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More Than 100 Arrests in Tar Sands Protest on Parliament Hill

Ottawa - Council of Canadians. Details here.

A Climate Chuckle

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Courtesy of Planetsave

Is Rex Murphy About to Damage the CBC's Reputation?

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by Larry Rex Murphy, that pompous darling of the CBC's flagship TV newscast, "The National" and CBC Radio's "Cross-Country Checkup," seems about to jump into the murky waters of climate denial. Rex Murphy caricature courtesy  of By the Bay Art Studio "Friends of Science" is announcing  Murphy will speak to the student body at the University of Calgary on September 29th at an event called "Climate Change 101."  The dishonestly named "Friends....." is actually dedicated to sowing doubt and discrediting peer-reviewed science surrounding global warming.  According to the painstakingly-researched book, "Climate Cover-up," "Friends of Science" had its origins in the Calgary oil patch, among geologists and oil industry PR types determined to discredit the Kyoto Protocol. The main sponsor of the event on the 29th is the "Frontier Centre for Public Policy," a conservative &qu

Winnnipeg Free Press Gives Green Party Leader Top Marks in Political Leaders' Debate

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Free Press Online - Sept 24 - '11 (Emphasis by PLT) James Beddome  - What he needed to do: When you’re largely an unknown, it’s good to make a good first impression. Most Winnipeggers are probably wondering what the Green Party of Manitoba stands for other than an obvious desire to protect the environment. James Beddome, Leader, Green  Party of Manitoba photo by PLT What he accomplished: Beddome played the perfect foil to the other three leaders and was the best performer of the night . He also got more one-liners in than the others — some were stinging. Plus, getting equal time with the three other party leaders on provincewide television was in itself a victory. Best sound bite: "The reason why our (hydro) rates are being driven up is because of new developments. I’ll point out to Mr. McFadyen it’s not just Bipole III," Beddome said to Selinger. "Gary Filmon was smart enough to say no to Conawapa because he knew it would drive up our energy rates. Are you?&

Governments and the Climate Challenge - Leadership Failure Bordering on Madness

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I wrote this story almost three years ago. I am re-posting it because, with the return of a "300 year-flood" like we had in 2011 - THREE YEARS AGO in Manitoba - I continue to be struck by how little things change. So-called rational leaders (and ordinary people) remain in a stupor - an unexplained state of mass delusion and denial - approaching our climate crisis from every direction but the right one.  ============ by Larry Powell If a shrink were to examine the brains of North America's political leaders, what do you suppose she would find? What parts of what lobes would be addressing the cataclysmic changes our planet's climate is undergoing? Are the neurons of these leaders' brains actually transmitting, making them aware that Earth is going through a monumental crisis that needs their immediate attention? Or are they somehow "shorting out," as if each leader was sticking a hairpin in a light socket? Here are just a

Game Changer: Tzeporah Berman (Radio Podcast - The Current)

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Sept.19'11 As a leader in the fight to save BC's Clayoquot Sound, environmentalists rallied around her while government and corporate officials called her an eco-terrorist.  Christina Craft Photography    And then Tzeporah Berman did the unthinkable. She negotiated with the very companies she once vilified, securing groundbreaking deals to save Old Growth Forests. Now some environmentalists consider her a sellout. Today we talk to the woman credited with changing Environmental Politics in Canada. Listen to Podcast here.

Talisman Energy Donated Big Money to a University of Calgary Climate Skeptic Fund

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By Mike De Souza, Postmedia News Sept 13, 2011 OTTAWA — A major Alberta-based oil and gas company helped to kick-start an elaborate public relations project designed to cast doubt on scientific evidence linking human activity to global warming... .Details here. PLT; Below is an email I sent to Barry Cooper, an individual mentioned in the story, followed by his angry response & my own rebuttle.  === Dear Dr. Cooper, How could an institute of higher learning, devoted to truth and justice, have become involved in such a scheme? I'd very much like to hear back from you, so I can report your response on my blog. Thank you Larry Powell === Hi Larry, Who are you? Does your reference to truth and justice mean you are you an ironist? Do you know nothing at all about universities? Have you never heard of the so-called Climategate scandal? Do you know anything about the reporter who provided the story? Or are you just another boring  greenie religious fanatic? You

Tar Sands Civil Disobedience Action on Parliament Hill, Sept. 26

By Brent Patterson , Council of Canadians - Se 15th, 2011 On Monday September 26, people from across Canada will be gathering on Parliament Hill in a large demonstration and non-violent civil disobedience action calling for an end to the destruction caused by the tar sands.

Victory! Canada's Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent says, Maxim Coal Won't be Allowed to Skirt the Rules

Climate Action Network Canada -  Sept. 15'11   Environment Minister Peter Kent  gave an interview  last week in which he pointedly stated that he is going to close the loophole in new federal coal regulations that would allow Maxim Power to build a new, unregulated coal plant. This is wonderful news for everyone who sent messages to Kent voicing their outrage over the coal plant! We made ourselves heard, but  the fight isn't over yet . Canada still needs to eliminate all coal-fired electricity if we want to stop catastrophic climate change. Stay tuned for more action alerts so we can make sure Minister Kent stays true to his word.  Related story here.

Canada's Agriculture Minister Ignores Farmers

By Simon Enoch, The Leader-Post September 14, 2011 With the results of the Canadian Wheat Board's plebiscite now in, farmers have given the single-desk for wheat a rousing endorsement... Details here.

Texas Drought and Wildfire Losses Continue to Mount

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Manitoba Co-Operator Sept 14'11 About 5,500 miles of fence and 2.6 million acres of pasture have been lost . Details here. PLT: So how are the prayer vigils going, Gov. Perry? Let's face it, Sir. You've got nothin'! Photo courtesy of PortableFarm