[All] GREN news updates

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Happy Earth Day! Lots of interesting things happening.

International News

Over 1 million people wrote to the US president to say no to the Keystone XL
http://priceofoil.org/2013/04/22/1-million-comments-to-stop-the-keystonexl-pipeline/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OilChange+(Oil+Change)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has once again rebuked the State 
Department over its positive environmental assessment of TransCanada's 
proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/once+again+criticizes+State+Departments+review+Keystone/8279283/story.html?cid=dlvr.it-twitter-edmontonjournal

National News

Manitoba strengthens laws to protect rare species and habitats. 

The Manitoba government is increasing fines against those who tamper with endangered species in this province.
"The fines are going, for example from 50-thousand to 250-thousand for a corporation.  As well we're increasing from 5-thousand to 50-thousand for an individual.  Those will be maximum fines."
Conservation Minister Gord Mackintosh tells CJOB new legislation being introduced today will also allow courts to seize any profits made by collecting endangered wildlife.
The legislation would allow for entire ecosystems to be classified as endangered, not just specific plants and animals. Mackintosh says that would be a first in North America. 

http://www.cjob.com/news/winnipeg/story.aspx?ID=1942790

Message from Governor General
The governor general delivered an unusually blunt environmental message 
for Earth Day Monday, calling on Canadians not be “plunderers of the 
earth.”
http://www.canada.com/plunder+nature+governor+general+warns+Earth/8276689/story.html#ixzz2RD4lvFUk

National Energy Board Strengthens Rules for Oil Pipelines
Nathan Lemphers of the Pembina Institute, an environmental policy 
think-tank, said the new regulations are a clear improvement that will 
force companies to better manage their pipelines. The old rules lacked clarity and accountability around safety and environmental management, he said.  http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/National+Energy+Board+says+strengthened+rules+make+pipelines/8273705/story.html#ixzz2RFhPnnCY

FIPA UPDATE
Both the Liberals and Tories voted against an NDP motion to quash the China-Canada free trade agreement. 
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/tags/china-canada-fipa/parliament-votes-against-ndp-motion-stop-fipa
but...The Hupacasath First Nation filed affidavits for its case against FIPA, which the band maintains will infringe on preexisting aboriginal rights to resources.
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/world/canada/dont-expect-canada-china-fipa-anytime-soon-sinofile

Canadian Federal Government Reveals Oil Sands Monitoring Info
Here is the link folks: http://www.jointoilsandsmonitoring.ca/pages/latestdata.aspx?lang=en

Provincial News

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner wrote an editorial for Huffington Post to help protect Ontario farmland and water resources.  
He states "Only 5 per cent of Ontario’s land mass is suitable for growing food. Even Less--0.5%--is prime farmland. Yet from 2006 to 2011, Ontario lost 636,000 acres of farmland. Ontario cannot sustain an annual loss of 127,000 acres of Land per year: an area larger than the City of Toronto.  Full article here: 
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/mike-schreiner/ontario-farmland_b_3131272.html

Local Food Act
MPP's debated the second reading of Bill C36 Local Food Act. To view the bill visit here: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&BillID=2754&detailPage=bills_detail_the_bill Catherine Fife is the only local MPP who has participated in the debates. To view her comments visit here: http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/blog/2013/04/22/mpps-debate-local-food-act

Local News

A list of local Earth Day events is posted on the KW Record's website here: http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/920371--earth-day-activities-abound-across-region
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