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Oil and gas majors have spent $1 billion undermining climate action since 2015, report says

In the three years since world leaders signed the Paris Agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the world’s five largest oil and gas companies have spent more than $1 billion on misleading branding and lobbying related to climate change, according to a new report.

Race Against Climate Change

By Alastair Sharp in News, Energy, Politics | March 21st 2019

Tŝilhqot'in’s ‘spiritual war’ to protect land, water, rights

The Tŝilhqot'in Nation is at spiritual war with Taseko Mines, which has for over two decades been trying to build what would be the world's largest copper and gold mine at a sacred elevated lake the Nation knows as Teztan Biny. Though the mine has been rejected twice at the federal level, they have the greenlight on a drilling program, forcing the Nation back to court to seek an injunction.

First Nations Forward

By Emilee Gilpin | March 21st 2019

Prime Minister Theresa May in Ottawa for post-Brexit trade talks with PM Justin Trudeau

Britain proposes to weaken environmental protection after Brexit

The British government has proposed to weaken environmental oversight as part of its plan to leave the European Union, creating a situation that critics say will leave serious gaps, especially if the United Kingdom plunges into a no-deal scenario.

By Cecilia Keating in News, Energy, Politics | March 20th 2019

Doug Ford greets people outside Queen's Park in Toronto on June 29, 2018, following his swearing in ceremony. Photo by Alex Tétreault

EXCLUSIVE: Doug Ford's government slashing programs designed to save energy in buildings

The Ontario government is slashing a series of programs that were designed to help save energy in buildings. It's all part of a plan that Premier Doug Ford's government claims would help “businesses improve their bottom line,” says a leaked provincial document.

By Fatima Syed in News, Politics | March 20th 2019

Nuclear power company backs Ford government energy plan

Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative government said on Thursday it will reform Ontario's electricity system in a bid to reduce costs overall and lower rates for businesses, a move critics say limits the most efficient way to save money in the power grid and threatens thousands of clean energy jobs.

By Alastair Sharp in News, Energy, Politics | March 21st 2019

How Canada is both leading and falling behind on electric buses

Buses. Yes, they’re better than cars because they move more people, but they are nonetheless a sizable source of emissions. The good news is there’s a solution, and it’s a big opportunity for Canada.

Race Against Climate Change

By Merran Smith & Dan Woynillowicz in Analysis | March 21st 2019

Is New Zealand the tipping point in the fight against far-right terrorism?

Canadians never learned the lessons that we should have following the 2011 Norway massacre. There was no understanding from among politicians or media that the buzzwords that drove Norwegian far-right terrorist Anders Breivik were driving Canadian extremists as well.

Opinion

By Nora Loreto in Opinion | March 20th 2019

Alberta faces stark choice on environment in election

Albertans have a clear choice to make in next month's election between keeping with policy that is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and scrapping many of them, writes James Glave.

Opinion

By James Glave in Opinion, Energy, Politics | March 20th 2019

Stalled: why North American lags as China and Europe lead the way on electric vehicles

China already offers a wide selection of EVs and sales are already booming, the European migration to EVs is imminent while North American governments and automakers are lagging behind, with modest exceptions in some progressive U.S. states and Québec and BC.

By Will Dubitsky in Analysis | March 20th 2019

Many Canadian transit agencies are missing made-in-Canada electric buses, says new report

Canada is home to leading-edge electric bus manufacturing companies, but a report released today by the think tank Clean Energy Canada says the country risks lagging behind globally.

Canada's Clean Economy

By Brenna Owen in News, Energy, Politics | March 21st 2019

As MPs pull all-nighter, Philpott breathes fresh life into SNC-Lavalin scandal

Former federal Treasury Board president Jane Philpott says there's "much more to the story" of the SNC-Lavalin affair that should be told, while Conservatives filibuster in the House and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says she and Jody Wilson-Raybould are welcome to remain in the Liberal caucus.

By Canadian Press in News | March 21st 2019

Canada proposes rebates for electric cars, voluntary sales mandate

The Trudeau government is proposing to help subsidize the cost of buying an electric car by up to $5,000, but has declined to establish a more stringent sales mandate, opting instead for voluntary targets.

Budget 2019

By Carl Meyer in News, Energy, Politics | March 19th 2019

Budget proposes axing airport security agency

The Trudeau government is proposing to eliminate the federal agency in charge of traveller, baggage and worker security screening at airports. Buried in Finance Minister Bill Morneau's 460-page budget that was delivered Tuesday is a clause noting that the government is "transitioning the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) to an independent, not-for-profit entity."

Budget 2019

By Carl Meyer in News, Politics | March 19th 2019

Andrew Scheer, Conservative Party of Canada, Ottawa

Andrew Scheer's Conservatives bang tables, stomp feet and accuse Trudeau of 'coverup'

Conservative parliamentarians banged tables and stomped their feet while Finance Minister Bill Morneau sought to deliver a speech about the 2019 budget before walking out on Tuesday, with Andrew Scheer saying the budget had no legitimacy while the government was intent on shutting down an inquiry into the SNC-Lavalin affair.

Budget 2019

By Alastair Sharp & Fatima Syed in News, Politics | March 19th 2019

Six things everyone should know about Jason Kenney

Perhaps you forgot, or perhaps you're hearing them for the first time. Either way, you might want to know about them as Jason Kenney pursues his career in politics.

By National Observer in News, Politics | July 6th 2016

Morneau Budget proposes $1 billion for borders as immigration rhetoric heats up

The federal government plans to spend more than a billion dollars over five years to strengthen Canada’s border and speed up the processing of asylum claims and removal of failed applicants, its 2019 budget shows, as immigration heats up as an election issue.

Budget 2019

By Alastair Sharp in News, Politics | March 19th 2019

Trudeau government budget proposes billions to improve living conditions for Indigenous communities

Canada’s federal government plans to spend $4.5 billion over five years to improve the living conditions of Indigenous communities and advance self-determination and self-governance, as Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government seeks to renew its claim as an honest broker and trusted partner in reconciliation efforts.

Budget 2019

By Alastair Sharp in News, Politics | March 19th 2019

Morneau offers new money to fight spread of false news

The budget, the Liberal government’s last before an October election in which such efforts are expected to feature, would allocate $19.4 million over four years to launch and run a Digital Democracy Project to “support research and policy development on online disinformation in the Canadian context.”

Budget 2019

By Alastair Sharp in News, Politics | March 19th 2019

Budget highlights: Morneau says deficits are investments in the middle class

Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s last federal budget before the 2019 election shows that the Trudeau government’s deficit is about $3 billion lower than anticipated for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, but there are no signs of balancing Canada’s books in the coming years.

Budget 2019

By Mike De Souza, Carl Meyer & Alastair Sharp in News | March 19th 2019

Bill Morneau, House of Commons, Andrew Scheer, Ottawa

Coal workers get cash in budget but lack of details risks 'major blowback'

The Trudeau government needs to serve up more for fossil fuel industry workers who face an uncertain future if it wants to avoid a “major blowback,” says the co-chair of a federal advisory panel on the issue.

Budget 2019

By Carl Meyer in News, Energy, Politics | March 19th 2019