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.
Trudeau resigns with major climate promise still unfulfilled
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will resign once a new Liberal leader is crowned, bringing his tumultuous third term to a close with the oil and gas pollution cap still outstanding. Time is running out.
Is the Liberals climate plan built on quicksand? A year end interview with Steven Guilbeault
In a year end interview with Canada's National Observer, Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault acknowledges the tough political headwinds his government is facing as he tries to get the last of the Liberal's climate plan over the line. But if the Conservatives come to power next year, a big question remains: what, if anything, will survive?
Canada accused of using Paris Agreement to shield itself from accountability at world’s top court
As the world’s top court decides what the legal obligations are for countries to respond to climate change, Canada weaponized the Paris Agreement in an attempt to shirk responsibility, critics say.
2024: A decisive year for climate action
Regardless of which party forms our next government, we will need strong journalism holding decision makers' feet to the fire. Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives are threatening to unwind most climate policies, seeing climate change as a cultural wedge issue to rile up their base. Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau’s beleaguered Liberals have introduced a number of climate policies, but they’re often too weak. We are not yet on track to meet our targets.
Trudeau stakes out high ground on climate with cabinet shuffle
Friday’s cabinet shuffle is widely seen as an attempt by Trudeau to plug the holes before the Liberal ship capsizes, but nonetheless there are positive signals for the climate concerned.
Feds retreat from net-zero power grids by 2035 promise
New rules to transition Canada's power grids to be clean by 2035 have been significantly watered down, allowing fossil fuels to stay on the grid for decades to come thanks to freshly introduced loopholes — a trade off for reliability feds say.
Dead party walking: Freeland quits, Trudeau clings to power
Chrystia Freeland has resigned as finance minister amid bitter feud with Trudeau, setting the stage for an intra-party war as Trump tariffs loom on the horizon.
Canada’s new emission target is a far cry from fair share
The 2035 target is the smallest possible increase, given Canada’s current target is a 40 to 45 per cent reduction by 2030. Few outside the oil patch seem happy with it.
Canada backs call for plastic production limits at international summit
In South Korea as countries negotiate a new treaty to address plastic pollution, Canada joined a powerful negotiating bloc of over 100 countries working to ensure the treaty includes a global target to reduce virgin plastics to sustainable levels — a measure Big Plastic is fighting tooth and nail.
While plastics are negotiated internationally, a First Nation breathes toxic air in Chemical Valley
This week as Canada’s National Observer toured the refineries at the doorstep of Aamjiwaang First Nation, rotten egg and acrid chemical smells wafted over children playing ball hockey nearby. Air monitoring data revealed another spike of sulphur dioxide on Nov. 26, reaching 300 parts per billion — a level more than four times higher than the maximum hourly concentrations set by the federal government. Just another day in Chemical Valley.