Must Reads from Last Week
Provincially:
BC Green Party Annual General Meeting/Convention
June 1-3, Kamloops: Early bird tickets available now.
LNG
From the BC Greens: Add your name to tell John Horgan his plan to woo LNG companies will sabotage BC’s climate targets.
Premier John Horgan and LNG
A Financial Post article on LNG in Canada/BC. Read more and still more. There’s much more on this available, of course. The BC Greens are asking people to “tell Horgan it isn’t worth it.”
Site C – Is it a Done Deal?
The Site C town hall at the K’omoks First Nation Band Hall was a really informative event. Ken Boon and Steve Gray did a great job of debunking the current NDP government’s contention that Site C is “past the point of no return.” Agrologist Wendy Holm also explained why that whole area is such an important agricultural area. The valley goes east-west rather than north-south, and so has the advantage of a microclimate that is perfect for growing food despite its northern location.
The speakers talked about the Yellow Stake campaign and how the First Nations who are fighting this need financial support. Wendy Holm put it succinctly: “If you eat for a living, you’ve got a stake in the Peace Valley.”
Kinder Morgan
Elizabeth May is arrested. “The commitment to build a pipeline when we’re in the midst of a climate crisis is a crime against future generations and I will not be a part of it.” Her court date is June 14, 2018. The charge is civil contempt for blocking a road. She now cannot go back to that injunction zone at Kinder Morgan until her court date. Kennedy Stewart, Burnaby South MP, was charged with violating the court injunction to stay outside the buffer zone. It would be great if as many people as possible were at the court on June 14, Elizabeth’s court date.
Part 2: Contrary to Environment Minister McKenna, who believes the pipeline will make the West Coast safer, the Governor of Washington State sees a threat to their waters as well from this pipeline. Read more.
Nationally:
Green Party of Canada Biennial General Meeting
This year’s BGM is now open for registration. Read more.
Early bird registration deadline: April 30, 2018
Date: September 28-30, 2018
Location: Westin Bayshore Hotel, Vancouver
Proposal submission: There are changes to the decision-making and motion process this year. Proposals will be prioritized, for example. Many of these changes were membership-driven through the Committee for Motion Development (referenced in NIPR’s December 2017 newsletter).
Elizabeth May’s Week in Review
Elizabeth May got arrested on Burnaby Mountain on Friday. (See above.)
The Koch Brothers
In case you’re not aware of the Koch Brothers and their ever-increasing reach, this article from Reuters gives good background and connects some of the dots. These men are incredibly powerful and fund many right-wing foundations and organizations that do not have an obvious connection back to them.
Public attitudes to youth civic engagement in Canada
This Abacus poll looks at whether Canada’s youth are disengaged or unprepared to take on leadership roles in their communities. As we move closer to the 2019 Federal election, it might be worth taking note of this.
Excerpt: “Our political leaders are starting to recognize the political power of young Canadians and the issues that matter to them and their families. As more youth are engaged and asked to participate, their influence will continue to grow.”
Globally:
Autumn Pelletier, Water Warrior, at the United Nations
Autumn Peltier is 13 years old. She’s from a Manitoulin Island First Nation and she’s been speaking out about the necessity of taking care of our water. CBC’s The National has run two items on her. She’s an amazingly articulate and self-possessed young woman. Read/see more.
