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Letters to Ottawa
Submitted by John Bennett on Thu, 2010-02-25 12:53
I recently wrote two letters (which can be found below) to Ottawa City Council over two separate, but related issues in regard to urban sprawl and a proposed road that will adversely affect the future of a local endangered population of Blanding's Turtle.
Sierra Club Canada is a grassroots organization. We have representation throughout Canada and part of the reason for our existence is to help out local communities. Our current efforts around the Blanding's Turtle are not unique. As an example, in Comox Valley, British Columbia we are currently in court to prevent a gas station from being built on a watershed.... Read more »
When a turtle isn't just a turtle
Submitted by Ben Liadsky on Tue, 2010-02-23 12:31
Here in Ottawa, at the national office, we primarily deal with national/federal issues. Our chapters deal with regional/provincial issues and our local groups obviously deal with local issues.
Nonetheless, sitting around the office one staff meeting day, a local Ottawa population of Blanding's Turtle made it into the conversation. This species of turtle is a very distinctive, fairly large turtle with a yellow belly and can live to be 75 years old. They are also listed as a threatend species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and as an endangered species by the 2007 Ontario Endangered Species Act.
These turtles call a pristine piece of wetland home, which is located just a short drive from Parliament Hill and is one of the few remaining large swaths of green space in Ottawa.... Read more »
Ignorance, Attachment and Aversion
Submitted by John Bennett on Mon, 2010-02-22 10:29
Sierra Club Canada was called extremist last week by a Saskatchewan radio personality in an article published in the Regina Star Phoenix.
Why is a bald father of three who is concerned about what kind of future his daughters will have an "extremist"? Why is wasting a billion dollars of taxpayers' money not a matter of concern to a person with Mr. Gormley's political outlook? These are questions that had my head shaking this week.
For our society to progress and flourish we must eliminate: ignorance, attachment and aversion. Mr. Gormley appears to be clinging tightly to all three. His path of pointing figures and calling names is a symptom.
The well-funded disinformation campaign of the climate change deniers is playing on our ignorance of science, our attachment to our lifestyle and our aversion to change.... Read more »
Shell’s Disguised Ad Campaigns
Submitted by John Bennett on Thu, 2010-02-11 15:33
Anyone out there been looking through the weekend Canwest papers lately? – You may have noticed this great read.
It seems Shell Canada has taken it upon itself to explain climate change. Apparently scraping up and burning every glob of tar in Alberta is part of the solution. And a lot of nice photogenic people work for Shell too!
What I don't understand is why the company is so shy about letting us readers know it is paying Canwest to print full-page ads in its papers across the country.
On two occasions Shell lobbyists have tracked me down here in Ottawa. They have been very proud of their company's many innovations, efficiencies and cleaning up of pollution – they are often ahead of most other oil companies in Canada in this regard. So why not come right out and say, "these are ads we are paying for with some of the money we made selling oil?”... Read more »
Shell & Canwest bring you an "Information feature"
Submitted by Ben Liadsky on Wed, 2010-02-10 11:55
We've been chatting the past couple days, here in the office, over an interesting full page ad...err...news article...err..."special information feature on climate change" that has appeared in the Ottawa Citizen (and the National Post, Calgary Herald, Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun, and possibly others) the past couple of weekends.
Indeed, it is quite unclear what this thing is. It looks like a regular newspaper article, has nice pictures, is seemingly well-written, and would appear to be written by a legitimate journalist. Yet, something isn't quite right.
The full title reads "New Energy Future: The Energy Challenge and Environmental Responsibility." So far so good. I'm intrigued really - until the next line that is: "A six-week Canwest special information feature on climate change, in partnership with Shell Canada." ... Read more »
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