Sierra Club Blog Posts

This page shows a collection of all of Sierra Club Canada's blog posts, shown in chronological order. To view the full post, click on its title.

Keystone XL: Line in the sand?

Submitted by John Bennett on ven, 2013-02-22 12:00

By John Bennett... Read more »

How Far We Have Come

Submitted by Derek Leahy on ven, 2013-02-22 01:18

UXBRIDGE (ONT), CANADA - "Before We Can Know Where We Are Going We Must First Understand Where We Have Come From" is one of those sayings you hear alot. Personally, I have no idea who said it but the concept seems to pop up in a lot of cultures around the world. The 40 000 people who rallied in Washington DC last Sunday (Feb. 17th) to encourage President Obama to reject the Keystone XL pipeline have got me thinking about where the tar sands movement has "come from."... Read more »

Ontario's Chance. Ontario's Choice

Submitted by Derek Leahy on mer, 2013-01-30 20:59

There is a new tar sands pipeline in town and it goes right through Ontario and Quebec.

UXBRIDGE (ONT), CANADA - Last Saturday (Jan. 26th) I did something I have never done before. I participated in my very first tar sands action in Canada. I have been involved in tar sands events in Europe and Australia, but never in my home country of Canada. Toronto City Hall was the location for the event and oddly enough it was part of an international day of action, but it was not International Stop the Tar Sands Day. Over twenty communities in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, and Quebec and the New England states in the US came together on the weekend to say no to the Line 9 pipeline. This is going to be the next big step in shutting down the Canadian tar sands industry. 

 ... Read more »

CD or not CD, that is the question...

Submitted by John Bennett on mar, 2013-01-29 19:49

By John Bennett

It’s been hot in the driver seat since I talked to the Vancouver Sun about Sierra Club USA’s decision to lift its 120-year old ban on civil disobedience for the upcoming (Feb. 17th) rally against the Keystone Pipeline in Washington, DC. “Will Sierra Club Canada take similar action?”, I was asked by a reporter almost immediately after the news broke.

Although this has been a major topic of discussion for some time (on both sides of the border), the Great White North was caught off guard by the controversial announcement in San Francisco. Since its inception in 1892, Sierra Club has campaigned for the preservation of our natural environment using lawful means only. It’s a big deal!... Read more »

Please permit me…

Submitted by John Bennett on mer, 2013-01-23 11:46

By John Bennett

This week we launched a campaign to convince the Ontario government to NOT end permitting for projects that impact provincially recognized endangered species (Note: if you haven't sent a letter yet please do so today). Not that we support giving anyone a permit to harass, harm or kill endangered species, it’s a defensive measure - the province is proposing replacing permits with voluntary rules developers would be expected to follow. They say it’s a government cost cutting measure.... Read more »

Astroturf ‘Ethical Oil’ files CRA complaint against Sierra Club Canada Foundation

Submitted by John Bennett on lun, 2012-12-17 22:01

By John Bennett

This time last year I told you about a storm gathering here in Ottawa that threatened to blow Sierra Club and other environmental groups out of existence. At the time I asked you to consider making a donation as it may be the last time you could do so and receive a tax receipt. I would have forgiven you for thinking I was overstating the seriousness of the situation at the time. Unfortunately, much of what I predicted came to pass in 2012.... Read more »

We're knee deep in the big muddy

Submitted by John Bennett on ven, 2012-12-07 18:12

By John Bennett

I’ve been watching reality TV this week (yes I really was) on CNSC TV (not SCTV, but not dissimilar in some ways), the web channel of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).... Read more »

Cheerleader-in-Chief

Submitted by John Bennett on jeu, 2012-11-22 14:52

By John Bennett

The Prime Minister took yet another unusual step this week. Instead of wishing both teams “good luck” in this week’s Grey Cup game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders, he had to -- in Harper Fashion™ -- choose sides. He chose not to deliver a neutral statement like “may the best team win”, or express hope it’ll be “a good game for the fans”. Instead, he expressed his strong desire to see Calgary beat Toronto.

Pierre Trudeau once turned the Parliament lawn into his own personal practice field just so he could prepare to deliver the Grey Cup’s ceremonial kick-off. But he knew better than to cross that sensitive line and publicly favor one part of the country over another in the big game.... Read more »

Hindsight is 20/20

Submitted by John Bennett on jeu, 2012-11-15 01:42

By John Bennett

Last week we stepped in it. Rather big. We ran an appreciation promotion after a long-time supporter who operates an outdoor equipment store donated a very expensive made-in-Canada jacket. We were thrilled that we’d be able to give it away to a supporter – a way of saying thank you.

Sierra Club Canada is a not an animal rights organization; we take no position on hunting and trapping. We are a conservation organization and, for strategic reasons, we must work with a broad range of organizations. Sometimes we even work with hunters -- including Canada’s Aboriginal peoples -- in order to achieve our goal of protecting the environment.... Read more »

Time to leave Fantasy Island; Climate 2.0 is here

Submitted by Paul Beckwith on jeu, 2012-11-15 00:47

By Paul Beckwith (with input from Matthew Ladd)

A few days ago in Ottawa, the temperature reached 21oC. The old record was 18oC and the average high for this time of year is 5oC. This is not a local Ottawa effect or a one-shot anomaly. Weather records that have stood the test of time for over 100 years are dropping like flies everywhere. What is causing this?

Canada’s main meteorological office generates its weather forecasts by running complex analogical weather prediction models (commonly referred to as the “analog method”). In the analog method the existing state of the atmosphere in a particular region is determined, and then compared against a massive database of atmospheric states for the same time and region in previous years. The closest matches of the atmospheric states are identified, and the forecast is basically obtained by examining how those prior systems evolved over time.... Read more »

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