Jul 17 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Imperial Oil says it “took the opportunity” to lobby Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer at a literary gala in May where the oil company paid for everyone’s dinner. In fact, that night both Liberal and Conservative MPs were lobbied by several corporate representatives from various sectors, whose employers paid tens of thousands of dollars to […]
Jul 3 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Canada’s electricity industry lobby group says it was left out of the federal government’s decision to crack down on carbon pollution from new power plants that use natural gas. The comments came after Canada’s wind energy lobby group applauded the government last week for updating its rules to subject larger portions of pollution from new […]
Jun 26 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Canadians risk growing ignorant about the global climate emergency because the federal government has failed to maintain predictable and long-term research funding, scientists say in a newly released survey. The survey by advocacy non-profit Evidence for Democracy and non-partisan charity Canadian Climate Forum has prompted Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna to call for […]
Jun 21 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — “Thank you for coming, we appreciate it.” That’s how Tom Keeley answered when I asked him if he thought extreme weather was being driven by the climate crisis. I was standing in the sunny, leafy backyard of Keeley’s home, northwest of Ottawa near picturesque Gatineau Park, on June 19, because Andrew Scheer had summoned me […]
Jun 14 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Andrew Scheer’s Opposition Conservatives have pounced on a new analysis of carbon pricing that fails to account for the escalating costs of the global climate emergency. The analysis was prepared by Canada’s independent Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux. The watchdog defended his analysis of the carbon tax needed to achieve Canada’s Paris target, acknowledging that […]
Jun 7 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Inuit have long been portrayed as living on the front lines of the climate crisis, forced to deal with shrinking ice seasons and declining availability of food. Less often considered is their seat at the table when Canada crafts climate action. The national Inuit organization in Canada is hoping to change that with proposals in […]
Jun 7 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Indigenous communities in Canada are “disproportionately impacted” by toxic industrial byproducts to the point that it raises questions of discrimination, a UN investigator said Thursday in Ottawa. Baskut Tuncak, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes, spent two weeks touring Canada and visiting First Nations living close to industrial developments […]
Jun 5 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Four young Canadians are tracking the commitments of federal political parties on the climate crisis as campaigns rev up for the fall election. Shake Up The Establishment is a website run by Manvi Bhalla, Janaya Campbell, Taro Halfnight and Cameron Fioret, all graduates or students of the University of Guelph. The team will volunteer their […]
May 29 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Canadians could save as much as $24 billion annually by 2050 by scaling back the use of fossil fuels to heat and cool their buildings and deploying a range of low-carbon and energy efficient technologies, according to a new joint study by a federal regulator and an international agency. These tens of billions of dollars […]
May 28 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Canada is helping to fund a new initiative connected with a group of wealthy donors like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos to help startups finance new energy technologies that can lower carbon pollution. Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada is expected to be a “public-private” initiative orchestrated out of Natural Resources Canada, and will involve […]
May 23 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Postmedia, the owner of Canada’s largest chain of newspapers, says its lobbying efforts to get its sales division involved with a provincial “war room” supporting the Alberta oilpatch are consistent with its bid to help itself to Ottawa’s $595 million media support package. Finance Minister Bill Morneau was urged this week to take a second […]
May 21 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — Official Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer talked energy policy with the boss of Imperial Oil over roasted caribou and merlot during a posh literary gala in Ottawa last week, after the two found themselves side-by-side thanks to a change in seating arrangements. The Conservative Party leader said he didn’t know he would be seated with Rich […]
May 16 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — The shift to a low-carbon economy is “underway” and sectors like oil and gas, as well as the banks that loan money to them, are exposed to risks from climate change that could spill over into destabilizing “fire sales,” the Bank of Canada said Thursday. The central bank listed climate change as one of six […]
May 13 2019 — Carl Meyer — National Observer — A parliamentary watchdog is warning lobbyists to be careful about participating in partisan activities such as fundraising events and expressing personal political views in public, to avoid placing themselves in a conflict of interest. Federal Lobbying Commissioner Nancy Bélanger delivered the warning in updated guidelines for lobbyists, posted online on April 2, a few days […]
May 10 2019 — Carl Meyer — The Canadian Press — Paul Manly said Friday that he was once an “orange diaper baby,” but now feels like the NDP has “abandoned a lot of their principles.” The newest Green MP spoke to media for the first time on Parliament Hill on May 10 alongside Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, after winning a by-election on Monday in […]