National Newswatch

A Canadian senator aims to end the widespread financial backing of fossil fuels

Nov 6 2022 — Bruce Campbell — The United Nations climate change conference, COP27, has begun in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. In the lead-up to the conference, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report revealed “a litany of broken climate promises” by governments and corporations. “It is a file of shame, cataloguing the empty pledges that […]

Why major Canadian railways must no longer be permitted to police themselves

Sep 21 2022 — Bruce Campbell — Major railways in Canada, alone among private sector corporations, have their own police forces with full investigative and jurisdictional powers over accidents on, or near, their property. These unique powers — a historic anomaly dating back to the 19th century when railways were being built across North America — have, until recently, escaped public scrutiny. […]

To prevent disasters like Lac-Mégantic, private interests cannot be allowed to affect regulations

Jun 1 2022 — Bruce Campbell — On July 6, 2013, the fourth deadliest railway disaster in Canadian history took place. A train hauling 72 tankers filled with crude oil derailed in Lac-Mégantic, Que., killing 47 people. The roots of the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster can be traced to a combination of corporate negligence and regulatory failure. It is what spurred the publication […]

Is the ‘Freedom Convoy’ a sign of inequality-fuelled escalation of violent class conflict?

Mar 7 2022 — Bruce Campbell — In remission for now, the “Freedom Convoy,” led by a small group of well-funded, seditionist and far-right activists, tapped into the grievances of a much larger segment of the population that is resentful of government policies—measures which have triggered anxiety about their ability to earn a living and their future. EKOS pollster Frank Graves and […]

Climate crisis and extreme wealth inequality: Joined at the hip

Aug 31 2021 — Bruce Campbell — In an August 2021 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded the Paris Agreement climate targets could soon be out of reach without immediate and massive greenhouse gas emission reductions this decade. António Guterres, the UN Secretary General, warned the report “is a code red for humanity.” The climate crisis and unprecedented wealth inequality […]

The corporate-government power relationship: Capture and complicity

May 18 2021 — Bruce Campbell — For more than four decades the economic paradigm that prioritized private market-led policy has been embraced by corporate, academic, bureaucratic and political elites. The paradigm enlisted a variety of well-known policy tools, including inflation control, deregulation, privatization, austerity, balanced budgets and globalization. The corporate-government power relationship that underlies this paradigm is one of capture and […]

Earth Day 2021: Canada’s latest budget falls dangerously short on climate action

Apr 22 2021 — Bruce Campbell — Canada’s latest federal budget did little to tackle climate action or income inequality, two problems with strong ties. Alberta’s Bow Lake is seen in this photo. Josh Woroniecki/Unsplash Bruce Campbell, York University, Canada The 724-page federal budget made vital spending commitments to extend supports to Canadians as the pandemic shock waves continue. It also made […]

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