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Don't Believe the Harperites! There ARE Downsides to Free Trade! (Letter)

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Dear Editor, After reading the letter-to-the-editor from Robert Sopuck, (Conservative MP for Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette) in  The Roblin Review   back in January (Canada-Eu agreement will bring jobs to the riding) (*see below), one would think there are no "downsides" to free trade, at all!  How convenient that he and Prime Minister Harper are leaving out the parts that aren't as flattering. Free trade agreements have, for years, been chipping away at the ability of sovereign nations to make laws that protect our health and environment. Far from protecting us, such deals hand over more and more power to giant, ruthless and unelected corporations to sue nations like Canada, if our laws interfere with their own "rights" to make a profit.  As long ago as the 1990s, an American outfit called Ethyl Corp. made off with $19 million of Canadian taxpayers' money under provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Ethyl Co

Extreme Weather, Natural Disasters Led To $45 Billion In Insurance Losses In 2013

Huffington Post  Disasters such as floods in Europe, winter storms in the U.S. and typhoons in Asia cost insurance companies $45 billion in 2013, a leading Swiss firm said Wednesday. Details here.

Another Heartfelt Appeal to Stop the Slaughter of Earth's Precious Pollinators (Video)

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Please also read:   Are Canada's Pesticide Regulators on the Take? Canadian Authorities Refuse to Protect Precious Pollinators From Known Toxins. Is Something Crooked Going on Here?      Stop Stalling on Action to Protect Bees, Environmental Groups Tell Canadian Minister. 

Stop Stalling on Action to Protect Bees, Environmental Groups Tell Canadian Minister

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Ottawa – Four major environmental organizations have written to Health Minister Rona Ambrose asking her to stop stalling on taking action on pesticides suspected of killing bees, and that lack critical toxicity data. Clothianidin, one of the neonicotinoid pesticides suspected of killing bees, remains on the market despite the lack of valid scientific studies to support assessment of environmental hazards to bees. Scientific studies investigating the pesticide’s chronic toxicity to bees have been requested since 2004 by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) from certain Clothianidin registration-holders, and since 2008-2009 from other companies whose registrations were renewed by PMRA in July 2013 and that sparked a notice of objection in September 2013 by the environmental groups.

7 Million Premature Deaths Annually Linked to Air Pollution - UN

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World Health Organization In new estimates released today, WHO reports that in 2012 around 7 million people died - one in eight of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk. Reducing air pollution could save millions of lives. Details here. Photo credit - Google Images.

Beekeepers in Ontario, Canada Reject Bee Health Report - Doesn't do Enough to Stem Pesticide Residues

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Canadian Press The Ontario Beekeepers Association says it can't endorse the final report from the Bee Health Working Group. Details here.

2013 - Sixth Warmest Year on Record

Voice of America The World Meteorological Organization reports 2013 was the sixth warmest year on record, confirming the long-term global warming is continuing. In its annual report on the Status of the Climate, WMO describes a pattern of extreme weather events across the planet. Details here.