Harper vs. Environment @harper-vs-environment - Tumblr Blog

NEWS: Alberta lakes show chemical effects of oilsands

A new study released today suggests chemicals from 50 years of oilsands production are showing up in increasing amounts in lakes in northern Alberta. And the effects are being felt much farther away than previously thought. The joint study between scientists at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., and Environment Canada looked at core samples from five lakes close to the oilsands mining and upgrading operations in Fort McMurray, Alta. They also studied samples from Namur Lake, 90 kilometres northwest. The study found that the levels of cancer-causing PAHs in all six lakes had increased anywhere from 2½ times to 23 times background levels in the early 1960s, before the start of oilsands mining in the region. The PAHs fall into the water from air pollution and are deposited in the mud over time. One of the study's authors, biologist John Smol from Queen's University, says these formerly pristine northern lakes now have the same chemical composition as lakes near urban areas. / Read more in CBC.ca article by Margo McDiarmid /

#tarsands #Harper #Canada #environment #scientists #Queen's University #Alberta

NEWS: Most Canadians believe Harper failing to protect environment

A majority of Canadians believe the Harper government is doing a poor job of protecting the nation’s environment, suggests a new poll conducted for Postmedia News and Global Television. The Ipsos Reid survey suggests that 61 per cent of Canadians disagree with the statement, “The Harper government is doing a good job at protecting Canada’s environment.” The survey also found that 63 per cent of Canadians disagree with the statement, “The Harper government has struck the right balance between economic growth and environmental protection and management.” Nearly three out of four Quebecers questioned -- or 74 per cent -- said they did not believe the Harper government was doing a good job of protecting the environment. Sixty-six per cent of Atlantic Canadians and 63 per cent of British Columbians also gave the Tories poor marks. / Read more in Canada.com article by Mike De Souza /

#Harper #environment #poll #Canada

We [Canadians] are a large emitter of greenhouse gases, despite what the government would like us to believe. We’ve contributed more than our fair share to this problem over the last few decades, so we have a moral obligation to do everything we can and to do our part, which we’re not doing right now to solve the problem.

Veteran environmentalist Steven Guilbeault via Vancouver Sun article

#Harper #Kyoto #environment #Canada

NEWS: Harper government officially withdraws from Kyoto

Canada will officially become the first country to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol climate change agreement Saturday, following years of criticism from the Harper government and lobbying from major industrial polluters. Environment Minister Peter Kent declined interview requests from Postmedia News, but has previously said Canada supports efforts to reach a new binding deal by 2015 – coming into force by 2020. / Read more in the Vancouver Sun article by Mike De Souza /

#Harper #environment #Canada #Kyoto

NEWS: Feds delete ‘environment’ from Transport Canada website

Transport Canada has deleted references to protecting the “environment” from its website in support of a proposed overhaul to a law that was designed to protect navigable waters. The changes were quietly made after NDP deputy leader and environment critic Megan Leslie challenged Transport Minister Denis Lebel about his plans to overhaul the law, replacing its requirement to replace water with a requirement to protect navigation. Lebel has defended the changes, proposed in the latest 400-page budget implementation legislation, that would rename the law and eliminate protection for thousands of lakes and rivers, by focusing on a small list that includes the three oceans, 97 lakes and 62 rivers. / Read more in The Province article /

NEWS: 2nd B.C. shipping incident in 2 days raises alarm over Northern Gateway

A second ocean-going vessel has run into trouble on B.C.’s north coast in two days, creating further fodder for critics seeking to block the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project. Two days earlier, a loaded container ship changed course to avoid a small fishing boat and hit a sandbar about six nautical miles from Prince Rupert. Pacific Wild’s Ian McAllister, who lives on Denny Island on the central coast, said the two events bring a strong dose of reality to an Enbridge advertising campaign designed to allay public concerns about the pipeline project. / Read more in the Vancouver Sun /

It’s a travesty of the public trust. If we can’t have an environmental review on [TransCanada's proposed gas pipeline to Kitimat], this is proof we have gutted Canada’s environmental protection.”

Retired federal fisheries officer via Vancouver Sun

NEWS: TransCanada pipeline may sidestep environmental review

TransCanada’s planned 650-kilometre natural gas pipeline to Kitimat would cross about 320 watercourses including the habitat of more than 100 species at risk, such as white sturgeon, woodland caribou and marbled murrelet, company documents show. But under Conservative government changes to environmental laws, there’s no guarantee the Coastal GasLink project will undergo a federal environmental assessment. / Read more in the Vancouver Sun /

NEWS: Ottawa spends millions on ads promoting resource development

Natural Resources Canada is spending $185,000 to hold focus groups to vet millions of dollars worth of advertisements promoting responsible resource development, according to documents obtained by CBC News. The government's supplementary budget estimates document shows the resource development campaign will cost $4 million. That's on top of the $5 million already budgeted for Natural Resources advertising that has promoted pipelines, safety measures such as double-hulled oil tankers and changes to environmental laws as part of the government's 2012 budget. / Read more on CBC.ca /

#Natural Resources Canada #Stephen Harper #CBC #pipelines

NEWS: Cohen Report "condemning of federal government"

After three years of evidence, study and writing, Justice Bruce Cohen has finally submitted his $26-million report on the disappearance of the Fraser River sockeye salmon. Despite being written in the restrained language of the judiciary, it is explicitly and implicitly explosive, condemning of the federal government's environmental policies, scathing in its assessment of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and critical of the salmon farming industry. One of the most impressive qualities of Justice Cohen's report is its perspective. ... According to Justice Cohen, the federal government's abdication of its responsibility for this ecological treasure has been unwise and "troubling." / Read more on Canada.com /

#Cohen Commission #Stephen Harper #Fraser River #sockeye salmon #environment #Department of Fisheries and Oceans

NEWS: Navigable Waters Protection Act in jeopardy

Sudbury’s lakes and rivers could be left vulnerable to unregulated development if the second omnibus budget implementation bill from the federal Conservatives is passed and eliminates the Navigable Waters Protection Act. Sudbury Member of Parliament Glenn Thibeault said dozens of lakes will remain protected by the federal government, however, Sudbury’s 330 lakes will be vulnerable if the bill is passed. “If someone wants to start doing something, they can start plowing away, they can start dredging, and there will be no trigger of an environmental assessment,” said Thibeault. Right now, any development involving a body of water must have federal approval—before construction. / Read more on CBC.ca /

Our absence ended up being longer than intended. Unfortunately, nothing's really changed since we stopped posting. So we'll pick up where we left off—posting and archiving Harper's actions against the environment. If you’d like to get involved in Harper vs. Environment, send us an email.

#Navigable Waters Protection Act #Stephen Harper #environment

BE BACK SOON

Harper vs. Environment is on a short hiatus. (Too bad Harper won't take a hiatus, too.) To keep up to date on Harper's actions against the environment, read your local newspapers (especially articles by Postmedia reporter Mike De Souza), watch the videos at ShitHarperDid.ca, donate your time and money to organizations that are fighting back and don't let yourself become ignorant or apathetic about what's happening to our country. If you'd like to get involved in Harper vs. Environment, send us an email.

Just a note that Harper vs. Environment is not affiliated with any of the above organizations or individuals. We just think they're doing good work and we support them in their efforts. Comrades in arms.

#Harper #environment

/ Read more /

on Green Party leader Elizabeth May's Twitter feed

on CBC.ca: "You steel your resolve a bit...when the country is being bullied."

in National Post: "The Conservatives are setting a dangerous precedent"

in Globe and Mail: "No unanimous consent for anything in this House"

in Toronto Star: "Flies in the face of open, transparent, accountable government"

in Edmonton Journal: "Omnibus bill fuels fire that eventually will burn Tories"

in Calgary Herald: "The Tories denounced the spectacle as a political farce"

#Harper #environment #omnibus bill #Elizabeth May #Green Party #politics

#Harper #environment #Black Out Speak Out #democracy #Canada

[Harper's Tories] want to be able to mine where they want, dump their tailings where they want. They don’t want a strong assessment process and they don’t want a strong Fisheries Act. They’re laying off thousands of people between Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada and Parks Canada.

Author Maude Barlow via Owen Sound Sun Times article

#Stephen Harper #environment #Environment Canada #Natural Resources Canada #Fisheries Act #Parks Canada

NEWS: First Nations fight Harper's environmental-review overhaul

The federal government’s insistence that cabinet should have final say over resource projects such as Enbridge Inc.’s Northern Gateway pipeline is stirring opposition that could undermine its effort to streamline environmental approvals. First nations groups in British Columbia are poised to launch legal challenges if the government intervenes in the ongoing National Energy Board review of the Gateway project through legislation now before the House of Commons. And critics say the Conservative government is politicizing the entire review process by giving cabinet the power to overturn any future NEB ruling that blocks a resource development on environmental grounds. / Read more in Globe and Mail article by Shawn McCarthy /

#Stephen Harper #environment #First Nations #Northern Gateway Pipeline #B.C.#National Energy Board

When he was in opposition, there was continuous questioning about Stephen Harper’s 'hidden agenda.' ... First, it was (and continues to be) the dismantling of the democratic process in Canada. Harper dismissed Parliament, disrespects the opposition with attack ads, and creates an enormous omnibus bills that cannot be thoroughly understood even by the best legal minds. He disregards expert opinion on the environment and by underfunding or defunding voices that disagree with his own ideology, creates a vacuum for dissent. Then he disparages all dissent by calling it traitorous.

Letter published in the Toronto Star dated May 26

#environment #Stephen Harper #omnibus bill

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