Four reasons 2020 is set to see the lowest Fraser River sockeye salmon return on record
By Stephanie Wood, for The Narwhal Even a low-ball prediction for the number of sockeye returning to B.C. river was too high and First Nations and conservationists say government mismanagement and lice infestations are partly to blame Scientists at the Pacific Salmon Commission knew 2020 wouldn’t be a great year for...
Column: From the Hill -- Morneau's resignation and pandemic recovery
Bill Morneau resigned as Minister of Finance on Monday. I enjoyed my interactions with the former minister—he was approachable and often crossed the aisle to chat with me when I had a question or comment on financial issues affecting my constituents. Rumour has it that he was at odds with the rest of the cabinet when it...
Policy Note: Public Relations can be Bad News
By Dan Guadagnolo for The Conversation As the Canadian economy slowly recovers from COVID-19 lockdowns, there have been news articles suggesting the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is encouraging workers to stay off the job. But a peek behind the headlines reveals the source of the story to be a business lobby group using...
Column: Forestry and the 'circular economy'
Many people are calling for a just, green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Investing in natural solutions to climate change, restoring damaged and fragmented ecosystems, strengthening the social safety net and rethinking flawed economic systems would make us more resilient to current and future crises. One concept that...
Explainer: The clean energy bill that divided BC’s NDP and Greens: 11 things you need to know
Proposed legislation would end B.C.’s mandate to be electricity 'self-sufficient,' and the Greens say that’s bad news for small-scale renewable energy producers, including First Nations By ZoëYunker, for The Narwhal The BC NDP came to power promising to launch major jobs initiatives in clean...
COUNCIL MATTERS: August 10, 2020, meetings.
Duplex opposition; insult shouted at Mayor; to ice, or not to ice? TRP report; cannabis store decision, and more . . . Present: Mayor Kathy Moore, and Councillors Dirk Lewis, Janice Nightingale, Andy Morel, and Chris Bowman; Staff: CAO Bryan Teasdale, Deputy Corporate Officer Cynthia Año Nuevo, Chief Financial...
Scientists' Warning on Affluence
[Editor’s Note: This is a very long article which supplies answers that such activists as young Greta Thunberg have been criticized for not providing – even though she has repeatedly said, “Listen to the scientists!” – and she has also provided many of the answers suggested here....
Column: Advantages of a four-day workweek
When we started the David Suzuki Foundation in 1990, we implemented a four-day, 34-hour workweek. Staff consistently say it’s made their lives better, giving them time to rest, pursue other interests, explore nature, volunteer, enjoy the company of family and friends, and so much more. Life isn’t about...
Investigation: BC rarely inspects hazardous waste handlers despite companies frequently breaking rules
By Ben Parfitt, in The Narwhal Provincial investigators found companies weren’t fully compliant with regulations 70 per cent of the time in the five years since a digital database of shipments was replaced with paper files shoved in cardboard boxes. B.C. rarely inspects hazardous waste handlers even though the province knows...
Opinion: Want to farm? Need Land? Check out this resource.
Some people have land that can grow crops, but they don’t want to farm; others want to farm and can’t find land. The solution – a program that matches people who want to farm with those who have land available to lease, and want it to stay in production or start producing crops. It's called the BC Land Matching Program (BCLMP)....
