Climate justice advocates come together in Cochabamba
The Council of Canadians will join government representatives from more than 50 countries, as well as thousands of people representing civil society, labour and environmental organizations and scientists for a Peoples’ Conference on Climate Change and Rights of Mother Earth April 19-22, 2010 in Bolivia.
The Council of Canadians is sending a team to Cochabamba, Bolivia that includes our National Chairperson, Maude Barlow, Brent Patterson, Director of Campaigns and Communications, Andrea Harden-Donahue, Energy Campaigner and Anil Naidoo, Blue Planet Project Organizer. The Council sent an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week asking whether the Canadian government will be a part of these talks. To date, the government has not publicly responded to the event invitation.
Hosted by the Bolvian government, the conference will include discussions about a global referendum on climate change, a “rights-based” approach to the climate crisis, and agreeing on new commitments to be negotiated within the United Nations process. This includes demanding emission reduction targets that are in line with climate science and greater financial responsibility on the part of developed countries that have disproportionately contributed to the crisis, creating “climate debt” owed to the global South.
The conference was organized after recent UN climate talks in Copenhagen failed to reach an effective agreement to address the climate crisis. Canada was singled out during these talks for continued growth of the environmentally-destructive tar sands and a lack of commitment to needed emission reductions.
“While the Canadian government talks about becoming a 'clean energy superpower' and promotes its support for the weak Copenhagen Accord, the truth is, we have become an eco-outlaw,” said Harden-Donahue in a recent media release. “Ongoing expansion in the tar sands, failing to adequately fund renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, and setting a target that will actually amount to an increase above 1990 emission levels by 2020 – this all flies in the face of the type of commitments being discussed in Cochabamba. This is why our government needs to be present, hear what is being said, and commit to radically changing course.”
Visit our new Cochabamba website section here and watch for regular updates, blog posts, videos and pictures. |
Photo: Council of Canadians team prepares for Cochabamba (L-R) - Anil Naidoo (Blue Planet Project Organizer), Maude Barlow (National Chairperson), Andrea Harden-Donahue (Energy Campaigner), and Brent Patterson (Director of Campaigns and Communications) will be on the ground in Cochabamba from April 19-22.
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Here’s more about what’s new at the Council of Canadians:
Shout Out for Global Justice!
Join the Council of Canadians June 25 to challenge the G20 and demand trade, water and climate justice
 Mark your calendars – the Council of Canadians will be putting the issues of global trade and economic justice in the spotlight Friday, June 25 at a major public forum featuring world-renowned speakers Maude Barlow, Leo Gerard, Amy Goodman, John Hillary, Naomi Klein, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Pablo Solon and Clayton Thomas-Mueller. The forum will be held at 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:00 pm.) in Toronto’s Convocation Hall, 31 King’s College Circle. Tickets are $20 for non-Council of Canadians members (which includes a one-year membership) and $14 for Council of Canadians members.
Seating is limited, so get your tickets today by calling UofTtix Box Office at (416) 978-8849, or by visiting the website at uofttix.ca
For more information, call us at 1-800-387-7177 ext. 239 or visit our website here for all the latest updates.
Poll results show more Canadians favour proportional representation
The Council of Canadians recently commissioned Environics to conduct a poll about Canadians’ attitudes towards proportional representation. Poll results show 62 per cent support a change in the voting system to one using proportional representation. Thirty-six per cent of those surveyed said they were more supportive of proportional representation as a result of Harper’s second prorogation of Parliament late last year.
In a recent report titled Harper’s Hitlist: Power, process and the assault on democracy, author and columnist Murray Dobbin says, “This latter figure suggests that the anger over Harper’s actions has resulted in a determination by voters to deal with the situation permanently: by changing the system itself. In addition, the strong support for (proportional representation) is fairly consistent across the country – from a low of 59 per cent in Alberta to a high of 65 per cent in Québec. Young voters – prominent at the anti-prorogation demonstrations in January – were the strongest supporters, with 71 per cent favouring a change to proportional representation."
To read the full report go here.
Public forum in Toronto questions Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement by asking: Corporate profits or human rights?
 More than 200 people attended a public forum in Toronto to hear speakers and ask questions about the proposed Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The deal, which is being fast-tracked through Parliament with the support of both the Conservatives and the Liberal parties, has been strongly opposed by civil society and labour groups because of Colombia’s terrible human rights record. The panel countered the Canadian government’s claims that a free trade agreement will improve democracy and human rights in Colombia and spoke to the realities witnessed firsthand and documented statistically of ongoing violence in the country.
Carleen Pickard, the Council of Canadians’ Director of Organizing, recently participated in a pre-electoral observation mission in Colombia and saw what was happening there firsthand. She participated in the forum as a panelist and spoke about her experiences. “In all four regions our mission visited, we heard stories and saw examples of involvement of illegal armed groups in the electoral process resulting in fear and intimidation among the population, electoral fraud, illegal campaign financing and the manipulation of federal social programs to influence and coerce citizens’ votes.”
Take action!
Speak out against the Canada-Colombia FTA. We need your support over the next few weeks to block the ratifying legislation that has been reintroduced by the government as Bill C-2. By raising our voices in opposition we can ensure that key members of the Liberal Party stand against the deal put forward by Liberal Trade Critic Scott Brison. Human rights should come before corporate profits. Go here to see our action alert.
The report about the observation mission can be read here.
Photo: Carleen Pickard participates as a panelist at an event in Toronto in early April questioning the proposed Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
Watch Alan Gregg in Conversation with Maude Barlow
Watch Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow on Allan Gregg in Conversation on TVOntario at www.tvo.org/TVOsites/WebObjects/TvoMicrosite.woa?allangregg.
People in Ontario can watch the interview on television on Friday, April 16 at 10:00 pm EST (with the broadcast repeated twice on both April 17 and April 18.) In the show, Maude talks about why the recently signed “Buy American” deal is a bad deal for Canadians, as well as the Council’s ongoing work on water issues and securing the human right to water.
Council of Canadians joins the call to help First Nations community devastated by water poisoning
 The Council of Canadians joined the call on Ontario’s McGuinty government and on the federal government to learn from the tragedy that struck Grassy Narrows First Nations more than 40 years ago and to do more to protect water sources in Canada.
Between 1962 and 1970 Dryden Chemicals Limited dumped more than 20,000 pounds of mercury contaminated wastewater into the English-Wabigoon River system in northwest Ontario, north of Kenora.
In April 1970 the Ontario government prohibited fishing in the river because of the high levels of mercury in the water. The pollution devastated the communities of Quibell (the Wabauskang First Nation), Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows First Nation) and Wabaseemong (Whitedog First Nation). People continue to suffer from the effects of mercury poisoning, which can cause tremors, chronic health problems and birth defects.
The Ontario government’s compensation measures have so far been grossly inadequate. Communities are calling on the government to recognize their ongoing health issues and do more to strengthen health regulations related to mercury poisoning. The mercury will remain in the water for at least another 60 years, and the pollution has meant devastating unemployment levels, serious persisting health issues, and recent studies show the fish are still too toxic to eat. Most importantly, communities are demanding that the types of unsustainable industrial activities that lead to ongoing environmental degradation of the area – such as clearcutting – be halted.
“The tragedy at Grassy Narrows will be repeated unless we recognize that access to clean water is a human right,” said Barlow. “There is a world-wide scarcity of water now, even in Canada and there is massive pressure to turn water into a commodity to be bought and sold and controlled by corporate interests. I call on the McGuinty government to learn from the people of Grassy Narrows and protect the water for future generations.”
Take action!
People can join the campaign in a number of different ways. To find out how you can get involved visit www.freegrassy.org/take-action.
To read more about this issue go here.
Photo: Meera Karunananthan speaks at the River Run Rally on April 7 calling on the McGuinty government to help the people of Grassy Narrows and protect the water for future generations.
Council calls for improved pension benefits
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty kicked off a three-city townhall meeting tour in Charlottetown, PEI to hear from Canadians about Canada’s retirement income system. The Council of Canadians was there and encouraged people to speak out for better benefits.
The meetings will inform discussions at the next gathering of federal, provincial and territorial ministers of Finance in May, where the retirement income system will be a key agenda item.
“The Council of Canadians believes workers who have no pension plan and seniors in particular should attend this meeting to let Flaherty know the reality of how inadequate Canada’s pension system is,” said Leo Broderick, Vice Chair of the Council’s Board of Directors, adding that the present model is failing many people in PEI. “Despite these public programs, many in retirement live in poverty — no senior should live in poverty. One thing the federal government must immediately do is increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement substantially.”
To read more about our involvement pushing for better pension benefits go here.
Standing with First Nations to protect Browns Creek watershed
The Okanagan Indian Band established a protective blockade near Bouleau Lake in the Okanagon Valley to defend the Browns Creek watershed from the impacts of commercial logging by Tolko Industries. The Council of Canadians stands in solidarity with the people of the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) in their efforts to protect the water.
“The way to resolve this is not by arresting peaceful protesters,” said Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow in a recent media release. “The B.C. and federal governments need to respect aboriginal title and rights held by the Okanagan Nation and the Okanagan Indian Band respectively. This situation highlights the urgent need for a National Water Policy that recognizes access to water as a human right.”
Tolko had planned to begin logging in the watershed that supplies the majority of the 1,800 residents of the Okanagan Indian Band with water for drinking and irrigation. "We should all be stewards of the water and the Okanagan Indian Band is showing real leadership in protecting water from private interests – leadership which is so far absent within the B.C. and federal governments,” added Garry John, a Council of Canadians board member who has visited the blockade.
To read our media release on this issue go here.
Join the Council of Canadians
Founded in 1985 by a handful of citizens including Farley Mowat, Pierre Berton and Margaret Atwood, the Council of Canadians is Canada’s pre-eminent public watchdog organization. By becoming a member of the Council of Canadians your generous support helps give our organization a voice on social, economic and political issues and build a strong, independent and diverse Canada. Join the Council today, and help us prove that a better Canada is possible. Already a member? Share this newsletter with a friend and encourage them to join or donate and become a part of Canada’s largest citizens’ advocacy organization.
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