Sierra Club Canada Campaigns
Sierra Club Canada - Current Campaigns
- Nuclear-Free Canada
- Climate Change
- Water
- Help Bruno Protect the Churchill River
- Action Grizzly Bear
- Stop Castle Logging
- Bin Talk Ottawa
- Chemicals and Cosmetics
- Help Save Alberta’s Woodland Caribou
- Tell the Harper gov't to fix its limp, ineffective coal regulations!
- Trade and Environment
March 22nd is World Water Day!
Media Advisory, March 22, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2013
The International Year of Water Cooperation:
Restore Our Water International aims to make a global issue local
World Water Day is held annually on March 22rd as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. 2013 has been declared as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation.
Restore Our Water International (ROWI) is a non-profit organization concerned with the unfolding crisis of rapidly declining water levels in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence basin. Mary Muter, Sierra Club’s Great Lakes Section Chair and ROWI Spokesperson, is extremely knowledgeable about Great Lakes issues and has worked proactively with a broad coalition of organizations and individuals to address environmental impacts.... Read more »
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STOP THE RADIOACTIVE ROADTRIP
One day soon, people in Ontario may spot an armed convoy passing through their town. Heavily armed guards will be protecting trucks carrying thousands of litres of radioactive waste containing highly enriched (weapons-grade) uranium in a toxic mixture of acid and countless other radioactive isotopes. It will be the most dangerous transport of nuclear waste ever attempted in Canada.... Read more »
Bad news: Arctic icecap cracking up
Submitted by Paul Beckwith on Fri, 2013-03-08 01:04UPDATE: NEW NASA SATELLITE IMAGERY
By Paul Beckwith
The Arctic region of our planet acts as a climatic air conditioner, and the air conditioner is conking out. We have a problem Houston.... Read more »
- Paul Beckwith's blog
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Feds need to hit reset button
Submitted by John Bennett on Thu, 2013-03-07 15:35
By John Bennett
A few weeks ago, the US Ambassador to Canada hinted that Canada would need to clean up its environmental act if it wanted to see the Keystone XL Pipeline approved. The ambassador was then followed by newly appointed Secretary of State John Kerry, who left a similar impression at a news conference. Of course, all this came on the heels of very strong statements on climate change by President Obama in his recent State of the Union address.
Greenwash Action Plan... Read more »
- John Bennett's blog
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Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Report
MEDIA RELEASE, March 1, 2013
OTTAWA -- Sierra Club Canada is very encouraged the U.S. State Department’s conclusion that the United States does not require the Keystone XL Pipeline to meet its energy demands.
“This clears the way for President Obama to reject the Keystone pipeline. If Keystone isn't needed, why would President Obama approve it," said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada. “This is clearly the most significant conclusion in the 2000 page report.”
Sierra Club Canada has concerns with some sections of the report, namely that the authors took a narrow view in their analysis of overall greenhouse gas implications associated with Tar Sands development.
Sierra Club Canada will continue its review of the State Department's draft environmental impact statement on the Keystone XL Pipeline and will use the 45 day comment period to respond to its shortcomings.... Read more »
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Astroturf ‘Ethical Oil’ files CRA complaint against Sierra Club Canada Foundation
Submitted by John Bennett on Mon, 2012-12-17 21:01
By John Bennett
This time last year I told you about a storm gathering here in Ottawa that threatened to blow Sierra Club and other environmental groups out of existence. At the time I asked you to consider making a donation as it may be the last time you could do so and receive a tax receipt. I would have forgiven you for thinking I was overstating the seriousness of the situation at the time. Unfortunately, much of what I predicted came to pass in 2012.... Read more »
- John Bennett's blog
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We're knee deep in the big muddy
Submitted by John Bennett on Fri, 2012-12-07 17:12
By John Bennett
I’ve been watching reality TV this week (yes I really was) on CNSC TV (not SCTV, but not dissimilar in some ways), the web channel of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).... Read more »
Hindsight is 20/20
Submitted by John Bennett on Thu, 2012-11-15 00:42
By John Bennett
Last week we stepped in it. Rather big. We ran an appreciation promotion after a long-time supporter who operates an outdoor equipment store donated a very expensive made-in-Canada jacket. We were thrilled that we’d be able to give it away to a supporter – a way of saying thank you.
Sierra Club Canada is a not an animal rights organization; we take no position on hunting and trapping. We are a conservation organization and, for strategic reasons, we must work with a broad range of organizations. Sometimes we even work with hunters -- including Canada’s Aboriginal peoples -- in order to achieve our goal of protecting the environment.... Read more »
- John Bennett's blog
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Hold on folks… the times they are a-changin’
Submitted by Paul Beckwith on Mon, 2012-10-29 12:59
Melting Arctic sea ice aims Frankenstorm Sandy directly at the Big Apple
By Paul Beckwith
Frankenstorm Sandy is a scary beast. A hybridization between a tropical hurricane and a mid-latitude cyclone, her behavior is not natural at all. Moving northward off the east coast, Sandy is turning left toward land instead of right toward the sea. Sandy’s being blocked from moving north by a high pressure area of enormous magnitude, and being sucked west by a low pressure region of very exceptional (and highly unusual) strength. Thus the designation “Frankenstorm”.... Read more »
URGENT: House Speaker blocking emergency debate on the massive Arctic ice melt
Submitted by John Bennett on Wed, 2012-10-03 23:05
Dear Friend,
I'm on the bus writing about what happened in Parliament last Friday. I still can’t get the day out of my mind... Megan Leslie, NDP MP and Deputy Leader, called for an emergency debate in Parliament on the massive and frightening rapid ice melt in the Arctic this past summer.
Megan eloquently pointed out that the Arctic icecap is responsible for moderating the global climate, and without it we’re in a sea of trouble.... Read more »
- John Bennett's blog
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You are now entering the nonlinearity zone…
Submitted by Paul Beckwith on Fri, 2012-09-28 14:28
By Paul Beckwith
Push something and it moves a little. Push it a little more and it moves a little more. This is called a “linearity” response. But sometimes a little push can lead to something totally unexpected! This is called “nonlinearity” and, contrary to what one might think, nonlinearities are inherent in most systems - like our atmosphere, for example. In fact, abrupt and unexpected change happens at some point in most systems - we even have a saying for such unexpected outcomes: a tipping point.
Until recently, our atmosphere and oceans behaved like linear systems: incremental dumping of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere caused incremental changes, like rising temperatures and predictable rates of ice melt. But things are now changing unexpectedly fast – nonlinearity is kicking in! We only have to look at the rapidly vanishing arctic icecap for astonishing evidence.... Read more »
Grey seal slaughter not based on science
Media Release, October 24, 2012
OTTAWA -- Sierra Club Canada is appalled the Senate is recommending a massive grey seal slaughter on Canada’s east coast despite testimony from independent scientists that a slaughter could damage ocean ecosystems.
Bowing to the east coast fishing and sealing lobby, the Senate’s fisheries committee wants tens of thousands of grey seals killed, supposedly to enable a come back for the cod fishery, virtually extinguished after decades of government mismanagement and industry greed. But even the federal Department of Fisheries admitted, in a 2011 study, that there is no scientific evidence showing slaughters are effective in bringing back depleted fish stocks.
“This is nothing more than a subsidy for a dead industry,” said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada. “No grey seals were killed this year and only 200 pelts were sold in 2011. The markets are gone because people no longer support seal slaughters.”... Read more »
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Major environmental groups oppose damaging federal omnibus Bill C-45
Omnibus bill again hides big changes to environmental laws, subverting democracy, weakening protection of air, water, soil and ecosystems
MEDIA RELEASE
October 18, 2012
TORONTO, ON -- Once again, the federal government is proposing to make significant changes to environmental legislation without proper democratic debate, according to many of Canada’s leading environmental organizations.
Instead, these changes are contained in a sweeping omnibus budget bill.
Canadians concerned about protecting the air, water, soil and natural ecosystems that support all of us -- and our economy -- are doubly troubled, both by the end-run around democratic process and the potential for even more pollution and destruction of critical habitat.
The bill includes proposed changes to laws protecting fish and navigable waters, preventing harm from hazardous waste and governing the shipping industry.... Read more »
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Federal government laying waste to the Canadian landscape
Canadian public should be alarmed by wholesale deregulation of environmental protection in Canada
MEDIA RELEASE
October 18, 2012
OTTAWA - The government of Canada continued its assault on environmental protection today with omnibus Bill C-45.
“Today’s killing of the Navigable Waters Act, along with further gutting of what’s left of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and Fisheries Act, will inhibit the ability of Canadians to protect their natural environment for their children, grandchildren and future generations,” said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada.
"Canadians want to protect the environment and have a strong economy. We don’t need to sacrifice the planet to achieve the latter - the two aren’t mutually exclusive,” said Mr. Bennett.... Read more »
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We win once in a while!
Submitted by John Bennett on Sat, 2012-09-08 01:59
A great Sierra Club environmental victory went largely unnoticed a couple of weeks ago. President Obama announced new fuel economy standards (an increase up to 54 miles per gallon) by 2025. As is generally the case, Canada will undoubtedly follow suit soon.
Working on both sides of the border, Sierra Club campaigners played a critical role in forming and executing a North American “clean car” strategy. It was brilliant, really. I'm proud to have been part of it.
It was a simple encirclement of Detroit. The car companies controlled the US Congress and Ottawa, but did they control sate and provincial governments? They certainly didn’t control California – always in the forefront of clean car regulations.... Read more »
- John Bennett's blog
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Coal Regulations: Not enough is still not enough!
MEDIA RELEASE, September 5, 2012
OTTAWA – Today’s announcement by federal environment minister Peter Kent will further relax already grossly-inadequate regulations for coal-fired power plant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite growing evidence of climate change, particularly this summer’s record Arctic Ocean ice-loss, the government of Canada continues to ignore the science.
“Arctic Ocean ice is at an all-time low and we are in the midst of a record breaking year for heat waves, droughts and torrential rain storms,” said Sierra Club Canada Executive Director John Bennett. “We don’t have 50 years to fix this problem as the regulations will allow – action is needed now!”... Read more »
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Bill C-38 inflicts first significant blow to environmental justice in Canada
Dear Friend,
I am writing to let you know that, as a result of the new anti-environment Bill C-38 (the Bill we recently opposed and protested with our #BlackOutSpeakOut campaign), Sierra Club Canada has been forced to withdraw our application for a judicial review of the decision to allow 1600 tonnes of nuclear waste from Bruce Power Inc. to be shipped through the Great Lakes and on to Sweden without conducting an environmental assessment.... Read more »
Bill C-38's first victim: Groups forced to drop court action against radioactive waste export
MEDIA RELEASE, August 16, 2012
OTTAWA – As a direct result of Bill C-38, Sierra Club Canada and the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) are withdrawing their applications for judicial review of permits issued by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to allow Bruce Power to export 1,600 tonnes of radioactive waste (containing plutonium and other radionuclides) through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway to Sweden.
“Our court case is the first victim of Bill C-38,” said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada. “Our quest for environmental justice and democracy, however, is far from over.”... Read more »
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Technical Briefing for the Media on Arctic Ice
MEDIA ADVISORY
Date: Thursday, August 16, 2012
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Sierra Club Canada, Suite #412, 1 Nicholas St., Ottawa
Ongoing weather events in the Arctic over the last few weeks and the resulting ice loss may have significant implications to the rate of climate change. Using satellite images, and the latest data being reported from established Arctic observers, Paul Beckwith of the University of Ottawa will provide a technical briefing on the present and the implications to future climate change. Space is limited please RSVP to: Executive.Director@sierraclub.ca or call 613.241.4611
- 30 -... Read more »
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Laura the Dragonfly creating a buzz on Parliament Hill; Pleads for protection at press conference
MEDIA RELEASE, August 9, 2012
OTTAWA – A species of dragonfly may be the next victim of the federal government’s gutting of environmental protection laws, says Sierra Club Canada. The Laura’s Clubtail Dragonfly (Stylurus laurae) along with the Coast Manroot (Marah oreganus), and Four-leaved Milkweed (Asclepias quadrifolia) had their applications to be included on the Wildlife Species at Risk list denied by Environment Minister Peter Kent earlier last month (the July 4th announcement went unnoticed in the media).... Read more »
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