Surge in pet surrenders straining Alberta's shelter capacity

"Responsible pet ownership is the No. 1 thing that will get rescues out of this situation,

People need to be prepared so that they can care for their animal for a lifetime."

CBC
Tue, August 15, 2023 

A kitten squeals for attention at the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society. Staff at the facility are fielding 10 requests per day from owners wanting to surrender their pets. 

(Emily Fitzpatrick/CBC - image credit)

An unprecedented surge in the number of cats and dogs being surrendered by their owners is creating a capacity crisis at pet rescue facilities across Alberta.

The increase in unwanted pets is putting a strain on shelters, taking a toll on rescue workers and escalating fears that unwanted animals may face neglect.

People on the front lines caution that with capacity strained, some owners are abandoning their pets instead of finding shelters that can take them.

The crisis is unfolding in communities across the province as shelters contend with chronic overcrowding. The trend began as COVID restrictions eased and has continued to escalate alongside the cost of living.

Erin Deems, executive director at Saving Grace Animal Rescue Society in Alix, 55 kilometres northeast of Red Deer, said with so many animals being given up, there is no longer space to house them all.

'Desperate measures'

"We are over capacity on any given day," she said. "And unfortunately, people are just taking desperate measures now by literally dumping them on our doorstep."

Shelter officials say several factors are driving the trend, which has been seen across Canada. Animal adoptions spiked during the peak of COVID-19 but as restrictions eased, the trend reversed.

Many people who adopted pets while they were isolated under restrictions no longer have time to care for the animals. Backyard breeding operations that proliferated during the pandemic are now clogging the shelter system with unwanted litters.

Amid soaring inflation, the problem has only grown worse. Some people can no longer afford their pets or find pet-friendly homes within budget.

Deems said Saving Grace is struggling to keep up with demand for its services. More than 80 animals are currently in its shelter, and another 200 are in foster homes.

Staff are fielding up to 15 calls a day from people asking to surrender their animals. Most are being turned away.

"We're doing a triage system," Deems said. "But we can't take in anything that's not in a dire situation because we don't have the means to care for them. There's just no space."

Staff are attempting to prioritize the most vulnerable animals but each new case pushes the society further past capacity and puts more pressure on its limited budget, Deems said.

Edmonton-based Infinite Woofs Animal Rescue stopped accepting surrenders from the public about a year ago due to capacity constraints.

Treasurer Lori White said the rescue gets about 30 calls each day from people looking to surrender their pets.

Infinite Woofs recently took in the sole surviving kitten from a litter of five that had been thrown into a ditch along a highway.

Rescue workers say similar reports are on the rise.

"How does a person get to a point where their only action is to throw a bunch of helpless kittens out of a car?" White asked.

"Did they try to go to rescues? Did they try to get them surrendered somewhere else and were turned away again and again? It's very difficult.

"It's a vicious cycle we're living in right now."

Amanda Annetts, a program co-ordinator with Edmonton-based Second Chance Animal Rescue Society, said staff are now fielding, on average, 10 requests per day for pet surrenders — a 300 per cent increase from pre-pandemic levels.

"There's people who call us and are begging us and crying. But the space is just not there.

"We try to say 'yes' as much as we possibly can … And when we say 'no,' we don't know where those animals go. It's really awful."

The society has more than 500 animals in care at its shelter facility in Morinville, more than double its regular capacity and the most the agency has ever housed.

"The Alberta crisis is so bad right now that every rescue is pleading for help and there's no end in sight," Annetts said.

"Even if you increase adoptions, even you get more donations, you're still going to have the issue of these strays coming in."

Rescue workers say increased enforcement against backyard breeders and better access to affordable veterinary services — particularly subsidized spay and neuter programs — would help alleviate the pressure.

Annetts said a lack of education is also driving the trend. Too often, pets are seen as disposable.

"Responsible pet ownership is the No. 1 thing that will get rescues out of this situation," she said.

"People need to be prepared so that they can care for their animal for a lifetime."

As people fled the fires, pets did too. Some emerged with marks of escape, but many remain lost

MAUI, BUT IT COULD BE ANY WILDFIRE

OR NATURAL DISASTER

Tue, August 15, 2023 



PUUNENE, Hawaii (AP) — A dog with hind legs bandaged tightly from paw to hip whimpered in pain through a plastic medical cone, chest rising and falling quickly in shallow breaths.

The animal is one of the pets and people bearing marks of their escape from the smoke and flames of Maui wildfires that claimed more than 90 lives and decimated a historic town.

“We have seen animals come through our shelter that have severe, severe burns," said Katie Shannon, director of marketing and communications at Maui Humane Society. “We have seen dogs that have essentially had their paws all the way burnt down to the bone from running from the fire.”

The deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than 100 years has left hundreds of dogs, cats and other pets lost, injured or dead. An estimated 3,000 animals from Lahaina remain missing, according to the Maui Humane Society, which is now trying to reunite pets with owners and treat the many animals that arrived at clinics wrapped in blankets covering wounds.

"We have had chickens, love birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, dogs, cats,” Shannon said. “We even have a pig here.”

Fueled by dry grass and propelled by strong winds from a passing hurricane, the fires raced as fast as a mile (1.6 kilometers) every minute in one area, forcing people to scramble and flee in harrowing escapes they later relayed to family members who waited in agony to learn of their fate.

The stories of the animals, though, were told by the damage on their bodies.

A cat arrived with singed fur and spots of leg burns. A chicken needed both scorched claws wrapped with thick, blue medical tape.

A clinic worker used surgical tweezers to delicately remove debris from a dog's paws while another technician cradled the head, rubbed the neck with gentle thumb strokes and spoke calmly into the animal's ear.

They were the lucky ones. On a Maui street, a dog’s charred body was found.

As the smoke clears and officials survey the scope of loss and destruction, animal welfare advocates are working with the Maui Police Department to enter the burn area in search of lost, injured or deceased animals.

“As those areas continue to widen," said Lisa Labrecque, CEO of the Maui Humane Society, at a Monday news conference, “we will be able to expand our scope of services.”

Dozens of feeding stations stocked with food and water have been set to draw scared animals out of hiding so they can be tracked and transported to a shelter, where veterinary staffers treat both burn injuries and smoke inhalation cases.

Found animals are checked for identification and scanned for a microchip so owners may be contacted. The Maui Humane Society has asked that deceased animals not be moved or destroyed so they can be cataloged and checked for identification.

"But this is only the beginning," Shannon said. "People need to understand that we are in the midst of this. And, you know, there is a harsh reality to come."

Ed Komenda And Haven Daley, The Associated Press

Hawaiian Electric Extends Record Slump With Another 20% Drop

Mark Chediak
Tue, August 15, 2023




(Bloomberg) -- Hawaiian Electric Industries, which supplies roughly 95% of the state’s residents with power, traces its roots back to 1891, just a decade after King Kalakaua met Thomas Edison to see the incandescent light bulb. Now, the utility is facing what’s shaping up to be the biggest-ever test over its future.

Relentless selling on Monday wiped more than a $1 billion from the company’s value as the stock plunged by a third in its biggest loss on record. Shares extended the freefall on Tuesday, shedding about 20%, after Hawaiian Electric was cut to junk by S&P Global Ratings.

Investors are dumping holdings amid increasing scrutiny over power equipment as the possible source of the deadly Maui wildfire.

Analysts are starting to raise questions over whether Hawaiian Electric, one of the smallest publicly traded US utilities, will be able to withstand the pressure if it does end up being at fault.

To be clear: no official cause of the fire, which has become the deadliest in the US in more than a century, has been identified. And it could be weeks — even months — before any investigation is finalized.

Still, lawsuits have already been filed against Hawaiian Electric amid reports of downed power lines that were knocked over by strong winds in the lead up to the blazes.

Damages from the tragedy have so far reached more than $5.5 billion, according to federal estimates, an amount that dwarfs Hawaiian Electric’s market capitalization of about $2.4 billion as of Monday’s close.

“Given the size of the company, I don’t know how they would be able to account for this if they are found negligent or imprudent,” said Shahriar Pourreza, a utility analyst for Guggenheim Securities. “It’s hard to see the company emerging from this tragedy in its current form.”

Honolulu-based Hawaiian Electric, which operates the Maui Electric utility, declined to comment on its stock price drop and the potential for legal liability. The utility said it’s focused on restoration efforts, damage assessment and local community support.

“At this early stage, the causes haven’t been determined,” the company said in a statement. “We will work closely with state and county as they conduct their review.”

Lawsuits on behalf of victims were filed that allege the company’s Maui utility was negligently responsible for the wildfire that leveled the historic town of Lahaina.

If the utility is held liable in a worst-case scenario, it may be forced to restructure in a bankruptcy, or it could be taken over in a government bailout, Pourreza said. In the near term, Hawaiian Electric could face a liquidity crunch with banks hesitating to loan the company money needed to fund its operations given the potential liability risk, he said.

“If you are a lender to the company, I think you’re going to take a step back and say: I’m going to wait to see how things play out,” he said.

On Monday, Guggenheim cut its price target for Hawaiian Electric from $32 apiece to $18, warning it could go lower. The shares closed down 34% at $21.46 the same day.

Read More: In Search for Hawaii Fires Cause, Lawyers Probe Power Lines

The company has come under criticism for not turning off power despite warnings of critical fire conditions due to predicted dry, gale-force winds. The utility has said that preemptive short-term shutoffs have to be coordinated with first responders, and in Lahaina, electricity powers the pumps that provide the water needed for firefighting.

There’s precedent for large wildfire liabilities pushing a utility into a crisis and bankruptcy.

PG&E Corp., California’s largest utility, was forced to reorganize in 2019 after its wind-damaged equipment sparked some of the most destructive wildfires in state history resulting in estimated claims of more than $30 billion. The company was threatened with a state takeover, but ultimately reached a Chapter 11 settlement with California that resulted in closer regulatory oversight of its operations and the payment of billions of dollars of claims to fire victims.

If there is a link to power lines, Hawaiian Electric will have to be shown to be negligent or that it could have reasonably prevented a loss, a higher legal standard than the one applied to utilities in California, according to analysts.

“If there was negligence, I would expect all options, including bankruptcy for Maui Electric, to be on the table,” said Jay Rhame, chief executive officer of utility investor Reaves Asset Management. Reaves doesn’t hold shares of Hawaiian Electric in its portfolio, Rhame said.

The company’s insurance coverage is likely under $1 billion, Wells Fargo utility analyst Jonathan Reeder said in a note Monday. It’s unclear if the parent company could “ring-fence” potential liabilities within its Maui Electric subsidiary, according to the note.

Meanwhile, traditional utility investors will likely stay away from the company’s stock, said Andy Bischof, a utility analyst for Morningstar.

“This is something that is going to play out for some time,” Bischof said. “For a utility investor, it’s probably not a risk profile they would be willing to accept.”

©2023 Bloomberg L.P.

Wildfire now 20km from Yellowknife, risk 'has risen' over last day

CBC
Tue, August 15, 2023 

Smoky conditions in Yellowknife on Sunday.

 As of Tuesday morning, the Behchoko-Yellowknife fire was about 20 kilometres from the capital with 'significant fire behaviour' expected through the day.

 (Luke Carroll/CBC - image credit)

A wildfire burning northwest of Yellowknife is now about 20 kilometres from the city, officials said on Tuesday morning. That means it's moved about 10 kilometres closer to the capital since a day earlier.

"The fire is not expected to reach Yellowknife in the coming days, however, risk to the city and Ndilǫ has risen since yesterday," reads an update from N.W.T. Fire at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Firefighters were also expecting "significant fire behaviour" on Tuesday, with winds out of the north and northwest expected to push the fire further south and east. Smoke and falling ash was likely in Yellowknife, Ndilǫ and Dettah on Tuesday, the update reads.

Weather conditions could become more favourable on Wednesday, officials say. There's a chance of showers forecast then, and more showers expected on Thursday. Winds are also expected to shift on Thursday, "which should slow progression towards Yellowknife."

The Behchoko-Yellowknife fire was 136,109 hectares as of Tuesday morning. After the fire breached control lines to the southwest toward Boundary Creek, N.W.T. Fire said Monday morning the breach was "significant" and their top priority was to contain it.

On Monday, the City of Yellowknife declared a local state of emergency. City staff said the declaration would allow the city to use local contractors to help protect the city by helping build fire breaks.

The city is not under an evacuation alert or order.

Meantime, an evacuation order issued earlier for property owners along the Ingraham Trail east of Yellowknife has now been downgraded to an evacuation alert. Officials said they had seen "less progression than was possible" on the 40,723-hectare fire.

The evacuation alert covers the area including north Propserous Lake, north Prelude Lake and all of River Lake. Officials said downgrading the evacuation order "for now" will allow property owner to return and run their sprinklers. They advised, however, that things may change quickly.

City of Yellowknife declares state of local emergency due to wildfires

The Canadian Press
Mon, August 14, 2023



YELLOWKNIFE — Hundreds of northerners were being airlifted from at least three communities in the face of wind-whipped wildfires as the Canadian Forces arrived in the Northwest Territories and ashes rained down on its capital city, where a state of local emergency has been declared.

"Over the past 24 hours or so there has been an airlift like this territory has never seen," N.W.T. fire information officer Mike Westwick said Monday.

"Planes flying out of Hay River, planes flying out of Fort Smith, planes flying out of Jean Marie River.

"The highways are compromised. It's a very serious situation."

Jane Groenewegen was helping a friend leave the hamlet of Enterprise just south of Hay River on Sunday evening when RCMP officers knocked on the door.

"They said, 'No, you have to evacuate immediately.' It was probably only 30 to 45 minutes after that when basically the entire town of Enterprise burned down," she said in a phone interview.

Groenewegen and her friend drove south to High Level, Alta., where Groenewegen owns a ranch.

"We got into a situation of thick, black smoke," she said. "It turned from daylight to pitch black with orange reflections on both sides of the highway. I had to hold a cloth over my face just to breathe."

RCMP reported at least 12 abandoned and damaged vehicles between Hay River and Enterprise.

"Reports of poor visibility due to heavy smoke on the roadway have been received and it is likely that this contributed to the vehicle collisions and vehicles becoming immobilized after leaving the roadway," said Cpl. Matt Halstead in a release.

"The officers stopped and checked each vehicle, and there was no indication that anyone was trapped or left behind. The risk of fire in this area prevented the officers from conducting further investigation."

On Monday morning, about 20 fellow evacuees were staying on Groenewegen's ranch, camping in tents or trailers. With fire damage to cell towers and fibre optic lines, it wasn't until mid-Monday morning that she spoke with her husband and learned he was safe.

No injuries have been reported and no one is believed missing.

Firefighters were in tough conditions battling against flames driven by winds gusting 60 to 70 kilometres an hour in some areas, said Westwick.

On Sunday, those winds pushed the flames through a firebreak and within 30 kilometres of the territorial capital of Yellowknife. The city is not considered threatened, but residents have been told to prepare to leave.

"The city is very smoky," Westwick said. "Yesterday, we saw dark clouds of smoke envelope the city. We saw falling ash. We do expect that to continue."

The city declared a state of local emergency during an emergency council meeting on Monday evening, saying in a tweet it will ensure the community "can exercise precautionary practices and acquire the equipment and resources needed to keep Yellowknife safe."

It said that could include taking over the use of vehicles or property to respond to the emergency, causing an evacuation for all or a portion of the community, or authorizing qualified people to provide services or aid in emergency responses.

Evacuations were ordered for areas north of Yellowknife and along Highway 3, which heads west.

On Sunday, winds drove the Kakisa fire within 25 kilometres of Hay River. Local officials reported all long-term care residents and hospital patients were transported to Yellowknife, and 215 people were flown to Grande Prairie, Alta.

Enterprise suffered significant damage. Damage was also reported on Northwestel fibre lines as well as some electrical lines.

"Communications have been challenged in a big way," said Westwick.

Firefighters were arriving from other jurisdictions, and four helicopters and water bombers were en route.

Meanwhile, members of the Canadian Forces have been deployed to help deal with the wildfires.

A National Defence spokeswoman said a reconnaissance team was on the ground in the community along the south shore of Great Slave Lake. She did not say how big the team was, nor what equipment or capabilities they were bringing with them.

By Tuesday, 124 soldiers are expected to be mobilized to the area. About 100 are to be engaged in mop-up and patrol operations when wildfires have been contained, with the remainder co-ordinating logistics. In the air, the Forces are to contribute a helicopter and a Twin Otter airplane.

The military deployment is set to last until Aug. 29.

"The mobilization of the Canadian Armed Forces will ease the stress on the territory’s resources and allow the (territory) to continue to provide essential services to evacuees during this unprecedented wildfire season," N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane said in a press release.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2023.

— By Bob Weber in Edmonton with files from Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg

Canada sees its first 40°C reading this year as a prolonged heat wave hits B.C.

Warmest days of the year on tap for British Columbia

Likely going to be through the Lytton, Lillooet or Osoyoos

Digital Writers
Tue, August 15, 2023

Canada sees its first 40°C reading this year as a prolonged heat wave hits B.C.

The country's streak of temperatures staying below the 40-degree mark has finally ended.

A formidable ridge over Western Canada has allowed the B.C. community of Lytton to achieve the country's first 40°C reading in 2023, reaching a high of 41.5°C on Monday.

RELATED: Why extreme heat is one of the world’s deadliest weather disasters
Tuesday

On Monday, we had our first 40°C reading in Canada this year in Lytton, where the temperature hit a sizzling 41.5°C. The previous record was held by Etzicom, Alta., where the mercury reached 39.8°C, which Lytton tied on Sunday.

Temperatures were 8-10 degrees cooler near the coast, but it was still feeling quite muggy with some excess Pacific moisture lingering around. Widespread heat warnings remain in effect.

image2

This setup is a tradeoff between simmering mugginess and searing heat. Folks along the immediate coast will have cooler temperatures but higher humidity, while communities farther inland will see hotter but less-muggy conditions.

Temperatures will be similar on Tuesday to the conditions faced Monday, making for uncomfortable, and even dangerous heat for some. If you’re inclined to get some relief, head down to the beaches to get a cooler breeze.

DON'T MISS: Canada’s historic wildfire season only halfway done: A checkpoint

Baron - BC temps - Aug15
Stay safe in the heat

Hot temperatures are the most dangerous weather you’re likely to face during the summer months. It’s a silent hazard that can sneak up on even the fittest individuals.

RELATED: How hot is too hot for the human body?

Heat Stroke and Exhaustion Symptoms

Use caution if you have to spend extended periods of time outdoors during the day. Stay aware of the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, staying hydrated and taking frequent cooling breaks to prevent illness. Humidity will make it harder for the body to cool off during the heat of the day, and the muggy air will subdue any relief overnight.
WATCH: How extreme heat affects our body's ability to cool down

Click here to view the video
Cooling long-range pattern

Temperatures will gradually cool a bit throughout the course of the week as a stronger onshore flow develops and the ridge flattens a bit. By this weekend, temperatures will be back closer to seasonal, with more cloud-cover and the return of some showers possible for the second half of August.

image5

Thumbnail courtesy of Getty Images.

'This isn't normal,' NASA says in announcing July as hottest month on record

Sheri Walsh
Mon, August 14, 2023 

July was the hottest month on record in 143 years, as Americans felt "the effects of the climate crisis," scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York (pictured) announced Monday. 

File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Aug. 14 (UPI) -- July was the hottest month on record in 143 years, as Americans felt "the effects of the climate crisis," scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York announced Monday.

According to NASA, July 2023 was on average 0.43 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than any other July on record. It was also 2.1 degrees warmer than the average July between 1951 and 1980, according to GISS which defines "normal" temperatures as lasting several decades, typically 30 years. The five hottest Julys since 1880 have all occurred in the past five years, NASA says.

"This July was not just warmer than any previous July -- it was the warmest month in our record, which goes back to 1880," NASA's GISS Director Gavin Schmidt said.

"The science is clear this isn't normal. Alarming warming around the world is driven primarily by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. And that rise in average temperature is fueling dangerous extreme heat that people are experiencing here at home and worldwide," Schmidt added.

Some parts of the world were hotter than others and experienced temperatures around 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit above average. Tens of millions of people in parts of North America, South America, North Africa and the Antarctic Peninsula spent July under heat warnings, as hundreds suffered heat-related illnesses and deaths.

Global temperature anomalies for July 2023 according to the GISTEMP analysis by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. According to NASA, July was on average 0.43 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than any other July on record. 

Image courtesy of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies

"Climate change is impacting people and ecosystems around the world, and we expect many of these impacts to escalate with continued warming," said Katherine Calvin, chief scientist and senior climate advisor at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Last week, the European Union's climate monitor also called July 2023 the hottest month around the globe with 29 of the warmest days ever recorded.

Copernicus, which tracks worldwide climate data for the EU, said daily surface air temperatures have risen drastically since 1940 with 2023 being the hottest summer on record.

NASA blames high sea surface temperatures and El Niño in the eastern tropical Pacific for contributing to July's record heat. NASA expects to see the biggest impacts of El Niño -- which can cause severe storms in some areas and drought in others -- in February, March and April of 2024.

"Since day one, President Biden has treated the climate crisis as the existential threat of our time," said Ali Zaidi, White House National Climate Advisor. "Against the backdrop of record high temperatures, wildfires and floods, NASA's analysis puts into context the urgency of President Biden's unprecedented climate leadership."

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson agreed, in a post on X.

"NASA data confirms what billions around the world literally felt: temperatures in July 2023 made it the hottest month on record. In every corner of the country, Americans are right now experiencing firsthand the effects of the climate crisis, underscoring the urgency of President Biden's historic climate agenda," Nelson said.

"The science is clear. We must act now to protect our communities and planet; it's the only one we have."

Northern Alberta town still looking for government funding for evacuation centre

CBC
Tue, August 15, 2023

The Town of High Level welcomed evacuees from Fox Lake on May 4. Mayor Crystal McAteer said a multipurpose evacuation centre could replace the aging arena and better serve evacuees from northern Alberta and Northwest Territories. 

(Luke Ettinger/CBC - image credit)

A northern Alberta town that has supported thousands of evacuees continues to push for funding for a special facility to help those who are fleeing their homes due to wildfires and floods.

The Town of High Level has hosted thousands of evacuees in recent years, including many during Alberta's record-breaking wildfire season this year. The town is currently housing wildfire evacuees from Hay River, N.W.T.

The town would like to build a multipurpose evacuation centre designed to help with emergency response. The project in partnership with Dene Tha' First Nation is expected to cost around $90 million.

"We designed the facility with all the amenities that are not in other evacuation centres," High Level Mayor Crystal McAteer said.

McAteer said the facility design includes medical rooms, storage for goods, a place for pets and cultural spaces for evacuees. She said it would also replace the aging arena and serve as a recreation space for area schools.

"We've been applying for grants and thus far have not been successful in either lobbying the federal government or the provincial government. They believe that the cost is too high for a community of 4,000 people," McAteer said.

McAteer says that the town, 733 kilometres north of Edmonton, is a hub for the region and serves a population of 30,000.

Funding requests

Mackenzie Blyth, a spokesperson for municipal affairs, said the province is aware of a $35 million funding request, but added the town has not formally applied for any provincial funding. Blyth said the town could apply through through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative and the Canada Community Building Fund.

McAteer said the planned facility was also not a successful applicant to the federal Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program. A request by CBC News to Infrastructure Canada asking why the town was not successful was not answered.

McAteer said the town may have to shift strategies to get funding for the project.

"Maybe we build it in such a manner that it can be added to as more funding becomes available, sort of like Lego blocks."

Premier Danielle Smith toured northwest Alberta last week. She met with McAteer and Dene Tha' Chief Wilfred Hooka-Nooza separately, and both local leaders said they discussed ways to improve fire response.

Dene Tha' partnership

Kenneth Beaulieu, a Dene Tha' member, was one of 960 people who fled their community due to the fire spreading near Chateh. He said slept in a tent in nearby Bushe River because it offered more privacy than the evacuation centre at the High Level arena.

"When am I going to go home? "That's all I thought about when I was out there," Beaulieu said.

Kenneth Beaulieu, left, and his girlfriend Lucinda Meneen are camping in tents around Bushe River after a wildfire forced an evacuation of Chateh.

Kenneth Beaulieu, left, and his girlfriend Lucinda Meneen are camping in tents around Bushe River after a wildfire forced an evacuation of Chateh. (Rob Krbavac/CBC)

During the height of the wildfire season this summer, a temporary evacuation camp was set up for Dene Tha' First Nation in High Level. The camp is still there though not as busy as it once was.

"We only have a few people in there because most of the people went home and for now we just have it available in case another emergency happens," said Hooka-Nooza

Hooka-Nooza said Dene Tha' First Nation is still calculating the cost of the evacuation in 2023. Although not final, the figure is approaching $17 million he told CBC News.

"It's quite a substantial amount," Hooka-Nooza said.

"Looking at the history of what's happening in this region, particularly with our nation, we have been evacuated a number of times."

Residents in Chateh and High Level were evacuated in 2019 due to the Chuckegg Creek fire. Last year, Chateh was also evacuated due to flooding.

Hooka-Nooza said there are additional challenges to emergency management when evacuees are spread out between communities. He said the centre could help evacuees from across northern Alberta and into the Northwest Territories.

"The purpose of this is not to just service our region," Hooka-Nooza said.

CANADA

BRINGING ON AUSTERITY
Treasury Board demands cabinet ministers cut spending by $15 billion in new Oct. 2 deadline
By Quinn Patrick
-August 15, 2023




In an effort to save just over $15 billion in federal spending, newly appointed Treasury Board President Anita Anand has given cabinet ministers until Oct. 2 to make cuts to current spending plans.

Anand wrote a letter to federal cabinet ministers, many of who were assigned new portfolios in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent cabinet shuffle, telling them to make the cuts necessary to meet the Liberal’s 2023 budget promises.

“I am seeking your support to develop proposals to achieve these targets,” wrote Anand. “In particular, organizations should review their programming to identify where there might be duplication, programs with lower value for money, or programs that do not address top priorities of the government.”

In March of this year, the Liberals announced a budget goal of saving $7.1 billion over the next 5 years by cutting spending on things like consulting, travel and professional services by 15%.

The letter also included a 3% cut in spending from departments and agencies by 2026-27, the cut estimates a savings of $7 billion over the next 4 years. The planned cuts are hoping to see combined savings of $1.3 billion from Crown corporations.

Once the proposals are submitted, they will be reviewed by public servants from the Treasury Board.

Of the estimated $15.4 billion in savings, only $500 million will be saved this fiscal year, indicated the budget letter. Details regarding the $500 million are expected to be included in future Parliament spending reports and more details about the 5 year plan will be presented in 2024 budget reports.

The 2023 budget said its goal is not to reduce overall annual spending in Ottawa but rather to return the amount, “back to a pre-pandemic path.”

In the 2022-23 fiscal year, total government expenses were $470.4 billion and that number is estimated to climb to $555.7 billion by the 2027-28 fiscal year.

Outside of the historical spending made in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Liberal government’s current annual spending remains higher than what they had projected it to be prior to the pandemic occurring. In 2019, the budget was estimated to be a total of $402.2 billion for the year of 2023-24 however this year the budget was projected to be $490.5 billion.

In her fall 2022 economic statement, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland had said that the books would return to balance by 2027-28 with a surplus of $4.5 billion dollars. The latest projections however are not congruent with Freelands 2022 economic statement. The federal deficit currently sits at $40.1 billion and is expected to decline to $14 billion by 2027-28.

The new budget letter by Anand doesn’t have outright plans to cut jobs in the government sector however, it will involve some redeployment and could potentially result in some job losses.

THE SAME OLD BS
“This is about smarter, not smaller, government,” said Monica Granados, a spokesperson for Anand.


RIGHT WING THINK TANK OFFSHOOT OF THE FRASER INSTITUTE
A recent Ipsos poll by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) found that most Canadians believe that the Trudeau’s government is spending too much, resulting in too high of taxes.

HOW WAS THE Q? ASKED

“Not only do Canadians find that the Trudeau government spends too much, but they also find that it spends unwisely,” said Renaud Brossard, senior director of communications for MEI.

“This seems to indicate a disconnect between the Department of Finance and the people whose money is entrusted in its care.”

55% of people respondents in the nationwide poll said that they believe Ottawa is overspending.

“The message Canadians are sending Ottawa is unequivocal,” said Brossard. “They are asking Ottawa to cut its spending, review its priorities, and reduce their tax burden.”

CATHOLIC NATION

Quebecers no longer seeing doctor-assisted deaths as exceptional, says oversight body

The Canadian Press
Tue, August 15, 2023 



MONTREAL — As the frequency of medical aid in dying continues to rise in Quebec, the head of the independent body that monitors the practice in the province says he worries doctor-assisted deaths are no longer being seen as a last resort.

Quebecers have stopped appreciating MAID as an exceptional procedure for people with incurable illnesses whose suffering is unbearable, Dr. Michel Bureau said in a recent interview.

"We're now no longer dealing with an exceptional treatment, but a treatment that is very frequent," said Bureau, head of Commission sur les soins de fin de vie, which reports to the legislature.

Quebec is on track to finish the year with seven per cent of all deaths recorded as doctor-assisted, Bureau said. "That's more than anywhere else in the world: 4.5 times more than Switzerland, three times more than Belgium, more than the Netherlands. It's two times more than Ontario."

Earlier this month, Bureau's commission sent a memo to doctors reminding them that only patients who have a serious and incurable disease, who are suffering and who have experienced irreversible decline in their condition can receive MAID. The memo reminded doctors that the procedure must be independently approved by two physicians, and that doctors shouldn't "shop" for a favourable second opinion.

"We see, more and more, that the cases receiving medical aid in dying are approaching the limits of the law," Bureau said. "It's no longer just terminal cancer, there are all kinds of illnesses – and that's very good, but it requires a lot of rigour from doctors to ensure they stay within the limits of the law."

Bureau said he's witnessed a slight increase in the number of cases that violate Quebec's end-of-life legislation.

In the commission's last annual report, which covered a period between spring 2021 and spring 2022, it said 15 out of 3,663 doctor-assisted deaths in Quebec didn't respect the law. The problematic cases involved one instance in which MAID was administered to someone who had an expired provincial health insurance card. In six cases, patients were not admissible for the procedure; in three other cases, patients were unable to consent.

Those 15 cases were reported to Quebec's college of physicians – Collège des médecins du Québec. In an email, the college said that none of the 15 cases were referred to its internal disciplinary tribunal. Spokeswoman Leslie Labranche said the self-regulatory organization doesn't have data about whether other disciplinary measures may have been taken against doctors who allegedly violated MAID rules.

The college declined to comment on the commission's memo.

Bureau said he worries doctors are being put in difficult situations by elderly patients who are ready to die but whose health problems aren't serious enough for them to qualify for MAID.

"Medical aid in dying is not there to replace natural death," he said.

Bureau said he hasn't heard of a single case in Quebec in which MAID was recommended by a doctor instead of a patient.

According to Health Canada's most recent annual report on MAID, published in July 2022, doctor-assisted deaths accounted for 3.3 per cent of deaths in Canada in 2021. In Quebec, which had the highest number of MAID deaths in the country, the number was 4.7 per cent of deaths that year, second only to B.C., where MAID accounted for 4.8 per cent of deaths.

Those numbers have continued to rise. In 2022, MAID represented 6.1 per cent of deaths in Quebec, according to the province's statistics institute. And in B.C., MAID deaths accounted for 5.5 per cent of deaths in 2022, according to the province's Health Department; as of June 30, MAID deaths represented 6.2. per cent of deaths in that province.

Bureau said he's not sure why Quebec has a higher rate of MAID than other parts of Canada, adding that he believes the province's framework for MAID is stricter than elsewhere in the country, and better monitored.

But even though there are tight rules around the procedure, MAID is deeply integrated into Quebec's health-care system, allowing patients to receive a doctor-assisted death from a physician that is already caring for them.

"It's very easy to go from palliative care to medical aid in dying," he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2023.

Jacob Serebrin, The Canadian Press

ONTARIO

Holland defends absence from Pride events

Local Journalism Initiative
Tue, August 15, 2023

Thunder Bay–Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland is pushing back against criticism over his absence from recent Pride events in his riding, specifically rejecting a claim that he ignored requests to meet with a local LGBTQ+ organization.

"I support all people in my riding, regardless of life choices, race, religion," he said in an interview. "I represent all people equally and I don't differentiate between any groups."

Scotia Kauppi, chair of the Thunder Pride Association, raised concerns last week over Holland's engagement during a virtual presser featuring LGBTQ+ organizations across the province hosted by the Ontario NDP.

Kauppi said the Progressive Conservative MPP has "ghosted" requests for meetings, while noting his absence from flag raisings and other Pride events in June.

The MPP pushed back, saying “I have never been contacted by [anyone with] Thunder Pride by email, phone or text to attend a single event. I had four other commitments that day.”

The Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay, another local LGBTQ+ advocacy group that co-organized June's Pride events, has also questioned Holland's lack of participation.

The group put out a statement in June saying the MPP had been "noticeably absent" from Pride month events at a time of escalating hate against the LGBTQ+ community.

Holland said he had missed the Pride street festival, one of the month's central events, on June 17 only because he was attending the eighth annual Thunder Bay Mining Days at the marina, and noted he had sent a representative to the Pride event on his behalf.

“Mining days is very important to the [Thunder Bay–Atikokan] riding and all people in our riding," he said, adding he had attended Pride events in 2022.

Holland was elected in June 2022 in a riding that was held by the Liberals from its creation in 1999 until 2018.

He said he feels he's been unfairly grilled on his lack of attendance at community events, suggesting other elected officials in the region don’t face the same type of scrutiny.

Holland said his record in office thus far speaks for itself.

"I have been out in the community and I've met with all organizations, because I've never turned down a request to meet," he said. "I am more than happy to meet with the Pride group here in Thunder Bay. All they have to do is reach out to me."

Kevin Jeffrey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TBnewswatch.com

TRANSITION = CO$T$ OIL = PROFIT
Suncor has been too focused on energy transition, must get back to fundamentals: CEO

CBC
Tue, August 15, 2023 

Rich Kruger is the chief executive of Suncor Energy. He had retired from the same position with Imperial Oil in 2019. (Kyle Bakx/CBC - image credit)

The man hired to turn around the flagging fortunes of Suncor Energy Inc. said Tuesday he believes the company has been too focused in recent years on the energy transition and must get back to an oil-centred business strategy.

CEO Rich Kruger, who took the reins at the Calgary-based energy giant this spring, told analysts on a conference call that the company's board of directors agrees with him that a "revised direction and tone" at the company is necessary.

He said he believes Suncor must not neglect "the business drivers of today" in favour of future-focused, clean and low-carbon energy pursuits.

"We have a bit of a disproportionate emphasis on the longer-term energy transition," Kruger said, adding that while lower emissions energy is important, it is not what is going to make money for shareholders today.

"Today, we win by creating value through our large integrated asset base underpinned by oilsands."

Kruger, the former CEO of ExxonMobil's Canadian subsidiary Imperial Oil Ltd., was lured out of retirement this year to lead a restructuring at Suncor in the wake of a spate of high-profile operational and financial challenges at the company.

His stated goal to refocus Suncor's efforts on its oilsands assets comes even as the company has publicly committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

'Squeezing every last drop of oil out of the ground'

USING CARBON CAPTURE TO FRACK OLD WELLS 

His comments also come at the tail end of a summer in which global temperatures have soared to never-before-seen heights and wildfires exacerbated by climate change have wreaked devastation across the planet.

"It's good to hear a fossil fuel CEO being honest about their intentions — squeezing every last drop of oil out of the ground, even if it means cooking our climate and harming communities in the process," said Greenpeace Canada climate campaign head Laura Ullman.

But she added Kruger appears to be blindly doubling down on business as usual in the face of an increasingly urgent need to rapidly transition to renewable energy.

"It's hard to understand how anyone who has seen the absolute devastation of this summer's fires, floods and (oilsands) leaks could continue pushing for the expansion of fossil fuels," Ullman said in an email.

'Absolutely focusing on their short-term balance sheet'

Suncor is not alone in its strategy, said Duncan Kenyon, director of corporate engagement with shareholder advocacy group Investors for Paris Compliance. Ever since crude prices spiked in the aftermath of last year's Russian invasion of Ukraine, he added, energy companies have been laser-focused on maximizing profits from oil.

European energy giant Shell, for example, angered climate activists earlier this year by effectively abandoning its plan to cut oil production by 1 to 2 per cent per year until the end of the decade.

British energy giant BP has also scaled back its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in the wake of last year's record profits from oil, while ExxonMobil's CEO has boasted of "leaning in" to the petroleum products that are in demand today.

"(Suncor's move) is really consistent with where almost every major oil company globally is going," Kenyon said.

"They are all absolutely focusing on their short-term balance sheet performance."

Wind and solar assets sold off

Last year, Suncor sold off its wind and solar power assets, getting out of the renewable energy business it had been involved in for more than two decades.

Instead, the company said at the time, it would focus on advancing the development of low-carbon fuels (including sustainable jet fuel) as well as the commercial-scale deployment of carbon capture technology.

The company also increased its presence in Canada's oilsands this year, acquiring 100 per cent ownership of the Fort Hills oilsands mine in northern Alberta by buying out previous partners Teck Resources and TotalEnergies.

Suncor is a member of the Pathways Alliance, a consortium of Canadian oilsands companies that have all committed to net-zero by 2050 and have proposed working together to construct a massive carbon capture and storage transportation hub in northern Alberta to help reduce emissions from oilsands production.

Kruger said Tuesday the company remains committed to Pathways, adding the group is hoping to finalize talks with the federal and Alberta governments about a fiscal framework for carbon capture projects as early as this fall.

However, Kenyon said he thinks Suncor's focus on oil ignores the "demand erosion" risk the company faces as the pace of electric vehicle adoption picks up and buyers seek out lower-cost, lower-emission barrels in the future.

"They're trying to cash in, in the short-term," he said. "But I don't see any acknowledgment of the risk of doubling down on 'business as usual.' "

Job cuts

WHILE ABANDONING ORDERS TO IMPROVE HEALTH & SAFETY

On Tuesday's conference call, Kruger said investors can expect to hear more on Suncor's new direction in the months to come. But he said already in the second quarter, the company has made "material progress" towards its new goal of focusing on the fundamentals.

In June, Suncor announced it would reduce its employee head count by 20 per cent, or 1,500 people, by the end of the year in order to eliminate unnecessary or "unaffordable" work.

As of Aug. 1, 535 of these job reductions have already occurred, Kruger said, resulting in a cost reduction of about $125 million so far.

"These actions, they aren't easy, and they certainly aren't taken lightly, but they are necessary for our competitiveness," he said.

$1.9B earned in Q2

Suncor said Tuesday it earned $1.88 billion in the second quarter of 2023, down from approximately $4 billion in the same period last year when oil prices were higher.

The Calgary-based energy giant says it took a $275-million restructuring charge in the quarter related to the previously announced job cut plans.

As a result of this restructuring charge, Suncor said its adjusted funds from operations for the three months ended June 30, 2023, amounted to $2.7 billion or $2.03 per share, compared to $5.3 billion or $3.80 per share in the prior year's quarter.

The company suffered a high-profile cybersecurity incident in June but said the breach did not have an effect on its financial results for the quarter.