by Matthew Daly, The Associated Press WASHINGTON – The House approved a bill Wednesday aimed at speeding up drilling for oil and natural gas. The measure was one of three energy measures the House was considering this week as Republicans controlling the chamber push to expand an oil and gas
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Cowichan Conversations: BC NDP at the Fracking Crossroad!
Kevin Logan-Cowichan Conversations Contributor This weekend is a pivotal weekend for the future of British Columbia. The stars seemed to have aligned as overlapping events occur simultaneously all of which pivot around the future of oil and gas for which our dear leader has tied our fortunes. Another Round of
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Team Harper should rack a win at climate talks…if they’re smart
With another round of international climate negotiations opening this week in Warsaw, Poland, and a new poll finding Canadians wanting leadership on the issue, Stephen Harper and his Conservative government have an opportunity to begin turning the tides on what has been up until now an abysmal failure. Since taking
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Trans kids, washrooms and the new harassment
On October 13th, a story appeared at the Christian Broadcasting Network about girls being harassed by a trans youth in the washroom of a Colorado-area school. Soon afterward, the story was picked up by the Daily Mail, the Examiner, FOX News, and several webmedia outlets. One even embellished it with
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Trans kids, washrooms and the new harassment
On October 13th, a story appeared at the Christian Broadcasting Network about girls being harassed by a trans youth in the washroom of a Colorado-area school. Soon afterward, the story was picked up by the Daily Mail, the Examiner, FOX News, and several webmedia outlets. One even embellished it with
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: Lively Pushes “No Rainbow For Queer People” Strategy in Moscow
Scott Lively wants to take away LGBT Russians’ rainbow. Lively, the self-described “human rights consultant” who gladly takes credit for lobbying Russia, Uganda and others to ramp up their anti-LGBT laws, recently wrote an open letter to Vladimir Putin, in which he urged Putin to stand firm against international pressure to
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Harper’s Keystone XL lobbying trip funded by $65,000 in tax dollars
by Carol Linnitt – Originally posted on DeSmog Canada The hotel rental for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s September visit to New York City cost Canadian taxpayers a total of $56,582.91, according to documents recently released by CTV News. “Canada and the U.S. are making important progress on enhancing trade, travel and
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 readingCowichan Conversations: Ted Cruz is dangerous and he is a Republican Tea Party favourite!
Richard HughesPolitical Blogger Canadians cannot and should not avoid taking stock of what is taking place in our neighbouring country, the U.S.A. Most of us have heard about the fight over Obamacare. In comparison with our ‘Single Payer Universal’ health care, Obamacare is really just an introductory level of care that falls
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: A Canadian View of the US Government Shutdown
In the best interests of Canada-US relations we must be careful to remain focused.
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Monsanto is Winning this year’s “Nobel Prize of Agriculture”
Richard Hughes-Political Blogger This message was sent to me along with a petition. (Thanks Tom) Please take a few minutes to read and then forward this along to your friends and mailing lists. If The Nobel Prize folks expect credibility respect then they will yank this bought and paid for
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: Stephen Harper “won’t take ‘No’ for an answer” on Keystone XL pipeline
Photo: Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press Read this story from the Associated Press on Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s bold statement on Keystone XL at a talk in New York. Harper’s true climate policy has been hard to follow of late. On the one hand he’s agreeing to US carbon emissions targets to
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: A Little Common Sense Goes A Long Way!
Richard ‘Hub’ Hughes-Political Blogger Our friends over at the Common Sense Canadian, Rafe Mair and Damien Gillis are putting out some of the best journalism available in Canada today. Running independent blogs helps keep the MSM and our politicians at all levels on their toes. It is important to all
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: New York Times editorial slams Harper’s muzzling scientists
A recent rally for science in Vancouver (photo: Damien Gillis) Even The New York Times is starting to question Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s anti-science agenda, which recently spurred 17 cross-Canada “Stand Up for Science” rallies. In this Sept. 22 Sunday Times editorial, Verlyn Klinkenborg calls attention to muzzling scientists in defence of Harper’s oil
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Harper getting desperate to move Alberta oil as pipelines stall
Stephen Harper has been trying to win over Barack Obama on the stalled Keystone XL pipeline (Adrian Wyld/CP) Prime Minister Stephen Harper looks increasingly desperate to find ways for expanding the Alberta Tar Sands. While his government wants to ramp up bitumen production dramatically in Alberta, it faces export challenges at
Continue readingDented Blue Mercedes: No Rainbow for Queer People: A Right-Wing Support for Russia Roundup
While much of the attention surrounding Russia’s “homosexual propaganda” law has been about whether there should be a boycott of the Sochi Olympics, the saga has continued to ripple outward in several directions, including statements being made in support of the law by Canadian and American far-right spokespeople. Here is
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Harper caught helping Enbridge while wooing Obama on climate
Photo: Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press While Stephen Harper was busy trying to green-wash his image with Barack Obama – acquiescing to climate targets to improve prospects for the Keystone XL pipeline – Green Party Leader Elizabeth May dropped a bombshell: the suggestion that the Conservative Government is spending $120 million in
Continue readingCowichan Conversations: Alerts to Threats-In 2013 Europe
The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Syria and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the
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