PLANET IN PERIL

By Larry Powell Sadly, politicians are again placing the interests of a failing industry ahead of science, the public interest and possibly even human health. 
Manitoba and Ottawa are doling out another 37 million dollars -good money after bad - to factory hog producers in this province. 
Both the Manitoba government and the "Feds" have swallowed, hook, line and sinker the siren song of the industry; that it is being unjustly connected to the current outbreak of swine flu and is suffering financial hardship as a result. 
In announcing this latest welfare payment, the Minister of Agriculture, Rosann Wowchuk, cites what she calls "the false connection to H1N1 flu" as one of the factors hurting the industry today. 
This rush to judgement and readiness to be a cheerleader rather than an even-handed lawmaker, does a disservice to Manitobans. 
In contrast, the Green Party of Manitoba has taken a position based on reality and science, as opposed to political ex

Winnipeg Free Press - By: Bartley Kives 8/07/2009 City mulls three partnership options In what amounts to a $1-billion leap of faith, city councillors are being asked to wind down Winnipeg's water and waste department before senior city officials figure out precisely what role private engineering firms will play in a proposed city-owned utility. Click headline for more.

Winnipeg Free Press - By: Bartley Kives - Jul 7 - '09 The water utility corporation proposed for the City of Winnipeg is trouble, says the head of Canada's largest union. Click headline for full story.

Submitted by Kori Brus — Jun 29, 2009 Tens of billions of litres of untreated sewage are entering Ontario's waterways because of outdated infrastructure and poor oversight by the provincial government. Get full report by clicking headline .

Ashley Seager Guardian Co UK, Saturday 4 July 2009 Latin American nation tops index ranking countries by ecological footprint and happiness of their citizens. Click headline for full story.

Winnipeg Free Press - By: Bob Weber - C.P. A major international report says the increasingly rapid loss of Arctic sea ice is already taking a toll on polar bears and Canada should reconsider its Pic. Courtesy of Dreamstime decision not to include the mighty predators on its list of endangered species. Click headline for more.

Manitoba Co-Operator - Staff - 6/30/2009 Ducks Unlimited Canada has picked up almost $380,000 in federal funds to see how isolated wetlands can help keep watersheds free of excess nutrients and sediment. Click headline for details. Above & r. One of Manitoba's algae-clogged rivers. Photos by L.P.

Wed Jul 1, 2009 11:55am EDT - By Daniel Flynn ROME (Reuters): With only five months to go until a new global pact on climate change, none of the Group of Eight nations is doing enough to curb global warming. Shamefully, Canada and the US are at the bottom. Click headline for more.

Published on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 by The Associated Press by H. Josef Herbert WASHINGTON (AP) - The Environmental Protection Agency gave the go-ahead Tuesday for California to impose stringent regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles, setting the stage for a national requirement expected to mirror the state's effort. Click on headline for full story.

"I've seen riparian areas managed well where cattle are allowed in for brief periods, usually during the late fall and winter months. They can graze the tall grasses and do a bit of breaking up of soil (but not too much) that can help seeds germinate for greater biodiversity. But the rest of the year they were excluded from the riparian area - it is too sensitive, and cattle can easily overwhelm the ecosystem due to their size and numbers and tendency to congregate where access to water is easiest. "As a general policy, exclusion may well be the best course, as it can be quite difficult to assess all the factors that need to be considered to do a proper job of managing short-term seasonal grazing in riparian areas. In other words, err on the side of caution." Cathy Holtslander - Beyond Factory Farming. "BFF" is a national organization promoting socially responsible livestock production in Canada. Cathy has been involved in environmental advocacy with a foc

Ottawa - June 4, 2009 "Friends of the Earth Canada" releases First Annual Score Card on Environmental Rights. (Alberta fails, Manitoba gets a dubious "C.") Click headline for full report. Alberta's tar sands http://www.beautifuldestruction.ca/index.html