Forests

Canada's carbon emissions projected to soar by 2030

Tar sands expected to help drive 38% increase in emissions, Harper government admits in submission to the UN

Stephen Leahy

theguardian.com, Tuesday 14 January 2014

The tailings pond at the Syncrude mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Tar sands could become a 'stranded asset', campaigners say The tailings pond at the Syncrude mine north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Tar sands could become a 'stranded asset', campaigners say Photograph: Ashley Cooper pics/Alamy

Toxic rocks and declining health: 3.5 years after Enbridge's tar sands pipeline disaster
By
Sonia Grant
| January 14, 2014

As communities in Ontario and Quebec await the National Energy Board’s (NEB) decision on the Line 9 reversal, new details about the devastating impacts of Enbridge’s now infamous 2010 Kalamazoo River spill in Michigan raise a series of unanswered questions about the health impacts of exposure to spilled diluted bitumen (dilbit), and about Enbridge’s ability to manage potential pipeline incidents.

The Kalamazoo River’s toxic rocks

Neil Young renews push on treaty rights, oil-sands development

BRAD WHEELER

The Globe and Mail

Published Monday, Jan. 13 2014

On the day following his Honor the Treaties concert at Massey Hall, where he had lambasted the Canadian government’s handling of Alberta’s oil-sands development, Neil Young continued his campaign against the environmental policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s administration.

Climate change rattles mental health of Inuit in Labrador
'Grief, mourning, anger, frustration' over environmental changes

CBC News Posted: Jan 10, 2014

Researchers studying the mental health and well-being of Inuit populations in coastal Labrador say rising temperatures are having damaging psychological effects on people in traditional communities.

'Many people said they also felt very depressed about not being able to get out there on the land'- Ashlee Cunsolo Willox, researcher for Inuit Mental Health Adaptation to Climate Change project

Imperial Oil's Mackenzie Valley pipeline still on ice
Cost of gas project now expected to be around $20B

CBC News Posted: Dec 19, 2013

Imperial Oil has announced it will not go ahead with the Mackenzie Gas Project, as the market conditions are just not good right now, says a company spokesman.

Imperial Oil had to give its decision on the construction of the pipeline to the National Energy Board by the end of 2013. The company was also required to provide an updated cost estimate.

Enbridge to keep seeking public approval for Northern Gateway pipeline

Jeffrey Jones

Lake Louise, Alta. — The Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Nov. 29 2013

Enbridge Inc. will keep trying to win public approval for its Northern Gateway oil pipeline to the Pacific coast from Alberta even with the clock winding down to a crucial regulatory decision for the contentious project in the coming weeks, its chief executive officer said on Friday.

October 14, 2013
Tzeporah Berman Silences Environmentalists, Targets Corporate Deal in Tar Sands Push
Corroding Our Democracy
by MACDONALD STAINSBY
Counterpunch.org

On September 23, 2013 Democracy Now and Amy Goodman conducted an interview with Tzeporah Berman on the issue of Canada’s government and their extreme over-reach in attacks on science and all manner of environmentalists. Focusing intently on the tar sands, the interview did well to highlight the more than dubious moves of the current Conservative government to promote tar sands in particular at all costs.

October 22, 2013

Big Green, Sun Media and Elsipogtog
Fracking Indigenous Country
by MACDONALD STAINSBY

If anyone doubted that it’s a good thing that Sun News in Canada has been both going broke and also denied the ability to force their way onto Canada’s basic cable system (vastly expanding their audience and getting themselves included in most homes with television subscriptions by default), the racist rantings of Ezra Levant in response to the recent RCMP attack on the Mi’kmaq community of Elsipogtog ought to clear it up.

Are green groups ready for tarsands deal?
by Dawn Paley on Nov 20, 2013
The Georgia Straight

Gone are the days when the tarsands were an obscure experiment in making oil from tar. Today, the bitumen deposits in central and northern Alberta have become a political hot potato, an issue forced onto the world stage by coordinated protests and direct actions.
Photos

But a look at the history of the environmental groups that have signed on to the tarsands protests raises the question of whether or not an agreement between green groups and tarsands operators is on the horizon.

B.C. officially opposes Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline
'Our questions were not satisfactorily answered,' environment minister says
CBC News
May 31, 2013

The B.C. government has officially expressed its opposition to a proposal for the Northern Gateway pipeline project, saying it fails to address the province's environmental concerns.

The province made the announcement in its final written submission to the Northern Gateway Pipeline Joint Review Panel.