Prime Minister Stephen Harper can expect more than a lump of coal in his Christmas stocking this year. When Council of Canadians’ member Raymond Hill heard about our holiday gift membership program he decided that the gift of social justice would be just perfect for Prime Minister Harper. Hill bought a Council of Canadians membership for the Conservative leader, which will be delivered to his office in time for the holidays. “Given the Harper government's track record, it appears Mr. Harper forgets that his duty is to represent and defend the immediate, short-term and long-term public interests, not immediate and short-term private interests,” said Hill. “As just one of many examples, the stance of his government on the tar sands and the (wilful, I gather) ignorance of the scientific consensus on climate change demonstrates without a doubt he is working against the public interest and for the benefit of private interests. Hopefully this gift will remind him of his duties. I suppose it would be more likely to work if a whole lot more Canadians were to remind him personally.” With his gift membership Prime Minister Harper will receive a New Member’s welcome package, a membership card, and a recent issue of the Council’s engaging membership magazine Canadian Perspectives. The proceeds from Hill’s gift membership donation will support the Council’s work to protect water and democracy, fight for fair trade deals and climate justice, and for a strengthened public health care system. You can give a Council of Canadians gift membership too! If you’re still searching for that special gift for a friend, family member, or you know someone who could benefit from the gift of social justice (like Prime Minister Harper will!) get in touch with us today. By purchasing a gift membership you can help make a difference in your community, your country and around the world. Go here to give the gift of social justice. * Please note that we cannot guarantee delivery of a gift membership by mail by Christmas. If you provide an e-mail address, we will e-mail an electronic certificate you can print and present to the recipient. Here’s more about what’s new at the Council of Canadians: Take Action! Tell the federal government “Don’t frack with our water!” Council protests as Harper agrees to hollow climate deal and dumps Kyoto Protocol Ontario towns turn “Blue” New border deal sells out Canadians’ privacy and security Council celebrates Canadian Wheat Board court victory Win! Bruce Power abandons plans to build nuclear reactor in Peace River, Alberta Council chapter and board members head to Parliament Hill to lobby for strengthened public health care Join the Council of Canadians

Support our work – Donate now The Council of Canadians is a non-profit organization and does not accept money from corporations or governments. Our work is sustained by the generous donations of concerned Canadians who share our vision and commitment to action. Join Canada’s largest advocacy organization and people who believe that a better Canada – and a better world – is possible. Become a member or make a donation today. Sign up! Want to stay up to date on Council of Canadians’ news, activities and hard-hitting analysis? Enter your e-mail address » Click the 'Forward' link to send to a friend » Share with your friends on facebook »   "I joined the Council of Canadians because over the years it consistently represents my views on what not only Canada but the world should be like. It has fought, and continues to fight, for what I consider the important things in life: social justice, fairness and a chance for all to have a decent life. It is an effective voice for Canadians and has many great successes to show for its struggles." – Mike Antoniades, Toronto, ON

Fracking is a controversial method of extracting natural gas that is trapped deep inside shale rock formations. Millions of litres of water, sand, and tens of thousands of litres of toxic chemicals are blasted into the ground at extremely high pressure, creating cracks that allow pockets of natural gas to be released.

Communities across Canada are saying “no” to these projects. Council of Canadians members and chapter activists have been at the forefront of fights to stop this dangerous industry and protect their water from contamination from the methane and toxic chemicals used in the fracking process.

Sign the petition
Add your voice to our “Don’t frack with our water petition” and tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper that the federal government has a responsibility under federal laws – such as the Environmental Protection Act and the Canada Water Act – to ban fracking until full safety reviews are conducted.  Fracking has serious health and environmental impacts and puts people’s well-being and health at risk. The federal government has a duty to protect Canadians from these threats.

To read more about our campaign to stop fracking go here.

Council protests as Harper agrees to hollow climate deal and dumps Kyoto Protocol

The Council of Canadians joined with more than 25 civil society groups calling on the Harper government to “get out of the way” of a meaningful UN climate deal in Durban, South Africa. But as talks finished this past Sunday, it was clear Canada’s international reputation as a climate laggard was about to get much worse.

After signing onto the weak “Durban platform,” which builds on agreements reached at previous UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen and Cancun, the Canadian government withdrew its support and participation in the legally-binding Kyoto Protocol. The protocol was signed by the former Liberal government in 1997, and set binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Harper government has said repeatedly that it has no intention of meeting Kyoto targets. The decision to leave the Kyoto Protocol has more to do with getting out of the various monitoring and reporting mechanisms that would publicly demonstrate how badly Canada ranks on reducing emissions.

With its withdrawal, Canada became the first country to quit the only legally binding global action plan against climate change.
In the new Durban platform, countries have agreed to try to reach a new binding deal to address climate change by 2015. If that is achieved, emission reductions won’t actually start until 2020. In the meantime the world continues to suffer the effects of climate change as more frequent and more severe weather patterns, droughts, floods, melting glaciers and water scarcity ravage the planet.

“The Durban platform is not sufficient in the proposed timeline and ambition to meaningfully address the climate crisis,” wrote the Council’s Climate Justice Campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue in her timely blogs during the Durban negotiations. “The principle of historical responsibility is undermined and false market-based solutions will continue as a main mechanism for emission reductions.”

To read more of Andrea’s analyses go here.

To read the Council’s joint statement, released on the first day of Durban climate talks, go here.

Ontario towns turn “Blue”

The Council of Canadians recently welcomed two new “Blue Communities” in Ontario. Ajax and Tiny Township municipal councils both recently passed motions recognizing water as a human right, promoting publicly financed, owned and operated water and wastewater services, and banning the sale of bottled water in public facilities and at municipal events. After doing so, they were awarded “Blue Community” designations by the Council of Canadians and CUPE.

The Blue Communities Project encourages communities to “treat water as a commons, belonging to no one and the responsibility of all.” Blue Communities certificates presented to both local councils state: “Because water is central to human activity, it must be governed by principles that allow for reasonable use, equal distribution and responsible treatment in order to preserve water for nature and future generations.”

For more information about the Council’s Blue Communities Project and how you can help turn your local town “Blue” go here.

PHOTO: Tiny Township in Ontario proudly displays its designation as a Blue Community.

New border deal sells out Canadians’ privacy and security

Earlier this month U.S. President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan that will replace Canadian privacy and security standards with U.S. ones. The deal is an abrogation of the privacy rights of Canadians and promises the integration of Canada within the U.S. security regime without any protections for Canadians and other persons.

The Council of Canadians joined with civil liberties and other privacy and security-concerned groups to denounce the deal, which was made without public input or debate. “The perimeter action plan creates a clear and present danger for the safety of Canadians, who will be at even more risk of being labeled a security threat by the U.S., put on watch lists or otherwise denied the right to travel, with no redress mechanism. It is a complete rejection of the findings of the Arar Commission,” said groups in a joint statement.

Go here to read the full media release and statement.  Go here to read further analysis by Council of Canadians’ Trade Campaigner Stuart Trew.

Council celebrates Canadian Wheat Board court victory

A federal court judge has ruled that the Harper government acted illegally by forcing federal legislation to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s “single desk” mandate for marketing wheat and barley without the consent of farmers.

The Council of Canadians joined the Public Service Alliance, Food Secure Canada and the ETC group as interveners in the court battle, which was brought forward by the Canadian Wheat Board.

“This is an important victory for democratic rights and the rule of law, and our arguments on trade and the rule of law played a key role in this decision,” said Council of Canadians Chairperson Maude Barlow in a statement issued following the ruling. “In light of this decisive Federal Court ruling and the serious criticism it contains, the federal government should kill the bill immediately.”

Conservative Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, however, said the ruling has no bearing on the government’s right to pass legislation, adding that the bill dismantling the wheat board will proceed to the Conservative-dominated Senate for final assent. The federal government has also appealed the court ruling and the Wheat Board has filed an injunction against the passage of the Bill.

To read our media release about this issue go here.

To read more about Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s agenda to dismantle the Canadian Wheat Board, which is outlined in our report Stephen Harper’s Hitlist: Power, Process and the Assault on Democracy,  go here.

Photo by Gabrielle Touchette: Council of Canadians Chairperson Maude Barlow rode in “Big Red” to get to a rally in support of the Canadian Wheat Board in Winnipeg in October.

Win! Bruce Power abandons plans to build nuclear reactor in Peace River, Alberta

Bruce Power has pulled the plug on plans to build a nuclear reactor near Peace River, Alberta. The move was celebrated by anti-nuclear activists in Alberta, who have been fighting plans for a nuclear plant in Alberta since 2007.

A Peace River Chapter of the Council of Canadians was formed in 2008 to fight the proposal to bring nuclear power to the province, and along with member groups of the Keep Alberta Nuclear Free Coalition, sponsored speaking events, forums and movie screenings to raise public awareness and lobby against plans for the reactor.

Congratulations to everyone involved over the years to stop the nuclear power plant in Alberta!

To read more about this local win go here.

PHOTO: Dr. Jim Harding and then-Prairies Regional Organizer Sheila Muxlow point to the proposed site for the nuclear power plant at Lac Cardinal.

Council chapter and board members head to Parliament Hill to lobby for strengthened public health care

In early December Council of Canadians chapter activists and board members joined forces with public health care advocates to lobby Members of Parliament on Parliament Hill.

Council activists joined health care professionals, union representatives, and health coalition members from across the country to meet with more than 110 federal MPs representing three different parties. They spoke about Canadians’ strong support for public health care, and the need for a strengthened system that includes a pharmacare program and better long term care and home care.

Our health care campaign is focused on putting pressure on provincial/territorial and the federal government for a 10 year health care accord – which is set to be implemented in 2014 – that includes a six per cent annual transfer payment for the duration of the agreement. We are also campaigning for the inclusion of pharmacare, continuing care, vision care, dental care, and mental health services.

To read more about the public health care lobby day on the Hill 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.