http://canadians.org/action/action.xml Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada's largest citizens' organization, with members and chapters across the country. We work to protect Canadian independence by promoting progressive policies on fair trade, clean water, energy security, public health care, and other issues of social and economic concern to Canadians. en-us webmaster@canadians.org http://canadians.org/action/2012/greatlakes.html Tell the McGuinty government you want real change in Great Lakes protection and support declaring the Great Lakes as commons, public trust and protected bioregion! http://canadians.org/action/2012/greatlakes.html Tue, 15 May 2012 http://canadians.org/action/2012/Bill-C38.html The Conservative government has cut short debate on the 400-page budget implementation act (Bill C-38), which contains major changes to environmental regulations, immigration law and Canada-U.S. border policy that demand full parliamentary scrutiny. Opposition parties are proposing to break the bill up, or at least pull out its most controversial non-budget related parts. http://canadians.org/action/2012/Bill-C38.html Tue, 08 May 2012 http://canadians.org/action/2011/great-lakes-forever.html Decades of mismanagement and heavy industrial overuse have left the Great Lakes suffering from a multitude of threats, including rapidly falling water levels as a result of commercial over-extraction and climate change, devastating levels of pollution, risky shipments of radioactive materials, increasing loss of wetland and more. As the essential source of drinking water for more than 40 million people on both sides of the border, we must fundamentally change the way the Great Lakes are viewed, managed and protected. http://canadians.org/action/2011/great-lakes-forever.html Mon, 02 Jan 2012 http://canadians.org/action/2011/wolf-lake.html Ontario is poised to make a major decision on the fate of the Wolf Lake ancient forest on May 31 as it chooses whether to renew a mining lease in the old growth for a further 21 years. If the lease is renewed the area’s critically endangered ecosystem could become a strip mine should a viable mineral find be made. If the lease is allowed to lapse the 300 year old pines under that lease will automatically gain full protection as park land, as promised in 1999. http://canadians.org/action/2011/wolf-lake.html Tue, 16 May 2012 http://www.canadians.org/action/2011/mega-quarry.html The mega-quarry has been proposed in Melancthon Township on Highway 124 just north of Shelburne. The Highland Companies (owned by a Boston hedge fund) has filed an application for a 2,400-acre aggregate mine, which would make it the largest quarry in Ontario and the second largest in North America. This precious land is the “rooftop of Ontario” running along the border of the Niagara Escarpment. For many months, the Council of Canadians has been working with local groups to stop this open pit mine because of the extraordinary impacts it will have on neighbouring communities, watersheds, Ontario’s food supply and the drinking water of more than one million people. http://www.canadians.org/action/2011/mega-quarry.html Wed, 09 May 2012 http://canadians.org/action/2012/Barrick-Gold-Canadian-Museum.html Amidst reports of human rights violations and massive public opposition to the environmentally destructive operations of Barrick Gold around the world, it is shocking that the Canadian Museum of Nature would undertake a partnership with the notorious multinational mining company. http://canadians.org/action/2012/Barrick-Gold-Canadian-Museum.html Mon, 23 Apr 2012 http://canadians.org/blog/?p=13769 Mounting evidence of fraudulent robo-calls, impersonations of Elections Canada staff and other deliberate attempts to deceive voters in the 2011 federal election have struck at the very heart of our democracy and shaken Canadians to the core. If you or someone you know has been the victim of misleading or harassing actions around the 2011 federal election, we want to hear from you now. http://canadians.org/blog/?p=13769 Mon, 27 Feb 2012 http://www.canadians.org/2014accord Canada is facing an important next step in our medicare history. In 2014, the current Health Care Accord – the deal that sets funding and health care service delivery agreements between the federal and provincial and territorial governments – expires and must be renegotiated. In the lead-up to these negotiations, we need to remind federal politicians of how much Canadians need and value our public health care system. http://www.canadians.org/2014accord Mon, 02 Jan 2012 http://canadians.org/action/2011/CETA-resolution.html Local communities should be governed in the public interest not the corporate interest. Municipal action supporting local jobs, small businesses and sustainable development is crucial, especially in tough economic times. Yet Canadian municipalities are rapidly losing their ability to build local economies and set sustainable policies. The federal government is pursuing international trade deals that target municipal powers and services, without giving a real say to local governments. http://canadians.org/action/2011/CETA-resolution.html Mon, 02 Jan 2012