Must Reads from Last Week
BC Electoral Reform Referendum
Part 1: Unifor has joined the BC campaign for electoral reform. Read more.
Part 2: If you would like to get involved, or just feel more comfortable talking to people about proportional representation and the campaign, join us for a session on Sunday, April 15, 3-5 p.m. It’ll be fun and informative. No stress, no fuss, no pressure. Address is on the Doodle poll.
Locally
Recycling and Waste
Part 1: Comox Strathcona regional districts are looking at alternatives to landfills.
Excerpt: “Using valuable land to bury our garbage is 17th century thinking.” Read more.
Part 2: Meanwhile in Campbell River, Uplands Excavating wants to expand its operations and accept contaminated soil at a landfill in the city’s watershed. Read more on this four-year long fight. And here is Damien Gillis giving his presentation at a hearing on behalf of the Campbell River Environmental Committee (CREC) recently.
Greens of Courtenay-Alberni Fireside chats
The Courtenay-Alberni EDA are holding a series of Fireside chats at the Westerly Hotel during April. The second one is April 12, 5-7 p.m. and the topic is “How to Reduce Human-Wildlife Conflicts.”
Invitation to groundwater licensing workshops and information session, April 16, 2018
Excerpt: The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) and the Province of BC are hosting “existing use” groundwater licensing workshops and a public information session on Monday, April 16th.
Anyone interested in water management is welcome to attend the information session, to be held at the Lower Native Sons Hall from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Farmers and other non-domestic well users are invited to register for one of the free workshop sessions at North Island College, to be held at 9:30 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 – 3:30 pm, on April 16.” Read more.
Celebrating the Tragically Hip and National Canadian Film Day, April 16, 2018
Offered by the Sid Williams Theatre Society and World Community Development Education Society, a screening of A Long Time Running. Read more.
Provincially:
NIPR’s AGM
Keep on the lookout for news!
Site C: The three decades of sordid political shenanigans behind the Site C dam
Excerpt: “It is not exactly a news flash that politicians, in league with corporate interests, routinely use their elected office to win short-term battles…But the truth is almost always unearthed and the truth-tellers, not the spinners, almost always win in the end. They do, that is, if there is someone around to do the digging.” Read more.
Part 2: Starting April 11, there will be a monthly public ‘stand’ demonstration outside Ronna-Rae Leonard’s office, 437-5th Street from 12:30 to 1:30. Bring your signs and your friends - and maybe a letter to Ronna-Rae to drop off.
Kinder Morgan
Part 1: Greenpeace livestreaming from today, April 7, 2018.
Part 2: And more from Stand.
Part 3: And some words from GPC Vancouver East EDA CEO, Wally Kunz on April 7th:
“I just got back from Burnaby Mountain and the protest against Kinder Morgan. About 50-60 were prepared to be arrested. There were ten times that number who were supporters. We’re all prepared to protest as long as it takes. Cannot understand why Kinder Morgan doesn’t review the economics and quit this project. We had thunder and several large downpours, but there was some time where it was dry and not too loud to talk. There were many Greens there from other EDAs in the Lower Mainland as well as the Vancouver Greens. I thanked Chief Stewart Phillip for his action (he was planning to be arrested) and for his great letters and emails for the cause.”
Nationally:
Protecting Right Whales
The Sierra Club is initiating action on protecting right whales in the Atlantic. There have been many stories in the last year about right whales being found dead. Well, the Department of Fisheries says it wants to protect them, but are making an exception for oil and gas companies. Both BP and Statoil (Norway) want to drill and/or blast close to the right whale habitat.
Excerpt: “Dr. Lindy Weilgart from Dalhousie University offers an unequivocal caution: “As the government’s news release itself admits, underwater noise is a substantial contributing factor to the right whale population decline. As such, seismic surveys for oil and gas need to be prohibited anywhere where harmful noise levels can degrade right whale habitat. While the proposed measures are laudable, an ecosystem approach to safeguard critical right whale habitat is required, rather than a piecemeal approach to various individual threats.” Read more.
Globally:
Protecting the Antarctic
Greenpeace is mounting a campaign to form the Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary in the Weddell Sea. They’re looking for people to sign a petition requesting world leaders to create this sanctuary. Read more.
Making a Difference: Women in Uganda
Male police officers in Uganda are marching to end domestic violence. Watch the video.
