[All] Fwd: CoC-Guelph - Mega Quarry presentation in Guelph on June 22d

[Norah & Richard]

_*Wednesday, June 22nd, for AGM *_at the Guelph Unitarians Facilityon 
Harris St at York Rd.

    * 6:30pm  for Council of Canadians AGM with desserts and drinks.
    *

    * _*7:30 pm for presentation by Carl Cosack on the Melancthon
      Megaquarry and its impacts *_on headwaters, food and water
      security, energy and air quality. Please join us for all or part
      of this evening. Free event .
    *

    * Parking available or Bus # 4 York Rd.


      NEWS: Dow, Quebec settle NAFTA pesticide warning case
      <http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8052>

In April 2009, the /Globe and Mail/ reported, “Dow AgroSciences LLC has 
decided to sue the federal government over Quebec’s ban on the 
residential use of pesticides. The U.S.-based company, maker of the 
herbicide 2,4-D, is claiming $2-million (U.S.) in damages, using 
controversial provisions in the North American Free Trade Agreement that 
allow businesses to sue governments over regulations that harm their 
interests. …(Dow said) Quebec has ‘no scientific basis to impose the 
ban.’ It says 2,4-D, a weed killer often used on dandelions, has 
received extensive testing and there is ‘no evidence’ it poses a ‘health 
or safety risk to humans when used according to label directions.’” The 
Canwest News Service added then, “Dow’s claim asserts the ban is 
tantamount to ‘expropriation’ of Dow investments, and accuses Canada of 
breaching ‘basic due process, transparency, good faith and natural 
justice.’ It accuses Canada of breaching its obligations under Chapter 
11 of NAFTA, and seeks damages ‘without limitation’ covering loss of 
sales, profits, goodwill, investment and other costs related to the 
products.’”

Today, the /Globe and Mail/ reports, “U.S.-based Dow AgroSciences 
LLC…said Thursday that a deal to drop its North American free trade 
agreement challenge vindicates its contention that the product is safe 
if used as directed. …Quebec has acknowledged (in the settlement that 
the pesticide) doesn’t pose a significant risk to humans or the 
environment. …No cash was involved in this week’s final settlement and 
Dow agreed to withdraw its challenge. …The settlement isn’t likely to 
put the 2,4-D back on store shelves any time soon in Quebec – or in 
several other provinces where its use is restricted. (But) according to 
the government expert, the settlement may eventually help the company in 
its effort to fight a potential ban being considered by other provinces. 
…More significantly, the repudiation of Quebec’s health warning helps 
the company protect a much larger market for the product in farm and 
forestry use, worth at least $120-million (Canadian) a year.”


      NEWS: First Nations take Site C opposition to the United Nations
      <http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8044>

The/Vancouver Sun /reports, “The Doig River, Halfway River, Prophet 
River, West Moberly and Salteau First Nations…have asked the United 
Nations to intervene to protect their interests from provincially 
sanctioned development, in particular the proposed Site C hydroelectric 
dam…. (and) invoked the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 
recently signed by Canada.”


      VIEW: ‘Don’t export water, make the jobs come to the water’, says
      Reguly <http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8039>

/Globe and Mail/columnist Eric Reguly writes, “A UBS Investment Research 
study implies that water-intensive industries will have to migrate from 
water-scarce to water-rich regions of the planet. The migration could be 
huge because key regions of India, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, the 
Middle East, South Africa and—believe it or not—Brazil are also short of 
water. Which brings us to Canada.”


      NEWS: Where’s the beef (from)?
      <http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8035>

In October 2009, the /Globe and Mail /reported, “Trade Minister 
Stockwell Day said that he has asked a WTO dispute settlement panel to 
determine whether U.S. country-of-origin labelling rules impose ‘unfair 
and unnecessary’ costs on Canadian farmers.” CBC explained, “The 
legislation…requires meat processed in the U.S. but made from Canadian 
livestock to be labelled as Canadian rather than simply North American 
as has been the case to date.” The Globe and Mail added, “Exporters warn 
that such rules are conspiring to make the Canada-U.S. border thicker, 
undermining long-standing ties within integrated industries.”

**


      Council of Canadians new report: Leaky Exports - A portrait of the
      virtual water trade in Canada
      <http://www.canadians.org/waterblog/?p=278>

On Wednesday, the Council of Canadians released a new report 
entitled/Leaky Exports: A portrait of the virtual water trade in 
Canada/. The report reveals alarming facts about virtual water trade 
include the fact that Canada is the second net virtual water exporter in 
the world. The report provides an overview of the concept of virtual 
water trade as well as an analysis of the current and projected volume 
of water that is exported out of the country in the form of agricultural 
and industrial goods. This report is important food for thought for 
policy makers responsible for protecting Canada’s freshwater sources and 
ensuring sustainable water use for generations to come.

_

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