Oil Spills in the North Saskatchewan River

On July 21st, 2016, a Husky oil pipeline burst, leaking 200,000 – 250,000 litres of oil into the North Saskatchewan River just upstream of Maidstone, and 75 kms upstream of Paynton Ferry. Water intakes were closed for many of the communities down river as the damage was assessed and berms to control the spill were put in place. A temporary water line was put in place which only delivered 1/3 of the regular water supply to the area. (Global News)

Five samples were taken in a 20km stretch of the river on August 2nd to analyze the water for drinking, all which failed based on federal government regulations. A third party consultant company was hired to complete the water samples from various depths along the river. Over 1000 samples have been collected, results of 900 of them have been released which met guidelines. Some of these samples were collected up to 385kms downstream in Prince Albert. Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency has also began its own independent sampling.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment predicts that the spill is unlikely to be contained as the sediments sink to the bottom of the river and become distributed. The reported animal death pole is at 63 as of August 2nd. Environment and Climate Change Canada is investigating whether the spill violates other Canadian law such as the Fisheries Act and Migratory Birds Convention Act. Elizabeth McSheffrey reports for the National Observer that 130,000 litres of oil has so far been recovered and booms have been put in place to contain the rest. See Husky’s report from August 2nd, 2016 here.

This Husky pipeline was built in 1997, and it seems shortsighted to approve new projects when old infrastructure developments are causing significant problems. Hopefully the people in the Maidstone and Prince Albert regions have safe drinking water returned to them as soon as possible.

It seems Husky has done everything in their power to correct this spill to the best of their abilities. Containment, clean up, water assessments, and wildlife relief efforts have all been implemented and people’s safety has not been compromised. Hopefully their efforts will be successful, but more preventative measures should be taken in order to reduce these risks in the first place. Older pipelines and infrastructure should have more inspections and mitigations to prevent these spills in the first place which cause environmental damage, put people’s lives and livelihoods at risk, and cost the government and tax payers money.

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Congratulations, Canada!

Quick facts about the most recent election in Canada:
– Liberal party of Canada won with 54%, equating to 184 seats in parliament.
– 68% voter turn out – highest turnout since Trudeau senior in 1984. The last Canadian election had 61% voter turnout.
– 10 aboriginal MP’s were elected – highest in Canadian history! 3 more than the election in 2011.
– 6 LGBT MP’s elected

Inside Canada’s 2015 Election – CBC News

Whether Canadians were strategically voting, voting against Harper, or actually voting for the party they wished to win, it is clear that Canadians are demanding change, and are moving away from the elected dictatorship we have been operating under for almost a decade.

“For ten years, Stephen Harper has refused to take meaningful action on the environment – slashing environmental protections, muzzling scientists, cutting overall science funding, and allowing other countries to take the lead on pressing issues like climate change,” said Mr. Trudeau. “We can’t afford to let this continue.Our plan will protect our oceans and grow our economy, and make a real, positive difference in the lives of all Canadians.”
– Mr. Trudeau

Day one of being in parliament, Justin Trudeau has already designated time, energy and resources into protecting Canada’s oceans:

A Liberal government will:

• Meet Canada’s international commitments by increasing the amount of our protected marine and coastal areas from 1.3 percent to 5 percent by 2017, and 10 percent by 2020;
• Reinstate the $40 million cut from the federal government’s ocean science and monitoring programs, and restore scientific capabilities at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans;
• Re-establish thorough environmental assessments, review all amendments made by the Harper Conservatives to the Fisheries Act and other legislative changes, and incorporate modern safeguards to protect our ocean and freshwater fish habitats;
• Work with provinces, Indigenous Peoples, and other stakeholders, to effectively co-manage our oceans; and
• Formalize the moratorium on crude oil tanker traffic on British Columbia’s North Coast – including the Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait, and Queen Charlotte Sound – and ensure that ecologically sensitive areas and local economies are protected from the devastating impacts of a spill.
  – Liberal Party of Canada 2015

It is time that Canada renewed its status as a global leader for natural resource management, carbon footprint reduction, and environmental protection and regulation. We have the opportunity to show the world that we can responsibly and efficiently extract natural resources from Canada’s vast landscape without contaminating waterways, destroying habitats, and threatening the livelihoods of our citizens.

Legislative changes would involved the amendment of bill C-38, which in 2012 muzzled scientists working for the Canadian government and gutted funding. Stronger regulation of industrial projects by third party watchdog organizations is necessary to ensure that projects are not being approved prematurely. Canada is a country that depends on natural resource extraction, and we should be actively working towards creating a sustainable way to obtain these goods, and more infrastructure to process them.

Creating stronger local economies by providing opportunity and infrastructure is crucial for rural communities across Canada. By ensuring the protection of the environment through stronger laws that are constantly being enforced, Canada can strengthen its economy through sustainable resource extraction and renewable energy sources. The people of Canada need to have places to live, jobs to go to and resources when they are in need. Many communities across Canada do not have access to clean drinking water, and have bottled water flown or shipped in. (See Vice News article) We have the technology, resources and opportunity to install infrastructure to these communities, which would create jobs and provide clean drinking water, making stronger, healthier communities. The more these issues are discussed, the more progressive Canada will become.

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The War on Science

In July 2012, grad students, professors, academics, and scientists alike gathered at parliament hill to protest “The Death of Evidence”. Bill C-38 had detrimental effects on the scientific community in Canada, closing research projects and eliminating funding. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act was re-written, and today in 2015 we are seeing the effects of such actions.

Canadian scientists have been muzzled. The government has strategically eliminated the ability for scientists in this country to conduct research, allowing ideology instead of evidence to prevail. It has been three years since Canadian scientists marched in Ottawa to shed light on the appalling decisions of our government to undermine the scientific method for short-term economic gain. And what has been gained? Environmental disasters that could have been prevented, jobs losses that could have been saved, and invaluable abandoned research.

The natural world is drastically changing, with effects being noticed around the world. Storms, floods, droughts, melting glaciers and rising temperatures have had cascade effects in North America. Many of the changes are drastic, and we are yet to fully understand the consequences of these changes. Science is needed to document, understand and assess the natural environment, especially in times of such change. The last action the government should be taking is silencing Canada’s scientists.

Canada was ranked 15 out of 17 for the world’s richest nations in overall environmental stewardship (Turner, 2013), yet it fall dead last for greenhouse emissions among the G8 nations. Many articles have been published regarding Canada’s poor environmental standing, which is surprising given its abundance of natural resources, huge landscape and small population.

– Huffington Post Canada

The Climate Change Performance Index rates countries based on factors including emmision levels, efficiency, renewable energy, and policy. The only two countries that followed Canada were Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. The authors of the Index say Canada “still shows no intention of moving forward with climate policy and therefore remains the worst performer of all industrialized countries.” (Huffington Post Canada, 2014).

On October 19th, 2015, if you are a Canadian citizen, please exercise your right to vote and make real change in this country,

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40% of Canadians didn’t vote

So what did we expect?

Finally, Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party in Canada, has exposed the acute issue our country is facing.

“We are a democracy only in theory. In practice, we’re an elected dictatorship.”

Almost half of the country did not vote, making it difficult to see change in the immediate future. Canada needs to demand more from its leaders, and we cannot achieve this without a voice.

Article: “Elizabeth May on our elected representatives: ‘We are a democracy only in theory’

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Some Success Stories!

ICUN recognizes the World’s Top Reserves.

“A complete stranger has the capacity to alter the life of another irrevocably. This domino effect has the capacity to change the course of an entire world. That is what life is; a chain reaction of individuals colliding with others and influencing their lives without realizing it. A decision that seems miniscule to you, may be monumental to the fate of the world.”

― J.D. Stroube, Caged by Damnation

2014 Report: Canada’s Environment and Sustainable Development

Not the best news from the 2014 Fall Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. Light is now being shed on the effects of the massive budget cuts (thank you, Steven Harper) over the past few years.

Not surprisingly, the area of most concern was Chapter 1: Mitigating Climate Change.

“Despite some advances since our 2012 audit, timelines for putting measures in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have not been met and departments are not yet able to assess whether measures in place are reducing emissions as expected. We also found that Environment Canada lacks an approach for coordinating actions with the provinces and territories to achieve the national target, and an effective planning process for how the federal government will contribute to achieving the Copenhagen target. In 2012, we concluded that the federal regulatory approach was unlikely to lead to emission reductions sufficient to meet the 2020 Copenhagen target. Two years later, the evidence is stronger that the growth in emissions will not be reversed in time and that the target will be missed.”

What it really comes down to is the lack of communication between Environment Canada and the provinces. The lack of communication, planning, and allocation of funds makes the environmental targets pretty easy to miss. Canada is not doing enough to make sure that climate change is a priority. More qualified staff is needed to properly regulate and manage these issues, which extend to natural resource management (sustainable forestry, mining practices, etc). Canada used to be a leader in our environmental practices, and now we are continuing to drop past #24. This is not good enough. Our land, flora and fauna, and future generations deserve better than this.

Find the full 2014 Report here.

 

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Living Planet Report

The Living Planet Report is a publication put out by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).  In this year’s release, the Living Planet Report has a calculated index, the Living Planet Index (LPI), which showed a very serious decline in many species of animals around the world. But what does “very serious decline” mean? What does “many species” really encompass?

The LPI represents 10,000 species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and birds. Since 1970, WWF found that the LPI has declined by 52%. Freshwater dwellers were hit the hardest, with a shocking 76% decline.

“…in less than two human generations, population sizes of vertebrate species have dropped by half. These are the living forms that constitute the fabric of the ecosystems which sustain life on Earth – and the barometer of what we are doing to our own planet, our only home.”

52% is a drastic decline for two generations. This is due to many factors, predominantly related to humans. Our ever growing need for habitat and resources has extended our reach to almost every corner of the world. Pollution from collecting these resources has done irrevocable harm to the planet and habitat loss and destruction has forces many species of animals to the edge of extinction.

With the People’s Climate March, the UN Climate Summit and the David Suzuki Blue Dot Tour, along with other projects such as The Ocean Cleanup, we have finally come together as humans fighting for our home. With the help of social media, I think people are beginning to realize the serious implications of the situation we are currently facing.

“Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher ‘standard of living’ is worth its cost in things natural, wild and free. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television.”
– Aldo Leopold

Such a large part of this problem is humans believing that climate change or animals going extinct has no direct effect on them, so why should they care. Another issue is shifting Western culture away from the Industrial Revolution times, and into the green, reliable and renewable times. This shift is not an easy one. It’s also not easy to prove or convince people that these issues do indeed directly affect them and their future generations. The truth is that every single tiny part of the ecosystem is important. We have no even begun to fully understand every ecosystem, yet we are destroying them without also understanding the implications of these systems. Forests, for instance, are the lungs of our world. The trees take what we breathe out, and convert it to what we breathe in, using sunlight. Many materials used to make cancer-fighting drugs come from rain forests. If that does not amaze and inspire, that could be the root of the problem, and why so many don’t care.

We have known for decades how humans are impacting the planet, but chose not to invest time, energy and resources to prevent or at least slow down our ramifications.

Silent Spring, a book written by Rachel Carson in 1962, exposed the hazards of using pesticides such as DDT on our crops. In the 1960’s, Carson challenged our relationship with technology, and was the backbone for the start of the environmental movement. But what about the present? Rachel Carson, Jane Goodall, Aldo Leopold, John Muir, and dozens other renowned scientists and environmentalists have outlined the importance of our relationship with nature, and how our actions are seriously impacting our environment. The information has been available for decades, yet we always wait until the very last moment, which might be too late.

“The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: ‘What good is it?”
– Aldo Leopold

 

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Climate Change – Canada

The momentum for action that the People’s Climate March has generated is admirable, and the U.N. Climate Summit was a success. U.S. President Barack Obama is completely on board with developing management strategies to address the global issue of climate change. I wish Canada’s Prime Minister felt the same way.

I found out several days before the U.N. Climate Change meeting that our Prime Minister was not going to be attending the other world leaders in addressing this complex problem. Canada was represented by the Minister of Environment, Leona Aglukkaq, but I found it disheartening that the leader of our country did not attend.
“On Monday, Ms. Aglukkaq annouced a new set of more stringent auto pollution regulations, which aim to gradually increase efficiency and reduce pollution from cars and light trucks after 2017, in a step that mirrors U.S. plans.”
Canada is simply not doing enough about this issue. This is a step in the right direction, but climate change will continue to progress at alarming rates, which will affect future generations for decades unless we formulate a plan of action. We have reached the point where there is enough scientific data that has been collected over many years by many different scientists all over the world, climate change cannot be denied or ignored any longer. I feel the ones who deny climate change are the ones who should be learning and participating, not ignoring. In a democracy, should the country not be protected and properly represented by the individuals we elect? Should our leader not participate in global matters that affect us?  I feel that our Prime Minister does not have our best interests at the top of his priority list, and I feel this needs to change.

Canadians deserve to be properly represented and respected, and that “democracy” is no longer a term that describes Canada. (see Canada’s agreement with China – FIPA if more proof is needed)

Joe Oliver, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, seems to think that people who are standing up against these issues are “radicals”. He seems to know exactly what we believe, but perhaps he has environmentalists mistaken for terrorists.

Oliver said radicals are “a group of people who don’t take into account the facts but are driven by an ideological imperative.”

“Their goal is to stop any major project no matter what the cost to Canadian families in lost jobs and economic growth. No forestry. No mining. No oil. No gas. No more hydro-electric dams.”
– CBC News

I didn’t know I was driven by an “ideological imperative” and that I wanted to destroy the Canadian economy. To clarify, this is what I actually do believe:

As an environmental activist, I believe that protection and conservation of our natural resources and environment is a priority. I understand the need for a strong economy, but I do not support the way in which that is being accomplished. Canadians have the right for clean air and water, and to live in a country where that is a reality for everyone. There is the possibility for more sustainable energy sources to be available to everyone, and a profit can be made from that. I’m not saying I have all the answers. I do not believe this change can happen overnight. I do understand the need for oil, gas, mining, and forestry, and dams, but it needs to be conducted properly, carefully and safely if we want to keep benefitting from these industries. We need stronger regulations, no more budget cuts to the environmental sector, third party reviews and analysis, and more severe consequences when damage to the environment is inevitably done. Future projects and plans should not commence until we have put an end to disasters like the Mt. Polley spill. Enforced regulations and penalties to companies is mandatory before we continue developing in these industries. Shouldn’t we be able to manage what we have now before we start more projects?

I agree with Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, “By characterizing this issue as environmental radicals versus Canada’s future prosperity you have done a grave disservice to the development of sensible public policy,”
– CBC News

Environmentalists and activists aren’t trying to destroy the human race. We aren’t trying to extinguish cars and mines. We want justice for the environment. We want clean air and water. We want sustainable resources that provide a stable economy that our future generations will rely on. The movement is happening, and the global leaders are listening.

 

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World Rhino Day

International organizations have been creating international ______ day, to spread awareness about species that are in critical danger and facing extinction, and today is World Rhino Day!

“Of the three Asian rhino species, two – Javan rhinos and Sumatran rhinos – are critically endangered. After the extinction of Javan rhino in Viet Nam in 2010, only one small population of Javan rhinos remains, in Java, Indonesia, with fewer than 50 individuals.”

The two species of African Rhinos are Black Rhinos (critically endangered, but starting to make a come back), and White Rhinos (threatened). The Southern White Rhino is are finally thriving in protected areas and sanctuaries, but unfortunately, the Northern White Rhino has a population of 4 individuals.

The demand for rhinoceros horn is by far their greatest threat. Although CITES banned the international trade of rhinoceros horn in 1977, the demand is still high in Africa and Asia. Rhino horn has many uses, including medicinal and tools such as dagger handles.

“Although some traditional medical practitioners are using alternatives, a TRAFFIC survey of medical practitioners showed that 60% stocked rhino horn and 27% maintained that it was essential to their work.”

The African Rhino Crisis is fuelled by the demand for rhino horn in Asian medicine. Organized groups of poachers have been killing hundreds of rhinos per year, putting their numbers seriously in decline. A subspecies of northern white rhino is already thought to be extinct, with many other species not far behind.

Habitat loss and destruction is another major factor in the decline of rhinos, not to mention thousands of other species all over the world.

“Habitat loss poses the greatest threat to species. The world’s forests, swamps, plains, lakes, and other habitats continue to disappear as they are harvested for human consumption and cleared to make way for agriculture, housing, roads, pipelines and the other hallmarks of industrial development. Without a strong plan to create terrestrial and marine protected areas important ecological habitats will continue to be lost.”

3 reasons to celebrate World Rhino Day:

1) The recovery of white rhinos from the brink of extinction 100 years ago to over 20,000 today is one of conservation’s greatest success stories.
2) Black rhino numbers have more than doubled from their low point of 2,400 in 1994 to more than 5,000 today.
3) The greater one-horned rhino faced a similar extinction threat at the turn of the 20th century, when only a handful remained, but have since recovered to over 3,300 today.

– World Wildlife Fund

Who Else is Helping Rhinos?

• SOS – Save Our Species
• IUCN – International Union for the Conservation of Nature
• International Rhino Foundation

How Can You Help? 

• Don’t buy rhino horn products. Illegal trade in rhino horn is a continuing problem, posing one of the greatest threats to rhinos today.
• Donate towards much-needed anti-poaching equipment and support in Africa
  South Africans / Residents of other countries
  
• Adopt a Sumatran rhino through WWF-US
• Adopt a Black rhino through WWF-UK
• Use and support sustainable wood, paper and palm oil. By purchasing certified sustainable palm oil and FSC-certified forest products, retailers, traders, and manufacturers help protect Sumatran and Javan rhino habitat by limiting illegal logging and forest conversion to oil palm plantations. Consumers can also help by demanding certified products.
• Donate to WWF to support the Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy
• Spread the word!

Thank you to the World Wildlife Fund for coming up with strategies to save the rhinos!

 

Other important wildlife and environment dates:

• World Wetland Day – February 2nd
• World Wildlife Day – March 3rd
• International Day of Forests – March 21st
• World Water Day – March 22nd
• Earth Day – April 22nd
• International Day for Biodiversity – May 22nd
• World Environment Day – June 5th
• World Oceans Day – June 8th
• International Tiger Day – July 29th
• World Elephant Day – August 12th
• World Animal Day – October 4th
• World Habitat Day – October 7th
• World Soil Day – December 7th
• International Mountain Day – December 11th

 

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