ONTARIO
Milton's Working Poor
Drive into Milton from any direction and you're greeted with the sight of streets lined with single-family homes stretching out into the distance. It's no wonder when the population sits at 139,400, and is projected to be 230,000 by 2031.
The prosperous neighbourhoods often mask a hidden poverty; called that because it's something that isn't out the open. "From the outside everything appears normal, but the family isn't making enough to cover all expenses," Chuck Charlton said Charlton, a local real estate agent has seen some of it first-hand, and been moved to help. He has been running food drives benefitting Food4Kids and the Salvation Army for the last 10 years. Charlton, estimates that 1-2% of people in Milton fall into this category. A 2018 report from the United Way of Hamilton-Halton puts the figure at 5.7%, the highest of all Halton municipalities.
"The term working poor are people who work in precarious jobs, and are remunerated at minimum wage. In Halton we do not see poverty on our streets like other areas, thus our poverty is hidden," Halton Food4Kids Executive Director Gayle Kabbash said. Food4Kids is an agency that helps families unable to meet food budget requirements due to the cost of living.
COVID-19 has meant the need for their services has increased by 30%. As of October, they have helped over 800 children. "As a result, we have had to increase outreach to generating funding to meet the growing need." Food drives, such as the one held by Charlton play a role as they secure food that suppliers don't carry. "I am happy to share our incredible community, including many businesses have expanded their support allowing us not to turn any child or family away," Kabbash said.
"In this climate of high living cost many families are struggling to make ends meet. It's not unusual for us to encounter folks who are working multiple part-time or casual minimum wage positions just to cover the cost of rent," Ruth Hickman, Director/Pastor with the Salvation Army said. COVID-19 has increased need for the for the food bank by 30%. They offer a Hydro Assistance program, and have recently added an extra two days in order to keep up with demand. "Whether folks are in arrears or needing a discount in order to keep up with payments we are doing what we can to help them navigate the system," Hickman said.
The Salvation Army started its annual Christmas assistance program November 22. They're still looking for donations of toys, gifts for teens and $25 gift cards for children. "Large drives and events organized by groups like Charlton Advantage and Miracle on Main go a long way in stocking our neighbours' shelves and putting smiles on their children's faces," she added.
Housing prices have increased by 47% over the last 2 years. A single family home sells for approximately $1.2 million. Buyers are eligible for a mortgage of up to 5 times their income. In Milton, where the average income is $104,000 it could mean a mortgage as high as $520,000. Numerous studies indicate parents are helping with the down payment, but even then the dream of home ownership is out of reach. "The solution in most cases is to move further and further away until can afford what you want," Charlton said.
Milton Transitional Housing (MTH) feels the impact of housing prices first-hand. Their program has room for 10 is facing an increased need due to COVID-19. Executive Director Donna Danielli would like to expand but is finding it challenging "It is becoming more difficult to connect with landlords and rent new accommodations which are affordable for our clients," she said in an email. The agency also faces a hurdle of finding affordable housing for clients who have completed the two year program. In spite of all the problems, the agency has successfully graduated 5 clients in the last six months.
For Danielli, the term "working poor" refers to the clients she sees on a daily basis. "So many people, making minimum wage or receiving shelter support through Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) are simply not able to make ends meet in this world of increasing housing costs. They are being forced to make choices between safe housing, food, transportation and so much more," she said.
Charlton thinks the problem with housing prices come down to the supply. Too many buyers, and too few homes. He suggests shortening approval processes, as well as ending blind bidding- part of an election promise from the federal Liberals. He admits higher market prices are a problem. "Whenever regular people with good, stable jobs can't afford regular homes, there's huge cause for concern," he said.
Laura Steiner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Milton Reporter, Milton Reporter
Friday, December 03, 2021
Living wage proposal a divisive issue for council
The idea of even considering implementing a living wage of $18.90 for municipal employees proved divisive for Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors, though a plan to look into the proposal narrowly passed.
A motion presented last week by Coun. Norm Arsenault sought to have the town look into committing to pay all of its employees a living wage as calculated by the Ontario Living Wage Network. It's estimated the plan would affect fewer than two dozen town workers.
Arsenault said the minimum wage is too low. He acknowledged the Ford government's plan to boost it to $15 per hour in January but insisted that is still below where it needs to be.
Approving the living wage concept would be an opportunity for the town to demonstrate leadership to the rest of the community, he said.
Couns. Clare Cameron, Gary Burroughs and Wendy Cheropita voted against the proposal, but it passed with Lord Mayor Betty Disero and Couns. Allan Bisback, Sandra O’Connor and Arsenault all in favour. Couns. Erwin Wiens and John Wiens were not in attendance.
Town staff were directed to bring a report back to council in February or March of next year on the impact of implementing a living wage at the town.
Cameron said paying $18.90 an hour would cause the municipality to compete with businesses in town that are struggling to find labour.
“I feel uncomfortable with the thought that we might might jump ahead and somehow also be competing with local businesses for potential talent,” she told council.
“I think it’s our job to try and get out of the way.”
Cameron said the town could show leadership by asking local businesses how it could support them in paying a living wage while rejecting the idea of the town paying a living wage itself.
Treasurer Kyle Freeborn noted the vast majority of town employees and contractors already make more than $18.90. He said there were probably 15 to 20 employees who make less than that.
Cameron said the idea that paying people better wages to attract more labour was too simple a solution to a complex problem.
“I wish that it was easy enough to fix the labour market and to fix people's economic struggles by simply bumping up wages. I do not believe that the solution to those issues is that simple,” she said.
While wages are an important factor for people in where and how they work, having room for advancement and a good team dynamic are equally important, she said.
“So, I find this an overly simplistic attempt. Very well-intentioned, but it’s too simple.”
Cameron was also concerned that the idea of a “living wage” was too undefined. She said it could increase exponentially based on factors out of the town’s control and the town could be forced to pay if it signs on to the Living Wage Network.
The estimated cost for increasing all employees' pay to the living wage was cited as upward of $36,000 per year. Arsenault noted the figure in relation to the town's $14 million operating budget.
Cameron emphasized that this price tag was nearly identical to the town’s discretionary grants for community organizations and didn’t want the living wage to interfere with its ability to support local organizations.
Disero supported the motion and used an example from her time as a Toronto city councillor to explain why.
She said Toronto once declared it would require anyone doing business with the city pay a “fair wage” to their employees.
“All of those people against it said, ‘Oh no, the world is going to come to an end. People aren’t going to be able to bid on things.’ And that didn’t happen. It was a different time, I realize, but that just didn’t happen.”
Disero stressed that the motion only asked for a staff report on the impact of the policy and was not a motion to implement it.
Cheropita cited an example from earlier this year for rejecting the idea.
She said she was trying to find someone to be an event manager for the summer and was offering $20 per hour.
“I could not find anybody to work for $20 an hour because students were sitting at home and collecting (Canada Emergency Response Benefits),” she said.
“So, it’s not always about a motivation for money and I really did try very, very hard.”
Cheropita said if there were any full-time staff who weren’t making $18.90 then she would have supported the motion.
“But, when it’s students, most students live at home, at least in this area, and the sort of money that we’re paying, I understand it to be between $14.75 and $17 an hour. That’s a pretty good part-time job for the summer and most kids are really happy to work for that,” she said.
Burroughs argued there should be a difference between a living wage for a full-time worker and what a student or part-time worker makes.
Craig Pickthorne, who spoke to council on behalf of the Living Wage Network, said it would be difficult for the organization to determine different wages based on whether someone lived with their parents or on their own.
He said calculating the wage on the cost of living in an area was the proper solution, adding that, for students, tuition is a big cost and can rival the cost of living independently.
“First of all, your example of how expensive it is to go to university — it’s not that expensive relative to the cost of putting on a university,” Burroughs responded which prompted a look of bewilderment from O’Connor.
It makes no difference if they are “a student living at home looking down the barrel of a $30,000 student debt or they have a family of four supporting two small children. If you need the work done, then you should pay a living wage,” Pickthorne responded.
He said only 18 per cent of minimum wage earners are students or people under 20.
He pointed to Gales Gas Bar as a Niagara and NOTL business that is part of the Living Wage Network and noted it is one of the group's "champion" businesses.
Bisback supported the motion and cited some personal research as to why.
“There’s a lot of complaints about restaurants specifically not getting staffed,” he said.
“And what I found out was that most restaurants (in Toronto) that made the decision during the pandemic to pay over and above the minimum wage had no issue getting staff.”
Bisback brought up the cost of living versus the minimum wage.
“Unfortunately, people need to take two, three, four jobs just to pay the bills and I think this is a move in the right direction and I think it sets leadership,” he said.
Evan Saunders, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Lake Report
The idea of even considering implementing a living wage of $18.90 for municipal employees proved divisive for Niagara-on-the-Lake councillors, though a plan to look into the proposal narrowly passed.
A motion presented last week by Coun. Norm Arsenault sought to have the town look into committing to pay all of its employees a living wage as calculated by the Ontario Living Wage Network. It's estimated the plan would affect fewer than two dozen town workers.
Arsenault said the minimum wage is too low. He acknowledged the Ford government's plan to boost it to $15 per hour in January but insisted that is still below where it needs to be.
Approving the living wage concept would be an opportunity for the town to demonstrate leadership to the rest of the community, he said.
Couns. Clare Cameron, Gary Burroughs and Wendy Cheropita voted against the proposal, but it passed with Lord Mayor Betty Disero and Couns. Allan Bisback, Sandra O’Connor and Arsenault all in favour. Couns. Erwin Wiens and John Wiens were not in attendance.
Town staff were directed to bring a report back to council in February or March of next year on the impact of implementing a living wage at the town.
Cameron said paying $18.90 an hour would cause the municipality to compete with businesses in town that are struggling to find labour.
“I feel uncomfortable with the thought that we might might jump ahead and somehow also be competing with local businesses for potential talent,” she told council.
“I think it’s our job to try and get out of the way.”
Cameron said the town could show leadership by asking local businesses how it could support them in paying a living wage while rejecting the idea of the town paying a living wage itself.
Treasurer Kyle Freeborn noted the vast majority of town employees and contractors already make more than $18.90. He said there were probably 15 to 20 employees who make less than that.
Cameron said the idea that paying people better wages to attract more labour was too simple a solution to a complex problem.
“I wish that it was easy enough to fix the labour market and to fix people's economic struggles by simply bumping up wages. I do not believe that the solution to those issues is that simple,” she said.
While wages are an important factor for people in where and how they work, having room for advancement and a good team dynamic are equally important, she said.
“So, I find this an overly simplistic attempt. Very well-intentioned, but it’s too simple.”
Cameron was also concerned that the idea of a “living wage” was too undefined. She said it could increase exponentially based on factors out of the town’s control and the town could be forced to pay if it signs on to the Living Wage Network.
The estimated cost for increasing all employees' pay to the living wage was cited as upward of $36,000 per year. Arsenault noted the figure in relation to the town's $14 million operating budget.
Cameron emphasized that this price tag was nearly identical to the town’s discretionary grants for community organizations and didn’t want the living wage to interfere with its ability to support local organizations.
Disero supported the motion and used an example from her time as a Toronto city councillor to explain why.
She said Toronto once declared it would require anyone doing business with the city pay a “fair wage” to their employees.
“All of those people against it said, ‘Oh no, the world is going to come to an end. People aren’t going to be able to bid on things.’ And that didn’t happen. It was a different time, I realize, but that just didn’t happen.”
Disero stressed that the motion only asked for a staff report on the impact of the policy and was not a motion to implement it.
Cheropita cited an example from earlier this year for rejecting the idea.
She said she was trying to find someone to be an event manager for the summer and was offering $20 per hour.
“I could not find anybody to work for $20 an hour because students were sitting at home and collecting (Canada Emergency Response Benefits),” she said.
“So, it’s not always about a motivation for money and I really did try very, very hard.”
Cheropita said if there were any full-time staff who weren’t making $18.90 then she would have supported the motion.
“But, when it’s students, most students live at home, at least in this area, and the sort of money that we’re paying, I understand it to be between $14.75 and $17 an hour. That’s a pretty good part-time job for the summer and most kids are really happy to work for that,” she said.
Burroughs argued there should be a difference between a living wage for a full-time worker and what a student or part-time worker makes.
Craig Pickthorne, who spoke to council on behalf of the Living Wage Network, said it would be difficult for the organization to determine different wages based on whether someone lived with their parents or on their own.
He said calculating the wage on the cost of living in an area was the proper solution, adding that, for students, tuition is a big cost and can rival the cost of living independently.
“First of all, your example of how expensive it is to go to university — it’s not that expensive relative to the cost of putting on a university,” Burroughs responded which prompted a look of bewilderment from O’Connor.
It makes no difference if they are “a student living at home looking down the barrel of a $30,000 student debt or they have a family of four supporting two small children. If you need the work done, then you should pay a living wage,” Pickthorne responded.
He said only 18 per cent of minimum wage earners are students or people under 20.
He pointed to Gales Gas Bar as a Niagara and NOTL business that is part of the Living Wage Network and noted it is one of the group's "champion" businesses.
Bisback supported the motion and cited some personal research as to why.
“There’s a lot of complaints about restaurants specifically not getting staffed,” he said.
“And what I found out was that most restaurants (in Toronto) that made the decision during the pandemic to pay over and above the minimum wage had no issue getting staff.”
Bisback brought up the cost of living versus the minimum wage.
“Unfortunately, people need to take two, three, four jobs just to pay the bills and I think this is a move in the right direction and I think it sets leadership,” he said.
Evan Saunders, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Lake Report
Canada must deeply invest in oceans to combat climate change
Canada must exploit the advantages its three coasts provide and stop sidelining oceans and the critical role they can play in tackling the climate crisis, marine ecologist Julia Baum says.
“We need to quit treating the ocean as a niche issue,” said Baum, President’s Chair at the University of Victoria, whose research examines the impacts of global warming on oceans and what they can contribute to climate change solutions.
The ocean absorbs 23 per cent of the world’s human-caused carbon emissions, as well as 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gases, Baum said.
But despite their impressive role in mitigating global warming, oceans are largely ignored as a potential game-changer when it comes to formulating Canada’s climate plans.
“Oceans are our first line of defence against climate change, and they need to start being recognized and financed as such,” Baum said, “because they are the primary thing standing between us and a planet that is too hot for people to inhabit.”
Ottawa has committed to protecting 30 per cent of its oceans by 2030, but Canada hasn’t fully examined how much carbon its oceans capture or detailed ways they could mitigate emissions, she said.
“Canada has the longest coastline in the world, but has not yet incorporated oceans into its climate action plan,” she said.
Ocean-based solutions can potentially handle one-fifth of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions (21 per cent) needed to meet the UN’s Paris Agreement climate goals by 2050, she said.
But to maintain its ocean advantages, Canada must protect and restore marine ecosystems, such as seagrass beds, salt marshes, and kelp forests, which act as powerful carbon sinks, Baum said.
The oceans' ability to continue providing climate change services and to weather global warming and other anthropogenic impacts, such as pollution, are flagging rapidly, she said.
"We've taken oceans for granted and a lot of ocean ecosystems are very close to tipping points," Baum said.
Video: Curbing climate change could prevent millions of deaths, research suggests (cbc.ca)
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Curbing climate change could prevent millions of deaths, research suggests
"If we don't limit warming to 1.5 C, we will lose virtually all tropical coral reefs on the planet, and with them, 25 per cent of all life in the oceans.
“If we cross those lines, oceans might no longer be able to play the critical climate-regulating role that they have in the past."
Beyond preserving its "blue carbon" systems, Canada also needs to reform commercial fisheries by reducing fossil fuel use and to curb overfishing and destructive practices such as bottom-trawling, which churns up enormous amounts of carbon stored in the seabed, she said.
Canada and British Columbia also need to scale up marine renewables and foster associated technological development to grow the green economy for coastal communities, Baum added.
“Offshore wind, wave or tidal energy could offer huge contributions to climate solutions,” she said. Transforming the shipping industry by using net-zero strategies such as electrifying ports, ferries and ground transport, and/or employing green hydrogen technology would also result in sizable emissions drops while providing sustainable jobs.
But for those things to happen, Canada, like most countries, needs to address the financial deficit oceans suffer.
The role of forests in mitigating climate change is widely recognized, Baum said, noting that at the recent UN climate conference in Glasgow, significant financial commitments were announced to protect them globally.
“The scale of financial commitments for the ocean is dwarfed in comparison and that really needs to change,” she said.
Given Canada is in the process of developing its blue economy strategy, now is the time to specify how oceans can play a role in reaching our climate goals, said Baum.
“We're waiting to see if that blue economy strategy is going to be a net-zero strategy,” Baum said, adding any oil and gas exploration or subsidies for the fossil fuel industry would be contrary to the goal of sustainable ocean development.
Dropping emissions as quickly as possible in Canada and worldwide is the best means to ensure oceans can continue to regulate the climate, Baum said.
“We can't continually be pushing our oceans on every front, stressing them out to the max, and also expect that they’ll still be resilient and able to face climate change.”
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada's National Observer
Canada must exploit the advantages its three coasts provide and stop sidelining oceans and the critical role they can play in tackling the climate crisis, marine ecologist Julia Baum says.
“We need to quit treating the ocean as a niche issue,” said Baum, President’s Chair at the University of Victoria, whose research examines the impacts of global warming on oceans and what they can contribute to climate change solutions.
The ocean absorbs 23 per cent of the world’s human-caused carbon emissions, as well as 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gases, Baum said.
But despite their impressive role in mitigating global warming, oceans are largely ignored as a potential game-changer when it comes to formulating Canada’s climate plans.
“Oceans are our first line of defence against climate change, and they need to start being recognized and financed as such,” Baum said, “because they are the primary thing standing between us and a planet that is too hot for people to inhabit.”
Ottawa has committed to protecting 30 per cent of its oceans by 2030, but Canada hasn’t fully examined how much carbon its oceans capture or detailed ways they could mitigate emissions, she said.
“Canada has the longest coastline in the world, but has not yet incorporated oceans into its climate action plan,” she said.
Ocean-based solutions can potentially handle one-fifth of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions (21 per cent) needed to meet the UN’s Paris Agreement climate goals by 2050, she said.
But to maintain its ocean advantages, Canada must protect and restore marine ecosystems, such as seagrass beds, salt marshes, and kelp forests, which act as powerful carbon sinks, Baum said.
The oceans' ability to continue providing climate change services and to weather global warming and other anthropogenic impacts, such as pollution, are flagging rapidly, she said.
"We've taken oceans for granted and a lot of ocean ecosystems are very close to tipping points," Baum said.
Video: Curbing climate change could prevent millions of deaths, research suggests (cbc.ca)
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Curbing climate change could prevent millions of deaths, research suggests
"If we don't limit warming to 1.5 C, we will lose virtually all tropical coral reefs on the planet, and with them, 25 per cent of all life in the oceans.
“If we cross those lines, oceans might no longer be able to play the critical climate-regulating role that they have in the past."
Beyond preserving its "blue carbon" systems, Canada also needs to reform commercial fisheries by reducing fossil fuel use and to curb overfishing and destructive practices such as bottom-trawling, which churns up enormous amounts of carbon stored in the seabed, she said.
Canada and British Columbia also need to scale up marine renewables and foster associated technological development to grow the green economy for coastal communities, Baum added.
“Offshore wind, wave or tidal energy could offer huge contributions to climate solutions,” she said. Transforming the shipping industry by using net-zero strategies such as electrifying ports, ferries and ground transport, and/or employing green hydrogen technology would also result in sizable emissions drops while providing sustainable jobs.
But for those things to happen, Canada, like most countries, needs to address the financial deficit oceans suffer.
The role of forests in mitigating climate change is widely recognized, Baum said, noting that at the recent UN climate conference in Glasgow, significant financial commitments were announced to protect them globally.
“The scale of financial commitments for the ocean is dwarfed in comparison and that really needs to change,” she said.
Given Canada is in the process of developing its blue economy strategy, now is the time to specify how oceans can play a role in reaching our climate goals, said Baum.
“We're waiting to see if that blue economy strategy is going to be a net-zero strategy,” Baum said, adding any oil and gas exploration or subsidies for the fossil fuel industry would be contrary to the goal of sustainable ocean development.
Dropping emissions as quickly as possible in Canada and worldwide is the best means to ensure oceans can continue to regulate the climate, Baum said.
“We can't continually be pushing our oceans on every front, stressing them out to the max, and also expect that they’ll still be resilient and able to face climate change.”
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
Rochelle Baker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada's National Observer
Environmental groups concerned about potential open-net pen fish farm expansions
A coalition of environmental groups is concerned about the potential expansion of open-net pen salmon farming despite a previous promise by Ottawa to phase them out on the West Coast.
Salmon farming companies have submitted 12 applications — two of which have already been approved — to expand the size or number of net pen operations, and/or to increase the amount of fish produced at sites on the B.C. coast, according to a press release issued by four groups.
One application involves a proposal for a new Grieg Seafood farm with the capacity to produce 4,400 tonnes of Atlantic salmon in Chatham Channel, northeast of Vancouver Island, in partnership with the Tlowitsis First Nation.
The applications are being made despite the Liberal government’s promise to phase out open-net pen fish farms in B.C. waters by 2025, said Stan Proboszcz of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
“If the federal government does have a mandate to remove this industry, why would the industry invest in new equipment or operations?” Proboszcz said.
“It doesn’t make a lot of sense. So, that's a key question, both for the industry and the federal government.”
Any expansion of farm production amplifies the risks disease, bacteria and parasites pose to plummeting wild salmon stocks, said the coalition, which also includes the Living Oceans Society, David Suzuki Foundation, and Clayoquot Action.
Former fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan announced closures for nearly 60 per cent of the province’s commercial salmon fisheries in July to prevent the complete collapse of numerous wild salmon stocks.
The pending aquaculture applications should be denied by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) given the exceptionally low returns faced by wild salmon, Proboszcz said.
During the 2019 election, Justin Trudeau promised to end open-net pen farming in B.C. waters by 2025. However, Jordan’s mandate letter issued after the Liberals won stated DFO had to come up with a transition plan by then.
Given that the new federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray, MP for Vancouver Quadra, hasn’t yet received her mandate letter, it’s unclear if Ottawa’s pledge to eliminate open-net pens remains the same, Proboszcz said.
“We really haven't seen any sort of plan or roadmap for getting to that 2025 commitment,” he said.
“We hope that the mandate letter is explicit about that promise.”
Murray is absolutely committed to phasing out open-net pen salmon farms in British Columbia by 2025, the minister's office said in an email to Canada’s National Observer.
A report on the findings from initial public input sessions on the transition plan was released in July, the ministry said, adding DFO work based on that information and recommendations from Indigenous and stakeholder working groups continues.
Close collaboration with Indigenous communities, the B.C. government, industry, scientists and other stakeholders is key to developing a responsible path forward, the ministry said.
The ministry did not clarify if current aquaculture applications represent an expansion of open-net pen salmon production on the B.C. coast.
“We cannot comment on specific farms or license requests, but the minister will continue to advance the commitment to phase out open-net pen farms, and will consider this commitment when approaching aquaculture management decisions in British Columbia,” the ministry said.
The salmon farm industry was struck a blow in late 2020 when Jordan, citing input from seven First Nations, announced the closure of 19 fish farms in the contentious Discovery Islands region by July 2022.
The farms — near the aquaculture hub of Campbell River on Vancouver Island and operating along the migratory routes of juvenile salmon — were a flashpoint for heated public debate and polarized scientific opinions over the harm fish farms pose to wild salmon.
Before Jordan’s decision, the DFO determined that a number of pathogens from fish farms posed minimal risk to wild salmon.
And the region’s aquaculture companies have launched a court challenge to review the minister’s decision to close the salmon farms.
Mowi Canada West, which had 30 per cent of its production based in the Discovery Islands, recently announced the temporary closure of one of its three hatcheries beginning in May with potentially 17 employees affected.
It’s not clear if the applications to DFO from Mowi, Grieg and Cermaq Canada boost net-pen production overall, or if any of the proposed changes just shift existing production from the Discovery Islands to other regions of the coast.
Responses from the three aquaculture companies were not available before Canada’s National Observer publication deadline.
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
Photo by Tavish Campbell of a now empty fish farm in the Discovery Islands., Canada's National Observer
A coalition of environmental groups is concerned about the potential expansion of open-net pen salmon farming despite a previous promise by Ottawa to phase them out on the West Coast.
Salmon farming companies have submitted 12 applications — two of which have already been approved — to expand the size or number of net pen operations, and/or to increase the amount of fish produced at sites on the B.C. coast, according to a press release issued by four groups.
One application involves a proposal for a new Grieg Seafood farm with the capacity to produce 4,400 tonnes of Atlantic salmon in Chatham Channel, northeast of Vancouver Island, in partnership with the Tlowitsis First Nation.
The applications are being made despite the Liberal government’s promise to phase out open-net pen fish farms in B.C. waters by 2025, said Stan Proboszcz of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
“If the federal government does have a mandate to remove this industry, why would the industry invest in new equipment or operations?” Proboszcz said.
“It doesn’t make a lot of sense. So, that's a key question, both for the industry and the federal government.”
Any expansion of farm production amplifies the risks disease, bacteria and parasites pose to plummeting wild salmon stocks, said the coalition, which also includes the Living Oceans Society, David Suzuki Foundation, and Clayoquot Action.
Former fisheries minister Bernadette Jordan announced closures for nearly 60 per cent of the province’s commercial salmon fisheries in July to prevent the complete collapse of numerous wild salmon stocks.
The pending aquaculture applications should be denied by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) given the exceptionally low returns faced by wild salmon, Proboszcz said.
During the 2019 election, Justin Trudeau promised to end open-net pen farming in B.C. waters by 2025. However, Jordan’s mandate letter issued after the Liberals won stated DFO had to come up with a transition plan by then.
Given that the new federal Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray, MP for Vancouver Quadra, hasn’t yet received her mandate letter, it’s unclear if Ottawa’s pledge to eliminate open-net pens remains the same, Proboszcz said.
“We really haven't seen any sort of plan or roadmap for getting to that 2025 commitment,” he said.
“We hope that the mandate letter is explicit about that promise.”
Murray is absolutely committed to phasing out open-net pen salmon farms in British Columbia by 2025, the minister's office said in an email to Canada’s National Observer.
A report on the findings from initial public input sessions on the transition plan was released in July, the ministry said, adding DFO work based on that information and recommendations from Indigenous and stakeholder working groups continues.
Close collaboration with Indigenous communities, the B.C. government, industry, scientists and other stakeholders is key to developing a responsible path forward, the ministry said.
The ministry did not clarify if current aquaculture applications represent an expansion of open-net pen salmon production on the B.C. coast.
“We cannot comment on specific farms or license requests, but the minister will continue to advance the commitment to phase out open-net pen farms, and will consider this commitment when approaching aquaculture management decisions in British Columbia,” the ministry said.
The salmon farm industry was struck a blow in late 2020 when Jordan, citing input from seven First Nations, announced the closure of 19 fish farms in the contentious Discovery Islands region by July 2022.
The farms — near the aquaculture hub of Campbell River on Vancouver Island and operating along the migratory routes of juvenile salmon — were a flashpoint for heated public debate and polarized scientific opinions over the harm fish farms pose to wild salmon.
Before Jordan’s decision, the DFO determined that a number of pathogens from fish farms posed minimal risk to wild salmon.
And the region’s aquaculture companies have launched a court challenge to review the minister’s decision to close the salmon farms.
Mowi Canada West, which had 30 per cent of its production based in the Discovery Islands, recently announced the temporary closure of one of its three hatcheries beginning in May with potentially 17 employees affected.
It’s not clear if the applications to DFO from Mowi, Grieg and Cermaq Canada boost net-pen production overall, or if any of the proposed changes just shift existing production from the Discovery Islands to other regions of the coast.
Responses from the three aquaculture companies were not available before Canada’s National Observer publication deadline.
Rochelle Baker / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada’s National Observer
Photo by Tavish Campbell of a now empty fish farm in the Discovery Islands., Canada's National Observer
Oilpatch keeping the lid on spending amid record-setting output
CALGARY — Canadian oil and gas companies have been hesitant to loosen the purse strings in spite of this fall's commodity price boom, and the arrival of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant may help to explain why.
Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude closed at US$65.67 on Wednesday, more than 20 per cent lower than in early November prior to the arrival of the new strain of the virus. Last Friday, as news of Omicron began to spread around the globe, fears that the variant would affect economic recovery from the pandemic prompted a broad-based sell-off on the markets, with energy stocks taking the brunt of the beating.
It was a reminder of just how much uncertainty there still is in the Canadian oilpatch, and why companies are being cautious in spite of impressive recent profits as oil prices this fall spiked to levels not seen in seven years.
According to Statistics Canada, Alberta oil production in October was 119 million barrels, an all-time monthly record.
At the same time, however, Statistics Canada says oil and gas capital spending over the first three quarters of 2021 was CDN$8.5 billion, still 32 per cent below the same period during 2019 pre-pandemic.
The industry also spent less than a third of what it did during the same period of 2014. That year, capital investment in the Canadian oilpatch hit an all-time record high of CDN$81 billion.
“We’re not expecting it to go back to 2014 levels, when it broke all records," said Rob Roach, deputy chief economist for ATB Financial. "But we’re not even back to where we were during the recession of 2015-16.”
Roach said a number of factors are helping to keep the lid on capital spending, not least of which are ongoing concerns about the trajectory of the pandemic and its impact on oil prices. In addition, he said the industry has other things to worry about, including current and future pipeline capacity and transportation restraints as well as the risk that OPEC+ could change course and once again flood the market with oil.
The threat of climate change, and the risk that government policy could limit future production and demand, is also a factor, Roach said.
Amid such uncertainty, Roach said, it's not surprising that we're not seeing a boom in new projects and hiring. Even if the price of oil skyrockets next year — some analysts have suggested global oil prices could go as high as US$120 next summer — it's unlikely the boom-time sentiment of 2014 is going to return.
"Even if we got those prices, we would still face the same limitations," Roach said. "How long will it last, will OPEC change its mind on a dime and down goes the price, and what do we do long-term about climate change?"
Instead of spending, many Canadian oil and gas producers have spent much of the last year paying down debt, said Wood Mackenzie analyst Scott Norlin. And after being forced to slash dividends in 2020, companies have also taken advantage of this year's high prices to return value back to shareholders. (Suncor Energy Inc. and Cenovus Energy Inc. are among the companies that doubled their dividend recently.)
Norlin said he thinks industry spending will increase in 2022, as companies hit their debt targets and start reallocating capital to new projects. But he projects that total spending for 2022 will still only come in around the CDN$31-billion range.
“Not to say there’s not going to be growth, but I don’t think there’s going to be those massive, massive growth rates," Norlin said. “With rising prices, there’s always that knee-jerk reaction to bring rigs on and try to drill as much as you can, but operators have done a really good job (this year) of staying disciplined. Especially in Canada, they’ve sort of learned to live within cash flow.”
The Canadian Association of Energy Contractors said last week it is expecting 6,457 oil and gas wells to be drilled in 2022, a more than 25 per cent increase from 2021 and a return to pre-pandemic levels.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2021
Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian Press
CALGARY — Canadian oil and gas companies have been hesitant to loosen the purse strings in spite of this fall's commodity price boom, and the arrival of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant may help to explain why.
Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude closed at US$65.67 on Wednesday, more than 20 per cent lower than in early November prior to the arrival of the new strain of the virus. Last Friday, as news of Omicron began to spread around the globe, fears that the variant would affect economic recovery from the pandemic prompted a broad-based sell-off on the markets, with energy stocks taking the brunt of the beating.
It was a reminder of just how much uncertainty there still is in the Canadian oilpatch, and why companies are being cautious in spite of impressive recent profits as oil prices this fall spiked to levels not seen in seven years.
According to Statistics Canada, Alberta oil production in October was 119 million barrels, an all-time monthly record.
At the same time, however, Statistics Canada says oil and gas capital spending over the first three quarters of 2021 was CDN$8.5 billion, still 32 per cent below the same period during 2019 pre-pandemic.
The industry also spent less than a third of what it did during the same period of 2014. That year, capital investment in the Canadian oilpatch hit an all-time record high of CDN$81 billion.
“We’re not expecting it to go back to 2014 levels, when it broke all records," said Rob Roach, deputy chief economist for ATB Financial. "But we’re not even back to where we were during the recession of 2015-16.”
Roach said a number of factors are helping to keep the lid on capital spending, not least of which are ongoing concerns about the trajectory of the pandemic and its impact on oil prices. In addition, he said the industry has other things to worry about, including current and future pipeline capacity and transportation restraints as well as the risk that OPEC+ could change course and once again flood the market with oil.
The threat of climate change, and the risk that government policy could limit future production and demand, is also a factor, Roach said.
Amid such uncertainty, Roach said, it's not surprising that we're not seeing a boom in new projects and hiring. Even if the price of oil skyrockets next year — some analysts have suggested global oil prices could go as high as US$120 next summer — it's unlikely the boom-time sentiment of 2014 is going to return.
"Even if we got those prices, we would still face the same limitations," Roach said. "How long will it last, will OPEC change its mind on a dime and down goes the price, and what do we do long-term about climate change?"
Instead of spending, many Canadian oil and gas producers have spent much of the last year paying down debt, said Wood Mackenzie analyst Scott Norlin. And after being forced to slash dividends in 2020, companies have also taken advantage of this year's high prices to return value back to shareholders. (Suncor Energy Inc. and Cenovus Energy Inc. are among the companies that doubled their dividend recently.)
Norlin said he thinks industry spending will increase in 2022, as companies hit their debt targets and start reallocating capital to new projects. But he projects that total spending for 2022 will still only come in around the CDN$31-billion range.
“Not to say there’s not going to be growth, but I don’t think there’s going to be those massive, massive growth rates," Norlin said. “With rising prices, there’s always that knee-jerk reaction to bring rigs on and try to drill as much as you can, but operators have done a really good job (this year) of staying disciplined. Especially in Canada, they’ve sort of learned to live within cash flow.”
The Canadian Association of Energy Contractors said last week it is expecting 6,457 oil and gas wells to be drilled in 2022, a more than 25 per cent increase from 2021 and a return to pre-pandemic levels.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2021
Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian Press
The world's largest shipping company said it's giving away $80 million in bonuses to employees as it sets to make record profits this year
htan@insider.com (Huileng Tan)
Maersk said it will give $1,000 each to about 80,000 employees worldwide.
The Danish shipping giant posted its most profitable quarter in its 117-year history last month.
Maesk is set to report the biggest profit in Danish corporate history.
Maersk — the world's largest shipping company — said it will reward its employees with a $1,000 cash bonus each as the Copenhagen-based firm looks set to report record profits.
The bonus applies to about 80,000 of the Danish company's employees worldwide, bringing the total amount to $80 million, reported Denmark's Borsen newspaper and Bloomberg, citing an internal memo. The 400 most senior managers will not get the bonus.
"In a massive team effort our colleagues across the globe have risen beyond the call of duty to respond to our customers' needs," CEO Soren Skou said in the memo, per Bloomberg. "And this has not been easy given the unknowns and disruptions that we had to deal with, the impacted supply chains, congestions, and capacity shortages," he said.
Maersk posted its most profitable quarter in its 117-year history last month, more than quadrupling its third-quarter operating profits to $5.9 billion as the global shipping and supply chain crisis led to record container freight rates.
The shipping company expects its fourth quarter to be equally as profitable, with a gross profit between $6 billion to $7 billion, as shipping rates and consumer demand showed no signs of abating.
In fact, this year is such a bumper year for Maesk that the shipper was set to report the biggest profit in Danish corporate history, according to Sydbank A/S analyst Mikkel Emil Jensen, per Bloomberg.
Maersk also gave a $1,000 bonus to most employees last year when it reported a $2.9 billion in profits.
htan@insider.com (Huileng Tan)
You've probably bought something that travelled on a Maersk ship this year.
Md Manik/SOPA Images/LightRocket
Maersk said it will give $1,000 each to about 80,000 employees worldwide.
The Danish shipping giant posted its most profitable quarter in its 117-year history last month.
Maesk is set to report the biggest profit in Danish corporate history.
Maersk — the world's largest shipping company — said it will reward its employees with a $1,000 cash bonus each as the Copenhagen-based firm looks set to report record profits.
The bonus applies to about 80,000 of the Danish company's employees worldwide, bringing the total amount to $80 million, reported Denmark's Borsen newspaper and Bloomberg, citing an internal memo. The 400 most senior managers will not get the bonus.
"In a massive team effort our colleagues across the globe have risen beyond the call of duty to respond to our customers' needs," CEO Soren Skou said in the memo, per Bloomberg. "And this has not been easy given the unknowns and disruptions that we had to deal with, the impacted supply chains, congestions, and capacity shortages," he said.
Maersk posted its most profitable quarter in its 117-year history last month, more than quadrupling its third-quarter operating profits to $5.9 billion as the global shipping and supply chain crisis led to record container freight rates.
The shipping company expects its fourth quarter to be equally as profitable, with a gross profit between $6 billion to $7 billion, as shipping rates and consumer demand showed no signs of abating.
In fact, this year is such a bumper year for Maesk that the shipper was set to report the biggest profit in Danish corporate history, according to Sydbank A/S analyst Mikkel Emil Jensen, per Bloomberg.
Maersk also gave a $1,000 bonus to most employees last year when it reported a $2.9 billion in profits.
Majority of Canadians want to ditch the British monarchy. How feasible is it?
Saba Aziz 20 hrs ago
Saba Aziz 20 hrs ago
© (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) BERLIN, GERMANY - JUNE 24: Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the state banquet in her honour at Schloss Bellevue palace on the second of the royal couple's four-day visit to Germany on June 24, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. The Queen…
Canada’s ties with the British monarchy are under scrutiny once again after Barbados officially removed Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and became a republic this week.
For Barbados, the transition on Tuesday marked an end to its last remaining colonial bonds nearly 400 years after the first English ships arrived at the Caribbean island.
Barbados celebrates as it officially becomes a republic, cuts ties with British monarchy
There is now renewed debate in Canada over whether to follow Barbados' lead, with a majority of Canadians saying the monarchy is becoming less relevant or is no longer relevant at all, new polling shows.
According to an Angus Reid survey published Tuesday, more than 50 per cent say Canada should not remain a constitutional monarchy indefinitely, while one-quarter say it should.
The same poll also suggests that as long as Queen Elizabeth II continues to reign, 55 per cent of Canadians support continuing to recognize her as the official head of state.
In an Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News in March 2021, two in three Canadians, or 66 per cent of respondents, said the Queen and the Royal Family should not have any formal role in Canadian society, as they are “simply celebrities and nothing more.”
That was up two per cent over last year and six per cent since 2016, according to Ipsos.
The waning support comes amid uncertainty around the 95-year-old monarch’s health that has recently limited her public appearances.
Despite Canadians' dwindling enthusiasm for the royals, eliminating the monarchy in Canada will be a “complicated process," experts say.
To make any change to the role of the Queen or her representatives in Canada, there must be unanimous consent from the House of Commons, the Senate and each of the provincial legislatures to change the constitution — a process that could take years to complete.
Read more:
How Canada could break up with the monarchy
“Under our constitution, all 10 provinces would have to agree on changes to the office of the Queen and it's very difficult for all 10 provinces to be on the same page at the same time,” said Carolyn Harris, historian and author of Raising Royalty: 1,000 Years of Royal Parenting.
Because Canada’s Indigenous communities have their own treaties with the Crown, First Nations would need to be consulted as well for any transition to take place, Harris said.
“So in Canada, it would be a very complicated process compared to the comparatively straightforward process in Barbados,” she told Global News.
Citizens for a Canadian Republic (CCR), a non-profit group, acknowledges there would be challenges when it comes to amending the Constitution but still encourages the discussion.
Among the hurdles it highlights on its website is “an unfair amending formula."
“Compounding these difficulties is the subject of how Canadians should choose their new head of state and what role it would play in the federal system,” CCR states.
In the practical sense, abolishing the monarchy would not change much for Canada, as the Queen has no political authority, argued Melanie Newton, an associate professor of history at the University of Toronto.
“And the federal government could become a republic without the Indigenous people necessarily having to give up those symbolic ties to the British monarchy,” she said.
Barbados’ move to becoming a republic was the culmination of a more than two decades-long push to ditch the monarchy.
A "major shift" took place last year spurred on by the racial inequalities of the COVID-19 pandemic response, access to vaccines and the Black Lives Matter protest movement across the world, said Newton.
Read more:
53% of Canadians skeptical of the monarchy’s future beyond the Queen’s reign: Ipsos poll
In a historic throne speech in Sept. 2020, governor-general Dame Sandra Mason told the world Barbados was removing Queen Elizabeth as its head of state.
A two-thirds majority vote was needed to amend the country’s constitution.
The parliament unanimously passed the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021 last month, effectively transferring the responsibilities of the governor general to a new position of president.
Mason was elected as the island's first president by the Barbados parliament on Oct. 20 and formally sworn in on Nov. 30.
Video: Barbados becomes a republic and parts ways with the Queen
Cynthia Barrow-Giles, professor of political science at the University of West Indies, said the transition to the republic represents a “moment of pride for many Barbadians."
“This move is very emblematic of overthrowing the yoke of British colonialism and with it some of the negative connotations that people have been dealing with more recently with respect to the character of British colonialism,” she told Global News.
But there is still a “significant amount of work” left to do in terms of the constitution and governance, Barrow-Giles added.
The process of becoming a republic is “far easier” when there is a centralized system of government, as was the case with Barbados, she noted.
“Canada's situation compared to the Caribbean situation is a little more complex," she said.
Other Caribbean nations have also left the monarchy to become republics, including Trinidad and Tobago, but the last country to remove the Queen as head of state was Mauritius in 1992.
With Barbados cutting ties, that leaves 15 Commonwealth countries that have the Queen as their monarch, including Canada.
Read more:
Barbados becomes a republic: What it means for the Crown, the Commonwealth and Canada
However, Barbados will remain part of the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Other Caribbean nations, including Jamaica and St. Lucia, have also discussed breaking away from the monarchy.
Video: The details on the Queen’s mounting health concerns
Now, Barbados’ move may fuel republicanism within the Commonwealth, experts say.
“It's certainly something that will be discussed and debated in the Commonwealth realms, especially as this transition does not mean a departure from the Commonwealth,” said Harris.
Barrow-Giles concurred, saying, “I would think that for a lot of the other Caribbean countries, the conversation would resume, and hopefully we'll get that transition going.”
— with files from Global News’ Redmond Shannon
Canada’s ties with the British monarchy are under scrutiny once again after Barbados officially removed Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and became a republic this week.
For Barbados, the transition on Tuesday marked an end to its last remaining colonial bonds nearly 400 years after the first English ships arrived at the Caribbean island.
Barbados celebrates as it officially becomes a republic, cuts ties with British monarchy
There is now renewed debate in Canada over whether to follow Barbados' lead, with a majority of Canadians saying the monarchy is becoming less relevant or is no longer relevant at all, new polling shows.
According to an Angus Reid survey published Tuesday, more than 50 per cent say Canada should not remain a constitutional monarchy indefinitely, while one-quarter say it should.
The same poll also suggests that as long as Queen Elizabeth II continues to reign, 55 per cent of Canadians support continuing to recognize her as the official head of state.
In an Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News in March 2021, two in three Canadians, or 66 per cent of respondents, said the Queen and the Royal Family should not have any formal role in Canadian society, as they are “simply celebrities and nothing more.”
That was up two per cent over last year and six per cent since 2016, according to Ipsos.
The waning support comes amid uncertainty around the 95-year-old monarch’s health that has recently limited her public appearances.
Despite Canadians' dwindling enthusiasm for the royals, eliminating the monarchy in Canada will be a “complicated process," experts say.
To make any change to the role of the Queen or her representatives in Canada, there must be unanimous consent from the House of Commons, the Senate and each of the provincial legislatures to change the constitution — a process that could take years to complete.
Read more:
How Canada could break up with the monarchy
“Under our constitution, all 10 provinces would have to agree on changes to the office of the Queen and it's very difficult for all 10 provinces to be on the same page at the same time,” said Carolyn Harris, historian and author of Raising Royalty: 1,000 Years of Royal Parenting.
Because Canada’s Indigenous communities have their own treaties with the Crown, First Nations would need to be consulted as well for any transition to take place, Harris said.
“So in Canada, it would be a very complicated process compared to the comparatively straightforward process in Barbados,” she told Global News.
Citizens for a Canadian Republic (CCR), a non-profit group, acknowledges there would be challenges when it comes to amending the Constitution but still encourages the discussion.
Among the hurdles it highlights on its website is “an unfair amending formula."
“Compounding these difficulties is the subject of how Canadians should choose their new head of state and what role it would play in the federal system,” CCR states.
In the practical sense, abolishing the monarchy would not change much for Canada, as the Queen has no political authority, argued Melanie Newton, an associate professor of history at the University of Toronto.
“And the federal government could become a republic without the Indigenous people necessarily having to give up those symbolic ties to the British monarchy,” she said.
Barbados’ move to becoming a republic was the culmination of a more than two decades-long push to ditch the monarchy.
A "major shift" took place last year spurred on by the racial inequalities of the COVID-19 pandemic response, access to vaccines and the Black Lives Matter protest movement across the world, said Newton.
Read more:
53% of Canadians skeptical of the monarchy’s future beyond the Queen’s reign: Ipsos poll
In a historic throne speech in Sept. 2020, governor-general Dame Sandra Mason told the world Barbados was removing Queen Elizabeth as its head of state.
A two-thirds majority vote was needed to amend the country’s constitution.
The parliament unanimously passed the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2021 last month, effectively transferring the responsibilities of the governor general to a new position of president.
Mason was elected as the island's first president by the Barbados parliament on Oct. 20 and formally sworn in on Nov. 30.
Video: Barbados becomes a republic and parts ways with the Queen
Cynthia Barrow-Giles, professor of political science at the University of West Indies, said the transition to the republic represents a “moment of pride for many Barbadians."
“This move is very emblematic of overthrowing the yoke of British colonialism and with it some of the negative connotations that people have been dealing with more recently with respect to the character of British colonialism,” she told Global News.
But there is still a “significant amount of work” left to do in terms of the constitution and governance, Barrow-Giles added.
The process of becoming a republic is “far easier” when there is a centralized system of government, as was the case with Barbados, she noted.
“Canada's situation compared to the Caribbean situation is a little more complex," she said.
Other Caribbean nations have also left the monarchy to become republics, including Trinidad and Tobago, but the last country to remove the Queen as head of state was Mauritius in 1992.
With Barbados cutting ties, that leaves 15 Commonwealth countries that have the Queen as their monarch, including Canada.
Read more:
Barbados becomes a republic: What it means for the Crown, the Commonwealth and Canada
However, Barbados will remain part of the Commonwealth, a grouping of 54 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Other Caribbean nations, including Jamaica and St. Lucia, have also discussed breaking away from the monarchy.
Video: The details on the Queen’s mounting health concerns
Now, Barbados’ move may fuel republicanism within the Commonwealth, experts say.
“It's certainly something that will be discussed and debated in the Commonwealth realms, especially as this transition does not mean a departure from the Commonwealth,” said Harris.
Barrow-Giles concurred, saying, “I would think that for a lot of the other Caribbean countries, the conversation would resume, and hopefully we'll get that transition going.”
— with files from Global News’ Redmond Shannon
I BELIEVED IN IT WHEN I WAS 16, STILL DO
Climate crisis fuels push to drop voting age to 16
As Canada and the world see increasingly frequent examples of climate chaos by the week, the slow legislative move to give more of a say to those who will have to deal with it started over again in Ottawa.
When Parliament was dissolved for the election last summer, a slate of pending bills went with it, but Sen. Marilou McPhedran rose late last month to put one of them back on the table.
The newly named S-201 she sponsored has passed first reading, and McPhedran and its supporters hope the effort will eventually lead to Canadian citizens aged 16 and 17 winning the right to vote.
The Independent senator from Manitoba hopes the move might revitalize the country’s democracy, while some youth advocates said it was beyond time these teens get a bigger say, specifically on climate policy.
“It's becoming increasingly evident that the climate crisis is here and it requires robust actions now,” said Manvi Bhalla, who advocates for a louder political voice for young people as president of the group Shake Up The Establishment.
Just last month, three major storms featuring so-called "atmospheric rivers" battered British Columbia, destroying critical infrastructure. The storms followed devastating wildfires and summer heat waves that represent a lethal mix of cascading climate impacts from a warming planet.
Bhalla said what happens now will determine humanity’s future and that of the world’s landscapes and other beings — and young people deserve to have a say.
“Youth have no stake in the game but our futures and deserve to have a say in shaping this future given that we were born into this crisis with no sense of agency over its inception,” she said.
The voting rights push, meanwhile, made sharp progress in Germany over the summer, with the three parties forming its next coalition government all committed to lowering the voting age to 16.
“It’s not as radical an idea as many might think,” said Sara Austin, the chief executive at Children First Canada, a key backer of a separate legal challenge launched on Tuesday by young people in an Ontario court.
That brief argues youth are just as capable of making rational voting decisions as those over 18 and that the applicants have been denied a constitutional right to avoid discrimination based on age.
“Imagine if 16-year-olds could vote about the future they want,” said Catherine McKenna, Canada's former climate change minister who did not seek re-election in 2021. “They'll be 45 in 2050 when we need to be net-zero. I'll be 80.”
“I want to hear their voices now about what we need to do to get there. They'll live far longer with the consequences of our action or inaction,” she said in tweets supporting McPhedran’s bill.
For Bhalla, young people hope for an equitable, healthy and sustainable life — a slow life — and know what needs to be done to make it happen.
“It is beyond time to recognize and legitimize their intelligence and passion as an ends to meet these goals,” she said.
Morgan Sharp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada's National Observer
Climate crisis fuels push to drop voting age to 16
As Canada and the world see increasingly frequent examples of climate chaos by the week, the slow legislative move to give more of a say to those who will have to deal with it started over again in Ottawa.
When Parliament was dissolved for the election last summer, a slate of pending bills went with it, but Sen. Marilou McPhedran rose late last month to put one of them back on the table.
The newly named S-201 she sponsored has passed first reading, and McPhedran and its supporters hope the effort will eventually lead to Canadian citizens aged 16 and 17 winning the right to vote.
The Independent senator from Manitoba hopes the move might revitalize the country’s democracy, while some youth advocates said it was beyond time these teens get a bigger say, specifically on climate policy.
“It's becoming increasingly evident that the climate crisis is here and it requires robust actions now,” said Manvi Bhalla, who advocates for a louder political voice for young people as president of the group Shake Up The Establishment.
Just last month, three major storms featuring so-called "atmospheric rivers" battered British Columbia, destroying critical infrastructure. The storms followed devastating wildfires and summer heat waves that represent a lethal mix of cascading climate impacts from a warming planet.
Bhalla said what happens now will determine humanity’s future and that of the world’s landscapes and other beings — and young people deserve to have a say.
“Youth have no stake in the game but our futures and deserve to have a say in shaping this future given that we were born into this crisis with no sense of agency over its inception,” she said.
The voting rights push, meanwhile, made sharp progress in Germany over the summer, with the three parties forming its next coalition government all committed to lowering the voting age to 16.
“It’s not as radical an idea as many might think,” said Sara Austin, the chief executive at Children First Canada, a key backer of a separate legal challenge launched on Tuesday by young people in an Ontario court.
That brief argues youth are just as capable of making rational voting decisions as those over 18 and that the applicants have been denied a constitutional right to avoid discrimination based on age.
“Imagine if 16-year-olds could vote about the future they want,” said Catherine McKenna, Canada's former climate change minister who did not seek re-election in 2021. “They'll be 45 in 2050 when we need to be net-zero. I'll be 80.”
“I want to hear their voices now about what we need to do to get there. They'll live far longer with the consequences of our action or inaction,” she said in tweets supporting McPhedran’s bill.
For Bhalla, young people hope for an equitable, healthy and sustainable life — a slow life — and know what needs to be done to make it happen.
“It is beyond time to recognize and legitimize their intelligence and passion as an ends to meet these goals,” she said.
Morgan Sharp, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada's National Observer
Young Canadians file suit against federal over minimum voting age
Wed., December 1, 2021
Several young Canadians are taking the federal government to court in an effort to strike down the minimum voting age.
They argue that denying citizens under the age of 18 the right to vote in federal elections is unconstitutional.
They contend the minimum voting age violates two sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
They say one section of the charter guarantees the right to vote for all Canadian citizens without an age qualification.
The Canada Elections Act sets the minimum age for federal elections at 18.
Thirteen youth from across the country ranging in age from 12 to 18 are part of suit, which hasn't been tested in court.
"They each want to participate meaningfully in Canadian democracy by exercising their right to vote before age 18," said the claim, which was filed in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday.
The youth argue election rules have change significantly over time and should continue to do so.
"Initially restricted to property-owning men aged 21 and older, voting rights in Canada have been gradually extended to other Canadian citizens such as women, racialized people, Indigenous people, inmates, and citizens who live abroad," the claim said.
"This progressive enfranchisement was driven by our growing recognition that 'every citizen' must include those who may have been excluded from social and political participation."
The young people are joined in the suit by Justice for Children and Youth, a non-profit legal aid clinic dedicated to advancing the rights and interests of young people in Canada.
Tharan D’Silva, 12, is among those taking the federal government to court and "believes that youth have intelligent, developed political views that the government must acknowledge," the claim said.
"He is passionate about health care, climate change, and education, and participates in a social club for kids with autism," it said.
Katie Yu, 15, from Iqaluit, Nunavut, is also part of the claim.
She is "committed to raising awareness on climate change, mental health, suicide prevention and racial justice, and how these issues impact the North," the claim said.
"Minimum voting ages present an unjustifiable restriction on the right of citizens to vote in Canada," the claim argues.
The youth say being denied the right to vote "perpetuates stereotypical and prejudicial attitudes that young people are less capable and less deserving of participating in Canadian democracy through the voting process," according to the document.
Those qualifications aren't imposed on those older than 18, they claim.
"Vague and unsubstantiated assertions about maturity are not enough to justify depriving a large portion of Canadian society their core political right," the claim said.
The federal government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2021.
Liam Casey, The Canadian Press
Wed., December 1, 2021
Several young Canadians are taking the federal government to court in an effort to strike down the minimum voting age.
They argue that denying citizens under the age of 18 the right to vote in federal elections is unconstitutional.
They contend the minimum voting age violates two sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
They say one section of the charter guarantees the right to vote for all Canadian citizens without an age qualification.
The Canada Elections Act sets the minimum age for federal elections at 18.
Thirteen youth from across the country ranging in age from 12 to 18 are part of suit, which hasn't been tested in court.
"They each want to participate meaningfully in Canadian democracy by exercising their right to vote before age 18," said the claim, which was filed in Ontario's Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday.
The youth argue election rules have change significantly over time and should continue to do so.
"Initially restricted to property-owning men aged 21 and older, voting rights in Canada have been gradually extended to other Canadian citizens such as women, racialized people, Indigenous people, inmates, and citizens who live abroad," the claim said.
"This progressive enfranchisement was driven by our growing recognition that 'every citizen' must include those who may have been excluded from social and political participation."
The young people are joined in the suit by Justice for Children and Youth, a non-profit legal aid clinic dedicated to advancing the rights and interests of young people in Canada.
Tharan D’Silva, 12, is among those taking the federal government to court and "believes that youth have intelligent, developed political views that the government must acknowledge," the claim said.
"He is passionate about health care, climate change, and education, and participates in a social club for kids with autism," it said.
Katie Yu, 15, from Iqaluit, Nunavut, is also part of the claim.
She is "committed to raising awareness on climate change, mental health, suicide prevention and racial justice, and how these issues impact the North," the claim said.
"Minimum voting ages present an unjustifiable restriction on the right of citizens to vote in Canada," the claim argues.
The youth say being denied the right to vote "perpetuates stereotypical and prejudicial attitudes that young people are less capable and less deserving of participating in Canadian democracy through the voting process," according to the document.
Those qualifications aren't imposed on those older than 18, they claim.
"Vague and unsubstantiated assertions about maturity are not enough to justify depriving a large portion of Canadian society their core political right," the claim said.
The federal government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 1, 2021.
Liam Casey, The Canadian Press
Ex-Google scientist Gebru opens AI institute year after tumultuous exit
By Paresh Dave
(Reuters) - Timnit Gebru, the computer scientist whose disputed exit from Google's artificial intelligence research team prompted debate across the tech industry about diversity and censorship, said on Thursday she has launched a small lab to continue her work freely.
The Distributed AI Research Institute has raised $3.7 million from foundations and aims to critically study services from big tech companies as well as propose AI-based solutions to issues such as food insecurity and climate change, Gebru said.
It joins several non-governmental projects such as the Algorithmic Justice League that are advancing ethical use of AI. Critics worry that without proper safeguards systems including for facial recognition and credit scoring could lead to mass surveillance and racial discrimination.
Gebru has hired a fellow based in South Africa and expects to add other researchers next year. They will publish studies and educate activists and lawmakers globally.
"I want to make sure DAIR is not just working on research papers," Gebru said. "I want to be an institute that realizes you have to engage with various groups of people."
Gebru, who is Black, has said Google fired her a year ago for criticizing its lack of workforce diversity and for fighting managers who objected to publishing a paper she co-wrote on potential social and environmental costs of language technology. Google has said it accepted Gebru's resignation.
Her speaking out about the incident drew praise from many scientists and engineers, but others questioned her work and tactics. Alphabet Inc unit Google in the aftermath reorganized the ethical AI research team Gebru had led, fired her co-leader and lost the pair's manager to Apple.
Freedom to pursue whatever led Gebru to start DAIR over joining another company. But sustaining it without becoming beholden to sponsors or other powers will be the challenge, she said. Initial backers include the MacArthur, Ford and Rockefeller foundations.
(Reporting by Paresh Dave in Oakland, Calif; Editing by David Gregorio)
By Paresh Dave
(Reuters) - Timnit Gebru, the computer scientist whose disputed exit from Google's artificial intelligence research team prompted debate across the tech industry about diversity and censorship, said on Thursday she has launched a small lab to continue her work freely.
The Distributed AI Research Institute has raised $3.7 million from foundations and aims to critically study services from big tech companies as well as propose AI-based solutions to issues such as food insecurity and climate change, Gebru said.
It joins several non-governmental projects such as the Algorithmic Justice League that are advancing ethical use of AI. Critics worry that without proper safeguards systems including for facial recognition and credit scoring could lead to mass surveillance and racial discrimination.
Gebru has hired a fellow based in South Africa and expects to add other researchers next year. They will publish studies and educate activists and lawmakers globally.
"I want to make sure DAIR is not just working on research papers," Gebru said. "I want to be an institute that realizes you have to engage with various groups of people."
Gebru, who is Black, has said Google fired her a year ago for criticizing its lack of workforce diversity and for fighting managers who objected to publishing a paper she co-wrote on potential social and environmental costs of language technology. Google has said it accepted Gebru's resignation.
Her speaking out about the incident drew praise from many scientists and engineers, but others questioned her work and tactics. Alphabet Inc unit Google in the aftermath reorganized the ethical AI research team Gebru had led, fired her co-leader and lost the pair's manager to Apple.
Freedom to pursue whatever led Gebru to start DAIR over joining another company. But sustaining it without becoming beholden to sponsors or other powers will be the challenge, she said. Initial backers include the MacArthur, Ford and Rockefeller foundations.
(Reporting by Paresh Dave in Oakland, Calif; Editing by David Gregorio)
The supply chain crisis is wreaking havoc on the environment as carbon emissions from ships and seaports reach the highest rate since 2008
insider@insider.com (Bethany Biron)
Carbon emissions at seaports are up significantly since the start of the pandemic, a report found.
The rise stems from an increase in consumer demand and congested ports during the supply chain crisis.
Emissions at four of the world's largest ports are up 79% since the start of the pandemic, according to the study.
The supply chain crisis is taking a toll on more than just shipping, its also wreaking havoc on the environment.
Carbon emissions at major seaports have reached the highest rates since 2008, according to a recent report from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. According to the study, pollutant emissions across four of the world's largest shipping ports — in locations including Singapore, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Hamburg, Germany, — have increased by 79% since the start of the pandemic.
And though maritime shipping currently accounts for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions — a higher rate than airplanes — scientists predict that at current rates it could comprise upwards of 17% by 2050.
Pollutant emissions, which started rising in response to increased consumer demand during COVID-19 lockdowns, have been further exacerbated by historic levels of port congestion. The backlogs are contributing to "prolonged turnaround time" and extended idling, during which ships continue to emit harmful gases, according to the report.
Adding to the problem, container ships — which the NTU report found to have the sharpest increased rate of emissions — have started increasing their speed by 22% if weather permits to account for increased demand, Mike Konstantinidis, CEO of METIS Cyberspace Technology, told Quartz.
"Lockdown measures and other COVID-19 restrictions on human activity have upended the landscape for the shipping sector and significantly affected the operating patterns of maritime and trade, revealing significant increases in pollutant emissions in the seaports in our study," Adrian Law Wing-Keung, a professor at NTU's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, wrote in the report.
Southern California, home to the biggest seaports in the US, has been hit particularly hard by the supply chain crisis. As of Wednesday, Marine Exchange reports there are 134 ships waiting off the coasts of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as 110,000 empty containers currently litter shipping yards and roads in the region.
Now, increased carbon emissions mark the latest in a series of growing challenges for the cities. According to the NTU report, emissions at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach increased by double and two-thirds, respectively.
Looking ahead, environmental organizations are calling for change from some of the world's largest retailers. A report released earlier this week by Stand.earth and Pacific Environment found that Walmart, Target, Amazon, and IKEA contributed to a collective increase of 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions between 2018 and 2020.
"The retail brands that fill our homes and lives with their products bear a direct responsibility both for the pollution that the maritime shipping in their supply chains creates and for taking the necessary actions to demand emissions reductions now and 100 per cent zero emissions shipping this decade," the report said.
insider@insider.com (Bethany Biron)
© Provided by Business Insider A container cargo ship in Rotterdam Harbour on April 4, 2021 in the Netherlands. Niels Wenstedt/BSR Agency/Getty Images
Carbon emissions at seaports are up significantly since the start of the pandemic, a report found.
The rise stems from an increase in consumer demand and congested ports during the supply chain crisis.
Emissions at four of the world's largest ports are up 79% since the start of the pandemic, according to the study.
The supply chain crisis is taking a toll on more than just shipping, its also wreaking havoc on the environment.
Carbon emissions at major seaports have reached the highest rates since 2008, according to a recent report from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. According to the study, pollutant emissions across four of the world's largest shipping ports — in locations including Singapore, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Hamburg, Germany, — have increased by 79% since the start of the pandemic.
And though maritime shipping currently accounts for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions — a higher rate than airplanes — scientists predict that at current rates it could comprise upwards of 17% by 2050.
Pollutant emissions, which started rising in response to increased consumer demand during COVID-19 lockdowns, have been further exacerbated by historic levels of port congestion. The backlogs are contributing to "prolonged turnaround time" and extended idling, during which ships continue to emit harmful gases, according to the report.
Adding to the problem, container ships — which the NTU report found to have the sharpest increased rate of emissions — have started increasing their speed by 22% if weather permits to account for increased demand, Mike Konstantinidis, CEO of METIS Cyberspace Technology, told Quartz.
"Lockdown measures and other COVID-19 restrictions on human activity have upended the landscape for the shipping sector and significantly affected the operating patterns of maritime and trade, revealing significant increases in pollutant emissions in the seaports in our study," Adrian Law Wing-Keung, a professor at NTU's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, wrote in the report.
Southern California, home to the biggest seaports in the US, has been hit particularly hard by the supply chain crisis. As of Wednesday, Marine Exchange reports there are 134 ships waiting off the coasts of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as 110,000 empty containers currently litter shipping yards and roads in the region.
Now, increased carbon emissions mark the latest in a series of growing challenges for the cities. According to the NTU report, emissions at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach increased by double and two-thirds, respectively.
Looking ahead, environmental organizations are calling for change from some of the world's largest retailers. A report released earlier this week by Stand.earth and Pacific Environment found that Walmart, Target, Amazon, and IKEA contributed to a collective increase of 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions between 2018 and 2020.
"The retail brands that fill our homes and lives with their products bear a direct responsibility both for the pollution that the maritime shipping in their supply chains creates and for taking the necessary actions to demand emissions reductions now and 100 per cent zero emissions shipping this decade," the report said.
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