PLANET IN PERIL

by Larry Powell Am I missing something? Or is it not just as scandalous that the Aga Khan Foundation gets our tax money, as it is that Trudeau has no ethics? (Justin is a politician. That's what politicians do.) But why in the world should a rich, religious leader born in Switzerland and who lives, God-knows-where, get welfare from we ordinary Canadians? The policy of separating affairs of state from affairs of religion is a sensible, time-honoured tradition which seems to have been thrown out the window here. Does anyone know just what Nizari Ismailism is anyway? The Foundation bills itself as a non-profit group which helps the poor. Fair enough. His Highness, Aga Kahn 1V But why does His Highness need a foundation (more importantly, why do we) when he could be turning over his personal riches directly to the less fortunate himself? I would personally feel more comfortable if we were to help our own poor, without filtering our tax money through a third party as n

NATIONAL OBSERVER It’s a well-known fact that Charles and David Koch — owners of the second-largest private company in America — have been funding climate change denial in the U.S. for decades. Story here.

WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE Clearing in the boreal forest, Canada. PinP photo. Intact forest landscapes (IFLs), or vast stretches of unbroken forest wilderness, are some of the most important ecosystems in the world. And they are under threat. Story here.

NATIONAL OBSERVER Jessica Ernst, the biologist who on Friday, lost a split decision in the Supreme Court of Canada over suing the Alberta Energy Regulator, is no ordinary person. Story here.

David Thomson (l.) and Galen Weston Sr. (r.) are as wealthy as the poorest 30 per cent of Canadians, combined, Oxfam calculates. Story here.

thestar.com Reporters with the Toronton Star and volunteers from Earthroots took soil samples from behind an old paper mill, 100 kilometres upstream from Grassy Narrows, which revealed significantly elevated levels of mercury. Story here.

Nation of Change Such irresponsible, reckless behaviour adds grist to the mill of those both inside America and throughout the world. Story here.

by Larry Powell Will the CBC ever learn? More than five years ago, the radio program "The House," interviewed their "go-to" guy on just about everything; corporate apologist and big-shot business tycoon Derek Burney (l.), a former Canadian ambassador to the U.S. and adviser to Brian Mulroney.  He sang the praises of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline (extremely controversial even then) and railed against the "violent emotion" being used by environmentalists to oppose it. He never gave, nor was he asked to give, examples of what he meant by violent. Neither did he nor the CBC ever mention that he (Burney) was then (and may still be, for all I know), a director of Trans Canada Pipelines, proponents of the project! It was only after I made a formal complaint to the CBC ombudsman that they apologized for the "oversight."   Fast forward to this morning and, lo and behold, the same program interviewed the same Derek Burney! This time, in a

the guardian The threat posed to bees by neonicotinoid pesticides is greater than perceived in 2013 when the EU adopted a partial ban, new report concludes. Story here. PinP photo Please also read how the EPA is disgracefully bowing to pressure from industry in the fight to protect bees, here.

Add your name and tell President-elect Trump: NO dangerous Bayer-Monsanto merger! Larry, On Wednesday, President-elect Trump sat down with Bayer CEO Werner Baumann and Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant at Trump Tower and had a “productive meeting” on “the future of the agriculture industry” 1  and the pending merger between the two companies. 2 Trump has heard from the CEOs. Now we need you to make your voice heard. Add your name and tell President-elect Trump: NO to the dangerous Bayer-Monsanto merger >>

Trevor Herriot’s Grass Notes Saskatchewan is already well known for its potash mining and now another massive, multi-billion dollar project could soon be developed north of Regina.   Story here .