RED DEER, Alta. – Alberta Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith, under fire by critics as a weak leader and climate change denier, announced Friday she now believes climate change exists and that mankind is at least partially to blame. As her party delegates opened a weekend policy convention, Smith told reporters: I
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The Common Sense Canadian: Residents remain out of homes after CN oil train derailment
Alberta firefighters on the scene of a burning oil train wreck (Dan Reidlhuber/Reuters) STONY PLAIN, Alta. – Residents of a tiny Alberta community near the site of a train derailment remained out of their homes for third day as CN Rail struggled to get the upper hand on a fire
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: NB group questions RCMP tactics in breaking up fracking protest
MONCTON, N.B. – A group opposed to shale gas development in New Brunswick is raising questions about the RCMP’s enforcement of an injunction against protesters last week in the province. Jim Emberger of the New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance says the Mounties should be asked about the authorization, timing and
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Elsipogtog First Nation vows to continue fracking battle
Elsipogtog First Nation Chief Arren Sock with supporters (Miles Howe/Halifax Media Coop) REXTON, N.B. – The chief of the Elsipogtog (ell-see-book-took) First Nation in New Brunswick is criticizing the RCMP for its conduct last week in controlling a protest against shale gas exploration, promising his community will continue to oppose
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Final day of Enbridge Line 9 hearings cancelled for ‘security concerns’
Protestors at Line 9 hearing in Montreal last week (photo: Erin Sparks) TORONTO – The final day of hearings on a proposal to reverse the flow of a pipeline that runs between southern Ontario and Montreal were cancelled Saturday due to security concerns. But that didn’t deter dozens of protesters
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Elsipogtog community meets over fracking protest
Members of the Elsipogtog Nation and RCMP clash at a recent protest over fracking in New Brunswick REXTON, N.B. – Hundreds of people gathered at a community hall in New Brunswick on Sunday to discuss their opposition of the development of a shale gas sector in the province as their
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Explosion, flames as CN oil train derails in Alberta
Alberta firefighters on the scene of a burning oil train wreck (Dan Reidlhuber/Reuters) GAINFORD, Alta. – Firefighters who were battling a major blaze Saturday after a CN tanker train derailed west of Edmonton have decided to withdraw and wait for the flames to burn themselves out. Jackie Ostashek, a spokeswoman
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Greenpeace activists block oil pump at Kinder Morgan terminal
BURNABY, B.C. – Greenpeace protesters have set up a blockade at the Kinder Morgan oil pumping facility in Burnaby, B.C. Spokesman Peter Louwe says two protesters have climbed onto the oil pumping mechanism and 14 other demonstrators are also on the scene and have unfurled a banner. Louwe says the
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Clark, Redford getting closer on Enbridge, energy export plans?
B.C. Premier Christy Clark and Alberta’s Alison Redford (photo: Dan Riedhuber/Reuters) VICTORIA – British Columbia Premier Christy Clark and Alberta’s Alison Redford have appointed a team of senior bureaucrats to develop an energy export plan, barely a year after a high-profile disagreement over the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline strained the
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Merkel took BMW money before putting brakes on EU emissions cuts
German Chancellor Angela Merkel gets a tour of new BWW designs at a recent auto show BERLIN – Germany blocked the introduction of tougher European Union emissions rules for cars shortly after Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party received a large donation from three major BMW shareholders, according to newly released parliamentary
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Ontario Liberals gut environmental protections for Ring of Fire
Ontario Legislature TORONTO – Ontario’s governing Liberals have “snuck in” changes that are dismantling environmental protections and could have “disastrous results” for the province, environmental commissioner Gord Miller said Thursday. “Major” changes in last year’s budget give the government the power to hand over Crown land — which makes up
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Alberta court protects regulator from Ernst’s fracking lawsuit
Environmental consultant Jessica Ernst on her land in Alberta (Colin Smith photo) ROSEBUD, Alta. – An Alberta woman has lost a round in her legal battle against the contentious process of hydraulic fracturing. Jessica Ernst launched a $33-million lawsuit against the Alberta government, the province’s energy regulator and energy company
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: ‘Alarming’ sea star die-off on West Coast
A dead morning sun star (photo courtesy of Jonathan Martin) VANCOUVER – Last month, a diver alerted Vancouver Aquarium staff that he had found a number of dead and decaying sunflower sea stars in the cold Pacific waters of a popular dive spot just off the shore of West Vancouver.
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Malaysian PM pledges $36 Billion for Petronas’ BC LNG plant
Malaysian PM Mohd Najib and Stephen Harper (AP/Lai Seng Sin) by Bruce Cheadle – Canadian Press NUSA DUA, INDONESIA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrived in Bali for an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit Sunday bearing what could be called a $36-billion vote of confidence from Malaysia’s state-owned oil and gas company. Malaysian
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Billionaire Tom Steyer blasts Harper’s agressive Keystone lobbying
Billionaire Keystone XL pipeline opponent Tom Steyer (photo: Getty Images) OTTAWA – An anti-Keystone XL pipeline crusader has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, suggesting Canada’s aggressive lobbying for the project played a part in the ongoing government shutdown south of the border. Tom Steyer, a San Francisco billionaire who’s
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: BC to study air pollution impacts from proposed LNG plants
Proposed LNG plant in Kitimat – artist’s rendering VICTORIA – The B.C. government will spend $650,000 to study potential air pollution impacts of proposed industrial developments — including liquefied natural gas plants — in the Kitimat area, a decision opposition politicians and scientists are calling better-late-than-never. The Liberals said Thursday
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Judge blasts Alberta government for silencing oilsands critics
Oilsands infrastructure near Fort McMurray (photo: Kris Krüg) EDMONTON – Alberta’s Environment Department has been rebuked by a judge for working behind the scenes to silence groups that question the effects of oilsands operations on the environment. “This is a black mark for the government of Alberta,” Simon Dyer of
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Obey law, minister tells New Brunswick fracking protesters
Fracking protest in New Brunswick (photo: Colin McPhail) HALIFAX – New Brunswick’s minister of energy is urging people participating in a demonstration against exploration for shale gas fracking to obey the law. Craig Leonard says while he recognizes the right to protest against the industry, matters will be turned over
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Climate Change will hit Canada harder: international report
OTTAWA – The latest international report on climate change confirms that global warming is amplified in Canada and the trend is going to continue, the David Suzuki Foundation said Monday. The report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was partially released Friday before being unveiled Monday in its
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: With LNG emissions, BC will fail to meet climate targets
VICTORIA – A report presented to the United Nations indicates British Columbia is meeting its legislated targets to cut greenhouse gas pollution, but environmental leaders say that won’t last much longer even if the province sets up a smokescreen to hide the air pollution created by proposed liquefied natural gas
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