Sierra Club Canada expresses our sincere condolences to Jack Layton's family and the millions of Canadians who are grieving his passing. He was taken from us far too soon. The environment has lost a great champion. Jack leaves a legacy of commitment, hard work and positive energy.

One personal experience I had with Jack was at a meeting in Darcy McGee's Pub (in Ottawa’s Byward Market). While the other party leaders were hiding from the issue, Jack met with me and a number of other environmental leaders to talk about automotive fuel economy regulations – a key component of any serious climate change action plan. I will never forget his incredible energy and humanness.... Read more »

Life is full of contradictions. While the prime minister's office is busy bombarding Canadians with industry junk science (thinking it will convince us asbestos if good for the Third World) warning signs adorn Parliament Hill urging us to steer clear while people in space suits remove asbestos.

Meanwhile, the Conservative Party of Canada - that just a few months ago was plastering its logo on every available space in Canada - has threaten legal action against a Canadian widow for putting the CPC logo on her anti-asbestos website.

Now here is the contradiction: Prime Minister Harper proudly announced during the election that only the Conservative Party supports asbestos mining. So why is displaying the CPC logo in the context of asbestos damaging to the party? Why is it threatening legal action against this widow?... Read more »

Someone recently emailed me to say that the Harper government’s cutting 700 jobs at Environment Canada was no more than plain "vindictiveness".

It is tough to argue against that.

The environment is the only file where the government spin masters have failed to win the communications battle. The people being laid off are largely scientists associated with climate change and other areas that have embarrassed the government in the past (and will likely do so again in the future).

In my 30 years doing this work I have never been treated with such contempt and arrogance by a government. There is an utter refusal by the Harper government to even politely listen to reasoned argument.
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Canada's energy ministers met in Kananaskis this week. This was the first meeting since the meltdown of the Fukushima reactor in Japan. The first since the unprecedented floods in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Québec. The first since 900 temperature records were set in the United States. The first since the Town of Slave Lake was nearly destroyed by a wild fire. And it was taking place while Canada was in the midst of a record-setting heat and scientists were marveling over the appearance of an ice sheet off Newfoundland half the size of New York (that broke off in Greenland).

You would think the ministers might have been taking about what all this means to Canada and our future. Or at least what Canada should be doing energy wise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and phase-out nuclear power. At least I did, but then again I'm environmentalist and by definition an optimist.
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