Bigger buffer zone for orcas, but not in Canada

Washington State signed new legislation that requires boats to keep 914 metres from orcas, more than doubling the current requirement, beginning in January 2025. Unfortunately, Canada isn’t following suit. Originally published in PostMedia’s The Province on May 18. Endangered southern resident orcas are on the verge of getting a lot more space, but not if … Continue reading

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Is BC’s new spill response law really world-leading?

The provincial government’s new and long-awaited oil spill preparedness bill will soon be debated in the legislature for the first time. The bill is an important step forward, promising new provisions aimed at reducing the tremendous gaps in B.C.’s ability to respond to spills. Although this is good, and much-needed in our province, the bill … Continue reading

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Pipeline review overhaul: what does it mean for Kinder Morgan?

This week the federal government announced an extension to its review of the Kinder Morgan project, which we have all been calling for since the election. The extra steps imposed will include assessing direct and upstream greenhouse gas emissions from the proposed pipeline expansion, talking to affected communities, and carrying out additional consultation with First … Continue reading

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All we want for Christmas is… a fair Kinder Morgan hearing

Our new federal government has been sending some mixed signals about what it plans to do about the Kinder Morgan pipeline review. On the campaign trail, Prime Minister Trudeau promised to fix the broken pipeline review process, and redo the Kinder Morgan hearings. Now, on the one hand, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr is saying that the project won’t have … Continue reading

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Down at the Dock: Derelict Vessels and Green Boating Solutions

Recreational boating is an incredibly attractive pastime – who wouldn’t be attracted to time spent out on the water with family and friends? Unfortunately, those who have never experienced the reality of owning a boat are more susceptible to being lured into taking a boat that’s offered for free or buying one on the cheap, … Continue reading

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Make your voice heard at the upcoming Kinder Morgan hearings

The National Energy Board (NEB), the federal pipeline regulator, is holding online information sessions about public participation in the upcoming review of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain expansion proposal. You can take part in the sessions online or by phone. The sessions started last week and run till the end of November; dates and instructions for … Continue reading

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Holding the torch high – together

On December 26, 2012, Rebecca Tarbotton died in a freak accident while on holiday with her family in Mexico. From everything I’ve read about Rebecca in the media reports that followed, she was a passionate, intelligent, committed and funny person, loved by those who knew her and respected by many more – even those against whom she … Continue reading

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Times They Are a-Changin’

How many times have those words from Bob Dylan’s 1964 song been used to describe a current situation? Who knows for sure, but I do know that those words are as true today as they were back then. Indeed I believe we are on the cusp of tremendous change. Some good, Some not so good. … Continue reading

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The year of the radical

If at the beginning of 2012 you had asked me to list a few words to describe myself, I might have chosen words like “wife”, “aunt”, “godmother”, “environmental advocate”, “news junkie” and “theatre lover”, to name a few.  But I can tell you that nowhere on this list would you ever have seen this one … Continue reading

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Cohen said…

It seems everyone has found quotes in the final report from the Cohen commission to back up their established position on open net cage salmon farms. The industry claims that he found no problem with the farms and people who have been concerned about the farms for years are calling for their immediate removal. Who’s … Continue reading

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