Archive
For climate’s sake, Canada Pension Plan needs to take a serious look at its investments
Sep 10, 2021
The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) manages the pensions of 20 million Canadians. In a recent Corporate Mapping Project report, we found that the CPP has increased the number of shares it owns in fossil fuel companies since Canada signed the Paris Agreement five years ago. The CPP’s total fossil fuel investments across its entire portfolio… View Article
11 steps toward a more just society for Budgets ‘22 and beyond
Aug 25, 2021
As a fourth wave of COVID-19 ramps up, the impact of the pandemic on the economy, policymaking and budgets has not gone away. More broadly, government responses to the pandemic at both the national and provincial levels have generally been seen as a success. Much like in WWII, this appears to have led to a… View Article
CPP oil investments on the rise
Aug 12, 2021
From unprecedented droughts to deadly heat waves, climate change is making the present—and all of our futures—less secure. The dream of a tranquil retirement is already being interrupted by nightmares such as the wildfires raging across BC and Alberta this summer. Sadly, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which was designed to enhance our retirement security,… View Article
Big ideas on the supply side of housing affordability
Jul 14, 2021
The final report of the Canada-British Columbia Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability, published in June 2021, contains 23 recommendations made primarily to the BC and federal governments. The Panel organized these under five broad calls to action: Creating a planning framework that proactively encourages housing; Reforming fees on… View Article
In a flawed survey, BC seeks input on changes to freedom of information and privacy
Jul 12, 2021
It is again time to review British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Act. Every six years the legislature reviews the Act and the process has begun with the province placing a questionnaire online asking for people’s opinions. But before you go online to respond to the survey you might be interested in some background… View Article
BC’s reopening plans must address highly unequal pandemic impacts
Jul 7, 2021
As a successful vaccination campaign spurs broader reopening of BC’s economy, we are all feeling the excitement of a more relaxed summer. But in the rush to get back to a semblance of normal, it would be a huge mistake to return to the pre-pandemic status quo of undervaluing and underpaying the front-line caring and… View Article
More than intentions needed for BC forests
Jun 29, 2021
So, our provincial government “intends” to do something about the sorry state of our forests and forest industry. It intends to protect more old-growth forests. It intends to see more high-value wood products made in British Columbia. It intends to make rural communities more secure. And it intends to do all this while ending practices… View Article
Canada’s road to zero carbon emissions full of dangerous distractions
Jun 28, 2021
Net zero is increasingly used regarding emissions reduction targets. But what does it really mean? With the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (Bill C-12) Canada is joining many nations in setting a target of net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Unfortunately, this conversation promises to be a dangerous distraction for Canadian policy makers,… View Article
Ottawa’s fixation with trees and climate: What exactly are we planting?
Jun 18, 2021
By two significant measures, last year’s effort to plant 300 million tree seedlings in Canada’s most forest-rich province was a remarkable achievement. Not only was it a record for a single year in British Columbia, but it was achieved in the early throes of the first lockdown associated with the then relatively new COVID-19 pandemic…. View Article
Canada’s Carbon Conundrum and the Difficult Path Forward
Jun 7, 2021
Since the first oil well was drilled in 1859 humans have been on a roll. Global population has increased more than six-fold and energy use per capita has grown more than nine-fold. Accompanying this explosive growth in energy use was unprecedented economic expansion—since 1965 global GDP has grown 6.8-fold and per capita GDP has increased… View Article
Priming the pump
May 26, 2021
Scientist warns cumulative effect of thousands of fracked gas wells means powerful earthquakes ahead for northeast BC Massive amounts of water pumped with brute force into the earth at thousands of fracking operations is priming the pump for potentially deadly earthquakes in British Columbia’s Montney basin, warns a former top scientist with BC’s Oil and… View Article
Out of water?
May 20, 2021
As deadline looms, thousands of BC groundwater users risk losing access to water, but not most water bottling, fracking and mining companies In February 2018, the head of a little-known Surrey-based company asked the BC government for a licence to withdraw 864 cubic metres of water per day from a well drilled deep into the… View Article
Indigenous resurgence in a province like no other
May 18, 2021
After 30 years of treaty talks, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission findings, and the adoption of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, First Nations still face racism on a systemic basis. Can Indigenous People ever find justice in this province? John Price and Nicholas XEMŦOLTW̱ Claxton, co-authors in the new book… View Article
Nothing ‘liberal’ about colonial policy prior to Confederation
May 14, 2021
After 30 years of treaty talks, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission findings, and the adoption of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, First Nations still face racism on a systemic basis in this province. Can Indigenous People ever find justice in this province? John Price and Nicholas XEMŦOLTW Claxton, co-authors of… View Article
From the colonial past to the racist present
May 11, 2021
The terms of union and the attempted erasure of Indigenous Peoples After 30 years of treaty talks, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission action agenda, and the adoption of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, First Nations still face racism on a systemic basis. Can Indigenous People ever find justice in this… View Article
Why the hold up on paid sick days? It’s about power.
May 3, 2021
Amid a raging pandemic, how do Canadian workers still not have paid sick days as a basic right of employment? It’s about power. Real paid sick days, as a right of employment, are not rocket science. You tell your boss you’re sick, you stay home, and you get paid as usual. But a majority of… View Article
“Big five” Canadian banks provide big money to fossil fuel industry
Apr 29, 2021
Instead of playing a crucial role to help Canada achieve its Paris Agreement targets, Canada’s “Big Five” banks are actually hindering Canada’s progress on climate change. The Big Five banks—RBC, TD Bank, Scotiabank, BMO and CIBC—are among the most powerful corporate entities in Canada, certainly among the largest and most profitable. They‘ve been called a… View Article
Social impact bonds are a wolf in sheep’s clothing
Apr 27, 2021
Earlier this year, Vancouver city council considered a motion encouraging the city to look into the issue of “social impact bonds” (and more broadly “social impact investing”), which is a warm and fuzzy sounding term that actually refers to a type of privatization. I spoke to city council to help demystify the rhetoric around social… View Article
BC Budget 2021: Stay-the-course budget misses the mark on key areas of urgency outside health
Apr 20, 2021
The BC government tabled a surprisingly stay-the-course budget today, making some improvements on the margins but missing the opportunity to shift BC towards a more inclusive and sustainable economy. While it appropriately includes large sums of time-limited spending relating to the pandemic (and indeed BC has led other provinces on pandemic spending), it is scarce… View Article
BC Budget 2021 could be the most important budget in a generation
Apr 15, 2021
BC Budget 2021 will be tabled on April 20th, in the middle of the COVID-19 third wave. It is an opportunity for the new provincial government to not only support people and businesses through this phase of the pandemic—but also to shape a transition to a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy. The COVID-19 crisis… View Article