Canada, long considered an important moderating international player, is rapidly becoming an international pariah under PM Harper’s government.  On climate change, we’ve announced that we will be making no effort to meet our Kyoto obligations and we’ve more recently hampered progress during the Bali negotiations.  On indigenous rights we were one of only four nations to oppose the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP), negotiated with Canada leading the way under the previous Chretien/Martin governments.  Now, it turns out Canada led the way to defeating a UN resolution to enshrine a universal right to clean water.     Read more »

The Calgary Herald recently reported here on the need for more energy to fuel expansion of tar sands extraction.

The tar sands require a lot of energy in extraction.  Most of it comes from natural gas.  And natural gas supplies are diminishing while the demands of the tar sands increase with expansion.  Nuclear power company Areva  sees great promise in these developments:

Speaking in Calgary, Areva CEO Armand Laferrere said continued oilsands development would consume virtually all of Canada’s current natural gas supply — some 92 per cent — by 2030.

“You need to diversify,” he said on the sidelines of the Canadian Energy Research Institute’s natural gas conference.     Read more »

A reminder from Rich Smith about a rally tomorrow (Tuesday) morning…

Though this rally highlights the dangers that toxic chemicals in consumer products pose to children, adults are at terrible risk as well.  Bisphenol A, for example, isn’t just in children’s products.  It’s also in water bottles, every tin can on your shelf, you name it.  In recent testing, 96% of Americans had measurable levels of this hormone disrupting chemical in their bodies…There’s every reason to believe that pollution levels in Canadians are the same.

Ontario has a major opportunity to take a leadership position on this critical issue.  We need your support to ensure it happens.

BAN TOXICS, BABY!
Family Rally to End Toxic Chemicals in Baby Bottles
Tuesday, 2007 November 20, 10 am – 11:00 am
Queen’s Park front lawn.  Free.     Read more »

Post Carbon Toronto is hosting a talk by Daniel Lerch about post-carbon cities and the urban planning required to get us there.

Post Carbon Toronto presents Daniel Lerch
Wednesday, 2007 November 14, 7:30 pm
Metro Hall, 55 John St, Rm 304

As part of the City’s Innovative Design Competition for Toronto’s Lower Don Lands, four teams have been selected as finalists for the competition. This will decide the future of the western part of the Portlands, and I recommend that everyone go and comment on it.

The dramatic changes proposed are a reflection of the tireless efforts of concerned citizens from Toronto-Danforth and around the city not to settle for a simple cosmetic change, but instead to develop a more natural river mouth with substantial wetlands.

Their proposals were presented at an exhibition launch and public forum Monday night. There is some discussion and a lot of pictures on Spacing Wire. For full information, or to submit comments, see the complete exhibition at BCE Place. The exhibition runs until Wednesday, April 25, but comments need to be submitted by this Friday, April 20.

Alternately, go to Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation or send them email at lowerdon@towaterfront.ca by April 20.

Lower Don Lands Design Competition Exhibition
2007 April 16 – 25
Allen Lambert Galleria, BCE Place, 181 Bay St
free