The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
Third pipeline leak in Alberta in three weeks
Another oil leak was reported today by Alberta's Energy Resources Conservation Board. This one, the third in the last three weeks, is on Enbridge's Athabasca pipeline. Read more…
Should There Be More Regulations on Big Tech?
- Yes.
- No.
- I don’t know.
- Tell us more…
Are you watching the winter Olympics this year? Read the results of that poll here.
Canada 5th in G20 for green performance: report
As the Rio+20 Earth Summit kicks off Monday in Rio de Janeiro, one high-profile academic is arguing countries should be assigned an environmental rating, much the same way financial agencies rate government credit. His proposed ranking for Canada? Fifth out of the G20 countries. Read more…
Great Bear Rainforest agreement under Rio summit microscope: scientists
Scientists at next week's Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro will point to the British Columbian Great Bear Rainforest Agreement as a potential model for global conservation efforts. Read more…
With the federal budget vote looming, a quick look at some of the numbers
18 hours -- The time left in the debate over the federal budget now that the Conservatives have invoked closure. "Closure" is a procedure to end debate on a motion or stage of a bill. Closure requires that the motion or stage of the bill be put to a vote at the end of the sitting in which closure is called. Around-the-clock voting begins Wednesday night. (Source: Toronto Star) Read more…
Wild migrating salmon likely infected their farmed cousins in B.C., say experts
VANCOUVER - Observers of the decades-long argument over fish farming in B.C. can now add one more shade of grey to the debate. Read more…
Green Party's May throwing all she has at Tories omnibus budget bill
OTTAWA - Green party Leader Elizabeth May didn't see the Conservatives' 2012 omnibus budget bill coming. One year ago, she used her first question in the House of Commons to ask the government if it was going to be hiding any major new laws in its upcoming budget implementation bill for that year. Read more…
Plains Midstream blogs the cleanup of its oil spill
Plains Midstream Canada, the company whose pipeline leak threatens the Red Deer River and the communities that rely on it for drinking water, is now informing the public of cleanup operations through its own blog. Read more…
Pipeline company reports oil spill near Red Deer River
SUNDRE, Alta. - Crews were scrambling Friday to contain and clean up a pipeline spill that is believed to have sent up to 475,000 litres of crude oil flowing into a rain-swollen Red Deer River system in west-central Alberta. Read more…
Residents worry oil and gas industry is making them sick, finds BC report
People in northeastern British Columbia are concerned development of the oil and gas industry is making them sick, says a report the provincial government commissioned. Read more…
As websites go dark, ministers sell Tory vision of resource exploitation
OTTAWA -- In a show of organizational strength from both sides of the debate, the Conservative government squared off against its environmental opponents Monday in duelling cross-country campaigns about proposed changes to Canada's environmental protection laws. Read more…
Pace president updates Alberta spill
Fred Woods, president of Pace Oil & Gas, has told The Tyee that the cleanup of his company's spill near Rainbow Lake in northwest Alberta is "going better than expected." Read more…
Committee chair's pesticide conspiracy email was 'impolitic', says recipient
Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett seems to view environmentalists as a threat to freedom, said a person who received a blunt and dismissive email from him this week. Read more…
Oil-water leak puts 22,000 barrels in Alberta muskeg
A spill of oil and water in northwest Alberta has lasted since at least May 19 and has put an estimated 22,000 barrels in the muskeg. The site, a water-injection well and pipeline, is operated by Pace Oil & Gas Ltd., which is now conducting a cleanup operation. Read more…
Bennett demands to see own pesticide email before commenting
When The Tyee asked Bill Bennett about an email dismissing supporters of a ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides as "politically motivated left wing conspiracy theorists," he demanded to see it before he would comment. Read more…
Oil sands sparked 'uniquely Canadian strain' of Dutch Disease: report
A new report by the Pembina Institute argues that Alberta's oil sands boom has given other parts of the country a dramatic case of the Dutch Disease or what it calls "oil sands fever." Read more…
Koch Industries-supported think tank praises Harper budget
The Stephen Harper government's highly contentious budget plan to streamline environmental assessments is a model the U.S. should follow, argues the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
This same American think tank once received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Koch Industries, a corporate heavyweight in the spotlight for its financial support of libertarian causes, including the Tea Party movement. Read more…
Despite public support for a BC pesticide ban, Clark waffles on promise
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark backtracked today on her promise to introduce a province-wide ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides, despite public support for such a ban. Read more…
Climate skeptics often highly rational, survey finds
Knowing lots about science doesn't make you any more likely to support the scientific consensus that humans are causing global warming, suggests a new survey in Nature Climate Change. Read more…
Western premiers meeting on energy and labour issues
B.C.'s Christy Clark won't be on hand today when other western premiers get down to business at a hotel in Edmonton to discuss energy, labour and other issues of mutual interest. Read more…
BC snuffs out AirCare test program
The BC government is shifting gears on the AirCare program with a plan to phase out tailpipe testing of light cars and trucks at the end of 2014 in favour of focusing on heavy-duty diesel vehicles. Read more…
