from Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care
TORONTO — One month go, Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care released a number of examples of patients being denied access to necessary health services due to the cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) and its resulting confusion. Today, the group releases another round of troubling cases.
Billed as a big, important announcement, the Alberta government finally announced how it will move forward to deal with the problem of inadequate environmental monitoring in the province's north — something Albertans have been waiting for since the government first acknowledged the problem two years ago.
If the Premier has resigned, why is he still here? from Inside Queen's Park
IQP has written many highly complimentary things about Premier Dalton McGuinty (along with some bluntly critical things, as well), so we do not want the title of this item to be construed as a call for him to be frog-marched straight into the witness protection program.
But McGuinty, having chosen to depart by shuttering the Legislature, has put his government indefinitely beyond the usual parliamentary constraints on the executive. And that ploy has very conveniently blocked the committee hearing and contempt motion on gas plant costs and access to correspondence.
from Physicians for Global Survival
Physicians for Global Survival (Canada) says it is in total agreement with Quebec Environment Minister Daniel Breton's decision to impose a moratorium on uranium exploration and to launch a generic BAPE process regarding uranium mining in Quebec.
Let China sleep, for when she awakes, she will shake the world. – Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769-1821
How will Canada deal with the China challenge to our national sovereignty?
It may be the most important question facing the country, with far more dire consequences than the election of a separatist provincial government in Quebec.
by Gillian Steward
CALGARY — Who knew that poop could be used to heat buildings? Or that wind could power a train? It may sound funny, not to mention far-fetched, but these are more than just wild ideas. They are but two examples of innovative projects in western cities designed to make going green an integral part of urban life.
by Stephen Kimber
The race for HRM mayor really began on February 6, 2012, when former Liberal MP Mike Savage — surrounded by a fawning, hopeful who’s who of 300 of the city’s most influential business and political makers and breakers — declared he would challenge long-past-his-best-before-date incumbent Peter Kelly.
The campaign effectively ended two-and-a-half weeks later when Kelly — already mired in myriad self-made political scandals and suddenly facing personal allegations about his handling of a friend’s estate — reluctantly announced he would not re-offer.
by Gordon Laxer
October always brings shorter days, falling leaves and the bite of frost. This year, frost in Alberta is also coming from politics, as British Columbia Premier Christy Clark digs in her heels over the proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline to take sands oil to China.
In landlocked Alberta, tarsands operators are desperate to get their bitumen to ocean side, any ocean side, to find the sweet spot of much higher international prices. Blocked by US President Barack Obama from getting to the Texas Gulf coast by a temporary hold on the Keystone XL pipeline, corporate hopes quickly shifted to pipelines to the BC coast.
As BC opposition to oil pipelines rises, eyes turn east.
There is no shortage of Hollywood films exploring visions of environmental apocalypse — though most of these thankfully fall into the category of sci-fi. But there is another group of filmmakers who are turning a curious and critical eye to today’s energy challenges, documenting the drama, conflict and controversy inherent in how we produce and use energy.
In many cases, the outcome is powerful, award-winning footage that tells the human side of our energy stories.
by Duff Conacher
OTTAWA — On Monday the whistleblower charity FAIR (Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform) was ordered off the Advisory Committee of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner’s office (PSIC) — the agency charged with protecting government whistleblowers.
