Check out this new 3 min video from Pacific Wild and Damien Gillis, featuring NHL Hall of Fame goaltender Mike Richter sharing his once-in-a-lifetime experience in Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest – threatened by the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline and supertankers. The video is the first in a new series
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The Common Sense Canadian home page: Heavy Metals, Acid Mine Drainage a Threat to Pacific Salmon Watersheds
Heavy metals and sulfuric acid, otherwise known as battery acid, or acid mine drainage, are toxic for wild salmon. That should be obvious, but after Bill C-38 – the federal budget implementation bill which “streamlined” environmental assessments, gutted environmental protection agencies, and virtually eliminated local spill response capabilities – the
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Endangered Whales and Dolphins Affected by Tankers
The increased tanker traffic from the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline to Kitimat, Kinder Morgan’s planned expansion of the Trans Mountain line to Burnaby, and a proposal to ship jet fuel up the Fraser River, would bring with it intensified ship noise, increased risks of spills and more ship strikes.
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Law Takes Precedence Over Justice in Germany – An Update From Captain Paul Watson
Captain Paul Watson describes the political and legal limbo in which he finds himself in Germany, as Costa Rica continues to push for his extradition to face charges stemming from an anti-shark poaching operation his Sea Shepherd crew ran off the coast of Central America a decade ago. “I told
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Japan Torpedoes South Atlantic Whale Sancruary on Day 1 of IWC Meeting in Panama
Renowned BC-based whale expert Dr. Paul Spong reports on Day 1 of the 65th annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting, taking place this week in Panama. “This morning, the ambition of Latin American countries to establish a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary was defeated once again, this time by a narrower
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Government Pushes Raven Coal Mine to Next Stage, Comox Valley Residents Remain Defiant
Despite widespread public concern and opposition, and the lack of a social license being granted by the residents of the Comox Valley and Port Alberni, the EA process continues to move forward. However, the huge public outcry over the coal mine proposal is growing louder every day and the communities
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: BC Hydro’s $30 Billion Blind Gamble
Sandra Hoffman, Ph.D, and economist Erik Andersen expose BC Hydro’s planned $30 Billion spending binge on new capital, without the market-based evidence to support it. “BC Hydro has a well-documented history of exaggerating demand to serve corporate interests and that pattern is repeating. There is no evidence to support their
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Alexandra Morton: Farm Disease Secrecy Act Quietly Withdrawn by Minister
In the face of enormous public outcry, agriculture Minister Don McRae quietly withdrew his Bill 37 that would have made disease reporting in animals an offence punishable by two years in prison and $75,000. The stated intent of the Bill was to encourage greater disease reporting by farmers in BC.
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Silent Summer: Leading Fisheries Researcher on Harper Govt. Killing Ocean Pollution Monitoring
Since being hired 13 years ago as a Research Scientist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), I have been fortunate to conduct research on such magnificent creatures as killer whales, beluga whales, harbour seals and sea otters…It is with deep regret that I relay news of my termination of employment
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: BC Liberals Disguised Oil and Gas Support with Fake Green Label
Since my last piece, “The Myth of BC Liberal ‘Neutrality’ on Enbridge”,issues have been unfolding rapidly on a number of fronts. The NDP has established a “legal team” that should fully explore and divulge the many maneuvers the BC Liberals have undertaken over the span of both Gordon Campbell’s and
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Cartoon: Who You Callin’ Goofy? Clark vs. Mulcair on Expanding the Tar Sands
Check out this new cartoon from Gerry Hummel. Last week, BC Premier Christy Clark attacked Federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair for raising the economic downside of becoming a petro-state – namely, the phenomenon known as “Dutch Disease”. Speaking to CBC’s Evan Solomon, Clark referred to Mulcair as “goofy” for questioning
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: The Myth of BC Liberal ‘Neutrality’ on Enbridge
“With respect to northern gateway, let me say our government is pro pipeline,” says the Premier of British Columbia. Christy Clark made this claims in question period last week. She did so while berating the NDP for opposing the project on the grounds that they are doing so prematurely and
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Gravel Mining Project Threatens Ecological, Recreational Treasure in Howe Sound
A large part of the beauty and international appeal of British Columbia’s West Coast can be found in the natural environment of Howe Sound. Over the past 20 years, Howe Sound has been the subject of millions of dollars in reclamation projects to restore its health, paid for by industry
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Open Letter to Christy Clark on Enbridge, BC’s Sovreignty
Dear Premier Clark, Your government has not spoken out for or against the Northern Gateway pipeline proposed by Enbridge Inc., rather preferring to wait until the National Energy Review Board process is complete. I am writing to you today to explain that, unfortunately the current Northern Gateway environmental and public
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Enbridge Pipeline: Radicals and Conservatives
The so-called “radicals” are really “conservatives” while those in government and industry favouring the pipeline are the “radicals”. Those attempting to halt the pipeline and slow development of the tar sands are trying to restrain the ideological mania for resource extraction that is ripping across the provinces and country these
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Founder’s Syndrome: Corporations and Civilization
Civilizations are like corporations. At some point in their evolutionary rise as innovative and unique organizations, they fail to adapt to changing circumstances and drift into fatal vulnerability…The corporate world is littered with vivid examples of Founder’s Syndrome. Despite selling 10 million cars by 1924, the Ford Motor Company almost
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Climate Change: The Answer is Blowin’ in the Wind
“The answer,” wrote Bob Dylan in his iconic ’60s anti-war song, “is blowin’ in the wind.” So the vicious winds that ravaged coastal BC on the morning of March 12th – sustained velocities of 100 km/hr with gusts measured at 137 km/hr – provided that answer. Outbursts of nasty winds
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Audio: Sean Holman, Damien Gillis Talk Fracking, MLAs’ Trip to Peace Country
Listen to this interview by Sean Holman of documentary filmmaker Damien Gillis on his recent trip to Northeastern BC to learn about some of the effects of the unconventional gas industry on farming families around the Dawson Creek area. Gillis followed independent BC MLAs Bob Simpson and Vicki Huntington last
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Read Letter from 625 Canadian Scientists Urging Harper Not to Gut Fisheries Act
This past week 625 Canadian scientists onto signed a letter calling for the Harper Government to cease its plans to remove habitat protections from the Fisheries Act. The changes were first made public by Common Sense Canadian contributor Otto Langer, prompting many prominent voices across the nation and political spectrum
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian home page: Water, Water Everywhere, but for How Long? Privatizing Water in BC
World Water Day (March 22nd) is a good time to consider this: Canada has nearly 10% of the world’s supply of fresh water. How lucky are we? But what is all this water doing to earn its keep? Nothing. Or so think our politicians – and thirsty corporations like General
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