Sierra Club Blog Posts
EthicalOil.org stands for big oil - nothing else
Submitted by John Bennett on Sun, 2012-01-22 21:54
First, I want to apologize in advance for the length of this blog. So much has happened over the past week I can’t be pithy!
I want to start by thanking everyone who sent kind and encouraging words this week via email, phone, Facebook and Twitter. I also want to congratulate the 1300+ of you who proudly declared themselves “radicals” in their letters to Joe Oliver. The response has really overwhelmed me.
The Insightful Comment of the Week Award came from Day #1 of the Northern Gateway Pipeline hearings and goes to Ellis Ross, Haisla Nation Chief, who said of Enbridge’s proposed pipeline: “No matter how idiot proof you make it, they just keep making better idiots”. I found this to be the ultimate precautionary statement, and a great way to kick-off the hearings!... Read more »
Asbestos allowed in Canadian Kid's Toys
Submitted by Bradford Duplisea on Sat, 2012-01-21 17:08
Did you know asbestos is allowed in Canadian Children’s toys?
See pg. 9 of this FAQ from the Canadian Environmental Law Association.
Please take a moment and Send an email to the Prime Minster and Minister of Health and tell them you want this situation change!
For more on asbestos dangers and the Government of Canada's immoral stand, see here.
Who Owns Our Oil Sands? Foreign corporations stake their claims to our resources
Submitted by Bradford Duplisea on Sat, 2012-01-21 13:41
Foreign corporations, some controlled by national governments, have been using their economic clout to buy into Alberta's oil sands and take control of our natural resources.
U.S., French, British, Chinese, Thai, Korean and Norwegian interests have all bought stakes in oil-sands projects. According to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), international companies have invested nearly $20 billion in the last three years through mergers, partnerships and outright purchases of projects.
This increased foreign investment raises questions. Who has the right to develop our natural resources? Who sets the rules for how these resources are developed? Who controls where the resources are processed and sold?... Read more »
Castle Blockade Update ...
Submitted by Bradford Duplisea on Tue, 2012-01-17 11:56
For breaking news visit the Stop Castle Logging FACEBOOK PAGE
Feb. 3rd, Media Release
Court Adjourns Castle logging issue until time in schedule to hear the whole case
Jan. 26th, Media Release
Picket-line counter posts site where locals & outfitter continue to hold back clear-cutting in Castle protected area... Read more »
You Pick the Day
Submitted by Derek Leahy on Mon, 2012-01-09 22:44
From January 10 - 20th, you and others around the world can vote on the date for this year's International Stop the Tar Sands Day.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - We are going to do things a little differently this year. Come to think of it, I think we do things for International Stop the Tar Sands Day a little differently every year. It keeps things interesting! Anyway, instead of me or any other of the organizers deciding when ISTSDay will take place in Canada, USA, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, this year you are going to pick the day.... Read more »
Now I'm a radical ...
Submitted by John Bennett on Mon, 2012-01-09 18:59
The Federal Government is engaged in an unprecedented campaign to damage the credibility of the environmental movement. In the latest move, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver (apparently replacing Environment Minister Peter Kent as the chief anti-environmentalist government spokesperson) submitted an “open letter” to the media. In it, he links “radicals and environmental groups” and charges they are against everything. ... Read more »
Was 2011 the turning point year for the tar sands movement?
Submitted by Derek Leahy on Fri, 2011-12-30 07:02MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (I’ve moved!) – As 2011 comes to an end I cannot help but wonder. Years from now when the pages of history are written on how people around the world stopped the largest and most destructive energy project in the world – the Albertan tar sands - will they say 2011 was the turning point? I think it may have been, but I will let you judge for yourself.
A look back on 2011: ... Read more »
Thank you and have a happy holiday!
Submitted by John Bennett on Tue, 2011-12-20 16:03
This is my last blog of the year so I want to begin by sincerely thanking you for being part of the most exciting year of my campaigning career. In 2011 we probably had one of highest participation rates for email campaigns in all of Canada. Again, thank you.
Today I want to tell you about a disturbing pattern emerging in the public dialogue on environmental issues that has the potential to do significant damage to the environmental movement and our ability to positively influence public opinion. Influencing public opinion, after all, is how we have achieved the great change in how the natural environment is viewed and treated, so it’s important to understand what is happening.... Read more »
Setting the stage for climate chaos
Submitted by John Bennett on Fri, 2011-12-09 16:03
This morning when I woke up, I saw that I received an email from Graham Saunders. Graham’s email really summarizes the situation in Durban succinctly and I wanted to share it with you.
If you haven’t already, please take a moment and send a message to the Prime Minister and Federal Environment Minister telling them to uphold Canada's reputation and do what's right in Durban! After reading the post below, I know you will!
– John Bennett, Executive Director, Sierra Club Canada ... Read more »
Finally, we met the real Peter Kent
Submitted by John Bennett on Mon, 2011-11-21 13:14
Finally we met the real Peter Kent. He made two very revealing public statements last week.
The first was in reaction to a couple of NDP MPs (including environment critic @MeganLeslieMP) who headed to Washington to promote action on climate change and suggest an alternative vision of Tar Sands development and energy security.
Kent called them "treacherous" for opposing “Canada’s economic interest". What's next? Are they also "un-Canadian"? How about "communist"?
Then on Thursday he told reporters the Canadian government is considering narrowing the focus of its main environmental assessment agency so it can accelerate reviews of major industrial projects, including Tar Sands and pipelines.
... Read more »
Campaign block
The need for a pan-Canadian water strategy in Canada has become extremely urgent. Across the nation, Canadians are recognizing that limits to this seemingly infinite resource exist. The evidence of these intense pressures is manifesting in a visibly changing climate, the degradation of our environment, health problems in Canadian communities, and the tensions surrounding the use of boundary waters with our neighbours to the south.
Climate Change – climate change is significantly changing the timing, flow and availability of water in all our communities. In many regions, changes are taking place much faster than we anticipated. In the mountain ranges of Alberta the glaciers and snowpacks that act like ‘water towers’ for the Prairies are consistently retreating. Communities in Canada’s wettest regions, such as Tofino, B.C., are now experiencing summer droughts, while in November 2006, an unprecedented winter storm in Vancouver...
