Editorial: Rough Road Ahead for Canada's New Environment Minister

Montreal Gazette

With the announcement of Leona Aglukkaq as the new federal environment minister in last week’s cabinet shuffle, the prime minister’s office highlighted her Inuk heritage and connection to Canada’s Arctic region as among the assets she will bring to her new executive role. Full story here.

Stop Big Coal From Killing the Great Barrier Reef! Please Sign!

Dear Avaazers, 

The Great Barrier Reef is at risk of being dredged to make way for a mega coal project.But if one key investor walks away, the deal would be sunk and the World Heritage Site protected. We can convince them to pull out, or get PM Rudd to stop the plan, but we have to act now -- sign this urgent petition to help save the Great Barrier Reef:

It would be hard to make this stuff up. Australia’s legendarily irresponsible mining industry has a new plan: while the planet faces catastrophic climate change, build the world’s largest coal mining complex, and then build a shipping lane to that port straight through the greatest ecological treasure we have - the Great Barrier Reef!

This is a terrible idea with devastating consequences, and the investor group Aurizon that’s backing it know it. They’re getting cold feet, and we might be able to push them over the edge, and kill the project. One of the main potential funders has even donated to climate activism! 

If one million of us express our head-shaking disbelief at this crazy project in the next few days, we can help get Aurizon to pull funding and maybe even persuade the Australian PM to step in. This is what Avaaz is for, let’s raise a voice for common sense: 

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/australian_coal_disaster_global/?bZGyjab&v=27495 

Cost of Arctic Methane Release Could Be 'Size of Global Economy', Experts Warn

Science News

Researchers have warned of an "economic time-bomb" in the Arctic, following a ground-breaking analysis of the likely cost of methane emissions in the region. Details here.

Farmers Seek Environmental Assessment of GM Alfalfa From Ontario Government

National Farmers Union

Two farmers have formally asked the Ontario government to carry out an environmental assessment of genetically modified (GM) alfalfa before the seed is sold in the province. Today, they launched an application under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, the first ever request relating to the issue of GM crops.

Do Canadians Care About The Environment?

Huffington Post

When you consider the way regulations are enforced against  tar sands companies in Canada compared to the 'States, it makes you wonder! Details here.

(Right) The tar sands at night. 24 hours a day, the tar sands eat into the most carbon-rich forect ecosystem on the planet. Storing almost twice as much carbon per hectare as tropical rainforests, the boreal forest is the planet's greatest terrestrial carbon storehouse. To the industry, these diverse and ecologically significant forests and wetlands are referred to as "overburden," the forest to be stripped & the wetlands dredged & replaced by mines & tailings ponds so vas they can be seen from outer space. Photo credit - Huffington Post

Suzuki & Rubin Pose a Necessary Question - "Is Endless Growth Possible or Even Desirable?"

CBC Radio Podcast - "Ideas." (54 mins)

Please listen to this riveting podcast here.

Canada’s Boreal Forests are the ‘Amazon of the North’: Report

Globe and Mail

As resource companies look to northern forests in search of untapped minerals and energy, scientists and conservancy groups say too little heed is being paid to the environmental wealth created by Canada’s boreal regions. Full story here.