Yesterday I was part of a ‘forest futures’ scenario project developed by the Sustainable Forest Management Network of Canada (SFMN). The project has been compiling input on four futuristic scenario stories from forest and forestry geeks across the country. Victoria was the last stop for this particular phase of the project’s journey. The participants in the Victoria forum were largely government employees from the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Environment, with a few add-ons from university researchers, and environmental non-profits. [Read more...]

A giant wind turbine rotated slowly within view of the entrance to the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto, providing a fitting backdrop for the Gala of the 2008 Canadian Environment Awards, hosted by Canadian Geographic magazine in honor of those dedicating their energy, creativity, and passion to making this country and its environment healthier. I was there to protest. [Read more...]

The Forest Industry is in crisis and the BC government says there is nothing they can do about it. But with over 1000 layoffs in the last few weeks, 46 mill closures since January and 10 000 forestry related jobs lost in the province in the past year it is time to find some solutions to the forestry crisis... [Read more...]

Western Forest Products is implying that they will play the role of the 'too-bad-so-sad/'no parks' developer if Ida Chong, the Minister of Community Services, approves zoning changes submitted by the Capital Regional District that would decrease the value of land the company is trying to sell to a Vancouver developer. [Read more...]

After more than a year of speculation, the BC Securities Commission (BCSC) is now investigating the possibility that large purchases of Western Forest Products stock in January 2007 were in fact ‘insider trades’, in which information leaked to one or more shareholders allowed them to make huge profits. The ‘insider information’, in this instance, was confirmation that Minister of Forests Rich Coleman would indeed be granting the company their tree farm licence deletion [Read more...]

Last week, a Globe and Mail story by Norvall Scott broke news of a “business-led lobbying effort to create a partial moratorium on oil sands development in order to free up conservation land” in northern Alberta’s heavily scarred Athabasca region. The move breaks a generally accepted code between companies and the government of that province and reflects a desperation on the part of some of Alberta’s largest tar sands companies to shed their 'dirty oil' image. [Read more...]

Announcements by energy giant Enbridge and the BC government look to clear First Nation and environmental obstacles to tanker traffic along BC’s coast. But public opinion remains firmly against tankers on our coast. [Read more...]

BC Minister of Forests and Range Rich Coleman has outraged First Nations, forest workers, surfers and other recreation-interests, local land owners, and environmental advocates with his decision to delete 28,000 ha of land from Tree Farm Licences on Vancouver Island, including treasured sections of land surrounding Sooke Potholes and coastal forest between Sooke and Jordan River. His performance on this and other issues constitutes a betrayal of the public interest. [Read more...]

Last week I was lucky to take time out of my busy schedule and gain some perspective from raging granny Gillian Sanderson. She was eager to share her perspective on our Forest Minister, Rich Coleman, and his decisions affecting our beloved coast. [Read more...]

When commentators refer to a global 'addiction' to fossil fuels, the addiction is typically meant to refer to the actual use of oil, gas, coal, etc. to power the mechanics of our modern, everyday lives - in essence the royal 'we' are addicted to the conveniences and status that cheap energy continues to provide...But I'm inclined to think that the tougher addiction to break, and the addiction that will only get stronger as the price of energy increases, is the addiction of fossil fuel producing jurisdictions to revenue generated by the development of remaining reserves. [Read more...]

The New Year brings with it the opportunity to take stock of our accomplishments and look to the future. 2007 was a momentous year for Dogwood Initiative. Not only has the organization grown, but, more importantly, the idea of creating a sustainable BC based on community engagement and local control took root in communities around BC. As people stood up to protect the integrity of their community and environment they discovered something surprising. They can win. [Read more...]

The latest chapter in Royal Dutch Shell’s venture into BC’s Sacred Headwaters should clear up any remaining doubt about this corporation's approach to indigenous rights [Read more...]

Since the late sixties David Anderson has kept a lookout for oil and gas projects on BC’s coast. Now it’s time for the next generation to take the watch. [Read more...]

The last few months saw another Canadian province facing scrutiny for its failure to collect a “fair share” of the monetary value of public assets granted to resource companies. The recent controversy over low oil and gas royalties in Alberta garnered sustained headlines across the country. Much of the coverage framed the issue as if this problem is unique to Alberta; it isn’t [Read more...]

A little over two weeks ago my wife gave birth to our first baby. Asha Hope was born after being in her mothers womb only 25 weeks and weighed under two pounds. As our focus moves slightly beyond the next minute, I have been contemplating life as a parent and how that affects my outlook as an activist. [Read more...]

As oil continues to seep from the sunken Queen of the North, the community of Hartley Bay is preparing to defend itself against larger threats; oil tankers. [Read more...]

While rattling sabres to protect east coast waters Stephen Harper is allowing BC’s coast to be put at risk. [Read more...]

Climate change truly is an arena where self interest (simple survival) and collective action are one in the same. No we are unlikely to create a new utopia, but if we rise to the challenge of our current climate crisis it will because we have learned that our welfare is dependant on cooperation. [Read more...]

From financial woes to community opposition, LNG proposals have never taken route in BC. [Read more...]

Westpac Terminals expects BC ratepayers to bail out its failing LNG proposal, but Texada Islanders are unwilling to pay the price. [Read more...]

Close your eyes and think of your special place on BC’s coast. What do you value about that place? What’s your dream for its future? [Read more...]

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Shell’s plans to renew drilling for Coalbed methane in the Sacred Headwaters of the Stikine, Skeena and Nass watersheds, this winter if possible [Read more...]

Although corporate CEOs, particularly oil and gas executives, proposals are usually a self-serving brew of tax cuts, subsidies and deregulation expertly wrapped by high-paid spin doctors in the maple leaf, I support their call for a national energy strategy... [Read more...]

Royal Dutch Shell is in for a run for its money in BC’s Sacred Headwaters. The struggle to “Get the (S)hell out of the Sacred Headwaters” should inspire people everywhere who care about justice, equity and sustainability [Read more...]

Clashes between First Nations and resource companies are erupting in northern BC. The Sacred Headwaters conflict between Royal Dutch Shell and the Tahltan is on the verge of igniting; meanwhile, in an adjacent valley a blockade has already occurred [Read more...]

Two years after Shell was forced to shut down their coalbed methane drilling operations in the Sacred Headwaters (Klappan), it looks like another face-off is brewing [Read more...]

As we all know, accidents happen and, as the residents of Burnaby are now discovering, when they involve crude oil, they are damn hard to clean up. Last weeks pipeline rupture that spewed an estimated 234,000 litres of oil over streets, homes, back yards and into Burrard Inlet will be a problem for affected residents and the environment for a long time to come. However serious these are they pale in comparison to the effects a major spill would have along proposed pipeline corridors and tanker routes in Northern BC. [Read more...]

If nothing else, the folks at Enbridge must be given credit for their persistence. Time after time, spadefuls of earth have resoundingly landed on the casket of their proposed Gateway to the Asia-Pacific, and time after time Enbridge has jumped into the hole in desperate attempts to brush away the dirt [Read more...]

First Nations are protesting across Canada to draw attention to outstanding land claims. Thousands rallied in cities across the country. In British Columbia the last time that First Nations united in the streets to pressure government was t in May 2004 when over 3,000 Aboriginal people marched on the legislature under the Title & Rights Alliance banner [Read more...]

Listening to Mr. Lunn I’m beginning to wonder if any documents from the Federal Government represent reality, or if he has designated himself the sole arbitrator of the truth on tankers. [Read more...]

Minister Lunn may have the power to fast-track six proposed tar sands related projects for BC’s north coast, but he doesn’t have the power to change history by simply denying the existence of a well-documented tanker moratorium [Read more...]

From the point of view of Stephen Harper’s conservative “family” the challenge is to swat away those of us bringing the govt's about-face on oil tankers moratorium to the public’s attention as quietly as possible... [Read more...]

Canadian's are sounding the alarm about the frenzy of foreign takeovers of Canadian corporations. In addition to economic impacts, Royal Dutch Shell’s takeover of Shell Canada also raises potential environmental and human rights concerns. [Read more...]

We are here to celebrate because this week is the anniversary of several important dates in history. Heroes that have protected our coast, our world, our civilization. And this week marks important anniversaries of events that have changed the world [Read more...]

How fast things can change! If I had stood up before you then and said that in just 15 months - that in a little more than a year - our political parties would be climbing over each other to appear greenest…You would have laughed [Read more...]

Some time ago western civilization faced a crisis of unprecedented proportions. A crisis that had profound impacts on the future of the world. The politics were bare knuckled. Opponents asserted change would have devastating economic consequences. Proponents emphasized the moral imperatives [Read more...]

With a couple strokes of the pen, and no public process, the Campbell government has inked deals that could potentially provide billions of dollars in profits to Western Forest Products and aluminum giant Alcan. The profits won’t come from innovation, diligence, or success in creating better wood and aluminum products. The profits will come from the sale of land, raw logs, and electricity: corporate bounty [Read more...]

BC has among the loosest campaign finance laws in Canada. BC laws allow contributions of any amount to be received by any political party from any person, corporation, union, or association in the entire world. [Read more...]

It’s a heady time for environmentalists. If we look back to the last federal election campaign, nary a word was mentioned about the environment. A year later, politicians are falling over themselves to present themselves as green. Previous climate change deniers and skeptics are now anxious to jump on board the new hybrid/bio-diesel bandwagon and take us to the Promised Land. Who could have imagined that things could move so far so fast? [Read more...]