Boreal Forest Along Manitoba, Ontario Boundaries Proposed as World Heritage Site

The Winnipeg Free Press - 01/18/2012
WINNIPEG - A United Nations organization will soon have before it a bid to designate a huge tract of boreal forest along the Manitoba-Ontario boundaries as a world heritage site. Read more here.

Goodbye, Fish: Rising CO2 Direct Threat to Sea Life

Common Dreams Jan 16-'12
Study: Rising CO2 affecting brains, central nervous systems of sea fish. Details here.

Honeybee Problem Nearing a ‘Critical Point'

Grist - Jan 13-2012 Claire Robinson

"We are inching our way toward a critical tipping point," said Steve Ellis, secretary of the National Honey Bee Advisory Board…Details here.

Honeybees photo by PLT

Please also read: "Scientists Link Mass Death of British Bees to Farm Pesticides

The Rise and Fall of our Manitoba Water Stewardship Ministers.

Dear Editor,

I think the Government of Manitoba has some explaining to do. 

With Lake Winnipeg's water quality getting progressively worse through the years, why has Premier Selinger done away with the Ministry of Water Stewardship?

Former Premier Gary Doer created the Department almost a decade ago. Since then, the government has bragged about it being "the first in Canada," suggesting it was needed to deal with mounting problems such as floods, agricultural and industrial impacts, eutrophication, excessive algae bloom, climate change and a growing population. 

Then, with the stroke of a pen last week, the Premier has reduced Water Stewardship to a branch of the Department of Conservation. Why?

It seems to me that the stewardship of Manitoba waters was the beginning of a life line for the survival of Lake Winnipeg. Now it has been taken away.

At no time in Manitoba's history has there been such a need for a Department of Water Stewardship as there is now. 

I believe there is a requirement for leadership to truly save Lake Winnipeg and our precious waters, rather than just the advertisements. The people of Manitoba have a right to stand up and fight for what is right, and what is honourable and decent,as do all the people in Canada.

The abuse and pollution of our water sources has been tolerated and accepted for far too long, and government actions have not been successful to indicate any beneficial recovery of Lake Winnipeg waters.

It is long past time for all politicians to dedicate themselves,and work together in an all out effort to do whatever is necessary to clean up Lake Winnipeg and save our Manitoba water sources. It is time to put their political identities aside and help bring back the health,the beauty and colour of Lake Winnipeg.

So, come clean, Mr. Selinger. Why did you do it?

John Fefchak;

Virden, Manitoba.

Roundup-Resistant Weed Spreads to Canadian Prairies

Jan 11, 2012 Reuters Canada

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - A weed resistant to a widely used chemical to protect crops has spread for the first time to Western Canada, the country's grain and canola belt. Read more here. 

Kochia, Kochia scoparia.  

Photo by Jack Kelly Clark.

Ex-Bloc MP Takes Harper Government to Court for Ditching Kyoto

The Canadian Press - 01/13/2012

MONTREAL - A group led by a former Bloc Quebecois MP is taking the Canadian government to court in the hope of overturning Ottawa's decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol. Read more.

Sea Level Rise - an Emerging Hockey Stick (Video)