A comment by Tom Rand, the resident clean tech advisor at MaRS discovery district in Toronto. He has North America ‘s “Greenest” hostel. His life’s work is pushing the needle on carbon and he presents some very practical ways we can make changes now to wean ourselves of carbon AT
Continue readingAuthor: Norman Farrell
Northern Insight: Subverting democracy
A month after Jim Shepard resigned as CEO of BC’s second largest forestry company, the Liberal government appointed him Senior Policy Adviser. After a year, Shepard, 73, is leaving to form The Concerned Citizens for British Columbia, another campaign to reelect government friendly to large developers and industrialists. This is
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Liberal’s own fast ferry
Last August, Chad Skelton of the Vancouver Sun reported on a conference call between BC Hydro president Dave Cobb and senior staff. Cobb said the utility was being forced by Liberal policy to pay private power producers huge sums for unneeded electricity. ” ‘If it doesn’t change, it would be
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Hey, Bill Good
Good job. You won’t find much here that is complimentary about a broadcaster whose work I once respected. But, he deserves credit for working Canada’s Coast Guard story on the west coast, nailing the Conservative government for stupidity, disrespect and callous disregard for public safety. This government keeps chauffeured limousines
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Unravelling the right, reframing the left
Donald Gutstein, professor in SFU’s School of Communication, writes frequently on the web, often about think tanks and the dogmatic, distorted postures we’ve come to expect from these groups. A piece he wrote a few months ago is still worth attention: CANADA WEST FOUNDATION REWRITE HISTORY: THINK TANK TRACKER I
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Let the MSM die, we have alternatives
A news magazine that provides opinion not packaged for Canada’s big business, is The Tyee. David Beers’ publication has nerve, dedication and skill. It daily presents information that frightens managers of Canada’s old style corporate media. Today, another example: Vancouver Oil Sands Tanker Spill Could Cause Evacuation Nightmare, Mitchell Anderson,
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Converting influence to cash
A file clerk in the province’s liquor distribution branch dares not take another position that gives hint of conflict with that person’s regular job. If you are a rainmaker, a policy adviser, consultant, maven or mentor, forget the rules. Those rules are for the little people. You’re entitled to get it where you
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Welcome to Alberta
“Alberta’s expansive wilderness boasts some of the most spectacular scenery and authentic outdoor experiences you can imagine… “With its vast blue skies, magnificent Canadian Rockies, rolling fields of wheat, boreal forests and the Canadian Badlands, there is something for every visitor…” Photos from Business Insider: The Canadian Oil Sand Mines
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Victim of his disease or victim of Jim Chu?
Years passed before video surfaced showing police officer Lee Chipperfield applying a fatal head shot to unarmed Paul Boyd as the already wounded man crawled across a Vancouver roadway. We might wonder about the delay but events suggest that any citizen is correct to worry when they have evidence that
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Capital punishment, without process
A video was released this week showing the ugly homicide of Vancouver citizen Paul Boyd. If you consider the video offered any new information, reconsider. This was written almost 18 months ago by David Eby, Executive Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association: “Shot seven times and crawling, disarmed and
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Examining the status quo
If unlike me, you are not ancient, listen to Simi Sara at CKNW’s audio vault, May 31, 1 pm, to remember how excellent talk radio can be. This is broadcasting that explores why things are the way they are instead of simply excusing the status quo. Simi talked to Paul
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Diversions, deflections and misdirections
While business advocacy groups such as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and pablum peddlers like Corus Radio’s Bill Good criticize TransLink, these small distractions enable wealthy participants in the economy to divert real money from all of us, rich and poor. British Columbia’s energy policies provide the best illustration. The following
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Northern Insight 2012-05-30 02:24:00
Could my son, or could I, or you, be shot dead by Vancouver Police Constable Lee Chipperfield, or any one of many VPD perverters of justice, if any one believes, for good reason or no reason, that we’ve threatened them by crawling unarmed on the ground, near death, shot 8
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Thanks people, thanks
Tens of thousands of thanks actually. We’re about to finish one more month setting readership records. Already 348% of May 2011. And, the month is not over. I hope you appreciate me the way I appreciate you. By the way though, the subscription price is up by 11% this year. Sorry, that’s
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Screw the needy, our money goes elswhere
“…complicit in a complex web of legal, administrative and political strategies designed to forward a multi-billion dollar infrastructure development program to enrich the largest most profitable companies on earth at the expense of our Province’s autonomy, economy and environment…” Does this describe BC’s Liberal government serving the people who elected
Continue readingNorthern Insight: The voters’ choice: People’s Order of BC winner
“…It was Morton who stunned U.S. scientists last fall with trace evidence found in wild salmon of a virus that killed millions of farmed fish in Chile. “Researchers from Washington state to Washington, D.C., scrambled to grasp the risks of so-called infectious salmon anemia (ISA), a virus typically linked to
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Serving humankind
Christine Lagarde, scourge of tax evaders, pays no tax, Kim Willsher, The Guardian, May 29, 2012
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Government – for people or for business?
Jumbo-friendly Bill Creates Municipality without Residents, The Tyee, Provincial legislation passed last week paves the road further toward construction of the controversial Jumbo Glacier ski resort and real estate development in the East Kootenay. It has sparked indignation and even a bit of rebellion among local governments in the Kootenays.
Continue readingNorthern Insight: Volunteer photo person?
I’m writing articles that compare fast food products advertised and fast food products delivered to Canadian consumers. I need the skill of a photographer so that good photos are done fairly. I’d like to pursue other food subjects too. If you’re the person that shares these interests, willing to work
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