PLANET IN PERIL

NATIONAL OBSERVER TransCanada Corp put “substandard materials” in an Alberta natural gas pipeline that blew up in 2013, Canada’s pipeline regulator said, as it finally responded to a four-year old warning from a whistleblower with a new industry-wide safety order . Story here.

Common Dreams 'It’s not just a matter of producing enough, but making agriculture environmentally friendly and making sure that food gets to those who need it.' Story here. RELATED: "O rganic Producers Could See Net Profit Levels Of Up To $300 Per Acre"

NATIONAL OBSERVER Dust blown away from stockpiles left over after oil sands upgrading is very likely a key source of a cancer-linked pollutant commonly found in the northern Alberta region, concludes a new peer-reviewed study.  Story here.

by Larry Powell The publisher of the weekly newspaper, "The Banner" in the Town of Neepawa, Manitoba, Ken Waddell, printed an editorial before Christmas, denying a human cause for climate change. He also criticized methods proposed by federal and provincial governments to tackle the problem as "certifiably nuts." This prompted a letter of my own which challenged his conclusions. I found it odd that a person of faith, as he is often proud to communicate, could find it possible to believe in the truly fantastic stories of the Bible, yet could not find it within his own personal powers of reasoning to accept the now well-proven science of climate change. To his credit and that of the papers, my own letter appeared in the January 22nd edition, below.  Ken, I suspect that publishing this was not easy for you, as it was not the kind of letter you deal with often - touching, as it does, on both climate change and faith, the latter obviously being of great, personal

International Institute for Sustainable Development Non-trade provisions in the TPP, such as investment and intellectual property rights, threaten to heighten inequality.  It is time for Canada to say; this is a deal too far. Story here.

Sum    of  +us In just hours, Trade Minister Freeland will sign Canada on to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The TPP is one of Stephen Harper’s biggest legacies. The sweeping "free" trade deal will let corporations sue governments in special courts for laws that might hurt their 'expected' profits, and it could severely damage our access to medication, internet freedom and workers’ rights. In short, it’s a massive corporate power grab.   But the TPP must still be ratified by Parliament. So w e still have a chance to stop it. PLEASE SIGN HERE. RELATED: "Free Trade. Pathway to Prosperity? Or Back Road to Corporatism?"

THE GLOBE AND MAIL The Alberta government’s attempt to balance competing interests in the oilsands region has failed to protect aboriginal rights, lands and health from industrial development, says an unreleased report . More here.

cape Canadian Asn. of Physicians for the Environment A recent report suggests Health Canada’s Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency is failing to protect Canadians and the environment from chemical pesticides. Story here.

GREENPEACE At long last, today we celebrate the culmination of over twenty years of campaigning to safeguard the Great Bear Rainforest. More here.

Manitoba Co-Operator Know your cost per bushel, not just per acre, says farm management specialist. Details here.

the guardian The spillway of the Shellmouth dam in Manitoba.  PinP photo. Plans to build huge dams in the Amazon, Mekong and Congo could devastate freshwater biodiversity in these tropical river basins, say ecologists. More here.