John Woodside
Ottawa Bureau Chief | Ottawa |
English
About John Woodside
John Woodside was named one of Canada Clean50's emerging leaders in 2023 for his outstanding reporting on the climate and related issues. Focusing on finance, lobbying, energy policy and the climate emergency from Ottawa, Woodside brings a depth of experience to Canada's National Observer. Before joining Canada's National Observer, John reported on energy for allNewBrunswick and allNewfoundlandLabrador, and focused on Muskrat Falls, nuclear power, and the Irving group of companies. He has also worked with Cited Media and with the foreign policy news outlet OpenCanada. He graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Masters in Journalism.
He also contributes to reporting on federal policy thanks to a grant from the Local Journalism Initiative and the Government of Canada.
Candidates square off over energy's role in defending Canada from Trump
All federal party leaders say Canada must fend off the US from a position of strength, but whether new fossil fuel infrastructure can achieve that was hotly debated at the leaders’ debate Thursday evening.
Ahead of crucial debates, Poilievre is walking a political tightrope
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre is walking a political tightrope where he must convince voters on the fence without losing the support of his base that is too comfortable with President Donald Trump for the average Canadian.
Smith demands Ottawa abandon 'ideological' climate policies at right-wing summit
In a keynote speech at a Canada Strong and Free Network conference, Alberta's premier again threatened a national unity crisis if the country's future prime minister — no matter whom that is — does not abandon emissions reduction policies.
Duelling visions for Canada’s future kick off in Ottawa
As US President Donald Trump unravels the status quo, something will have to be built to replace it. In Ottawa this week, the country's left and right wings are separately trying to hash out what that new vision is.
The feds’ new billions for Trans Mountain weren’t a loan, filings show
A $20-billion loan for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion authorized by the federal government was actually primarily advanced as equity, new filings reveal. The equity portion, experts say, represents a nearly $15-billion bailout.
Can Canada reduce its carbon emissions while pumping more oil and gas?
At a press conference in Victoria on Monday, the Liberal leader was asked about how he can meet environmental goals and lower GHG emissions, while still increasing oil and gas production.
Polls suggest Canadians demand a vision to disentangle from the US
It's not just that US President Donald Trump is chaotic — it's that the US has proven itself too unreliable to count on over the long term. Canadian federal leaders owe the public competing visions on how to deal with this new era over the long-term, experts say.
Climate change is part of this election whether voters know it or not
Polling suggests Canadians are more concerned with responding to President Donald Trump than climate change, but the visions of the country's economy currently being pitched by federal leaders reveals the choice is muddling through the energy transition, or aligning with the U.S.'s dramatic fossil fuel expansion.
There is no easy way for Canada to de-escalate the trade war
As a federal election kicks into gear, it’s obvious that tariffs have the potential to wreak havoc on the Canadian economy and there is public appetite to fight back. What’s less clear is how to de-escalate the trade war, in large part due to the political moment we’re in and the mercurial nature of President Donald Trump.
Wilkinson says Canada should not scrap climate policies to appease oil and gas executives
Rolling back environmental policy will hurt Canadians in the long run, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told the executives of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies after they called for a national energy crisis to fast track new fossil fuel projects. The public spat reveals a new front in the ongoing battle over the sector's future in Canada.