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Early Bird registration
has been extended to May 9th! Act now and take advantage of
the discount. Register
today!.
The weekend kicks off
Friday, June 9th with keynote speaker Maude Barlow, comedian
Greg Malone and a not to be missed performance by East Coast
singer-songwriter Mary Jane Lamond!
Visit www.peopleandtheplanet.ca
for more information on speakers, workshops, EcoFair, Kids and
the Planet and how you can join the
fun!
NATIONAL
Acting
Executive Director Named
The Board of Directors of Sierra Club of Canada is pleased
to announce that Stephen Hazell has been appointed as acting
executive director of SCC national office effective May 1,
2006 until a permanent replacement for outgoing executive
director Elizabeth May is engaged. We are delighted that
Elizabeth May has agreed to retain responsibility for several
key files on behalf of Sierra Club of Canada at least for an
interim period.
Stephen is an environmental lawyer and activist who has
served as executive director of two national non-governmental
organizations: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and
Canadian Arctic Resources Committee. He is currently
engaged as SCC’s interim conservation director and the
executive director of the SCC Foundation.
Mackenzie Gas Project - News from the
North
Work continues on the Mackenzie Gas Project. Sierra Club
and Ecology North are working together on presentations to the
Joint Review Panel that is assessing environmental and
socio-economic effects of the proposed multi-billion dollar
massive energy project. For the latest, please see www.mackenziewild.ca
and join our new email list: http://www.sierraclub.ca/mailman/listinfo/scc-mgp
For John Muir's birthday and Earth Week, volunteers Kevin
Kennedy and Paul Falvo ran Yellowknife's first membership
drive -- and as of press time almost doubled the number of
members in the NWT.
Sierra Forest
Watch
A new and improved database was unveiled this week
that includes grades and best practices of forestry activities
across the country. Check it out at: www.sierraforestwatch.ca
Chernobyl at
20
Sierra Club of Canada's atmosphere and energy campaigner,
Emilie Moorhouse recently travelled to Kiev for the the 20th
anniversary of the Chernobyl meltdown and
to participate in the conference on the Chernobyl
disaster entitled, ‘Remembrance for the Future’ You can
read all about her trip and the conference at: www.sierraclub.ca/national/postings/chernobyl-blog.html
The Campaign for Nuclear Phaseout held a press conference
on April 25th to observe the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl and
reflect on Canada's own nuclear industry. Read
the release.
ELIZABETH MAY
SPEAKS
 How to Save the World in Your Spare Time
Elizabeth May's
latest book will be released in the next few weeks, and below
is an opportunity to hear her read from this essential
guide to activism.
Sustainability Network - Book Launch and
Discussion
DATE: Thursday, May 11,
2006
TIME: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
LOCATION: 215 Spadina
Avenue (between Dundas and Queen), Toronto,
ON
If you would like to attend,
please pre-register by providing your name and affiliation to
Saul at info@sustain.web.ca.
Won't be in Toronto the event? -
Order
a copy today!
Social Justice Now Conference
DATE:
Friday, May 12, 2006
TIME: 11:00am
LOCATION:
London, ON
Come hear Elizabeth talk about "How to
be an Activist".
Natural City Conference May 31 - June 2, 2006
DATE:
Friday, June 1, 2006
TIME: 4:30-5:30
pm
LOCATION: Toronto, ON
Elizabeth will be delivering the
closing keynote address. For more information visit: www.naturalcity.ca
Upper Thames Watershed
Conservation
DATE: Friday, June 2, 2006
TIME:
tba
LOCATION: London, ON
BRITISH COLUMBIA
CHAPTER
Vancouver port
LEEDs the way
By Taylor Bachrach
When the Vancouver
Port Authority (VPA) set out to design a new downtown
office space, it wasn’t just looking to change the color of
the cubicle dividers. The VPA wanted to use the opportunity to
demonstrate the company’s leadership in environmental
stewardship.
Eight million dollars later, and with
the help of architectural firm Bunting Coady Architects and
local interior design firm Group 5, the project met its mark.
Last month the VPA office building became the largest project
in Canada to receive LEED-CI (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design, Commercial Interiors) Gold
certification.
Learn
more about LEED certification on the United States Green
Building Council’s website.
ATLANTIC CANADA
CHAPTER
HRM PLAN
Draft Three of the Halifax Regional Municipality's Regional
Plan has recently been released, and public consultations will
commence on May 16. Please visit www.halifax.ca/planning for more
information.
People and the Planet Carpool
Want to go the Sierra Club of Canada's People and the
Planet conference, June 9-11, 2006 but don't have
transportation? The Atlantic Canada Chapter can help organize
a carpool option that works for you! Contact the Chapter
office, (902) 444-3113 for more information. Get details on
the conference at: www.peopleandtheplanet.ca.
ONTARIO
CHAPTER
Read up on
the Sierra Club of Canada's Ontario Chapter by subscribing to
The O-Zone today. You'll receive one email per week
with Chapter news, opportunities, invitations to meetings,
outings, get-togethers and more. For more information: www.sierraclub.ca/mailman/listinfo/ont-news. Ontario Chapter
events can be found at: ontario.sierraclub.ca/events/
PRAIRIE CHAPTER
Upcoming Events:
1. May 28th - Prairie Chapter hosts Alberta Environment
Networks Annual Gathering and AGM
If you have any questions, please contact the AEN office by
phone at 780.439.1916.
2. June 6th and 7th – Mackenzie Gas Project hearings come
to Alberta.
Nuclear
Debate hits Alberta – letter to the
editor
Read Chapter Director, Lindsay
Telfer's letter
to the editor.
4 out of 5
Calgarians say NO to Pesticides
Calgary,
AB - March 23, 2006 – The Sierra
Club of Canada and Calgarians for Pesticide Free Parks
released a report showing clear direction from
Calgarians for a pesticide free community. The poll
addressed the use of cosmetic or non-essential pesticides on
lawns, gardens and public green spaces in Calgary.
Commissioned by the Sierra Club of Canada and the Canadian
Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), the poll
surveyed 500 Calgarians in late February 2006 with a margin of
error +-4.4%, 19/20 times.
Highlights of Poll:
The poll clearly
indicates that the majority of Calgarians would like to see a
phase-out of pesticides.
• 4 out of 5
respondents support the phasing out of cosmetic use of
pesticides in Calgary
-in public parks - 84%
-private
residential property - 82%
-other common green spaces
- 89%.
Environmental
911 keeps going strong in
Edmonton
Our Environmental 911 program
in the prairies continues to generate much interest and
questions from local citizens. We hope to expand the
program to Saskatchewan and Manitoba within the year so stay
tuned!! In the meantime check out our evolving
resources, generated from Enviro911 inquiries, at
http://www.sierraclub.ca/prairie/Sierra911/
WORLD URBAN FORUM 3
This June
19-23, more than 6,000 participants from 150 nations will
gather in Vancouver, Canada for the third session of the World
Urban Forum. This biennial UN-HABITAT event on urban
sustainability examines and identifies solutions to the
critical problems facing cities around the globe.
Information:
www.wuf3-fum3.ca |
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In the face of the province’s failure to
protect habitat for the owl, there is an opportunity for the
federal government to use the Species At Risk Act (SARA) to
intervene and implement protection measures.