut licence .
Wes Erikson has spent his entire life working the waters of B.C.
’ s west coast , working gruelling hours on deck in some of the worst kinds of weather .
But money , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sea are in increasingly short supply on the B.C .
coast , especially for young fishermen , said Jim McIsaac , vice-president of the Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters ’ Federation .
As a young person , the money was also big draw , and if you worked hard you could get ahead and earn a living , the 52-year-old said .
“ The freedom to be your own boss , the freedom to be responsible to no one but yourself.
” “ There are fewer new entrants coming into fisheries , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And part of that is because it 's so tough to compete against large corporations and foreign interests.
” So fishermen , particularly young people with less access to capital , are being locked out of the market , McIsaac said .
As ITQs can be bought and sold or leased , like a precious commodity , speculation and demand has driven up the price .
Over time , a sizeable chunk of the available ITQs have been bought up by corporations , as well as Canadian or foreign investors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
The problem , McIsaac said , is that on the West Coast of Canada , the ownership of fishing licences and ITQs are not limited to fishermen .
And ITQs , or quota , are the permits , which attached to fishing licences , allow the holders right to catch a certain quantity of that fish .
ITQs can be freely traded or leased .
The federal government allows a limited amount of each type of fish to be caught .
The number of people that can fish for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of buying or leasing the Individual Transferable Quotas ( ITQs ) — which grants access to fish — is so high , McIsaac said .
“ Drug and alcohol abuse is up , suicide is up , but investment is down , the retention of youth is down , and the number of jobs is down.
” “ All the well-being factors ( in fishing communities ) are in decline , ” he said .
This decline in the number of fishers , coupled with revenue no longer staying in the hands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the steady death of coastal communities , especially along the north coast , McIsaac said .
The federal government needs to act to ensure the social , cultural and economic benefits of fishing licences and quotas fall into the hands of independent fish harvesters , First Nations and small fishing communities , McIsaac said .
How did this happen ?
The development of the ITQ system in the 1990s was to make fishing safer and promote the conservation of fish stock , said Erikson , who is also a member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fisheries and Oceans ( DFO ) .
“ The line of the day was that there were too many fishermen chasing too few fish , ” Erikson said .
“ We had to do something about it.
” By developing the ITQ system , fishermen with quota had a guaranteed portion of the catch , and no longer had to beat out other fishermen to get it .
With the elimination of competitive fishing , safety improved , because harvesters no longer had to head out into dangerous weather to secure as much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frenzy , Erikson said .
Also , ITQs — paired with stringent monitoring — stopped overfishing , and have improved the sustainability of the halibut and ground fish fisheries to the extent that they now act as a conservation model for the rest of the world , he said .
However , quota is a limited resource , with more people wanting access to it than is readily available , Erikson noted .
The ITQ system can result in a smaller , more lucrative fishery , and market demand contributes to the increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This means that the majority of quotas end up in the hands of those with better access to capital , Erikson said .
“ As a result of the law of unintended consequences , other problems arise , ” he said .
“ Now it ’ s so valuable as a commodity , it 's hard for young people to access the industry.
” As such , the ownership of ITQs has shifted over time .
This has led to a rising “ investor class ” of corporations , investors or retired fishermen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and quotas that cost the majority of a fisherman ’ s catch .
James Lawson , a Heiltsuk fisherman in his early thirties , agreed he feels locked out of the industry .
He comes from a multi-generational fishing family and has worked as a commercial fisherman for more than a decade — yet can only afford to lease his licences and quota .
“ People can ’ t enter the industry because it ’ s so expensive , ” Lawson said .
“ And ( licences and ITQs ) are being used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are used to create jobs on the water .
So , it ’ s backwards . ''
In some instances , McIsaac said , if there is a dramatic drop in the price of fish after a fisherman pays a set lease price , they actually find themselves in debt if they hit the water .
“ You have a young harvester saying ...
I had to dig into my own pocket to pay for my expenses and crew because the market was lower , ” McIsaac said .
There needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fish harvesters and ITQ owners that doles out the benefits and risks of leasing more equitably , stressed McIsaac .
Federal NDP critic for Fisheries and Oceans , Gord Johns , agrees policy on the West Coast needs to change .
“ In B.C.
, 'slipper skippers , ' who have never fished a day in their lives , are leasing quota to commercial fishers who can see 85 per cent of their catch going to quota and licensing fees , ” said Johns , MP for Courtenay-Alberni .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a critical lack of transparency around who actually owns licences and ITQs in B.C.
, Johns said .
Financial details around the sale and leasing of licences and quota is not public either , he added .
The curious thing is most problems around ITQ and licence ownership are limited to B.C.
, Johns said , saying the situation on the East Coast is better .
“ It ’ s like we live in two different countries , ” Johns said .
Owner-operator policy on the Atlantic Coast , and in Alaska @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boat owners — hold most of the licences and quota , Johns said .
As a result , fishing communities on the Atlantic coast are in better shape than in B.C.
, he added .
To address the problem , the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans was tasked to examine the issue and come up with solutions , said Johns , a member of the committee .
The result was a report , tabled last May , with 20 recommendations or steps the federal government and Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One important recommendation called for a new system for agreements to better divide proceeds from fisheries between quota or licence holders , processors and harvesters , Johns said .
Equally important was the call to stop the sale of fishing quota and licences , which involves a national resource , to non-Canadian owners , Johns said .
“ I think these are things that even non-fishers can agree on .
It ’ s a Canadian resource and it should be in the hands of Canadians , ” Johns said .
The committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed to monitor who actually owns fishing licences and quota , and data on the sales or leasing of those items .
The committee ’ s report was tabled a year ago , but the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans has yet to provide concrete steps it plans to take , or a timeline for action , Johns said .
Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan 's response to the report was presented to the committee in a letter June 30 .
Jordan stated the report will help guide the federal government to improve transparency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , economic and environmental objectives .
However , responding to the immediate challenges of the pandemic on the fishing sector was the ministry ’ s priority , Jordan wrote .
As recommended , the ministry is doing a comparative analysis of the both the West and East Coast fisheries to identify potential gaps in the Pacific management system , Jordan added .
As well , a review of foreign ownership in Canadian fisheries has been initiated , but specific tools to deal with issues that might arise haven ’ t been determined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DFO ) stated in an email to Canada 's National Observer on Tuesday .
“ We appreciate the government ’ s response and that they are looking at it , ” Johns said .
“ But it ’ s not enough .
They need to take action and ( provide resources for ) this , and we need a timeline of implementation.
” Erikson thinks the recommendations outlined in the fisheries committee report are positive and hopes the government will act on them .
“ I think they are wonderful .
I don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in owning quota , ” he said .
“ But at the same time , no one wants to go back to the type of fishing we used to do , which was a competitive , free-for-all fishery that was highly dangerous.
” Erikson cautioned throwing the baby out with the bathwater when making changes .
ITQs are a valuable conservation measure , he said .
And leasing quota , on either side of the equation , allows independent commercial harvesters to boost income and make fishing economically sustainable .
But new , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and owners of ITQ are needed , he said .
“ We 're looking for a way to put these in place with some legislation behind them , ” Erikson said .
“ What we need is some kind of way to … give these recommendations , the force of law .
”

As a young person, the money was also big draw, and if you worked hard you could get ahead and earn a living, the 52-year-old said.
“The freedom to be your own boss, the freedom to be responsible to no one but yourself.”
“Everybody who has ever been a fisherman was drawn to it because of the freedom,” Erikson said.
A fourth-generation commercial fisherman, Erikson started fishing on his father’s vessel at the age of five, graduating to paid deckhand by age eight. By 19, he’d purchased his first boat — and its associated halibut licence.
Wes Erikson has spent his entire life working the waters of B.C.’s west coast, working gruelling hours on deck in some of the worst kinds of weather.
But money, freedom or even a viable living from the sea are in increasingly short supply on the B.C. coast, especially for young fishermen, said Jim McIsaac, vice-president of the Canadian Independent Fish Harvesters’ Federation.
The problem, McIsaac said, is that on the West Coast of Canada, the ownership of fishing licences and ITQs are not limited to fishermen.
And ITQs, or quota, are the permits, which attached to fishing licences, allow the holders right to catch a certain quantity of that fish. ITQs can be freely traded or leased.
The federal government allows a limited amount of each type of fish to be caught.
The number of people that can fish for a living is dropping because the cost of buying or leasing the Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs) — which grants access to fish — is so high, McIsaac said.
So fishermen, particularly young people with less access to capital, are being locked out of the market, McIsaac said.
As ITQs can be bought and sold or leased, like a precious commodity, speculation and demand has driven up the price.
Over time, a sizeable chunk of the available ITQs have been bought up by corporations, as well as Canadian or foreign investors, who have never worked a fishing boat, he said.
“There are fewer new entrants coming into fisheries, and fewer young harvesters,” he said. “And part of that is because it's so tough to compete against large corporations and foreign interests.”
This decline in the number of fishers, coupled with revenue no longer staying in the hands of small independent fish harvesters, is contributing to the steady death of coastal communities, especially along the north coast, McIsaac said.
“All the well-being factors (in fishing communities) are in decline,” he said.
“Drug and alcohol abuse is up, suicide is up, but investment is down, the retention of youth is down, and the number of jobs is down.”
The federal government needs to act to ensure the social, cultural and economic benefits of fishing licences and quotas fall into the hands of independent fish harvesters, First Nations and small fishing communities, McIsaac said.
How did this happen?
The development of the ITQ system in the 1990s was to make fishing safer and promote the conservation of fish stock, said Erikson, who is also a member of the Halibut Advisory Board to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
“The line of the day was that there were too many fishermen chasing too few fish,” Erikson said. “We had to do something about it.”
By developing the ITQ system, fishermen with quota had a guaranteed portion of the catch, and no longer had to beat out other fishermen to get it.
With the elimination of competitive fishing, safety improved, because harvesters no longer had to head out into dangerous weather to secure as much fish as they could in a time-limited frenzy, Erikson said.
Also, ITQs — paired with stringent monitoring — stopped overfishing, and have improved the sustainability of the halibut and ground fish fisheries to the extent that they now act as a conservation model for the rest of the world, he said.
However, quota is a limited resource, with more people wanting access to it than is readily available, Erikson noted.
The ITQ system can result in a smaller, more lucrative fishery, and market demand contributes to the increased sale or leasing price of quotas.
This means that the majority of quotas end up in the hands of those with better access to capital, Erikson said.
“As a result of the law of unintended consequences, other problems arise,” he said. “Now it’s so valuable as a commodity, it's hard for young people to access the industry.”
As such, the ownership of ITQs has shifted over time.
In 1991, when B.C.’s halibut fishery began the transition to the current licensing and quota system, independent fishermen owned 90 per cent of the quota. By 2016, those numbers had crashed: Only 15 per cent of active fishermen owned their licences and quotas, researchers at Simon Fraser University found.
This has led to a rising “investor class” of corporations, investors or retired fishermen, some of whom lease out licences and quotas that cost the majority of a fisherman’s catch.
James Lawson, a Heiltsuk fisherman in his early thirties, agreed he feels locked out of the industry.
He comes from a multi-generational fishing family and has worked as a commercial fisherman for more than a decade — yet can only afford to lease his licences and quota.
“People can’t enter the industry because it’s so expensive,” Lawson said.
“And (licences and ITQs) are being used to create jobs in offices more than they are used to create jobs on the water. So, it’s backwards."
In some instances, McIsaac said, if there is a dramatic drop in the price of fish after a fisherman pays a set lease price, they actually find themselves in debt if they hit the water.
“You have a young harvester saying ... I had to dig into my own pocket to pay for my expenses and crew because the market was lower,” McIsaac said.
There needs to be a contract system in place between fish harvesters and ITQ owners that doles out the benefits and risks of leasing more equitably, stressed McIsaac.
Sharing benefits, sharing risks
Federal NDP critic for Fisheries and Oceans, Gord Johns, agrees policy on the West Coast needs to change.
“In B.C., 'slipper skippers,' who have never fished a day in their lives, are leasing quota to commercial fishers who can see 85 per cent of their catch going to quota and licensing fees,” said Johns, MP for Courtenay-Alberni. “It’s just fundamentally wrong.”
Additionally, there is a critical lack of transparency around who actually owns licences and ITQs in B.C., Johns said. Financial details around the sale and leasing of licences and quota is not public either, he added.
Federal NDP critic for Fisheries and Oceans, Gord Johns wants the government to act sooner rather than later to change licencing and quota rules, so more independent fisherman can make a living. Photo: courtesy Gord Johns.
The curious thing is most problems around ITQ and licence ownership are limited to B.C., Johns said, saying the situation on the East Coast is better.
“It’s like we live in two different countries,” Johns said.
Owner-operator policy on the Atlantic Coast, and in Alaska, means people who fish — commercial boat owners — hold most of the licences and quota, Johns said. As a result, fishing communities on the Atlantic coast are in better shape than in B.C., he added.
To address the problem, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans was tasked to examine the issue and come up with solutions, said Johns, a member of the committee.
The result was a report, tabled last May, with 20 recommendations or steps the federal government and Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans could take to improve the situation in B.C.
One important recommendation called for a new system for agreements to better divide proceeds from fisheries between quota or licence holders, processors and harvesters, Johns said.
Equally important was the call to stop the sale of fishing quota and licences, which involves a national resource, to non-Canadian owners, Johns said.
“I think these are things that even non-fishers can agree on. It’s a Canadian resource and it should be in the hands of Canadians,” Johns said.
The committee also wants to see a public database developed to monitor who actually owns fishing licences and quota, and data on the sales or leasing of those items.
The committee’s report was tabled a year ago, but the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans has yet to provide concrete steps it plans to take, or a timeline for action, Johns said.
The federal government's response
Federal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard Bernadette Jordan has acknowledged the need to improve transparency and to review the issue of foreign ownership of licences and quota on the B.C. coast. Photo: courtesy DFO.
Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan's response to the report was presented to the committee in a letter June 30.
Jordan stated the report will help guide the federal government to improve transparency, and revise policy to achieve social, economic and environmental objectives.
However, responding to the immediate challenges of the pandemic on the fishing sector was the ministry’s priority, Jordan wrote.
As recommended, the ministry is doing a comparative analysis of the both the West and East Coast fisheries to identify potential gaps in the Pacific management system, Jordan added.
As well, a review of foreign ownership in Canadian fisheries has been initiated, but specific tools to deal with issues that might arise haven’t been determined, the department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) stated in an email to Canada's National Observer on Tuesday.
“We appreciate the government’s response and that they are looking at it,” Johns said. “But it’s not enough. They need to take action and (provide resources for) this, and we need a timeline of implementation.”
Erikson thinks the recommendations outlined in the fisheries committee report are positive and hopes the government will act on them.
“I think they are wonderful. I don’t think speculators should be involved in owning quota,” he said.
“But at the same time, no one wants to go back to the type of fishing we used to do, which was a competitive, free-for-all fishery that was highly dangerous.”
Erikson cautioned throwing the baby out with the bathwater when making changes. ITQs are a valuable conservation measure, he said. And leasing quota, on either side of the equation, allows independent commercial harvesters to boost income and make fishing economically sustainable.
But new, enforceable agreements that are fair to leasers and owners of ITQ are needed, he said.
“We're looking for a way to put these in place with some legislation behind them,” Erikson said.
“What we need is some kind of way to … give these recommendations, the force of law.”
With files from Marc Fawcett-Atkinson
Rochelle Baker/Local Journalism Initiative/Canada's National Observer


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--Feds need to double down to ensure universal access to coronavirus vaccines

An unprecedented global effort is underway to discover a vaccine and treatments for the coronavirus wreaking havoc on the world .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , along with the leaders of seven developed and developing countries , co-signed a letter in the Washington Post on July 15 , urging that less developed countries not be left behind in the manufacturing and distribution of such a vaccine .
The Canadian government has already pledged $ 850 million to the Global Coronavirus Response and $ 120 million to the WHO-led Access to Covid-19 Tools [ ACT ] Accelerator that was created to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The elimination of Canada ’ s compulsory patent licensing regime more than two decades ago — replaced by a drug pricing system run by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board ( PMPRB ) — has resulted in Canadians paying the third highest prices in the world .
Under the 1989 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and NAFTA , Canada surrendered its ability to impose compulsory licensing on patents as a way to prevent price gouging and support Canadian generic manufacturers .
Big Pharma ’ s dominance has been reinforced by the deferential `` partnership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada , undermining its public interest mandate .
The relationship is characterized by an under-resourced regulatory agency stemming from years of budgetary cutbacks ; diminished expertise in evaluating industry demands ; and the corrosive influence of an agency dependent on industry funding of its drug-approval process .
Companies pay 50 per cent of Health Canada 's drug program , which could increase to 75 per cent .
`` The pandemic has exposed Canada ’ s vulnerability with respect to essential medicines .
Big Pharma , dominated by U.S. and European corporations , do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada . ''
Not surprisingly , the U.S. president ’ s signature was absent from the Washington Post letter .
Donald Trump , a friend of the pharmaceutical mega corps , is opposed to international collaboration on COVID-19 treatment and vaccines .
His administration — rife with ex Big Pharma lobbyists — is not only providing major research funding and economic support , but also protecting the industry ’ s monopoly patent protections against affordable public access both in the U.S. and abroad .
In the face of the pandemic , Politico reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 800 price increases this year and adjusted the cost of 42 medicines upward by an average of 3.3 per cent so far in July , according to GoodRx , which tracks the prices consumers pay at pharmacies.
” Nor is Trump a friend to Canada .
He tried to block the sale of pre-ordered N95 masks .
Remdesivir , a drug found to improve recovery rates in COVID-positive patients , is owned by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences Inc .
In June , Gilead announced that the non-negotiable price for remdesivir in the U.S. is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vial , which would amount to US $ 2,340 per five-day treatment course .
The estimate is that remdesivir could be made for under US $ 1 per dose , less than one-quarter of one per cent of what Gilead will be charging .
The White House followed suit with the announcement it had bought up the entire supply of remdesivir for the next three months .
Big Pharma is taking advantage of the pandemic to pressure the Canadian government to block , delay , dilute or reverse policies , legislation and regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to essential medicines .
Backed by the U.S. government , they have aggressively lobbied against three Canadian initiatives : the plan for universal pharmacare ; the partial reinstatement of compulsory licensing ; and the PMPRB ’ s overhaul of its method for calculating fair prices for prescription drugs .
The U.S. Trade Representative ’ s latest annual report on foreign threats to U.S. copyright holders singled out Canada as a major concern .
In March 2020 , the federal government passed the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act , which brought back its ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event of a national health emergency .
While Gilead has submitted an application to Health Canada for approval of its drug , compulsory licensing would allow another company , or a Crown corporation , to produce remdesivir without Gilead 's permission , thus eliminating its control of supply and price .
However , the act is only in effect until the end of September and the authorization is only for one year .
Big Pharma pushes back against threats to its monopoly patents In 2015 , the Liberal government committed to overhauling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated to save Canadians billions of dollars ; it was seen as a first step toward a national pharmacare plan .
In its 2018 budget , the government announced the creation of a federal Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare .
The council issued its report a year later , recommending a program along the lines of Medicare and setting out a federal-provincial implementation timeline .
Big Pharma , along with the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association , launched an intense lobbying campaign opposing the plan .
Their efforts are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the Fraser Institute , Macdonald-Laurier Institute , Montreal Economic Institute— organizations that receive generous funding from U.S. billionaires and Big Pharma lobbies .
Big Pharma says that reform of the PMPRB-pricing rules will mean less research and development in Canada , fewer clinical trials , fewer new medicines and patients being denied the latest medications .
None of these claims , according to PMPRB ’ s own research , are true .
PMPRB research has also exposed Big Pharma ’ s misinformation that price reductions cause drug shortages .
Among its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug shortages occur among non-patented drugs ; • There is no clear association between lower prices in Canada and drug shortages ; • There is no clear association between shortages and the price of medicines in Canada relative to other countries .
The draft regulations amending drug-pricing methodology were made public in late 2017 , with the final regulations published in August 2019 .
The changes included removing the U.S. and Switzerland , which have the world ’ s highest drug prices , from the list used to compare international prices .
Draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 2019 .
The industry lobby again pushed back .
It also launched a court challenge in September 2019 , claiming that some proposed regulatory changes were outside the regulator 's mandate .
Extended consultations with mainly industry , or industry supported , stakeholders led to a revised set of draft guidelines in June 2020 .
The PMPRB announced that the final guidelines will be made public in September 2020 , with the implementation of regulations taking place January 1 , 2021 .
Trudeau ’ s support of international collaborative efforts to address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the government should be making it a condition that any intellectual property or products that result from Canadian public funding be made available at affordable prices in low- and middle-income countries .
It is equally important that the government not backpedal from its plans to ensure all Canadians have access to treatments and vaccines as a human right — rather than access based on ability to pay .
The government should be looking to set up a Crown corporation to provide essential medicines and vaccines .
It needs to double down on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implementing PMPRB pricing regulations should be tolerated .
Compulsory licensing must become a permanent fixture of Canada ’ s drug regulation regime .
Finally , the government needs to accelerate plans for implementing universal pharmacare .

An unprecedented global effort is underway to discover a vaccine and treatments for the coronavirus wreaking havoc on the world. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with the leaders of seven developed and developing countries, co-signed a letter in the Washington Post on July 15, urging that less developed countries not be left behind in the manufacturing and distribution of such a vaccine. The Canadian government has already pledged $850 million to the Global Coronavirus Response and $120 million to the WHO-led Access to Covid-19 Tools [ACT] Accelerator that was created to ensure equitable access to medical treatments. The government has also committed more than $1 billion in support of a national medical research strategy including vaccine development, the production of treatments, and tracking of the virus. The international scientific community is working co-operatively.
At least 17 vaccine candidates, including in Canada, are currently being tested on humans. With the exception of vague assurances by the odd CEO that vaccines will be affordable, major pharmaceutical corporations — focused on protecting their monopoly patents which ensure their ability to profit and price gouge — are not co-operating in the global endeavor. The concept of the public good is anathema to Big Pharma. The pandemic has exposed Canada’s vulnerability with respect to essential medicines. Big Pharma, dominated by U.S. and European corporations, do not manufacture their treatments and vaccines in Canada. Furthermore, Canada was forced to import the bulk of necessary medical supplies, such as N95 masks, though domestic production has ramped up and the country is now producing 40 per cent of these supplies. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions According to pharmaceutical expert Dr. Joel Lexchin, we do not have the capability to manufacture vaccines in Canada. Connaught Laboratories, the legendary Crown corporation, was sold off in 1989 to a French multinational.
The elimination of Canada’s compulsory patent licensing regime more than two decades ago — replaced by a drug pricing system run by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) — has resulted in Canadians paying the third highest prices in the world. "The pandemic has exposed Canada’s vulnerability with respect to essential medicines. Big Pharma, dominated by U.S. and European corporations, do not manufacture their treatments and vaccines in Canada." Under the 1989 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and NAFTA, Canada surrendered its ability to impose compulsory licensing on patents as a way to prevent price gouging and support Canadian generic manufacturers. Big Pharma’s dominance has been reinforced by the deferential "partnership" relationship with the regulator, Health Canada, undermining its public interest mandate. The relationship is characterized by an under-resourced regulatory agency stemming from years of budgetary cutbacks; diminished expertise in evaluating industry demands; and the corrosive influence of an agency dependent on industry funding of its drug-approval process. Companies pay 50 per cent of Health Canada's drug program, which could increase to 75 per cent. Not surprisingly, the U.S. president’s signature was absent from the Washington Post letter. Donald Trump, a friend of the pharmaceutical mega corps, is opposed to international collaboration on COVID-19 treatment and vaccines. His administration — rife with ex Big Pharma lobbyists — is not only providing major research funding and economic support, but also protecting the industry’s monopoly patent protections against affordable public access both in the U.S. and abroad. In the face of the pandemic, Politico reported: “Pharmaceutical companies logged more than 800 price increases this year and adjusted the cost of 42 medicines upward by an average of 3.3 per cent so far in July, according to GoodRx, which tracks the prices consumers pay at pharmacies.”
Nor is Trump a friend to Canada. He tried to block the sale of pre-ordered N95 masks. Remdesivir, a drug found to improve recovery rates in COVID-positive patients, is owned by U.S.-based Gilead Sciences Inc. In June, Gilead announced that the non-negotiable price for remdesivir in the U.S. is going to be US$390 per vial, which would amount to US$2,340 per five-day treatment course. The estimate is that remdesivir could be made for under US$1 per dose, less than one-quarter of one per cent of what Gilead will be charging. The White House followed suit with the announcement it had bought up the entire supply of remdesivir for the next three months. Big Pharma is taking advantage of the pandemic to pressure the Canadian government to block, delay, dilute or reverse policies, legislation and regulations designed to provide Canadians with affordable access to essential medicines. Backed by the U.S. government, they have aggressively lobbied against three Canadian initiatives: the plan for universal pharmacare; the partial reinstatement of compulsory licensing; and the PMPRB’s overhaul of its method for calculating fair prices for prescription drugs. The U.S. Trade Representative’s latest annual report on foreign threats to U.S. copyright holders singled out Canada as a major concern.


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--B.C. would welcome talks with feds over basic income guarantee

British Columbia would welcome consultations with the federal government on the issue of basic income , says the province 's social development and poverty reduction minister .
Shane Simpson was asked to respond to a federal Senate committee report that recommends the Government of Canada give “ full , fair and priority consideration ” to a basic income guarantee , in consultation with the provinces , territories and Indigenous governments .
“ The possibility of a basic income guarantee deserves more thorough investigation , ” the Senate finance committee wrote in its interim report on COVID-19 , published July 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently told CBC Radio that Finance Minister Bill Morneau ’ s “ economic and fiscal snapshot ” of its pandemic relief efforts suggested a COVID-19 recovery will be modest .
“ That suggests to me that we will need income support of some sort into 2021 , ” he said .
“ To the extent that we need special income support , this is an opportunity to pilot basic income , perhaps at a provincial level , to see if this might be a better way to help Canadians and to reap the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been touting for many years.
” British Columbia would welcome consultations with the federal government on the issue of basic income , says the province 's social development and poverty reduction minister .
Hundreds of individuals and organizations in the arts and culture sector released an open letter July 16 that called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others in his cabinet to “ ensure the financial well-being of all residents by implementing a permanent Basic Income Guarantee.
” The letter points out that millions of Canadians are either out of work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said structural inequalities already disproportionately affect groups such as refugees , women , people with disabilities , LGBTQ2+ people and Black and Indigenous people .
“ Establishing a Basic Income Guarantee will help to create a healthier , more equitable social safety system that provides financial support , elevating people and ensuring that no one is left behind , ” they wrote .
With CERB slated to end on Oct 4 , there will be a need for alternative forms of income support for Cdns .
A BI pilot would not only address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test the hypothesis that such programs generate benefits for society that go beyond the $ support .
https : //t.co/RVuD3uVOXz — Yuen Pau Woo ( @ yuenpauwoo ) July 8 , 2020 The Basic Income Canada Network , an Ottawa-based nonprofit that spoke with the committee , recommended that the government set a basic income at $ 2,000 per month , which is what the CERB has been set at .
The group argued basic income would lower poverty and inequality as it would be applied to everyone in a fair manner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programs that have overlaps and gaps.
” The Green Party has been calling for a “ guaranteed livable income ” program for several years .
The party said March 17 , early on in the pandemic , that the economic fallout of COVID-19 presented the “ perfect opportunity ” to explore how basic income could be happened before the next emergency .
The federal NDP has also said the establishment of the CERB has demonstrated why Canada should be putting in place a basic income program .
The CERB is being phased out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its support toward a redesigned wage subsidy program available to all eligible employers , with varying support levels depending on pandemic-related revenue losses .
The former Bank of Canada governor , Stephen Poloz , told the committee that some future reliable and automatic “ fiscal stabilizer ” would be “ worth developing more deeply , ” as a lesson learned from the pandemic .
The Parliamentary Budget Officer ( PBO ) also released a cost estimate of post-pandemic basic income on July 7 , responding to a request from Woo , using the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a basic income pilot project .
The PBO said the total estimated gross cost of such an endeavour would be between $ 47 billion and $ 98 billion , if it were to run between October 2020 and March 2021 .
But this could be offset by $ 15 billion over the same period , if federal and provincial income support programs , such as tax credits , would be eliminated in its place .

British Columbia would welcome consultations with the federal government on the issue of basic income, says the province's social development and poverty reduction minister. Shane Simpson was asked to respond to a federal Senate committee report that recommends the Government of Canada give “full, fair and priority consideration” to a basic income guarantee, in consultation with the provinces, territories and Indigenous governments. “The possibility of a basic income guarantee deserves more thorough investigation,” the Senate finance committee wrote in its interim report on COVID-19, published July 14. Simpson's office confirmed to National Observer that “B.C. would welcome consultation” over the issue. The province is currently studying basic income via a panel the government struck in 2018. The panel's final report is due to the minister at the end of December. http://twitter.com/SenateCA/status/1283026458290552832
CERB 'effectiveness' seen as inspiration The Senate committee’s deputy chair, Senator Éric Forest, said “many witnesses and senators strongly suggested” the government consider a basic income program in the “post-COVID world” during its study of the issue. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Senators found that the “effectiveness” of the government’s $2,000-a-month COVID-19 income support, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) “has led many people to wonder whether it is time to consider a more permanent solution, such as a basic income guarantee.”
B.C. Senator Yuen Pau Woo recently told CBC Radio that Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s “economic and fiscal snapshot” of its pandemic relief efforts suggested a COVID-19 recovery will be modest. British Columbia would welcome consultations with the federal government on the issue of basic income, says the province's social development and poverty reduction minister. “That suggests to me that we will need income support of some sort into 2021,” he said. “To the extent that we need special income support, this is an opportunity to pilot basic income, perhaps at a provincial level, to see if this might be a better way to help Canadians and to reap the benefits that the proponents of basic income have been touting for many years.” Hundreds of individuals and organizations in the arts and culture sector released an open letter July 16 that called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others in his cabinet to “ensure the financial well-being of all residents by implementing a permanent Basic Income Guarantee.” The letter points out that millions of Canadians are either out of work or in precarious financial situations. They said structural inequalities already disproportionately affect groups such as refugees, women, people with disabilities, LGBTQ2+ people and Black and Indigenous people.
“Establishing a Basic Income Guarantee will help to create a healthier, more equitable social safety system that provides financial support, elevating people and ensuring that no one is left behind,” they wrote. http://twitter.com/yuenpauwoo/status/1280986116926115840


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--Trans Mountain losing insurer as Zurich to drop coverage: Report

Zurich Insurance Group has decided not to renew coverage of the Trans Mountain pipeline , according to a media report .
The news comes roughly a year after the large Swiss insurance company declared it would reject companies that operate “ purpose-built ” transportation infrastructure for oilsands products , including pipelines .
The Trans Mountain pipeline , owned and operated by a federal Canadian Crown corporation and its subsidiaries , transports a heavy tar-like substance called bitumen and other petroleum products from Alberta ’ s oilpatch to a terminal in Metro Vancouver .
In late June 2019 , Zurich said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firms that “ generate at least 30 per cent of their revenue directly from the extraction of oil from oilsands , ” and pledged to align itself with the Paris climate agreement .
Reuters reported Wednesday that Zurich will not renew coverage of Trans Mountain , citing a spokesperson for the project .
• Federal COVID-19 payment for people living with disabilities could reach 1.7M Canadians • Ford 's COVID-19 economic recovery bill was 'not compliant ' with the law , auditor general says • Thousands of lives on hold as immigration system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mountain as stating that it had the insurance it needs for both its existing operation and for the expansion project it is building to nearly triple its capacity up to 890,000 barrels per day .
“ There remains adequate capacity in the market to meet Trans Mountain ’ s insurance needs and our renewal , ” the spokesperson told Reuters .
Construction on the Trans Mountain expansion project is continuing throughout the summer , and began along the British Columbia portion last month .
The Reuters report marks the second time in less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been the subject of a news report suggesting it has lost an investor .
On June 30 , environmental group Stand.earth said it had confirmation that German insurer Talanx would no longer back the project .
Stand.earth said Talanx had added oilsands to its list of “ exclusion criteria for both investments and underwriting.
” Zurich Insurance Group has decided not to renew coverage of the Trans Mountain pipeline , according to a media report .
The financial sector is under scrutiny over its efforts to address the climate crisis and its implications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal regulator , the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions ( OSFI ) , asked all insurers to develop an approach for “ making the transition to fewer carbon-linked assets.
” Legal analysis has shown that directors of Canadian corporations are currently obligated to act on the risks posed by climate change , even if they don ’ t personally believe in the science .
Research has also shown that pricing in the implications of the Paris Agreement on the market could see a shift in oil and gas asset valuations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trigger a cascading effect that would impact financial institutions , including insurance companies .
Trans Mountain has survived a long series of legal challenges in Canada brought by environmental , Indigenous , youth and other groups concerned over the pipeline ’ s impact on drinking water or wildlife , the risk of an oil spill , and the implications of building fossil fuel infrastructure during a climate emergency .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has approved the pipeline twice , the first time in November 2016 — a decision that was quashed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the court found the government failed in its legal duty to consult First Nations .
The government then approved it again in June 2019 after renewed consultations .
A Federal Court of Appeal ruling found the government ’ s second attempt at consulting was “ genuine.
” This month , the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear an appeal from First Nations over that ruling .
The Supreme Court also dismissed a separate appeal in January that would have allowed the B.C .
government to regulate heavy oil flowing through its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t hear another challenge from Youth Stop TMX , a group concerned about the “ right to a healthy future.
” On June 13 , a spill at the Sumas Pump Station in Abbotsford released up to 190,000 litres of crude oil , according to an initial estimate .
The chief of Sumas First Nation called for an independent investigation because the spill was near a significant burial ground .

Zurich Insurance Group has decided not to renew coverage of the Trans Mountain pipeline, according to a media report. The news comes roughly a year after the large Swiss insurance company declared it would reject companies that operate “purpose-built” transportation infrastructure for oilsands products, including pipelines. The Trans Mountain pipeline, owned and operated by a federal Canadian Crown corporation and its subsidiaries, transports a heavy tar-like substance called bitumen and other petroleum products from Alberta’s oilpatch to a terminal in Metro Vancouver. In late June 2019, Zurich said it would not underwrite or invest in firms that “generate at least 30 per cent of their revenue directly from the extraction of oil from oilsands,” and pledged to align itself with the Paris climate agreement. Reuters reported Wednesday that Zurich will not renew coverage of Trans Mountain, citing a spokesperson for the project.
The news report quoted Trans Mountain as stating that it had the insurance it needs for both its existing operation and for the expansion project it is building to nearly triple its capacity up to 890,000 barrels per day. “There remains adequate capacity in the market to meet Trans Mountain’s insurance needs and our renewal,” the spokesperson told Reuters. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions Construction on the Trans Mountain expansion project is continuing throughout the summer, and began along the British Columbia portion last month.
The Reuters report marks the second time in less than a month that the pipeline has been the subject of a news report suggesting it has lost an investor. Zurich Insurance Group has decided not to renew coverage of the Trans Mountain pipeline, according to a media report. On June 30, environmental group Stand.earth said it had confirmation that German insurer Talanx would no longer back the project. Stand.earth said Talanx had added oilsands to its list of “exclusion criteria for both investments and underwriting.” The financial sector is under scrutiny over its efforts to address the climate crisis and its implications for the economy. Last year, the federal regulator, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), asked all insurers to develop an approach for “making the transition to fewer carbon-linked assets.”
Legal analysis has shown that directors of Canadian corporations are currently obligated to act on the risks posed by climate change, even if they don’t personally believe in the science. Research has also shown that pricing in the implications of the Paris Agreement on the market could see a shift in oil and gas asset valuations that, if sufficiently large, could trigger a cascading effect that would impact financial institutions, including insurance companies. Trans Mountain has survived a long series of legal challenges in Canada brought by environmental, Indigenous, youth and other groups concerned over the pipeline’s impact on drinking water or wildlife, the risk of an oil spill, and the implications of building fossil fuel infrastructure during a climate emergency.


nationalobserver--2020-07-22--Ford disagrees after auditor general finds Bill 197 was 'not compliant' with law

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he doesn ’ t agree with the province ’ s auditor general that his government was “ not compliant ” with the law by passing major environmental changes without public consultation .
The government passed Bill 197 on Tuesday , an act that would alter 20 existing laws and make pivotal changes to environmental law .
Under Ontario ’ s Environmental Bill of Rights , the government must consult the public about environment-related legislation before passing it .
Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk flagged concerns to the government Friday , saying two portions of Bill 197 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Rights , Canada ’ s National Observer previously reported .
“ I ’ m going to have to respectfully disagree , ” Ford said Wednesday , when asked about Lysyk ’ s finding at his daily COVID-19 briefing .
Ontario NDP environment critic Ian Arthur fired back on Twitter : “ You can respectfully disagree with a law all you want .
But it 's still a law , ” he said .
• Federal COVID-19 payment for people living with disabilities could reach 1.7M Canadians • Ford 's COVID-19 economic recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law , auditor general says • Thousands of lives on hold as immigration system stalled out The auditor general is an independent watchdog role , mainly tasked with keeping an eye on provincial finances .
Last year , however , the Ford government dissolved the office of the environmental commissioner and moved that role under the auditor general ’ s purview .
Ford has said Bill 197 is aimed at speeding up key infrastructure projects to help Ontario recover from the economic hit it has taken due to COVID-19 .
The legislation means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get environmental assessments , rather than reviewing most public sector projects by default .
It also streamlines assessments for projects that do need them , and removes a mechanism that allows the public to ask for a full review of a project .
The government is working on more regulations to decide on a list of which projects should get assessments , and to define what the streamlined assessments will look like — the government has said it will still review projects with a moderate or high impact on the environment .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respects the fact that we have to keep the environment safe while moving forward with important economic activity , ” government house leader Paul Calandra said at Wednesday ’ s briefing .
Bill 197 also expands the government ’ s power to override the normal land planning process and potential opposition to projects through ministerial zoning orders ( or MZOs ) .
Ontario 's auditor general has said the government was not compliant with the law when it passed Bill 197 without consulting the public on environmental changes .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Premier Doug Ford said in response .
# onpoli The bill was opposed during debate by the NDP , Ontario Liberals and Green Party of Ontario .
The government laid out the changes to environmental assessments in a discussion paper last year and held consultations about its plans .
But it did not consult the public on the final version of the rewrite — the government included a measure to exempt that part of the bill from public consultation requirements under the Environmental Bill of Rights — or on the changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the government exempting itself from a law retroactively would be “ precedent-setting.
” Ford and Calandra didn ’ t directly address Lysyk ’ s concerns Wednesday , but Calandra said the bill allows the government to do “ continued consultation.
” “ This is an important piece of legislation which will modernize the Environmental Assessment Act after some 50 years , ” he added .

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he doesn’t agree with the province’s auditor general that his government was “not compliant” with the law by passing major environmental changes without public consultation. The government passed Bill 197 on Tuesday, an act that would alter 20 existing laws and make pivotal changes to environmental law. Under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, the government must consult the public about environment-related legislation before passing it. Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk flagged concerns to the government Friday, saying two portions of Bill 197 were not compliant with the Environmental Bill of Rights, Canada’s National Observer previously reported. “I’m going to have to respectfully disagree,” Ford said Wednesday, when asked about Lysyk’s finding at his daily COVID-19 briefing. Ontario NDP environment critic Ian Arthur fired back on Twitter: “You can respectfully disagree with a law all you want. But it's still a law,” he said.
The auditor general is an independent watchdog role, mainly tasked with keeping an eye on provincial finances. Last year, however, the Ford government dissolved the office of the environmental commissioner and moved that role under the auditor general’s purview. Ford has said Bill 197 is aimed at speeding up key infrastructure projects to help Ontario recover from the economic hit it has taken due to COVID-19. Billion-dollar land deals in Ontario raise corruption suspicions The legislation means the government will now decide which projects get environmental assessments, rather than reviewing most public sector projects by default. It also streamlines assessments for projects that do need them, and removes a mechanism that allows the public to ask for a full review of a project.
The government is working on more regulations to decide on a list of which projects should get assessments, and to define what the streamlined assessments will look like — the government has said it will still review projects with a moderate or high impact on the environment. Ontario's auditor general has said the government was not compliant with the law when it passed Bill 197 without consulting the public on environmental changes. “I’m going to have to respectfully disagree," Premier Doug Ford said in response. #onpoli “We will make sure that the legislation respects the fact that we have to keep the environment safe while moving forward with important economic activity,” government house leader Paul Calandra said at Wednesday’s briefing. Bill 197 also expands the government’s power to override the normal land planning process and potential opposition to projects through ministerial zoning orders (or MZOs). The bill was opposed during debate by the NDP, Ontario Liberals and Green Party of Ontario. The government laid out the changes to environmental assessments in a discussion paper last year and held consultations about its plans. But it did not consult the public on the final version of the rewrite — the government included a measure to exempt that part of the bill from public consultation requirements under the Environmental Bill of Rights — or on the changes to MZOs.