Read this Oct. 7 Globe and Mail story by Josh Wingrove on a scathing report from a federal government watchdog on the Harper government’s environmental record. Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government is not doing enough to reduce carbon emissions, fight climate change and regulate oil and gas emissions, a series of audits from
Continue readingAuthor: Common Sense Canadian
The Common Sense Canadian: BC sitting on enough geothermal to power whole province: New maps
Steam rising from the Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station in Iceland (Photo: Gretar Ívarsson / Wikipedia) By Erin Flegg – republished with permission from desmog.ca At a time when B.C.’s politicians are considering flooding the Peace Valley for the Site C hydroelectric dam, a new project by the Canadian Geothermal Energy Association says the province
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Watershed Moment: Damien Gillis on Fracking, LNG, Site C @ Capilano
Fracking operations in northeast BC use enormous volumes of water (Photo: Damien Gillis) Filmmaker and Common Sense Canadian publisher Damien Gillis takes us on a multi-media journey to northeast BC – the heart of the province’s industrial landscape – to better understand the implications of the government’s energy policy on our
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Ex-TD Bank Comptroller: Site C Dam too costly, unnecessary, rushed
Site C Dam will unnecessarily cost taxpayers billions, says one financial expert The following is a transcript of Rob Botterell’s recent speech to the BC Select Committee on Finance and Government Services. Mr. Botterell is a lawyer, former senior government official and former comptroller of TD Bank’s BC division. I’m
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: EU dropping “dirty” label for Alberta bitumen
Alberta bitumen (Source: Suncor) Read this October 7 Reuters story on the EU’s decision to abandon its labelling of Canadian bitumen as a more polluting oil source – after years of intense lobbying from the Canadian government. BRUSSELS/CALGARY, Oct 7 (Reuters) – A European Union plan to label Canadian tar sands
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: High Noon for BC LNG? Legislative session to focus on industry
BC Premier Christy Clark addresses a conference on LNG (Damien Gillis) Read this Oct. 5 story by Stephen Smart on CBC.ca on the Fall legislative session that will address Premier Christy Clark’s plans to build a BC LNG industry. The session comes amid intense scrutiny of LNG, with key investors
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Video showcases Peace Valley as Cabinet decides on Site C Dam
First Nations, local business people and farmers speak out against the $8 Billion-plus proposed Site C Dam, which would flood or disrupt over 30,000 acres of prime farmland and wilderness in northeast BC’s Peace Valley. Directed by conservation filmmaker Jenny Nichols and featuring the photography of Garth Lenz, this short video
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Burnaby wins latest round with Kinder Morgan, as NEB refuses to override bylaws
Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan has taken a tough stand against Kinder Morgan (Photo: Vimeo) Read this Sept. 27 story from the Canadian Press on the National Energy Board’s refusal to trample on the City of Burnaby’s bylaws in order to clear the way for US pipeline builder Kinder Morgan’s survey work. The
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: How partisan conservative media maintain their audiences
Given the diverse sources of news now available in the U.S., partisans can easily choose news sources that align with their political attitudes. Does the rise of partisan news—on cable, talk radio, and the Internet—allow Americans to insulate themselves in “echo chambers” where they are exposed only to content consistent
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Zero Waste conference talks alternatives to landfills, incinerators
An upcoming conference hosted by the Zero Waste Alliance ans Zero Waste Canada in Nanaimo, BC will explore alternatives to landfills and incinerators. “The Zero Waste Alliance (ZWA) has a clear and simple vision: a prosperous and inclusive future without waste,” says the organization’s website. A future without waste and toxics
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: First Nations to Ottawa: Scrap Site C Dam or LNG is a no-go
BC Chiefs Roland Wilson, Liz Logan and Stewart Phillip taking their anti-Site C message to Ottawa (Twitter) Read this Sept. 24 Globe and Mail story by Dene Moore on the trip taken by several BC First Nations chiefs to Ottawa, calling on the federal Cabinet to reject the proposed Site C
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Woodfibre LNG offers few jobs vs. big impacts: Retired KPMG partner
Part 2 of Damien Gillis’ 2-part interview with retired KMPG partner and Howe Sound resident Eoin Finn on the proposed Woodfibre LNG project. LNG is a “sunset” industry that promises few jobs and lots of impacts, says Finn. Thus, choosing the Woodfibre LNG plant and associated tankers in Squamish would undermine
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Behn, Gillis talk Yukon, fracking on CBC radio
The Liard River Basin is threatened by proposed fracking (Two Island Films) Listen to this 11-minute interview on CBC Yukon with First Nations resource management expert lawyer Caleb Behn and Common Sense Canadian publisher and filmmaker Damien Gillis – who has been co-directing a film about Behn for the past 3 and a half years.
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Burnaby loses bid for injunction against Kinder Morgan
Kinder MOrgan contractors carrying out geotechnical survey work in Burnaby (Darryl Dyck / CP) Read this Sept. 17 Canadian Press story by Dene Moore on the lastest chapter in the ongoing legal battle between the City of Burnaby and Texas-based energy giant Kinder Morgan, over the company’s plans to route
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Canada surpasses Brazil as global leader in deforestation
Clearing of “overburden” forests for oil sands development in Alberta Read this Sept. 3 story from the Washington Post on a new report suggesting wild fires and industrial activity are giving Canada the dubious distinction of being the new global leader on deforestation. WASHINGTON – The world’s virgin forests are being lost at an
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: BC govt bowed to oil lobby on deregulation of gas plants: documents
Premier Christy Clark tours BC’s natural gas industry (photo: Justin Tang/CP) Read this Sept. 14 Canadian Press story by Dene Moore, revealing that the BC government’s controversial, failed elimination of environmental reviews for gas plants came under pressure from the oil and gas lobby. VANCOUVER – In January of this year,
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Audio: From Site C’s economic folly to update on Mount Polley
The Common Sense Canadian’s Damien Gillis and CFAX 1070′s Ian Jessop discuss the economic disaster that the proposed Site C Dam represents from British Columbians. At a projected cost of over $100 per megawatt hour – and likely more than $8 billion for construction – the project stands to lose BC taxpayers
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: BC govt axes tree farm licence changes over widespread opposition
BC’s botched tree farm licence changes would put large global players ahead of local sector By Peter Ewart – republished from 250news.com It was a victory for the forestry sector as a whole and for all British Columbians. On August 28, quietly and without fanfare, Forest Minister Steve Thomson released
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Harper to sign off on FIPA trade deal before trip to China
Read this Sept. 12 story from CBC.ca, confirming that the Harper government will finally ratify the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with China, following a lengthy delay. The deal has been challenged in Canadian court by First Nations who claim it will infringe on their rights. The controversial Canada-China
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Site C Dam: Food for thought
Check out this short video from The Peace Valley Environment association and The Common Sense Canadian’s Damien Gillis on the extraordinary agricultural land that would be flooded by the proposed Site C Dam. The Peace River Valley, in northeast BC, provides much of the province’s energy needs from two large dams and
Continue reading