The Tilbury Times

Year: 2021

  • Halton Impaired Driving Offenses: September 7-10

    By: Shazia Nazir, Local Journalism Initiative
    Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) charged five individuals with offences related to Impaired driving for the week of September 7-10.
    On Tuesday September 7, Halton police officers charged 63-year old Jasbir Saini after a traffic stop in the Thomas Alton Blvd and Steeplechase Drive area in Burlington.  Saini is alleged to have a blood alcohol concentration 80 mgs or more within two hours.
    On Wednesday September 8, police charged two persons with blood alcohol concentration in the cities of Oakville and Burlington. Police identified them as Aaron Pickard-Gorr 32 and David Coote, 66. They conducted traffic stop in Hixon Road area and Bronte Street in Oakville at around 3 a.m. Following an investigation, Gorr was charged with alcohol concentration 80 mgs or more within two hours was detected in his blood.
    Also on September 8  police charged a 66 year old Burlington resident following a traffic stop in the Headon Road and Upper Middle Road are of Burlington. Following an investigation,  David Coote, 66 was charged with 80mgs or more within two hours.
    On September 9, police responded to a citizen-initiated complaint in the area of Appleby Line and Corporate Drive in Burlington.  34 year old Anas Hadia of Mississauga was charged with operation while impaired and blood alcohol concentration 80mgs or more, within two hours.
    Also on September 9, 2021, just before 12:00 pm, police responded to a citizen-initiated complaint in the area of Appleby Line and Harvester Road in Burlington. 35 year old Jamie of Toronto was charged with operation while impaired.
    Halton Regional Police Service reminds residents that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is considered a crime in progress.  If they witness one, they are to immediately call 9-1-1.  HRPS remains committed to road safety through education, prevention, and enforcement initiatives.  Residents are reminded that anyone charged is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
    Signs of an impaired driver include:

    • Driving at an inconsistent speed (too fast or too slow)
    • Drifting across traffic lanes
    • Tailgating and frequently changing lanes
    • Stopping well before stop signs/ stop lights, or overshooting them
    • Approaching or leaving intersections too quickly/ slowly
    • Failing to lower high beams, driving without headlights or leaving turn signals on
    • Driving with the windows open in cold or inclement weather.

    The Halton Regional Police Service’s Facebook and Twitter feeds are not be used to report a crime because they aren’t monitored 24 hours/ day.
     

  • Ontario Releases Guidelines for Proof of Vaccination

    By: Laura Steiner
    Ontario has released the guidance, and support resources for its COVID-19 vaccine passport.  The move comes ahead of a September 22 deadline for businesses to begin checking for vaccine status.
    “High rates of vaccination against COVID-19 are critical to helping protect our communities and hospital capacity while keeping Ontario schools and businesses safely open,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said.  Ontario residents will have to show proof of vaccination beginning one week from tomorrow.
    Residents are invited to download or print their vaccination certificate through the provincial booking portal in advance of the deadline.  Anyone needing extra support is asked to call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at: 1-8333-943-3900.
    Meanwhile the province continues developing an enhanced vaccine certificate featuring a QR Code.  “The made-in-Ontario enhanced vaccine certificate and for the public, and verification app for businesses are tools to confirm that an individual has been vaccinated while protecting Ontarians’ health data,” Associate Minister of Digital Government Kalheed Rasheed said.  The app, and the enhanced certificate will be available starting October 22, 2021.
    The proof of vaccination policy has resulted in an increase to vaccination rates.  In the first week of September 90,000 first doses, and 102,000 second doses were administered to Ontario adults (18-59 years of age).  “The best defense against COVID-19 is getting a vaccine and encouraging everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated too,” Solicitor-General Sylvia Jones said.   The province is implementing a “last mile strategy including the GO-VAXX bus, which has administered over 3,700 doses, half of those being first doses.
    The Province continues to recommend third doses for some of the more vulnerable populations in line with guidance from the National Advisory Council on immunization (NACI).  “To provide the best protection to some of our more vulnerable populations, we are offering a third dose to additional groups of immunocompromised people who are more likely to have had a less than adequate immune response to the initial two dose COVID-19 series.  Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said.
    Ontario recorded an increase of 577 cases of COVID-19 today.  349 of those are from the “unvaccinated,” and 49 are designated as “vaccination status unknown”.  Halton recorded an increase of 30 cases , with four of them coming from Milton.

  • Moving from fringe to 4th place, PPC complicates the Conservatives’ path to power

    At a recent campaign event, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole couldn’t quite bring himself to say the name of the man who could end up thwarting his shot at power.
    People’s Party of Canada (PPC) Leader Maxime Bernier has gone from leading a small fringe group with tepid support to heading up a right-wing party that, according to the CBC Poll Tracker, could have the fourth-highest share of the vote on Sept. 20.
    After the last election campaign, a CBC News analysis showed that — even with its rather dismal level of support — the PPC likely cost the Conservatives seven seats in the House of Commons by splitting the vote (six seats went to the Liberals, one to the NDP). With polls suggesting PPC support is now well above the 1.6 per cent of the vote it got last time, its impact could be even greater in 2021.
    When asked by CBC News recently what he plans to do to blunt Bernier’s momentum and prevent a vote-splitting scenario that could hand Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau another term, O’Toole didn’t say much — and never mentioned Bernier by name.
    O’Toole was asked three questions about the former Conservative cabinet minister-turned PPC leader at a Sunday press conference and ducked every one of them.
    I remind Canadians, if you’re tired of a Liberal government that’s constantly in scandal, corrupt at its core with Mr. Trudeau’s constant ethics investigations, there’s one team and one leader that can replace him — Canada’s Conservatives, O’Toole finally said when pressed.
    His party’s campaign material insists Canadians only have four choices in this election. If you don’t care about creating Canadian jobs and standing up to the Chinese Communist Party, you have three parties to choose from. If you do, you only have one choice – Canada’s Conservatives, reads a recent press release.
    While polls suggest some PPC support is coming from first-time or infrequent voters, there’s no question the PPC is drawing at least some support from former Conservative voters.
    The Conservative party is no longer a conservative party, Craig Mostat, an-ex Conservative supporter of the PPC from Edmonton, told CBC News.
    They are bending over backwards to do everything the Liberals are doing, he said, referring to the party’s more moderate brand of conservatism under O’Toole.
    An outgoing Conservative MP, David Yurdiga, is backing Bernier and Shawn McDonald, the local PPC candidate in his Fort McMurray, Alta. riding.
    We’re the true conservatives. We’re bringing people home, McDonald told the conservative online media outlet True North.
    Some pollsters — notably those using more anonymous collection methods, like interactive voice response (IVR) — show higher levels of PPC support than those firms using live telephone agents or an online forum to survey the public on their voting choices.
    While the country’s major polling firms can’t agree on just how much support the PPC enjoys, it’s clear that the party is much more of a force now than it was in the 2019 campaign.
    There’s definitely a lot more people jumping on the PPC train even compared to two months ago. It’s definitely getting bigger, said Rodolpho Menjivar, an infrequent Alberta voter who has voted Liberal in the past but plans to pick the PPC this time.
    People are looking for another option because they don’t like what everyone else is doing.
    Philippe Fournier, a polls analyst with 338Canada, said the PPC’s strength could spell trouble for the Conservatives in close races in Prairie cities like Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. In 2019, the party only narrowly won seats like Manitoba’s Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley and Alberta’s Edmonton Centre over the Liberals.
    The PPC could get more votes than the Bloc Quebecois in this election, which was unfathomable only one year ago, Fournier said. We can say with confidence that many of their supporters used to vote Conservative.

    Failure to launch — then a sudden resurgence

    Bernier’s dramatic break from the Conservative party in 2018 was a troubling development for some Conservative operatives who feared a fractured right-centre vote would guarantee Liberal victories for years to come.
    At the time, however, most Conservative insiders — especially those who knew him from his time as a Harper-era cabinet minister — were dismissive of Bernier’s potential political impact.
    They feared a splintered vote but they didn’t think Bernier was well-equipped to get a new party off the ground and compete meaningfully in enough ridings to make much of a difference.
    The PPC’s poor showing in 2019 — Bernier lost the Beauce seat he’d held for years — bolstered the naysayers.
    But the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a political realignment, breathing new life into a party that looked all but dead.
    Public health measures like lockdowns slowed the spread of the virus — and likely saved lives — but they also prompted anger and frustration among some Canadians who saw their livelihoods destroyed as economic and social life ground to a halt.

    The PPC becomes the no-lockdowns party

    The federal Conservative Party and some of its provincial counterparts, like the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, were generally deferential to public health officials who called for restrictions — a sensible position during a pandemic but one that also generated backlash from people who bristle at limits on their freedoms.
    The PPC welcomed those voters with open arms. A party promising a radically smaller government with fewer regulations was suddenly embraced by people who saw government as an oppressive force.
    Bernier, a libertarian who has long railed against government overreach, became a champion of the no more lockdowns crowd, routinely appearing at well-attended protests against these restrictions.
    Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s push for a vaccine mandate for federal public servants and the travelling public has also given Bernier another cause as he warns of what he calls Canada’s descent into tyranny.
    We are the only national political party against vaccine passports. We believe in freedom of choice — everyone must be able to decide for themselves, Bernier said a recent rally.
    O’Toole is opposed to Trudeau’s proposed vaccine mandate but has said he’d let provinces introduce their own vaccine passport programs.
    Bernier’s pitch to voters also includes a plan to defund the CBC, balance the budget quickly, cut all foreign aid, say no to the UN — a body he calls a dysfunctional organization — and pull out of the Paris climate accord.
    More and more people are coming on our side. You can count on us, Bernier said.
    But it’s Bernier’s strident opposition to the idea of vaccine passports — credentials people vaccinated against COVID-19 can show to businesses to make everyday activities safer — that attracted Menjivar.
    The particular thing I like about them is that they’re a no to vaccine passports and mask mandates. I don’t believe in mandatory stuff forced on people and not being able to go places if I don’t have a vaccine, he said.
    People just want to be left alone and not be called the bad guy for not getting their vaccine. We just want to live and be able to do everything we did two years ago.
    Fournier said the polls suggest it’s Bernier’s anti-vaccination passport rhetoric driving the party’s rise.
    We know from polls before the election that anti-vaxxers were about eight to 10 per cent of the Canadian population, Fournier said. “He is taking his message to new heights to appeal to these people.
    And if he goes from 1.6 per cent in 2019 to seven or eight or more per cent in this election, it would be an incredible achievement.
    John Paul Tasker  · CBC News

  • Orange crosswalk supports reconciliation

    By: Jessica Munro, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brockville Recorder and Times
    GANANOQUE – Locals painted an orange crosswalk in Gananoque just in time for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
    As mass burial sites of Indigenous children from residential schools have been discovered this year, a local Gananoque resident proposed the idea to paint an orange crosswalk to show support to Indigenous people in the community.
    “It’s been a year that has certainly been like a call to some action,” said Deb Keogh, the organizer behind the orange crosswalk.
    Keogh said that like many other Canadians she was horrified to learn about the findings and confirmations of the thousands of mass gravesites that have been found across Canada from residential schools.
    While attending the July 1 memorial at the Town Hall in Gananoque, Keogh listened as many local Indigenous people of the community recounted their stories, and spoke about how it’s important for non-Indigenous people to do more work towards truth and reconciliation.
    “I think for me my thought was I’m not sure what’s happening in our local community in terms of non-Indigenous events or people communicating about what’s happening,” said Keogh.
    As a non-Indigenous person, Keogh said that, like many others, she did not know the extent of the horrors that Indigenous people were subjected to over centuries of colonization and many people across the province have been silent on the issue.
    “We may not have been the perpetrators of those events that have happened, we have a responsibility to work towards learning as much as we can and reconcile and genuinely apologize,” said Keogh.
    She said now is the time for non-Indigenous people to step up and show their support.
    She sees this crosswalk as an opportunity to do something simple yet visible to show support from non-Indigenous people now that the Little Shoes Memorial has been removed from the steps of Town Hall.
    “It’s a symbolic way of letting the community as a whole know that we are paying attention and we are very saddened,” said Keogh, “and wanting to be as supportive as possible to the Indigenous community.”
    Later during the month of July, a local group of volunteers and the Rainbow Connection Committee of the Thousand islands painted a rainbow Pride flag crosswalk in downtown Gananoque in support of the LGTBQ+ community.
    “I was very inspired by that,” said Keogh.
    To her, it was a way to shine a light on the fact that allies can still do something tangible to show their support.
    During the Sept. 7 regular Council meeting, council approved the proposed plan for the orange crosswalk to be painted on Park Street, connecting the Town Hall and park to the library just beyond the existing rainbow crosswalk.
    She said it seemed like a good idea to have the town hall linked to the Library through the crosswalk because “libraries are always kind of felt to be places of knowledge and learning and the linking of those two things together may be representing the beginning of some new directions.”
    Gananoque Mayor Ted Lojko said that this crosswalk seemed like something the community wanted to do in terms of truth and reconciliation, to support Indigenous people.
    Keogh planned for the orange crosswalk to be painted before Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The crosswalk was completed on Monday with help from her husband and friends who volunteered to help paint.
    Inside the orange stripe they painted the words “Every Child Matters” on one end of the crosswalk and on the other side “Truth and Reconciliation.”
    “It’s certainly not the work we need to do, but it is a small step,” said Keogh.

  • New Brunswick class who visited Twin Towers months before Sept. 11 reflect on 20th anniversary

    By: Robin Grant, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Telegraph-Journal
    Rothesay native Alycia Bartlett was sitting in a first-year business lecture on her first day of university in Fredericton when two hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.
    “People were walking around not knowing what to do or say,” said Bartlett, who watched the terrorist attacks on CNN in her class 20 years ago. “It was stunning.”
    Less than a year earlier, Bartlett, who was 18 at the time of the attacks, was in New York for a high-school class on global issues and international law. The delegation of Grade 12 students from Rothesay High School had taken part in a conference at the United Nations.
    During the trip, Bartlett and her peers rode the elevators to the observatory at the top of the World Trade Tower and standing outside in the wind and cold, looked out at the vast city of five boroughs beneath them.
    “What resonated with me (was) knowing how many people were there that day because I had been there,” she said. “It was a workday. There must have been thousands of people I passed, you know, going up to the very top floor.”
    Remembering the details of the day so vividly like so many people around the world, Bartlett said she had worried students were there at the time of the attack.
    “It could have been anybody standing on the top floor of that building that day,” she said.
    Back in Rothesay on Sept. 11, 2001, Bartlet’s former teacher Lawrence MacDonald was also in a class when he learned of the attacks.
    The retired teacher – who spent 41 years teaching high school world issues and international law – had been organizing trips to the United Nations for years, during which students stayed at the Marriott World Trade Center. MacDonald and his students were in the middle of organizing yet another trip for December.
    “We’re watching it live and everybody is in this state of confusion,” he said. “Everybody is sort of left with this feeling of helplessness. Your heart went out to the people, and you started thinking about: Was anybody on top of that building at the time, and what about the people who were working in those upper storeys above the floors that were hit? How would they get out?”
    While security was tight before, school trips to the city changed drastically after Sept. 11, MacDonald said.
    “These students have to be well-prepared before they go in terms of watching out for things and not leaving their bags unattended,” he said, adding they had to monitor their behaviour in airports, hotels and public institutions. “(They were) always on the outlook and always anticipating what could possibly happen.”
    Over the past four decades, the teacher and students have travelled to Russia when it was the Soviet Union and China during the height of communism. Some had the chance to meet Pope John Paul II while travelling in Italy.
    But 9/11, with the 20th anniversary on Saturday, stands out as one of the most significant historical events in his life, MacDonald said, because of his personal attachment to New York City, visiting it so many times with his students.
    “We lived in the World Trade Center for five days each trip,” he said. “To eat there. To sleep there. To be on top of the observatory of the World Trade Center many, many different times.
    “Then to feel so helpless with what happened,” he continued. “The empathy, the sorrow and what is it that we can do? That’s one of the most frustrating things. You wanted to be able to do something to help, but there was very little that you (could) do.”

  • 2021 Federal Election Notes: Milton Edition

    2021 Federal Election Notes: Milton Edition

    By: Laura Steiner
    A few Milton related election notes as we head into the final week.  Things to keep in mind as we prepare to cast our ballots.
    Affordability: I’ve been asked twice in recent days to pass on a question regarding a home equity tax to the Liberal candidate.  I haven’t had a chance to do so yet, but I have checked their platform.  There’s a section on page 23 entitled “Curb Speculation and House Flipping”, which introduces the idea of an “anti-flipping tax on residential properties, and adds a requirement that they must be held for at least a year.  The section adds exemptions for: pregnancy, death, new jobs, and divorce.  For now, principle residences are exempted, but economists say a measure like this is useless they’re included.  For now, the answer is no.  The Liberals do not plan to tax the sale on principle residences.
    CN Intermodal: I thought given the anger against the approval earlier means it would play as a prominent issue in the election.  Instead it feels like it’s been relegated to the background; a backseat to affordability, and getting out of the pandemic.  For clarification’s sake former MP Lisa Raitt recused as Transport Minister to fight for the riding.
    Two-Way All Day GO Service Isn’t a Sure Thing: Liberal candidate Adam van Koeverden lists this as one of his successes.  The federal funding is meant to cover 50% of the overall cost, estimated to be approximately $1 billion.  Worth noting as well that transit is a provincial responsibility.
    Does Milton really care about an election? If the signage, or lack of it is any indication the answer is no.  I’ve had a chance to drive around.  A few Liberal signs, barely any Conservative signs.  I haven’t seen any NDP or Green party signs around, although a few People’s Party signs through older sections of town.  It all boils down to the question of why, and after a month of campaigning there doesn’t seem to be a solid answer besides a desire for a majority.
    Does it matter if the candidate lives in the riding? This campaign  features three parachute candidates.  NDP’s Muhammad Riaz Sahi from  Mississauga, Chris Kowalchuk (GPC) from Oakville, and Nadeem Akbar (Conservative) from Ancaster.  In one sense it matters because they’re not from Milton, and residents deserve someone who lives here that understands their issues, and lives them.  But the counter-argument to that is well, you can use the Internet to learn things, and talk to people.  Surround yourself with a good staff who know the area, and a candidate can overcome it.
    Anger, frustration, and fear factor:  There’s no shortage of all three.  Anger at calling an election, frustration at COVID-19 restrictions.  Fear for kids going back to school.  Businesses fearing for the future.  How is that going to play out? More People’s Party of Canada votes? A Liberal majority? A Conservative minority? Whatever the outcome, those three will factor into it.
    Voting Day is September 20, 2021.

  • Milton Candidate Adam van Koeverden: Liberal Party of Canada

    By: Laura Steiner, Local Journalism Initiative
    Adam van Koeverden is running for a second term because he believes there is still work to be done.  “When I was first elected, I pledged to be Milton’s voice in Ottawa and I am making that pledge again,” he said in an interview via email.
    He won the 2019 federal election against former Conservative MP Lisa Raitt.  In his first term he managed to fight for more affordable housing for Milton, as well as transit options.   van Koeverden joined Transportation Minister Omar Alghabara to announce an investment that would cover approximately 50% of the cost of full-day two way GO service. “These issues remain a priority for me,” van Koeverden added.
    van Koeverden describes himself as someone who loves meeting people in person.  With the pandemic, he’s been unable to do so.  Instead, he, and his staff have used Zoom meetings, and outdoor meetings to interact with constituents.  “Finding all of the different ways in which I can keep advocating for issues that are important to Miltonians while juggling a host of other responsibilities has been a challenging albeit rewarding experience so far,” he said.  The former Olympian has kayaked on every continent except Antarctica.
    The Liberals have a plan for a COVID-19 economic recovery that includes increases to EI for gig workers, as well as a commitment to creating 1 million jobs.  They’re also hoping to address labour shortages by increasing immigration.  Their latest budget forecasts a $154.7 billion deficit next fiscal year.
    The Liberals approved the CN Intermodal with 325 conditions.  According to the party, this should make the facility the most tightly regulated in North America.  van Koeverden believes this project is not the right fit for the community.  “I will continue to provide a voice to our residents who believe this project is not the right fit for our community.”  He refuses to compromise his position that the project should be rejected.  “The health, safety and well being of Miltonians is my number one concern.”  The project was approved by Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, and a vote in cabinet.
    van Koeverden has been hearing of two main issues as he’s been canvassing.  “My party has the most ambitious plan on climate change,” he said.  The Liberals are pledging to cut Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG) by 36% by 2030 when compared to 2005 levels, as well as continue with the carbon tax and working with international partners.  2019 carbon dioxide levels sit at approximately 730 megatonnes, an increase over 723 megatonnes when the Liberals first took office in 2015.
    The other issue he’s been hearing about is affordability.  The Liberals are promising a $10/day childcare plan.  “Giving families access to affordable, accessible and high quality childcare is a key part of our party’s plan for the future, and it will benefit every single family in Milton,” van Koeverden said. Prior to the election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had agreements in place with six provinces.  Ontario is not one of them.  Overseeing education, and childcare is a provincial responsibility.
    The Liberals are promising to fund a permanent home for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.  Additionally, they also promise sustained financial support for core operations including the fulfillment of the Commission’s mandate.  “We are firmly committed to addressing the longstanding, unmet needs of First Nations children,” van Koeverden said.  Approximately 80% of the calls to action are completed or underway. Despite a promise to clear boil water advisories, the Liberals have only succeeded in clearing 109 since 2015.  The federal government announced $320 million in funding for “Indigenous-led, Survivor-centric and culturally sensitive initiatives.”
    Why Vote Liberal?
    “Canadians have a choice to make on what they want the future of their country to look like. The Liberal plan is focused on creating and sustaining a strong and inclusive future for Canada with policies like $10/day childcare, all day Go Train service, and affordable housing here in Milton. Our plan is about working together and giving everyone a shot at success.”
    For more information on Adam van Koeverden, and the Liberal Party visit his website.
    Election Day is Monday September 20, 2021.

  • Election 2021: How the four main federal parties plan to fight climate crisis

    By: Natasha Bulowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter,  Canada’s National Observer
    This article has been updated to include the most recent information available.
    Climate change will almost certainly be top of mind in the upcoming election after a summer of intense heat waves has left apartment dwellers roasting with no relief and wildfires are sweeping through Ontario and B.C.’s rural communities.
    A recent landmark report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) foresees a grim future with more of the same — and worse — if we don’t act now. An urgent call to action from the International Energy Agency (IEA) mapped out a path to net-zero emissions by 2050, but Canada has yet to meet an emissions reduction goal and the Paris Agreement climate targets may soon move out of reach without immediate and massive greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, according to the IPCC report.
    Here is where the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Green Party and Bloc Québécois stand on climate action.

    Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau makes a public transit announcement at the CT — Oliver Bowen maintenance facility in Calgary, Alta.

    Liberals up the ante on Canada’s climate target
    Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada’s new GHG reduction target will be 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. Whether we will meet this remains unknown, and given the country’s track record, some have doubts. Canada’s emissions jumped 3.3 per cent from 2016 to 2019, according to a report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Corporate Mapping Project, the Parkland Institute, Stand.earth, West Coast Environmental Law and 350.org. Trudeau’s new target fails to keep pace with the Biden administration’s commitment to a 50 to 52 per cent reduction by 2030. On Sept. 1, the Liberals released their costed election platform, which promises roughly $7.4 billion for climate initiatives over the next five years.
    Key initiatives

    • Carbon pricing: Gradually increase the carbon tax to $170/tonne by 2030.
    • Fossil fuel subsidies: End fossil fuel subsidies by 2023 — two years earlier than originally planned — and “develop a plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector, including from Crown corporations, consistent with our commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.”
    • Clean electricity grid: Introduce a clean electricity standard to have a 100 per cent carbon-free power grid by 2035 and create a pan-Canadian grid council to improve integration among regional grids.
    • Nuclear energy: Released a small modular reactor (SMR) action plan in December, which lays out intentions to make the next-generation nuclear technology part of Canada’s clean energy transformation. The Liberals have also invested millions of dollars in SMRs, and the party’s climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, touts SMRs as a way to help decarbonize heavy industry.
    • Just transition: Launched a process to consult with provinces and territories; First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities; labour and non-governmental organizations; and small business owners and industry on how to best make the transition to a low-carbon economy. The party’s platform pledges to move forward with just transition legislation based on the feedback and would establish a $2-billion futures fund for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador to “support local and regional economic diversification” and develop clean energy opportunities in the coming decade.
    • Climate accountability: Passed in June, The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act sets targets for every five years from 2030 to 2050 to guide the country’s transition to net-zero. The act includes stronger, more frequent progress reports, an independent advisory body and a 2026 emissions objective requiring a plan within six months.
    • Hydrogen: Released a federal hydrogen strategy last year outlining a path to lower emissions and take advantage of the global hydrogen market, which it says could surpass $11 trillion over the next 30 years. The party also announced $1.5 billion to fund clean fuels in June.
    • Carbon capture: Budget 2021 earmarked $319 million over seven years for “research, development, and demonstrations” of carbon capture technology.

    Reality checks

    • Environmental groups and the NDP, Green Party and Bloc Québécois have objected to the continued use of nuclear power because it produces toxic waste, and SMR technology won’t be built until 2026 to 2030, which many say is too late to address the climate crisis.
    • The NDP and Greens regularly criticize the Liberals for not eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, but Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said his party “violently disagree(s)” with Singh on what a fossil fuel subsidy is. The NDP views subsidies for things like orphan well cleanup as letting oil and gas companies off the hook, while the Liberals maintain this is not a fossil fuel subsidy because remediating orphan wells is good for the environment.
    • Trudeau still touts the Trans Mountain oil pipeline and expansion project as a way to finance Canada’s climate objectives, despite a report from Canada’s parliamentary budget officer, which found the pipeline will only be profitable if Ottawa doesn’t take further steps to combat climate change.
    • A recent report from Environmental Defence points out that the government announced various supports totalling almost $18 billion to the oil and gas sector in 2020; meanwhile, its climate plan has earmarked $15 billion for climate initiatives over 10 years. It’s unclear whether this figure includes the $7.4-billion commitment in the party platform, which is spread out over five years.
    • Blue hydrogen may be worse than burning coal, according to new research. The Green Party warns that unless hydrogen solutions are green, it will hinder the transition away from oil and gas.
    • 500 environmental groups and other organizations from Canada and the U.S. are calling on the feds to stop investing in carbon capture technology because it prolongs the use of oil and gas.

     

    Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole campaigning in Ottawa on Aug. 31.

    Conservatives catch up on carbon pricing
    Earlier this year, a Supreme Court ruling put an end to legal challenges from the governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Ontario that the federal government’s carbon pricing law encroached on provincial autonomy and was unconstitutional. After the release of Erin O’Toole’s climate plan in mid-April, all four major federal parties now support some variation of carbon pricing.
    Key initiatives

    • Carbon pricing: Introduce carbon pricing that would start at $20/tonne and increase to $50/tonne — but no higher (The Liberal plan calls for pricing of $170/tonne by 2030.) The CPC’s 160-page election platform calls for the tax to be paid into “personal low-carbon savings accounts” when Canadians buy hydrocarbon-based fuel, and those savings could then be used for energy efficient retrofits, a transit pass or other green purchases.
    • Zero-emission vehicles: Introduce a zero-emission vehicle mandate based on British Columbia’s mandate that would require 30 per cent of light-duty vehicle sales to be zero emissions by 2030. However, the IEA’s report on reaching net-zero carbon pollution says ending the sale of new internal combustion engine passenger cars by 2035 is key to achieving net zero. The Liberals have set a “mandatory target” for all new light-duty cars and passenger truck sales to be zero-emissions by 2035, but Canada’s next steps are on hold until the U.S. reveals its plans.
    • Carbon capture: Invest $5 billion in carbon capture, utilization and storage.
    • Nature-based climate solutions: Invest $3 billion in natural climate solutions, like forest management and wetland, grassland and forest restoration.
    • Natural gas: Require a minimum of 15 per cent renewable content in natural gas by 2030; the Conservative platform suggests doing so by capturing methane from sources like farms and landfills.
    • Fuel standard: Implement a “low-carbon fuel standard” that would reduce the carbon intensity of transport fuels and incentivize environmental protection of agricultural lands and managed forests. The Conservatives’ fuel standard would require fuel suppliers to reduce the amount of carbon in their fuel by 20 per cent below 2016 levels by 2030; currently, the Liberals require a 13 per cent reduction.

    Reality checks

    • O’Toole’s climate plan does not sit well with some of his party members. Earlier this year at the Conservative Party convention, 54 per cent of voting delegates voted against a motion that would include the phrases “We recognize that climate change is real, ” and “The Conservative Party is willing to act” in the party’s policy. Despite this failure, O’Toole insists “Canada must not ignore the reality of climate change.”
    • The Conservative carbon pricing plan is much lower than the costs proposed by its Liberal and NDP opponents, and alienated Conservative supporters staunchly against a carbon tax, like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
    • It is not clear how a “low-carbon savings account” would work, and it would require administrative systems with maintenance costs likely passed on to consumers. What counts as a “greener life” purchase has also not been established.


    Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on Sept. 1.NDP aims to enhance carbon pricing and climate accountability
    After the Supreme Court ruled the implementation of the Liberals’ carbon tax was constitutional, MP Laurel Collins, the NDP critic for environment and climate change, issued a statement saying, “The Liberals have staked their entire climate plan on the carbon tax,” which “isn’t nearly enough.” The statement decries the Liberals’ ongoing support of big polluters and calls for immediate investment in transit, energy-efficient homes and buildings, and clean energy. The NDP’s costed platform is expected to be released Sept. 11.
    Key initiatives

    • Carbon pricing: The NDP’s carbon pricing plan is similar to the Liberals’, but changes how the system works for industrial emitters. Under the Liberal system, companies exceeding 80, 90 or 95 per cent of the average emissions in their industry have to pay, but the NDP wants companies to pay tax on a larger portion of their emissions and said it would set the limit at 70 per cent.
      Carbon budget: Establish multi-year national and sectoral carbon budgets to help guide Canada’s path to 2030 and 2050 goals.
    • Emission reduction targets: Aim to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, and a 50 per cent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030. The party would also create a “Climate Accountability Office” to provide independent, transparent information to ensure targets are being set and met through 2030 to 2050.
    • Large-scale retrofits: The platform sets a target of retrofitting all buildings in Canada by 2050 and providing families with low-interest loans to help families make energy efficient renovations to their homes. Ensure every new building built in Canada is net-zero by 2025 by improving the National Building Code.
    • Green jobs: Commitments to invest in clean energy, climate resilience, social infrastructure, transit, and energy efficiency, to create over a million new jobs. The job creation plan is to be paired with training, education, and targeted support to help workers, families, and communities make the transition to a “low-carbon future.”
    • Nuclear energy: Unlike the Conservatives and Liberals, the NDP does not support plans to fund nuclear energy, and instead supports the development of energy storage solutions to roll out renewables like solar and wind on a larger scale.
    • Civilian climate corps: Mobilize and employ young people by creating new jobs supporting conservation efforts and addressing the threat of climate change through activities like restoring wetlands and planting trees.
    • Electricity: Set a target of net carbon-free electricity by 2030, and move to 100 per cent non-emitting electricity by 2040.

    Reality checks

    • The NDP opposes the Trans Mountain oil pipeline and expansion project, but at the English federal leaders’ debate, Jagmeet Singh dodged a question asking whether his party would cancel the project if elected. Singh has also expressed support for the Coastal GasLink LNG pipeline despite strong opposition from Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs. In 2019, Singh told Canada’s National Observer the Trans Mountain project failed on both the environment and consultation with Indigenous people fronts, whereas “with the LNG project, the company and the government have done significant work to obtain the consent and partnership of Indigenous communities,” noting that when it comes to reconciliation, “there’s still more work to be done.”
    • The NDP’s platform has been criticized as “light on implementation details,” particularly when it comes to achieving the ambitious goals the party has laid out, like the target to hit net-zero electricity by 2030 and achieve 100 per cent non-emitting electricity by 2040.

    Green Party Leader Annamie Paul makes an announcement about the overdose crisis on Sept. 1.

    Green Party pushes for fair share reductions
    When Trudeau announced Canada’s new target of 40 to 45 per cent emissions reductions, federal Green Party Leader Annamie Paul told Canada’s National Observer those “unambitious targets” will be impossible to meet if the federal government continues to subsidize the fossil fuel industry and greenlight projects like the three offshore drilling projects recently approved off the coast of St. John’s, N.L. The Green Party released its election platform on Sept. 7; it has not been costed.
    Key initiatives:

    • Emission reduction targets: The Green Party’s recovery plan commits Canada to a 60 per cent reduction of GHG below 2005 levels by 2030, an amount they say represents Canada’s fair share of emissions. Instead of net-zero by 2050, the goal is to get Canada to “net negative” emissions by 2050.
    • Carbon pricing — at home and at the border: After the Supreme Court of Canada ruled the Liberals carbon pricing system constitutional, Paul warned that, “a carbon tax plan is not a plan in and of itself” and the Green’s platform proposes implementing a carbon border adjustment so Canadian business won’t be at a competitive disadvantage with foreign companies. It said this could be Canada’s “single most impactful action” to encourage other countries to adopt strong emission reductions policies. The annual carbon tax increase would be $25 per tonne instead of the current $15 per tonne, hitting $250 a year in 2030.
    • Fossil fuel projects: The Green Party opposes the Trans Mountain oil pipeline and expansion project and wants to end all oil and gas exploration projects, new pipelines, and fracking activity. It would also phase out bitumen production between 2030 and 2035 and end all fossil fuel subsidies.
    • Just transition: The platform promises to introduce a Just Transition Act before the end of 2021 and would “replace every high paying fossil fuel sector job with a high paying green sector job.” It would achieve this job replacement through wage insurance, retraining programs, early retirement plans and investments in renewable energy and cleantech.
    • Carbon Budget: Enact a carbon budget to determine the cumulative amount of GHG Canada can emit to “do its part” to keep warming to C1.5.
    • Building retrofits: Implement a national green retrofit of all existing buildings and change the national building code to require all new construction and major renovations meet net-zero standards by 2030.
    • Transportation: Ban the sale of all internal combustion engine passenger vehicles by 2030 and convert all passenger ferries to electric or hybrid systems by 2030.
    • Renewable energy — but no nuclear: Aims for 100 per cent of Canada’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, while instituting “a ban on further development of nuclear power in Canada.” It also prioritizes investing in a national energy corridor.

    Reality checks:
    Despite being “technically feasible,” its plan for 100 per cent of Canada’s electricity to come from renewables by 2030 has been criticized given that electricity generation is a provincial jurisdiction.
     

    Bloc Qébécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet.

    Bloc Québécois opposes fossil fuels and nuclear
    On Aug. 22, the Bloc Québécois released its 2021 platform complete with a pledge to end fossil fuel subsidies, pointing out that under the Liberals, fossil fuel subsidies increased beyond the Stephen Harper era. The platform says money from subsidies would be redirected to clean energies and research centres in Quebec while maintaining funding for Western Canada to transition away from fossil fuels.
    Key Initiatives:

    • Emissions reduction targets: The platform does not specify any emissions reduction targets.
    • ”Green equalization”: This program would reward provinces that take serious climate action and impose the polluter pays principle.
    • Fossil fuel projects: Opposes any new interprovincial oil transportation and any oil export projects from the tarsands; the party would end the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.
    • Nuclear energy: Opposes the development of nuclear energy, including SMRs.
    • Zero-emissions vehicles: Proposes federal government vehicle fleets be made up of 100 per cent zero-emission vehicles and would introduce a law forcing car dealerships to offer a “suitable” inventory of electric vehicles.

    Reality Checks:
    The IEA’s report says it is vital to end the sale of new internal combustion passenger cars by 2035 to achieve net-zero, and the Bloc has not set a specific target for 100 per cent electric vehicle sales.
     

  • Debate Skirts Crucial Issue of Immigration

    By: Fabian Dawson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Canadian Media
    In an election most Canadians do not want, nobody got anything of substance from political leaders who clashed against one another in last night’s only English-language television debate.  Hyped as a pivotal moment for undecided voters in the final stretch of the campaign, the crucial issue of immigration or challenges faced by newcomers got no airtime.
    Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Green Party Leader Annamie Paul and Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet all attacked Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau for calling an election during a pandemic and the Afghanistan crisis.
    Trudeau, appearing agitated and taking fire from all sides, did not muster much of a response other than saying Canadians must “make a choice” about which leaders’ plan is best for the future.
    “I’m still undecided after watching the debate, because I don’t think there was that one moment that was a game changer,” said Paula Arab, a Vancouver-based media and communications strategist, who is an undecided voter.
    “Overall, the one who seemed most prime ministerial was O’Toole, while Trudeau was desperate. Beyond that, there wasn’t enough substance to really make an informed decision,” she said.
    Difficult format
    The two-hour debate covered five themes – affordability, climate, COVID recovery, leadership and accountability/reconciliation – and was moderated by Shachi Kurl,  president of the Angus Reid Institute, with the participation of journalists Rosemary Barton, Melissa Ridgen, Evan Solomon, and Mercedes Stephenson.
    Kurl had to preside over a format decided upon by the Debate Broadcast Group, which resulted in chaotic cross-talk, party leaders interrupting each other with prepared one-liners and little in the way of substantive discussion on what matters most to Canadians.
    “This moderator did a great job keeping the leaders in line and on topic. She ran a  tight ship,” said Arab.
    Alex Martyniak, the executive director of the EU Chamber of Commerce in Canada – West, said Kurl stood out the most among all those on stage.
    “One would hope one day she will stand on the other side answering the questions,” he said.
    Flak over Quebec’s secularism law
    Kurl, however, came under fire from Bloc Quebecois’ Blanchet for her opening question directed at him about Quebec’s Bill 21 “secularism” law which restricts the wearing of ‘religious symbols’ by public servants in positions of authority such as teachers, police officers, judges, and lawyers.
    Blanchet, bristling at the question, answered that “those laws are not about discrimination, they are about the values of Quebec,” and then went on to say “you may repeat as many times as you like that those are discriminatory laws,” before adding later that he has no interest in leading Canada.
    The question and response has given Blanchet’s Bloc Quebecois, a regional party that wants Quebec to be recognized as a nation, a much needed wedge issue to portray themselves as the protectors of the people of Quebec.
    Current polls have suggested Trudeau’s Liberals could take as many as 41 Quebec seats, an increase from the 35 seats they won in the 2019 election.
    “The Bloc will likely benefit from this exchange, as it wants a minority government to give it more autonomy,” said Gurmant Grewal, a former Conservative MP, who represented the Surrey riding of  Fleetwood—Port Kells from 2004 to 2015.
    Rating the performance of the leaders in the debate, Gurpreet Singh, a South Asian radio talk show host and political commentator said Trudeau portrayed a lack of confidence in his answers while O’Toole remained calm during the debate and came across as a reasoned politician.
    “Singh and Paul did a far better job than I expected and brought a different dynamic to the leadership debate being from visible minority backgrounds.
    “Paul should also get credit for taking on everyone on issues of systemic racism and reconciliation, including the so-called progressives like Singh and Trudeau, but they were better when answering questions coming from voters directly,” he said.
    A name not in the room
    Beyond the fiery exchanges, one other name stood out in the debate.
    Many of the leaders referred to Jody Wilson-Raybould, who served as justice and veterans affairs minister before being expelled from the Liberal caucus following the SNC-Lavalin scandal in 2019.
    Wilson-Raybould, who has become a fierce critic of the government and sat as an Independent following her expulsion from the Liberal Party, is not running for re-election.
    Paul mentioned Wilson-Raybould to challenge Trudeau’s self-proclaimed identity as a feminist while O’Toole referenced her when talking about building partnerships with First Nations.
    Wilson-Raybould’s book – “Indian” in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power – comes out next Tuesday and is expected to provide fodder to attack Trudeau’s record in the stretch run to polling day on Sept 20.
    Political analysts across the country, U.K. and the United States, whose punditry dominated post-debate analyses on news feeds, said the exchanges between the leaders did not give Canadians much in the way of substance to sway the undecided voter. They mostly agreed that the format needed to change.
    The absence of any discussion on immigration policies, the opioid crisis and issues pertaining to New Canadians, who form the largest voting bloc in more than 40 of 338 federal Parliamentary ridings, was a lost opportunity, said a Victoria-based political analyst, working for the BC government.
    Some highlights
    Here are some of the highlights of the debate which you can watch here
    The party has “bold plans about how we can invest in people, but we are the only party with a credible plan that will not put the burden on people, that will not cut the help that they need.” – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh on leadership and accountability.
    “This election will allow Canadians to choose who they want to lead the country in the next phase of the COVID-19 recovery.” – Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on why he called an election during a pandemic.
    “It has been a very difficult period, and do I wish that our party had been further ahead, particularly at this moment.” – Green Party Leader Annamie Paul on the lack of support from her own party.
    “I am driving the bus to make sure we get this country back on track.” – Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole, responding to the moderator’s question, “How can voters trust that it’s you and not your caucus that will be in charge of a Conservative policy agenda?”
    “We recognize that there are systems of institutions that need to change across the country and that’s why, from the very beginning, we stepped up with policies, new policy — stronger policies and processes to support every survivor. Everyone comes forward because nobody should deserve to work in a workplace where they are being discriminated against, where they are being harassed or hassled.” – Trudeau on sexual misconduct allegations in the Armed Forces.
    “A feminist doesn’t continue to push strong women out of his  party when they are just seeking to serve.” – Paul challenging Trudeau’s claim he is a feminist. Trudeau responds that he will not take caucus lessons from Paul.
    “Mr. Trudeau, you should not have called this election. You should have gotten the job done in Afghanistan.” – O’Toole
    “We know the impact on women and girls in Afghanistan. It’s heartbreaking. And it could have been avoided,” – Singh
    “It’s unfortunate to hear the members, the leaders on this stage talking down the incredible work that our Canadian Armed Forces, that our diplomats, that our consular officials did from the beginning of the summer … well before this election.” – Trudeau.
    “You’ve let the Michaels down, and we have to get serious with China.” – O’Toole tells Trudeau about Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor who were detained in China in what is largely viewed as retaliation for the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou for extradition to the United States on fraud charges.
    “This is a national and international issue and we need national leadership on it and we need it across party lines.” – Paul on climate change
    “Canadians can’t afford another four years of Trudeau on climate issues.” – Singh
    “We inherited a government from the Conservatives that did not believe in the fight against climate change and we had a lot of catching up to do…The Liberal’s climate change plan is the strongest.” – Trudeau
    “Canada has failed in its relationship with Indigenous people…my  government has stepped up on the path of reconciliation.” – Trudeau on reconciliation with First Nations.
    “I want to build partnerships and have Indigenous leaders have governance over the federal government, finally delivering on our commitment to Indigenous peoples.” – O’Toole
    “How do you restore trust when you’ve got a prime minister that takes a knee one day, and then takes Indigenous kids to court the next? And how do you restore trust in a country as wealthy as ours?…It starts by actually walking the path of reconciliation, not with the empty words but real action.” – Singh
    “We’re goings to get bills down for the internet, for cellular phone. We’re going to get grocery bills down.” – O’Toole on his party’s plan to give seniors a break.
    “Our commitment is to invest in our healthcare system to defend it. Unlike Mr. Trudeau and Mr. O’Toole who believe in private, long-term care delivery… “We want to see everyone have access to medication. We want to include dental care into our health-care system and mental health services, and to do all that we want to make sure that the billionaires are paying their fair share, so we can invest in you.” – Singh
    “Canada needs to get out of the pandemic first and that’s by vaccinating everyone.” – Trudeau
    “We need less partisanship. We need more diverse voices, so that we can get the access to the best ideas in a more cooperative and collaborative way.” – Paul

  • Medicine Hat children’s author releases latest instalment of popular series

    By: Lauren Thomson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Medicine Hat News
    Local children’s author Darlene Foster has released the eighth book in her Amanda Travels series, Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady, published by Central Avenue Publishing.
    “I was born in Medicine Hat actually and I lived on a ranch near Irvine and went to school at Irvine School,” said Foster. “I have lived other places since, but yes, I consider myself a Medicine Hatter.”
    Foster says she always enjoyed writing and was first published at the age of 12 when she wrote a short piece called ‘Stretch Your Food Dollar.’
    “I always wanted to write and I dabbled in it, but I was a busy mom, I had jobs, I had kids I was raising and I never really got serious about it until I was well into my middle age,” said Foster. “I went on a holiday to the United Arab Emirates to meet up with a friend who was living and working there and I had such a great time and I thought, ‘You know, I really want to write about this.’
    “I started writing about it but the excitement I felt didn’t come through, so I wrote about it from the point of view of a 12-year-old and that’s how Amanda and Arabia, my first book, came to fruition.”
    Foster says by the time she found a publisher, she was finishing her second Amanda Travels instalment. She says her books have been well received by middle school readers, usually between eight and 12 years old.
    “Children like to read about other countries and things you can see and do in those countries and what you can eat,” said Foster. “Amanda always has an adventure because she’s very inquisitive and she always wants to help people out.”
    In a press release emailed to the News, Foster gave a small teaser for the newest Amanda Travels book:
    “A postcard arrives from Malta. Leah is in trouble. Protected birds are being killed and a special artifact, The Sleeping Lady, has been stolen from a museum. Can Amanda and Caleb come to Leah’s aid before she is accused of wrongdoing? Join Amanda and her friends as they visit ancient temples, an exciting falconry and the enchanting Popeye Village, as they try to get to the bottom of the mystery of the Sleeping Lady.”
    Amanda is named after her granddaughter but Foster says the character is loosely based on herself.
    “I should add that Amanda does not get to go any place that I haven’t been,” said Foster. “So every one of these books is based on a holiday I’ve had.”
    Foster will be at Unlimited Characters on Dunmore Road on Sunday from 1-3 p.m. She will be available to answer questions and will also be reading from and signing her books.