[All] The National Observer is born

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks
My friend reporter Mychaylo Prystupa of the Vancouver Observer mentioned to me months ago that their paper was working on going national with a special focus to independently report on environmental issues specific to issues related to Tar Sands and the need to bump up environmental enforcement in Canada.
They launched a kickstarter campaign with the goal of reaching $50,000 to independently fund the articles. In thirty days time they've earned over $80,000. 
http://www.vancouverobserver.com/opinion/crowd-funded-journalism-has-enormous-impact-and-power
This paper will launch April 2, 2015. 
I have been talking to Mychaylo about Bob Burtt's new book: No Guardians at the Gate. He's interested in potentially doing a story on this for the National Observer.
Below is an email I shared with him today about how Bob's beautiful book fits well into the vision of the path forward for Canadian Tar Sands remediation.

Lulu :0) _______________________________________________________________
Hi Mychaylo
This article was published this weekend in the Woolwich Observer. Photographed is author/award winning environmental journalist Bob Burtt. (He is now retired but used to work for the Kitchener Waterloo Record) He is an amazing man and personal friend of mine.  It's all about his observation of the decades long chemical spills by Chemtura/Uniroyal in Elmira Ontairo which still pose a threat to the Grand River and it's tributaries. 
http://observerxtra.com/officials-not-safeguarding-elmiras-groundwater-says-author-of-new-book/
The majority of the remediation secured thus far is due to the outstanding efforts of local residents who risked arrest, who participated in tribunals and joined advisory committees to get the job done. It shows the evolution of how they stopped passing blame and transitioned to worked with companies and the MOE directly saving time, energy and money. It allowed the group to find solid footing on the path of common objectives and common sense with both the companies and ministries to secure action to clean up the mess.  
In my view, their way is the best example for environmental groups to follow if we are to ever strive for the clean up of the Alberta tar sands. We can't afford to sue and we can't afford delay but we can afford to talk. By having all sides meet to discuss what needs to be done to clean up the mess, we secure results all the faster.
Bob can be reached at bobburtt at gmail.com. 
Lulu 

  
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