It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Thursday, July 20, 2023
First Nation loses homes in wildfire near Cranbrook, B.C., Eby says
The Canadian Press Wed, July 19, 2023
VANCOUVER — A First Nation community in southeastern B.C. has lost homes because of a fast-moving wildfire, and Premier David Eby says the provincial and federal governments are teaming up to provide emergency response.
Officials have not yet confirmed how many people or homes have been affected on the Aq'am First Nation near Cranbrook, however Chief Joe Pierre told the CBC several homes have been lost in the fire.
The BC Wildfire Service says the St. Mary's River fire was human-caused, is eight square kilometres in size and is considered out of control.
The Regional District of East Kootenay issued an evacuation order on Monday for 52 homes, and another 43 properties remain on evacuation alert.
Eby says the provincial and federal governments will help the First Nation with the eventual rebuilding and recovery process.
He says his government is also focusing on partnering with Indigenous people and firefighters to provide a more "prompt" and "effective response" to wildfires.
Hundreds of wildfires are burning in the province, fuelled by tinder-dry conditions promoted by weeks of drought.
A record has already been set for the total area burned in a year with about 14,000 square kilometres scorched across B.C., breaking the milestone established in 2018.
Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma told a news conference Tuesday that 75 military members were heading to Burns Lake, in central B.C., to help in the firefight.
They join 75 others who were sent to nearby Vanderhoofas part of a federal response to the record-setting season.
Ma said about 150 people in B.C. are under evacuation orders due to the wildfires as of Tuesday, while about 3,400 people are on alert and must be ready to leave at short notice.
Hot weather continues to blanket much of the province, with a heat warning issued by Environment Canada for the Fraser Canyon in southern B.C. where temperatures will reach 35 C with overnight lows near 18 C through to Friday.
Special air quality statements have also been issued by the forecaster for a large portion of the province as wildfire smoke makes breathing difficult and reduces visibility.
BC Wildfire Service officials have said the season has not yet hit its peak and this season's drought could roll into next year, potentially igniting an early start to the 2024 fire season.
A provincial drought bulletin shows 18 of the province's 34 water basins are at drought Level 4, meaning harm to ecosystems and communities is likely, while four more are at the highest Level 5.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023. Canadian wildfires hit Indigenous communities hard, threatening their land and culture The Canadian Press Wed, July 19, 2023
EAST PRAIRIE METIS SETTLEMENT, Alberta (AP) — Carrol Johnston counted her blessings as she stood on the barren site where her home was destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire that forced her to flee her northern Alberta community two months ago.
Her family escaped unharmed, though her beloved cat, Missy, didn't make it out before a “fireball” dropped on the house in early May. But peony bushes passed down from her late mother survived and the blackened May Day tree planted in memory of her longtime partner is sending up new shoots — hopeful signs as she prepares to start over in the East Prairie Métis Settlement, about 240 miles (385 kilometers) northwest of Edmonton.
“I just can’t leave,” said Johnston, 72, who shared a home with her son and daughter-in-law. “Why would I want to leave such beautiful memories?”
The worst wildfire season in Canadian history is displacing Indigenous communities from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, blanketing them in thick smoke, destroying homes and forests and threatening important cultural activities like hunting, fishing and gathering native plants.
Thousands of fires have scorched more than 42,000 square miles (110,00 square kilometers) across the country so far. On Tuesday, almost 900 fires were burning— most of them out of control — according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre website.
Fires aren’t uncommon on Indigenous lands, but they’re now occurring over such a widespread area that many more people are experiencing them at the same time — and some for the first time — stoking fears of what a hotter, drier future will bring, especially to communities where traditions run deep.
“I've never seen anything like this,” said Raymond Supernault, chairman of the East Prairie Métis Settlement, where he said more than 85% of the 129-square-mile (334-square-kilometer) settlement burned in the first wildfire there in over 60 years. Fourteen houses and 60 other structures were destroyed by the intense, fast-moving fire that led to the evacuation of almost 300 people and decimated forested land.
“In blink of eye, we lost so much … it was devastating. I can't stress that enough,” said Supernault, who said he hasn't seen any elk or moose, both important food sources, since the fire.
“We don’t just jump in the car and go to the IGA,” for groceries, Supernault said. “We go to the bush.”
In Canada, 5% of the population identifies as Indigenous — First Nation, Métis or Inuit — with an even smaller percentage living in predominantly Indigenous communities. Yet more than 42% of wildfire evacuations have been from communities that are more than half Indigenous, said Amy Cardinal Christianson, an Indigenous fire specialist with Parks Canada.
As of last week, almost 23,000 people from 75 Indigenous settlements have had to evacuate this year, according to Indigenous Services Canada. More than 3,600 people from 15 First Nations reserves in five provinces were evacuated as of Thursday, the agency said.
It’s not uncommon for Indigenous communities to evacuate repeatedly, Christianson said. A recent analysis of the Canadian Wildland Fire Evacuation database found that 16 communities were evacuated five or more times from 1980–2021 — all but two of them First Nations reserves, said Christianson, who participated in the analysis by the Canadian Forest Service.
Fires now “are so dangerous and so fast-moving" that evacuations increasingly are necessary, a challenge in some remote communities where there might be one road in, or no roads at all, said Christianson, who is Métis.
Ken McMullen, president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs and fire chief in Red Deer, Alberta — a province where about 7,600 square miles (19,800 square kilometers) have already burned, compared to just over 695 square miles (1,800 square kilometers) in all of 2022 — said some places burning again this year haven't fully recovered from previous fires.
“It’s going to take a long time,” said McMullen, calling it the worst fire season in Canadian history. “These are life-altering events.”
Christianson said the effects will be felt for generations, because the intense heat is burning the soil and making it difficult for trees and other plants to regenerate.
She said Indigenous communities are increasingly vulnerable because they're often left out of decisions about forest management and fire response, and often can't afford to hire emergency managers. What's more, when fires affect urban centers at the same time, fire suppression shifts to larger communities.
Indigenous communities “really want to be leaders in managing fires in their territory,” including a return to preventive burning that was long suppressed by the government, said Christianson.
The Algonquins of Barriere Lake in northern Quebec evacuated in June because of heavy smoke from wildfires that came within 9 miles (15 kilometers) of and almost surrounded the reserve where about 350 to 400 people live, often miles apart, said Chief Casey Ratt, who never experienced a forest fire before this year.
“Last year, me and my wife were talking about how many fires there were in Alberta, then boom! There were so many in Quebec this year,” said Ratt. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, now we’re dealing with wildfires like they are out west.’”
But it also wasn’t a total surprise, said Ratt, because summer heat is more intense and ice forms later in the winter and melts faster in the spring. That diminishes their ability to ice-fish and hunt for moose and beaver, which often requires crossing a lake to an island.
“Something is happening,” said Ratt, who believes climate change is largely to blame. “I think this will be the norm moving forward.”
The biggest concern is whether cultural traditions that have been passed down from generations of elders will survive into the future, said Supernault, from the East Prairie Métis Settlement.
“Our earth is changing ... and our traditional way of life is now put on hold,” said Supernault. “You can't put a price on culture and traditional loss.”
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Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan.
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Tammy Webber And Noah Berger, The Associated Press
Wildlife group, Toronto Zoo push for increased regulations in Ontario
Author of the article: Kevin Connor Published Jul 18, 2023 •
Mila, the Toronto Zoo's Amur Tiger.
PHOTO BY TORONTO ZOO /Toronto Zoo Anyone can own a zoo in Ontario and this province has been ranked “dead last” in a zoo regulations report card.
On Tuesday, the World Animal Protection Canada and the Toronto Zoo released a report card of Canada’s zoo regulations.
The report card says Ontario has “weak and non-existent” regulations and enforcement for the use of wild animals in private zoos.
The report card looks at provincial licencing of zoo facilities, permit system for non-native wildlife, permit system for native-wildlife, animal welfare,and public safety and security.,
“In Ontario, you don’t need expertise, a reason or a licence to operate a zoo or buy dangerous animals like a tiger or lion,” said Michèle Hamers,campaign manager for World Animal Protection’s Wildlife. “This is why Ontario ranks dead last and why we are working with the government to get this done for once and for all. We are pushing the province to implement what other provinces like Alberta and Quebec have done already. We want to see a mandatory province-wide zoo licensing system and meaningful and enforceable standards to safeguard animal welfare and public health and safety.”
WAPC says Ontario has the largest number of roadside zoos in the country with up to 30 locations including backyard zoos.
Yet, there is no tracking of how many of these facilities exist or what animals they house.
Dangerous animals at these facilities put the public at risk, WAPC says.
“At your Toronto Zoo, our commitment to wildlife care extends beyond the Zoo site. There are far too many individuals and organizations operating without any regulation on how they care for animals,” said Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo.
“As an AZA accredited Zoo, your Toronto Zoo believes in our responsibility to meet animal wellbeing standards AND to push for the standards to continue to evolve. These animals deserve better, and we support the calls for stronger regulations in Ontario to protect exotic animals in unaccredited roadside zoos and in private ownership. We know better, so let’s do better, together.”
World Animal Protection has reported on hundreds of concerns at 11 roadside zoos that include animal deaths.
That includes the death of Kiska the orca and charges at Marineland.
“Our ongoing work has been driving the province to launch investigations at these facilities. But the patchwork system, where non-compliance is the norm, needs to stop, once and for all.” Hamers said.
Could Canada benefit from a national power grid?
Doug Johnson Wed, July 19, 2023 Thumbnail image: Windmills are seen in Ontario at dawn in 2019.
(Laura Penwell / Pexels)
Canada’s electrical grid mostly runs north–south, with individual provinces trading electricity with their neighbours in the United States, rather than other provinces nearby. But as renewable sources of energy become more common, there would be benefits in provincial grids sharing energy, experts told The Weather Network.
Over the years, the idea of nation-wide, east–west connectivity has been put forward as a way to improve the country’s energy grids. Among other benefits, this would enable the sources in one province to complement or fill in the gaps for power generation in another.
However, this level of connectivity might not be practical. And, experts said, it might not be necessary for Canada’s immediate net-zero goals as long as connections between the grids of regional partners with complementary sources of energy grow.
“We’re realizing the need to be more flexible. We need to take advantage of resources in different provinces,” Binnu Jeyakumar, the Pembina Institute’s electricity program director, told The Weather Network. Teamwork makes the dream work
According to the International Energy Agency, there are 37 grid connections between Canada and the U.S. The number of connections between provinces vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Quebec has 15 connections with Ontario, New Brunswick and parts of the American Northeast, according to its profile on the Canada Energy Regulator website. (The profile doesn’t break down this number by where the connections are, nor does the site have this number for every province or territory).
According to Jeyakumar, increasing these inter-provincial linkages could come with some notable advantages, particularly as Canada works to decarbonize its energy production.
Transmission lines are seen near a windfarm located close to Hanna, Alberta.
(Rachel Maclean / The Weather Network)
For one, doing so would increase the provincial grids’ flexibility. It allows connected provinces to take advantage of cheap wind and solar in one jurisdiction, and abundant hydro electricity in another, for example. This means consumers across provinces can have low-cost energy from the sun during the day, and wind when it’s windy out, and have access to hydroelectric power to kick in at night, or when there’s no wind.
According to Jason Dion, senior research director with the Canadian Climate Institute, solar and wind power from, say, Alberta could be used by hydroelectric dams in B.C. to refill their reservoirs with water, enabling them to generate more power, kind of like “charging a gigantic battery.”
Canada is kind of lucky in this regard, he said. Provinces such as Alberta, with the potential to decarbonize with solar and wind power happens to be right beside British Columbia, which has solid hydroelectric capacity. This also holds true for other parts of the country, like hydro-rich Manitoba and its neighbour Saskatchewan.
Another consideration is that wind power can only be generated when the wind speed is high enough to turn the turbines. As such, connecting grids increases the likelihood that a wind farm somewhere on one of the grids will be producing electricity, according to Nicholas Rivers, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s graduate school of public affairs.
Rivers’ research suggests that an increase in inter-provincial grid connections could, indeed, be vital for Canada’s rollout of renewables.
In one paper, Rivers and his team found that the right mix of renewable energy sources and optimized provincial connections made decarbonization much easier for Canada. In another paper, Rivers and his colleagues show that the value (such as the power it generates) of B.C.’s Site C Dam, currently under construction, will likely exceed its price tag in modeled scenarios where the province and Alberta construct additional transmission capacity, and both aim for 100 per cent decarbonized electricity.
WATCH BELOW: Residents generate own power in off-grid community
According to Jeyakumar, there’s an economic rationale for an increase in connectivity as well. For one, updating grids across the country could mean a good deal of jobs. Building more connections between provinces also increases connectivity with the United States, she said. For example, if Alberta increased connections with B.C., it would be able to sell power to California, with which B.C. has connections. ‘Inertia and quirks’
However, there are many barriers that might hinder deeper ties between Canada’s disparate grids. According to Dion, the reason Canada’s provincial grids are more closely linked with neighbouring parts of the U.S. is often because the major population centres in Canada are closer to those in the states — take Vancouver’s proximity to Seattle, compared to Edmonton, for example. She added that the cost of making new connections could be high, but consumers would enjoy savings on their power bills that would eventually overshoot this price.
Another reason is that the provinces’ energy systems are often governed quite differently from each other. For example, while B.C. has a single provider of energy, the publicly owned BC Hydro, Alberta has a notably deregulated market with multiple providers. This would make it harder to forge agreements between the two provinces to increase their energy transfers.
Plus, he said the provinces may see an economic benefit in selling power to the U.S., but not other parts of Canada. Other barriers include provincial governments aiming to keep energy sector jobs, rather than having some of those jobs covered by workers in another province. “There are lots of reasons. But just … inertia and the quirks of our institutions here are the main reasons,” he told The Weather Network.
Dion added that the U.S. has a national electricity regulator, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates the sale and transmission of electricity, but Canada has nothing with that level of jurisdiction. As such, he said, any changes will have to come from the provinces themselves. Rather, the federal government can provide funding and research to help electricity system integration, he said. “[The federal government] can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”
As for a totally national grid, Dion believes that it could be a “potential end state,” rather than a near-term goal. Rivers shared a similar sentiment. “It's not really part of the practical conversation at the moment,” he said.
Grassroots groups say Canada won't meet UN Sustainable Development Goals, lacks data
OTTAWA — A coalition of grassroots groups says Canada won't meet the Sustainable Development Goals it is trying to attain by 2030 as part of a United Nations initiative to bridge inequities around the world.
"Various issues continue to hinder progress toward a truly inclusive and effective path forward," said Siyu Chen, who spoke at a UN meeting Wednesday on behalf of Canadian non-governmental organizations in New York City.
"Canada is not set to achieve the SDGs within the next seven years."
The goals are a series of benchmarks around issues such as poverty and gender equality.
In 2015, the newly elected Liberal government was among 193 UN states that endorsed a goal to meet all 17 targets by 2030, with Canada putting a focus on gender equality, climate action and reconciliation.
In addition to pursuing improvements at home, the states agreed to fund programs that aim to help developing countries meet their own targets.
Now, just past the halfway point to those goals, the Canadian government says it is making good headway within its own borders.
"We've made important progress, but there is more to do," Social Development Minister Karina Gould told a voluntary review body in New York City on Wednesday.
Gould credited the Canada child benefit and daycare reform for helping drop poverty and narrow a gender gap in employment. She also highlighted measures to preserve areas with high biodiversity.
Yet a coalition of civil-society groups attending the review challenged Gould, telling the meeting that Canada lacks adequate data and consultation procedures to get a sense of how different groups are faring, particularly Indigenous Peoples and those with disabilities.
Chen spoke on behalf of non-governmental organizations, including several that attended the session, such as the Cooperation Council of Ontario and International Longevity Centre Canada.
The voluntary national review of Canada's efforts invited comments through an online process.
But Chen said that process only lasted 37 days and was not well-publicized. This created a "lack of accessible consultation designed to reach those furthest behind, especially people with multiple marginalized identities," she said.
"They have the lived experience needed to create holistic solutions and identify policy focuses."
Adam Houston, a humanitarian studies professor at Royal Roads University, said in an interview that Canada's tracking indicators show a regression in some areas, particularly around opioid usage and teens vaping.
"Health is really an area where Canada is not doing very well, in terms of meeting its own targets," Houston said.
Tuberculosis is on the rise in Canada, which Houston argued is the end result of insufficient housing and poor access to drugs deemed essential by the World Health Organization.
And Canada lacks sufficient data to assess its own goals on premature death rates and vaccine uptake.
"Often, the SDGs are framed … in this overseas aid and development context, and not so much as something that Canada actually needs to pay attention to itself," he said.
"It's really a sign that Canada needs to be paying attention at home as well. You'd think things like a pandemic would be a reminder that issues like health aren't things that are easily divided into domestic and global."
In New York City,Gould said she invites criticism from civil society and pledged to follow up with the groups.
"We have a very strong delegation from Canada," she said. "There are a lot of learnings from this (review) process."
Prior to Chen's comments, Gould offered that the government would "conduct our own review of the Canadian indicator framework and will draw on more data sources to reduce gaps in reporting on the SDGs."
Canada's auditor general includes an assessment of progress on the SDGs in recurring reviews of government programs.
Recent audits have found that Ottawa is not collecting certain data related to the goals. It is not counting the role of forests in its greenhouse gas tallies. Nor is it collecting detailed statistics on the rate of chronic homelessness in Canadian cities.
Heads of government are expected to gather at UN headquarters on Sept. 18 to take stock of the Sustainable Development Goals, which could include funding pledges from presidents and prime ministers for projects abroad and in their own countries.
United Nations agencies have said that countries were making momentum toward these goals before the COVID-19 pandemic. They were successfully lowering the death rate for newborns, pregnant women and people living in extreme poverty.
But the agencies and numerous charities are warning that because states have since diverted spending to respond to the pandemic, armed conflicts and a series of natural disasters linked to climate change, there have been fresh setbacks.
This spring, Canada joined many richer countries in cutting its foreign-aid budget.
The move has some charities warning they will be forced to shut down long-standing projects abroad, including ones that work towards development goals such as increasing the number of girls who attend school.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.
Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press
First white-tailed eagle in 240 years born in south of England BBC Wed, July 19, 2023
A white-tailed eagle has been born in the south of England for the first time in 240 years.
Conservationists said it was a "landmark" moment in the mission to return the lost species to the country.
It was the first successful breeding attempt released by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation's project.
The location of the nest has not been disclosed for the birds' welfare, in case they return to breed there again.
White-tailed eagles are Britain's largest birds of prey with a wingspan of up to 2.5m (8.2ft) and were once widespread across England.
Human persecution caused their extinction, with the last pair breeding in southern England in 1780.
A re-introduction project launched by Natural England in 2019 involves bringing young birds from the wild in Scotland over to the Isle of Wight.
Two of the birds released by the project in 2020, originally from the Outer Hebrides and north-west Sutherland, reared the male chick earlier this summer.
Foundation founder Roy Dennis said: "This is a very special moment for everyone who has worked on, supported and followed this ground-breaking project.
"Restoring a breeding population in southern England, where the species was once widespread, has been our ultimate goal. Many thought it was impossible.
"We still have a long way to go, but the feeling of seeing the first pair reach this stage is truly incredible."
The chick has been ringed and fitted with a satellite tag by licensed ornithologists from the foundation so the team can track its daily progress.
Steve Egerton-Read, from Forestry England, said it was an "incredible moment".
He explained: "It is evidence of just how well the eagles are starting to fit back into this landscape and how, with a little help, nature can begin to return and thrive.
"We are hopeful that one of the other pairs that has become established in southern England will choose to nest in a location that we can share with the public in future years."
Forestry England has confirmed plans to release more young white-tailed eagles later this summer from the project team's base on the Isle of Wight.
A vast problem: Coast guard floats a new solution to problem of abandoned boats
The Canadian government's inventory of wrecked, abandoned or hazardous boats includes a U.S. warship, a derelict floating McDonald's known as the McBarge, a human-smuggling ship and an old BC Ferries vessel rotting on the Fraser River.
But the most problematic aren't the well-known vessels with colourful histories — it's the fleet of mystery craft that have dogged the Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada for years.
The inventory has more than 1,700 entries, about 70 per cent of them in B.C., ranging from abandoned dinghies to yachts and fishing vessels. Many have opaque ownership, testing the skills of coast guard investigators. Some are of unknown origin. Others, said one wharf keeper, may have been abandoned by owners who took to the water during the "COVID era" but found themselves unable to keep up with expenses.
Now there's new impetus to putting owners' names to the vessels.
In late June, the coast guard imposed its first fine under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, a 2019 law that empowers authorities to penalize owners of boats that are hazardous to marine environments and public safety.
The owner of a wrecked cabin cruiser, the Akoo, which had washed ashore on Vancouver Island was fined $15,000 after being targeted by a coast guard compliance and enforcement program established in April, said Paul Barrett, the agency's superintendent of compliance and enforcement.
Barrett said the vessel was anchored in Cadboro Bay in Victoria before wind washed it ashore on a popular beach and owner Ryan Brackenbury failed to establish a salvage plan.
"We're less worried about eyesores. What we're worried about with this act in particular is hazards," Barrett said.
He said the Akoo had been a problem for months having drifted ashore, discharging pollution as its hull deteriorated.
Barrett said he didn't know Brackenbury's personal circumstances, but court records and social media posts show struggles with homelessness, keeping the Akoo afloat, and a history of run-ins with the law.
Brackenbury, 43, said in an interview that he believes his boat was deliberately cut loose, calling the fine a "vindictive" move by the coast guard that he plans to appeal.
"It's not even my boat, like it's not registered to me," he said. "They can't really prove that it's mine."
Brackenbury said he proposed a way of removing the Akoo from the beach, but the coast guard didn't accept his plan.
He said he's studying social work at Camosun College, living off disability payments and living aboard boats is his only option, because he is unable to afford a rental home.
"I've had my name on the BC Housing thing for a couple years now and I haven't had any luck," Brackenbury said. "So, you know, this (living on boats) is the best option."
Barrett said the challenge when they receive a report of an abandoned vessel is "just trying to determine ownership, which takes a fair amount of investigative skills."
Some vessels require registration, but records might not always reflect a current and accurate chain of ownership, while smaller boats that end up abandoned don't require registration.
"If a vessel's been left for a really long time, the registries might have lapsed and might not be valid anymore," Barrett said.
Some vessels on the inventory of wrecked and abandoned vessels have well-documented histories, including the MV Sun Sea, intercepted off Vancouver Island after smuggling 492 Sri Lankan migrants in 2010.
Also listed is the Brigadier General M.G. Zalinski, a U.S. warship that sank south of Prince Rupert in 1946 that prompted a multimillion-dollar cleanup effort when it began leaking oil a decade ago.
Then there's the Queen of Sidney, a former BC Ferries vessel sold off in 2002 that now sits abandoned on the Fraser River near Mission, east of Vancouver.
Transport Canada keeps a bulletin board of "vessels of concern," but the few entries on the list show the federal government is trying to find their owners before removing or disposing of the watercraft.
Nico Preston, a wharf keeper, or wharfinger, with the Capital Regional District on Mayne Island, said there are many reasons vessels end up abandoned.
"I imagine there are going to be a lot of abandoned boats from kind of the COVID era, where a lot of people got into boating and then had lost interest or became unable to keep up with the costs of keeping a boat on the water," Preston said. "Then there’s also limited moorage available. It's difficult to find a place to dock a boat that's protected. You know, there's only so many protected harbours in British Columbia."
He said the so-called live-aboard community, those who drop anchor in open waters near shorelines and live on their boats, gets unfairly blamed for problematic vessels. Many abandoned boats are unoccupied and may be from defunct fishing operations or owned by companies that have gone bankrupt, he said.
Preston said his views are "very nuanced" because he's known a wide range of people who "ply the seas."
"Some vessels that you think might be neglected are in fact cared for within someone's means, whereas the luxury yacht hasn't moved in five years, (that) kind of thing," he said.
John Roe, a longtime mariner in Victoria, started the Dead Boats Society after helping seize and dispose of "numerous" problematic vessels over the years.
He said many boats end up abandoned due to "urban pressures," with marina space in short supply.
"The prices have gone up exponentially. I can't afford to keep a boat in the marina myself, so none of my boats are in the water right now," he said. "There's no economical way to dispose of these things. There just isn't."
Roe said his work to clean up waterways that began in the late 1990s has been supported by heavy industry, and it's a positive step that the coast guard has tools to deal with hazardous boats tainting marine environments.
"We can govern what happens, both municipally and provincially, and federally what happens in our water," Roe said. "So, we just need to say, 'your rotten old boat's got to go.'"
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.
Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press
FIFA Women’s World Cup: Professional women athletes are still fighting for equitable sponsorship
Dawn Trussell, Professor of Sport Management & Chancellor's Chair for Research Excellence, Brock University
Laura Harris, Research Assistant, Sport, Allyship, and Inclusion Lab, Brock University Wed, July 19, 2023
THE CONVERSATION CANADA A United States women's national team member takes a shot during a FIFA Women's World Cup send-off soccer match in San Jose, Calif., on July 9, 2023. Sponsorship and marketing deals with women athletes are often performative and exploitative.
As part of our recent sport management research into this issue, we worked with current professional women soccer players from the United Kingdom (Women’s Championship and Women’s Super League) and the United States (National Women’s Soccer League) who had a sponsorship deal at one time in their careers.
Because our study was centred on storytelling as a form of research, we will share some excerpts from the soccer players we spoke to that highlight the inequities women continue to face in sport.
We also worked with average professional athletes, rather than the upmost elite who have multiple lucrative partnership deals. These average athletes still played in the world’s top leagues, but were not as widely recognized as the top players of their sports.
Olivia’s story of losing sponsorship
A goalkeeper picks up the ball before a FIFA Women’s World Cup send-off soccer match in San Jose, Calif., on July 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Josie Lepe)
Olivia is a professional footballer in her mid-twenties who competes in England’s tier one Women’s Super League. While she does not currently have a personal sponsor, she formerly had a partnership with a large shoe and athletic apparel brand that ended abruptly after she changed teams.
Right now, I currently don’t have a sponsor. In men’s soccer, players in the top three leagues will have [brand deals] whereas in women’s soccer it might only be the top players.
I’ve been fortunate because when I signed my first professional contract, I did gain a two-year deal with [a brand]. That being said, I remember trying to get shin pads for the season, and it took about three months just to get a pair.
On Instagram they were like “Olivia this, Olivia that,” but I’d wait a long time for the essentials. The next season I moved teams, and they pulled the sponsorship.
They said the team I was playing for wasn’t what they would class as “tier one” football, even though it was. They were a second-tier club in the men’s game, but the top in the women’s league. I wasn’t expecting it to end and it was brutal.
Olivia’s story reveals how the majority of professional women’s soccer players rarely receive sponsorship deals. Despite moving to a higher ranked women’s club, Olivia’s sponsorship criteria was based on the equivalent men’s team, which was a tier lower.
While the significant lack of media coverage afforded to women’s sports may not allow a breadth of professional athletes to be widely known, the women we interviewed believed men players at all levels received unquestioned sponsorship while they had to fight to be seen as valuable despite the surging profitability of women’s sports.
Morgan’s story of labour exploitation
One athlete had an unpaid sponsorship deal with a meal prep service.
(Shutterstock)
Morgan is a professional footballer in her early twenties who competes in England’s tier one Women’s Super League alongside her country’s national team. While she does not currently have a sponsor, she recently completed her first career sponsorship with a meal prep company.
Recently, I did have a food sponsorship deal, that meal prep stuff. It isn’t paid, but I just need to post twice a month when I receive the food and I get to keep all of my meals for free. I actually thought they would make me still pay, but instead they gave me a discount code to give out to other people.
Before I had a sponsorship deal, I thought you had to have a certain look. Like the perfect body. But that’s changed; it’s more how good you are at your actual sport and how active you are on social media.
So far, they’ve been happy with what I’m doing and repost what I do since it’s easier for them to not have to make their own content. At the moment, we have to really prove ourselves to get recognized. So, when we do get media opportunities, it’s something everyone jumps at, even if it’s a two-hour drive away.
Morgan’s story reflects a positive shift away from the over-sexualization of women athletes. Rather than being primarily valued for her physical appearance, Morgan’s athletic ability was recognized as being valuable on its own.
Corporate sponsors of women’s sports experience an increase in consumer intent to purchase their products or services around their supposedly equitable brands. But these sponsorship deals are not as equitable as they seem because the women athletes receive little to no financial compensation for their work. Current state of women’s sports marketing
Despite women’s sport traditionally receiving only one to two per cent of global sport sponsorship dollars, investment is exponentially increasing as media coverage begins to meet consumer demand.
However, while previous sport sponsorship literature has focused on men athletes and mutually beneficial partnerships, it is clear that the power imbalances in women’s sport sponsorship reflect a different exploitative reality.
The state of marketing and sponsorship in women’s sport is far from equitable — even though it may be portrayed as otherwise in media coverage. The women in our study discussed how male athletes receive substantial financial and brand-specific compensation for their sponsorship deals. In contrast, the women felt like they just had to be grateful for whatever they had been given.
While positive change has been seen, especially surrounding this year’s Women’s World Cup, there is still much work to be done by women’s soccer organizations and corporate sponsors to create a more equitable sporting future.
This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts.
Dawn Trussell receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Sport Canada.
Women's World Cup: Canadian interest higher than for men’s tournament, poll shows
Canadian women relaxed ahead of World Cup opener but still face some injury issue
MELBOURNE, Australia — Canada looked relaxed at training Wednesday ahead of its FIFA Women's World Cup opener against Nigeria, although several players appeared to be working at their own pace.
Midfielder Jessie Fleming was mostly a spectator in the portion of the morning practice open to the media at a local soccer club. And forwards Deanne Rose and Nichelle Prince, who are both returning from Achilles injuries, worked out on their own under the direction of a trainer.
"A few players are on their own individual plan," said Canada coach Bev Priestman, downplaying an injury question. "Today was a light day … You would have seen Deanne, Nichelle doing some specific work on their rehab. So yeah, I think Jessie should be fine."
One hopes so.
Fleming is one of Canada's most important cogs. The 25-year-old Chelsea midfielder, at her third World Cap with 115 caps and 19 goals on her Canada resume, makes things happen.
The seventh-ranked Canadians open play Thursday night (10:30 p.m. ET) against No. 40 Nigeria at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Injuries have dogged Canada in the lead-up to the tournament. The hope was that storyline was done.
Prince and Rose were in a race against time to recover in time for the tournament. While they made it, veteran midfielder Desiree Scott (186 caps) was not deemed healthy enough to make the roster. Defender Jade Rose, a rising star, also had to drop out of the pre-tournament camp due to injury while influential forward Janine Beckie was ruled out in March after having knee surgery.
The injuries have slowed Canada's momentum.
The Canadian women had won five straight going into their final match of 2022 when Prince was taken off in a stretcher in a 2-1 loss to Brazil in November in Sao Paulo.
"We've got a teammate out. We stick together … I need you to stick together" Priestman told her team in a post-match huddle after the Brazil game.
Canada has gone 3-1-0 this year, scoring just three goals. Three of those games were at the SheBelieves Cup in the U.S. in February when the players' focus was clouded by the ongoing labour dispute with Canada Soccer.
An interim deal covering compensation for the World Cup is near completion and the Canadian brain trust had hoped a lengthy pre-tournament camp in Australia would allow the team to find its feet again. Concern over Fleming and question-marks over how many minutes Prince and Rose have in them to start the tournament are not what the doctor ordered.
Despite that the mood was light at training.
The three goalkeepers were the first onto the field, busting some moves to Madonna's "Vogue" and S Club 7's "S Club Party."
"We're really excited to get going," said Kailen Sheridan, Canada's No. 1 goalkeeper. "We've been here for a couple of weeks. I think the anticipation is getting high … We've loved our time so far but there's nothing like playing a World Cup game."
Priestman was all smiles as she met the media.
"We're here and we're excited and we're ready to go," she said. "We've kept it fresh. I've talked a lot about being fresh and being fresh when it really matters later in the tournament. And everything we've done has been designed that way.
"So absolutely the fun you've seeing them have, I think this team is at its best when it's having fun."
Asked about the pressure of being Olympic champion going into the tournament, Priestman referenced a favourite metaphor.
"We talk about climbing a mountain. We're just taking one step at a time," she said. "I think we are very much focused on the process. We enjoy the process. And what we do know from the Olympics is you take one game and you grow from it and you get better and better and better.
"So for us, we're not getting too far ahead. We're not looking back too much. We're very much here and taking one step at a time. Pressure, it is new for this group? At the end of the day, I'm not sure the whole world sees us where we should be seen. And that's fine. In many ways it drives this team."
The climb has been a theme Priestman has turned to repeatedly since the Olympic triumph in Tokyo.
"You get to the top of a mountain, you look out, it's all great. But when you look back, actually it is the climb that is the most important thing. Since the minute Tokyo happened, we targeted little things to help us get better and better. And that very much will be the focus in this tournament.
" … We haven't played a lot of games recently. We're going to get better and better and better and learn from it (Game 1). So absolutely it is literally one step and one climb at a time."
The challenge of Canada's Group B schedule grows each game. After Nigeria, the Canadians face No. 22 Ireland and then No. 10 Australia.
The top two teams in the group advance with the pool winner likely avoiding a matchup with No. 4 England, the reigning European champion, in the round of 16.
Veteran midfielder Sophie Schmidt was a picture of calm Wednesday despite acknowledging the Canadian women "have always underperformed at the World Cup."
"We know what we're capable of. We know what our goals are. We're very clear on that. But we need to get the job done Day 1 to set ourselves up for success," she said. "So we're very focused on the Nigeria game."
The Nigerians have had their own pre-tournament issues, unhappy with the lack of support from their federation.
Nigeria has won 11 of the 15 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since its inception in 1991. The Super Falcons won the first seven tournaments did not drop a point until the fourth edition in 2000 and didn't lose their first game until 2002.
But Nigeria finished fourth at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, losing to eventual runner-up Morocco in a penalty shootout in the semifinal and 1-0 to Zambia in the third-place game. The top four teams qualified for the World Cup.
With every other edition of the tournament serving as a World Cup qualifier, Nigeria has qualified for all nine editions of the soccer showcase. The Super Falcons have made the knockout round just twice, however, losing to Brazil in the 1999 quarterfinals in 1999 and Germany in the round of 16 in 2019.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Christine Sinclair, still hungry and motivated to lead Canada to World Cup glory
Christine Sinclair says she plays her best soccer when she is having fun.
Watch out world. The Canadian captain is healthy and happy going into her sixth World Cup.
"Honestly as of right now, my mindset is just to enjoy it," Sinclair said of the expanded 32-team tournament in Australia and New Zealand. "I'm a perfectionist and I always put so much pressure and stress upon myself that my goal is enjoy this World Cup. My family's coming down … It's the first time they really travelled to watch me play.
"I just want to create amazing memories. And then on the pitch, it's our first time entering the tournament as (Olympic) champions. So we've got a target on our back and we want to prove to the world that what we did in Tokyo wasn't a one-time thing."
At the age of 40, Sinclair continues to be a talismanic figure on the Canadian women's team. Her role may have changed on the pitch — she often plays a more withdrawn role as an attacking midfielder rather than leading the attack and 90 minutes per game is no longer automatic — but she continues to lead and connect her teammates on and off the field.
"She's working really hard," said Canada coach Bev Priestman. "I went to see her in Portland (where she plays for the NWSL Thorns) a couple of months ago, met with her. The look in her eyes, the hunger, she's doing extra work. She's hungry. And a hungry Christine is not someone you want to mess with. She's been getting way more flow and minutes at Portland. I think when you get to that point in your career and that's not there, that was difficult for her last year. But I think she's seems a lot more positive, a lot more in her flow. And I think Christine in her flow is the best you can get.
"All the interactions I've had with her — (she's) positive and excited, ready to lead this group and bring her experience. So yeah, I'm really happy with where she's at."
Seventh-ranked Canada opens the tournament Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET) against No. 40 Nigeria in Melbourne, continuing Group B play against No. 22 Ireland in Perth on July 26 and No. 10 Australia back in Melbourne on July 31.
Sinclair's positivity comes despite a rocky lead-up to the tournament with both Canadian national teams embroiled in a labour dispute with Canada Soccer. As one of the women's player representatives, Sinclair has been front and centre in recent months.
The players are fighting for the next generation as well as themselves.
"If we want to remain relevant, yeah, some things are going to have to change," Sinclair said by way of summary.
The Canadian women, already a tight-knit group before the dispute, have presented a unified front in their battle for equity and the support they need to succeed.
"I think what it's done is reinforce how close we are," Sinclair said of the off-field fight. "I told the team that there's no other group of players I'd rather go to battle with, on or off the pitch."
Sinclair, the world's all-time leading goal-scorer with 190 in 323 senior appearances, is a down-to-earth humble sort who does not seek the spotlight. But her humility and values are at the root of the Canadian team character.
Sinclair and other veterans have made the Canadian team a welcoming environment and home to all.
"As Canadians we're always known to very humble, very welcoming, very kind. And that's no different at the (national team) level," said defender Vanessa Gilles. "Whether you come in for the first time and have veterans like Christine Sinclair, Desiree Scott — all these players who have been there for years, who have been at the top of their game for years — welcome you in and treat you like an equal is incredible.
"And that's the culture that's been developed and definitely worked on … over many many years with the vets having done the foundational work to get us where we are now. But we definitely have a culture and an environment that's conducive to team chemistry, to winning, to be honest with each other. Which not many national teams can be."
Defender Shelina Zadorsky, a veteran of 89 caps, calls Sinclair "a hero to so many Canadians, not just her teammates."
"Her humility has inspired me so much to be a better player, be a better leader and person," Zadorsky added.
After the isolation of the Tokyo Olympics, Sinclair is looking forward to seeing family at the tournament. Her brother, his wife and their two children will be there for the group stage.
But the native of Burnaby, B.C., will be missing two key teammates with influential winger Janine Beckie (101 caps and 36 goals) recovering from knee surgery and veteran defensive midfielder Desiree Scott (186 caps) unable to recover from her own surgery in time for the tournament.
Beckie's absence has been known for a while but Scott made the pre-tournament camp in Australia in an ultimately failed bid to prove her fitness.
"It's tough to see one of your best friends go through what she's having to go through right now," Sinclair said of Scott.
Sinclair has been a constant, making her senior debut at 16 in March 2000 and scoring her first goal two days later in her second outing.
The goals come more rarely these days. Sinclair has not scored in her last 12 internationals and has five goals in her last 33 appearances since breaking Abby Wambach's record of 184 goals with a two-goal performance in an 11-0 thrashing of St. Kitts and Nevis in January 2020 in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier in Edinburg, Texas.
But she continues to lead by example and to provide for others on the pitch.
Priestman credits her captain for her attitude and work ethic, saying she did "brilliantly" in pre-tournament fitness testing.
"What stands out to me now is the level of hunger still," said Priestman. "To be at this many World Cups, Olympic Games … She eventually got that gold medal around her neck but she's not finished. She knows the one thing that this country hasn't done yet is go win a World Cup.
"And I think when you've got that hunger, desire and just work ethic in your captain, any player who puts on the (national team) jersey is really thankful to play alongside Christine."
She also credits Sinclair for continuing to evolve.
"She makes critical passes, is critical to this team," said Priestman. "But what I do know is this team is no longer just about Christine Sinclair. I think we've got the depth across the forward line, the midfield line, to not rely on anyone for every single minute across the tournament and I think that's what you'll see (at the tournament).
"But I think she's critical to this team's success."
Sinclair has shown she still has a nose for the goal with Portland.
She has three goals and an assist in 12 outings with the Thorns this season, showing a deft touch in June when she scored against the Chicago Red Stars, shifting the ball from one foot to another to make room for a shot before hammering the ball past the 'keeper.
Sinclair has yet to confirm her post-World Cup plans with Canada. But important matches lie ahead, starting with a two-match Olympic qualifier against No. 43 Jamaica in September.
The Paris Games are just a year away.
"It's incredible," former Canada teammate Diana Matheson said of Sinclair's ability to keep competing at an elite level. "I think it's maybe one of the understated or undervalued aspects of what an incredible athlete she is. Obviously she's the GOAT because she's the best goal-scorer in the world, period. That's one of the many things that differentiates her.
"But I think the longevity that she's had, the ability to put attention on what she needs to put attention on off the field to keep herself healthy year after year and game after game … has been key to her success. There's very few players who have been able to play as long as Sinc does at the level she's been able to do. That's just more firmly cementing her as the GOAT every year that goes by, I think."
Sinclair credits her strive for perfection as the major reason she has had the career that she's had.
"I'm the type of person that's never satisfied always thinks there's room for improvement, whether it's individually, collectively as a team," she said. "That drives me on a day-to-day basis, whether it's early days in pre-season in Portland or getting ready for a World Cup here in Australia, I have the same mindset. And that's to improve, try and find that one or two per cent that can make a difference when it matters most."
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
Recent resignations suggest industry has too much sway with Health Canada: NDP The Canadian Press Wed, July 19, 2023
OTTAWA — The resignation of a scientific adviser from the federal pesticide regulator is yet another example of industry having too much influence at Health Canada, the NDP's health critic is alleging.
Dr. Bruce Lanphear, a health-sciences professor at Simon Fraser University, stepped down as co-chair of the department's scientific advisory committee on pest control products late last month.
He cited concerns over the role the pesticide industry plays in the regulatory process, pointing to a tendency to favour industry-provided data over broader, independent studies.
NDP heath critic Don Davies said the issues Lanphear raised in his resignation letter are alarming and dangerous.
Davies noted that in February a board member and the executive director of Canada's drug-price regulator also resigned, alleging that industry pressure stalled reforms to lower the cost of patented medicines.
He said in a statement that Lanphear's decision to leave is "yet another high-profile resignation" due to the "over-influence" of industry representation.
"This resignation is yet another example of a Liberal government that chooses to place the profits of industry ahead of the interests and safety of Canadians."
The office of Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos did not comment on what Davies had to say.
The scientific advisory committee on pest control was launched in July 2022 as part of a reform effort to improve transparency at the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, which is an arm of Health Canada.
The committee gives Health Canada independent scientific advice on the health and environmental risks of pesticides and evaluates new products. It has so far met five times.
"There's no question historically and today that industry has too much influence over policy decisions around pesticides and toxic chemicals," Lanphear said in an interview Wednesday.
The problem is systemic, he said, and has to do with the way drugs, pesticides and other chemicals are approved.
When a new product is ready to come on the market, the manufacturers' studies are used to deem the chemical safe or not. Studies that prove products are unsafe for humans can take many years, Lanphear said.
"What we've really done is we've set up a system that basically says, 'Until proven otherwise, industry can use these chemicals in commerce.'"
That means millions of people are being exposed in a "massive experiment for which nobody's given consent," he said.
He also took issue with the agency allowing pesticide manufacturers to sit on a separate advisory council.
"It seems to me that no public health agency that purports to protect consumers — whether it's from pesticides, toxic chemicals, unsafe food, drugs — should have anybody with a financial conflict of interest on their advisory board or committee," he said.
In the case of the resignations from the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, its members had been in the process of consulting on the finer points of new rules that would effectively lower the cost of drugs in Canada.
The reforms were shelved after a pharmaceutical industry group requested further consultations and Duclos wrote to the board's acting chair to suggest the process be paused to give drug companies, patient groups, provincial ministers and himself more time to understand the changes.
Board member Matthew Herder resigned, and later told the House of Commons health committee that the independence of the board had been undermined.
"The line between consultation and conflicts of interest has become completely blurred under the industry's influence," Herder told the committee in May.
"Unless we start taking conflicts of interest far more seriously, meaningful pricing reform will be impossible."
Duclos has said repeatedly that he did not put undue pressure on the board.
When it comes to the pesticide agency, Health Canada has said the Pest Management Regulatory Agency takes advice from the science advisory committee, academic experts, pesticide manufacturers, growers and environmental and health groups.
All decisions are ultimately made by the agency alone.
The scientific advisory committee was initially set up to answer the regulatory agency's questions, but Lanphear and other members argued that the scientists should be able to explore their own questions about pesticide regulation as well.
Lanphear had pushed to study a high-profile failure of the regulatory process involving the 1970 approval of the controversial insecticide chlorpyrifos, which is now being phased out in Canada. He said his repeated request was denied.
He didn't blame the staff, he said, but systemic constraints within the agency.
"It worried me and I think that's perhaps one of the overriding concerns about industry influence," he said.
"If a pesticide regulatory agency is constrained from talking about some of the most controversial pesticides that we now know are toxic, like chlorpyrifos, how can … we really expect them to protect us?" he said.
The committee wasn't exactly denied, Lanphear's fellow co-chair, Valérie Langlois, said Wednesday, but rather was told to start with a simpler pesticide example.
"Hopefully, in the next year, we'll be able to tackle the more sensitive one," said Langlois, an ecotoxicogenomics professor at L'Institut national de la recherche scientifique.
When the committee of independent scientists meets, pesticide manufacturers often attend, she said, but don't interfere with their work.
Still, she does share some of Lanphear's concerns about the role of the pesticide industry on the regulatory process.
"I personally think that when there's new molecules, these compounds should be given out to independent researchers so there's balanced study design ... and also output coming from different parties," she said.
A new co-chair was appointed to the scientific advisory board to replace Lanphear on Tuesday.
Health Canada said in a statement that the agency would take the "change in leadership" as an opportunity to review the committee's terms of reference.
"This process will continue in order to ensure that (the agency) is obtaining scientific advice on questions that are most important to both the committee members and the regulator."
The agency is working to strengthen the oversight and protection of human health and the environment when it comes to pesticides, the department said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023.
Laura Osman, The Canadian Press
Canada's green subsidies a 'bankable gap' weaker than U.S.: report
It'll be difficult for Ottawa to systematically attract investment in key low-carbon technologies
Jeff Lagerquist Wed, July 19, 2023 A new report warns Canada will continue to rely on bespoke deals like the package offered to Volkswagen to set up a battery facility in Ontario to make up for government incentive gaps with the U.S.
From producing hydrogen, to mining and refining ingredients for batteries, Canada's incentives for low-carbon industries lag those in the United States despite attempts to level the playing field in the last federal budget.
That's the thrust of a report from Clean Prosperity and The Transition Accelerator published on Tuesday. Based on an analysis of 10 low-carbon technologies in both countries, the think tanks highlight multiple gaps in Canada for "bankable" funding, the type which companies rely upon to greenlight investments. Those funds do not include less certain revenue, like Canadian carbon-credit sales or grant programs.
"This bankable gap will make it difficult for Canada to systematically attract investment in key low-carbon technologies," the report's authors wrote. "Instead, Canada will have to continue to rely on bespoke discretionary deals to make up for this incentive gap, such as the package offered to Volkswagen to set up a battery manufacturing facility in Ontario."
The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed into law by President Joe Biden last year put Canada and other major economies on notice to respond. The legislation includes US$369 billion in public funding for energy security and climate change over the next decade. Canada's federal budget sets out $83 billion for clean technology tax credits through to the 2034-35 fiscal year.
The competing incentives recently sparked tense negotiations between Ottawa, Ontario's government, Volkswagen, and Stellantis over separate deals to locate two massive battery plants in Canada's most populous province.
The report identifies gaps that could threaten Canada's goal of becoming a major destination for electric vehicle manufacturing. For example, the authors found Ottawa's planned 30-per-cent investment tax credit should make Canada competitive with U.S. subsidies for lithium mines. But it falls more than one-third short of what the U.S. is offering for nickel mines, and represents only a fraction of U.S. backing for graphite mines.
Canada's hydrogen ambitions are threatened as well, according to Clean Prosperity and The Transition Accelerator. The report found a blue hydrogen project in Edmonton would be leaving almost $500 million per year on the table by locating in Alberta, versus in the south of the border. Comparing hypothetical green hydrogen plants in Quebec and New York, the report found the Canadian investment tax credit would provide less than one-tenth the bankable funding available in the U.S.
To narrow the bankable gap, Clean Prosperity and The Transition Accelerator suggest using carbon contracts for difference (CCfDs) to provide certainty around carbon credits that are generated under industrial carbon pricing systems. The think tanks also advise "sector-specific strategies for high-priority opportunity areas such as battery materials, clean hydrogen, and sustainable aviation fuels."
Israeli doctors hold 'warning strike,' caution that judicial overhaul threatens health care system
JERUSALEM (AP) — Doctors in Israel held a two-hour strike Wednesday to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the country's judiciary.
The doctors say the plan will endanger public health by granting Netanyahu and his allies greater control over the country's health care system.
Wearing scrubs and holding signs saying, “We are the wall shielding democracy,” doctors gathered outside Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv. Medical leaders warned they will take more severe measures if Netanyahu's government — the most right-wing in Israel’s 75-year history — moves forward with a bill to limit the judiciary's oversight powers which could become law as soon as next week.
In a letter to Netanyahu on Tuesday, Dr. Zion Hagay, chairman of Israel's Medical Association, said the bill would lessen the judiciary's ability to strike down inappropriate appointments to the health care system.
“As someone who once served as health minister, you are undoubtedly aware of the extensive professional powers held by the politicians within the health care system," he wrote in the letter. "These powers include the appointment of district psychiatrists, district doctors, and various other positions, as well as the authority to make significant decisions regarding infectious diseases, epidemics, clinic and hospital closures, service privatization, and more.”
The plan has triggered months of mass protests, including one on Tuesday, and warnings from key sectors of society, including business leaders and military reservists, that it will damage the country.
The doctors’ strike Wednesday was the first by a workers’ organization since Netanyahu announced last month that the overhaul would move forward.
Weekly mass protests against the plan — including a strike by the country’s national labor union — led Netanyahu to suspend the overhaul in March, but he revived the plan last month after compromise talks with the political opposition collapsed.
Emergency rooms were still open on Wednesday and oncology and fertility treatments remained available, said Dr. Hagai Levine, chairman of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians.
The Israel Medical Association will meet tomorrow to decide on further measures, Levine said.
“If the government continues with the legislation, then the Israel Medical Association will take more severe steps, meaning a more severe strike,” he said.
The overhaul consists of a series of measures that Netanyahu and his allies say are needed to rein in the powers of an unelected judiciary that they believe is overly interventionist in government decisions.
But protesters representing a wide cross section of Israeli society say the plan is a power grab by Netanyahu and his ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox allies that will destroy the country’s fragile system of checks and balances.
