Summer 2020 Newstand Price $4.95 Summer 2020 Sentinel Summer 2020 Vol. 30 No. 3 Features

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18 ©Illustration compiled by Sarah James Sarah by compiled ©Illustration ©wJacek Dylag

Poison Pipes COVID-19 and the Environment ’s legacy of old, deteriorating Add one tiny deadly virus to one massive, globalized, unequal, extractive economy; asbestos cement water mains has been mix well on a limited and stressed planet. This section delves into disaster capitalism, getting shoved under the rug for decades. the future of fossil fuels, globalization, farm survival – and the possibilities of change.

Content 3,5 News Shorts 10 Dicamba 34 Rats & Mice Pellets, pipelines, divestment, US courts de-register a Rodent lessons on shareholder power, & more... massively damaging pesticide overpopulation and social breakdown 6 Fracking & Dams 11 Ancient Trees Union of BC Indian Chiefs calls Recent logging in BC shows 36 Wild Times for a moratorium protection is becoming urgent Will BC release the Old Growth Strategic Review findings 7 Teztan Biny 29 Silver Linings anytime soon? Taseko’s zombie mine is finally, From elder pirate radio to officially, legally dead Europe’s green recovery plan Cover Credit: 8 Firestarter 32 Planet of Yahoos ©Illustration compiled by Sarah James Powell River startup is a social Film review: is looking at plan- & environmental win-win etary limits... off limits?

Printed on Rolland EnviroPrint, 100% post-consumer Process Chlorine Free recycled fibre, FSC, Ecologo and PCF certified. watershedsentinel.ca | 1 Editorial Sentinel Delores Broten Publisher Watershed Sentinel Educational Society Editor Delores Broten Managing Editor Claire Gilmore Graphic Design Ester Strijbos The Light of Change Staff Reporter Gavin MacRae Renewals & Circulation Manager Dawn Christian We could see it on the horizon. It’s been coming up for a while now and suddenly we Advertising Sally Gellard are launched into a new era, birthed by a toxic mix of endless racism, ruthless greed, and disregard for the limits of nature. We have many dreams and fears, but no real idea Special thanks to Sarah James, Valerie Sherriff, about where this journey is going to take us all. Jason Motz, Maggie Paquet, TJ Watts, Kathy Smail, Norberto Rodriguez de la Vega, Sally Gellard, the writers, advertisers, distributors, and all who send Clearly, the overwhelming multi-racial, multi-generational participation in the massive information. global protests against systemic racism and police brutality would indicate that this is Deep thanks to our Board of Directors: Alice Grange, a turning point in human history. Or in plainer words, folks have been paying attention Norberto Rodriguez de la Vega, Susan Yates, Lannie and they are fed up. Keller, Sally Gellard, Rob Powell and Carly Palmer. Published five times per year. It is a make-or-break moment, with the power-holders’ contempt for natural limits, the Subscriptions: Canada $25 one year, $40 two years; US $35 per year, law, and human rights rampant in many countries. Murders of land defenders are on Electronic only $15 a year the rise, journalists are increasingly being beaten and sometimes killed, and the police Distribution by subscription, and to Friends of Cortes everywhere look like an invading army from Star Wars. Island. Free at Island and Vancouver area libraries, and by sponsorship in BC colleges, universi- At the same moment in time, Spain has instituted a universal basic income, Indigenous ties, and eco-organizations. Peoples are persevering through the Canadian courts in their ongoing fight for land Disclaimer: Opinions published are not necessarily those and justice, the Maoris and others have gained legal rights for rivers, and we are all of the publisher, editor or other staff and volunteers of the magazine. learning. Even during the massive disruption of a global pandemic, no one has stopped this critical work.

Member Magazines BC and Magazines Canada I have spent a lot of time studying the rise of fascism in Europe and the rest of the ISSN 1188-360X world, and recent trends have been worrisome. Now however, I think maybe, just Publication Mail Canada Post Agreement maybe and just in time, we have the light of change on the horizon. PM 40012720 —Delores Broten, Comox, BC, June 2020

Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Watershed Sentinel Box 1270, Comox, BC, Canada V9M 7Z8 At the ’Shed 250-339-6117 Diversity. The Watershed Sentinel is looking to expand the diversity of its stories and [email protected] its writers. Send us your story ideas and help us share them with our readers. Indige- www.watershedsentinel.ca nous viewpoints, immigrant viewpoints, northern perspectives & more – we want to We acknowledge the financial support of the hear from a broader range of voices. Email pitches to [email protected]. Government of Canada. All Fracked Up! This fall, all going according to plan, Watershed Sentinel Books will have brought out its fifth title, All Fracked Up. It is a collection of articles and viewpoints on the impact of fracking in BC and we are honoured by the participation of the authors. When you want your message to reach Proofers Needed. It’s a dirty job, tedious and intensely detailed, but someone has to thousands of concerned and active do it. We are looking to add to our volunteer crew of heroic proof readers. We post the readers, please contact us for our ad rate proofs as pdfs, and send you a link, and you send us back your treasure trove of glitches sheet: 250-339-6117 or and typos. To volunteer, send us an mail! ([email protected]) [email protected] Summer Break. We will be closing the office for three or four weeks this summer, but www.watershedsentinel.ca we’ll still be here for virtual conversations, subscriptions, and tracking down postal issues. As the editor’s geek hobby for the hot summer days, we hope to have a new Next Issue Ad and Copy Deadline: efficient shopping cart on our website. You will be able to use it to order books or sub- August 11, 2020 scriptions, and of course, make those critical donations. Stay well, be kind. 2 | watershedsentinel.ca International News

Corporate COVID “compensation” Historic dry spell shaping up in US SLAPP suits backfire on logging giant Just? Just Nasty Megadrought Not So Resolute? Countries could soon face a “wave” Driven partly by , a Logging giant Resolute Forest Prod- of ISDS lawsuits from multinational “megadrought” (intense drought lasting ucts, which has waged multiple law- corporations claiming compensation for decades or longer) appears to be emerging suits against Greenpeace offices and measures introduced to protect people in the western US, a study recently pub- staff members since 2013, has been- or from COVID-19 and its economic fallout, lished in Science suggests. Present-day dered to reimburse defendants a total of according to a new report co-published observations and tree-ring records of about $816,000 USD to cover the costs by the Transnational Institute (TNI) and past droughts indicate the current nearly of dismissed legal claims. The lawsuits Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO). 20-year drought in the western US could are clear examples of Strategic Lawsuits become the worst seen in 1,200 years. Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) The research draws on corporate law Researchers said about half of the his- launched not to win in court, but to intim- firms’ legal briefings, client alerts and toric drought can be attributed to climate idate defendants into silence and exhaust webinars, and outlines a list of what it change, with impacts that include shrink- their finances, Greenpeace said. The calls “ten particularly heinous litigation ing reservoirs and worsening wildfires. award is one of the highest ever under scenarios developed by some of the bus- —www.usatoday.com California’s anti-SLAPP statute. iest law firms.” Measures that could face April 16, 2020 —Greenpeace press release challenges include state acquisition of April 23, 2020 private hospitals; steps to ensure drugs, tests, and vaccines are affordable; and relief on rent, debt, and utility payments. Female leadership boosts resilience —www.opendemocracy.net Cooking with gas a health risk May 19, 2020 Practical Policy Dirty Fuel The coronavirus crisis seems to con- firm what policy analysts have argued Gas stoves can elevate indoor air pol- Swedes’ pilot proves it’s possible for some time: female leadership may be lution to levels that would be illegal out- more engaged on issues of social equal- side, according to a report by the Rocky H2 Steelmaking ity, sustainability, and innovation, mak- Mountain Institute and other environ- ing societies more resilient to external mental groups. Based on a review of two Swedish steel maker Ovako has used shocks. Current data shows that countries decades of research, the report found gas hydrogen to power commercial steel pro- with women in a leadership position have stoves emit nitrogen dioxide that dramat- duction for the first time. The company suffered six times fewer confirmed deaths ically increases the risk of asthma in kids, said the pilot project shows hydrogen can from COVID-19, and were more rapid worsens chronic obstructive pulmonary be used with no effect on steel quality, and effective at flattening the curve than disease, and may be linked to heart prob- and proves emissions from steel rolling countries with governments led by men. lems, diabetes, and cancer. Gas stoves can be eliminated with financial support also expose households to the risk of and infrastructure in place. Nearly all A look at most female-led governments’ carbon monoxide poisoning and particle

H2 is derived from fossil fuels, and steel approach to the crisis reveals similar pol- pollution. Regulators have done little to makers are reluctant to attempt the switch icies that may have made a difference address the issue, the report said, and the to costly and limited renewable-derived vis-à-vis their male counterparts: they best solution is to switch to an electric

H2 without subsidy support. The steel in- did not underestimate the risks, focused stove. dustry generates 7-9% of direct emissions on preventative measures, and prioritized —www.theguardian.com from the global use of fossil fuel. long-term social well being over short- May 5, 2020 —www.rechargenews.com term economic considerations. April 28, 2020 —www.theguardian.com May 5, 2020

watershedsentinel.ca | 3 Letters

Ditch yesterday’s logic: The outcome of these funds fund restoration jobs in central BC is a “blown for unemployed for- out” landscape, a failed for- estry workers est economy, accompanied by large negative cumula- In early April, Trudeau tive effects. If BC wants to announced an oil industry reboot the economy, furnish subsidy, hoping public- jobs and help the environ- ly-funded bailouts with ment, there are a few ways public shaming would forestry can feed our fami- nudge cleanup of envi- lies. Offer the 6,000 jobless ronmental messes and alternative forestry jobs abandoned wells. This similar to the Civilian Con- government/industry/envi- servation Corps: ronment triumvirate may be what we need for post- • Erosion control: check COVID recovery. dams, terracing, culvert up- Three circles enclosed within one another show how grades. Legacy road deacti- Then Horgan’s NDP/ both economy and society are subsets of our planetary vation, reseeding Greens announced BC’s ecological system. This view is useful for correcting the • Flood control: drainage, misconception that portions of social and economic COVID Economic Recov- dams, ditching systems can exist independently from the environment. ery Task Force. Conspic- • Landscape: recreational uously absent were any en- campground development By Iacchus, Sunray - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0. vironmental organizations Based on “Sustainable development” diagram • : habitat res- knowledgeable in biodi- at Cornell Sustainability Campus toration, food and cover versity and climate change. planting, stream improve- The Swedes, who integrate ment, fish stocking the environment with the economy, know that “photosynthesis • Forest protection: fire prevention, firefighting pays the bills.” • Range: Barbed wire removal, some estimate this “stranded asset” at 50,000 kms On April 30, the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Re- • Forest culture: planting shrubs, timber stand improvement, source Operations Rural Development announced the BC gov- seed collection, nursery work, thinning ernment will defer the stumpage fees (rent) it charges, “to help industrial forest companies navigate through the crisis.” This is Many people would argue that viruses worldwide are telling us exactly what industry has been pushing for long before COVID, to reduce deforestation, not increase it. Why not subsidize to- citing “weak markets, high operating costs, wild fires, and pine day’s jobless with environmental work that does not remove old beetle” as reasons for laying off employees. It is disingenuous of growth, community watershed, or caribou habitat trees, yet still government to connect this subsidy to the virus. boosts the economy? I agree with the late Peter Drucker that “the greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence The last time the forestry industry told us they were in crisis, the itself, it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” 2003 outbreak of the mountain pine beetle, federal and BC tax- —Taryn Skalbania, payers provided $1.3 billion in emergency funds to the industry. co-founder, Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance, Peachland BC

The Watershed Sentinel welcomes letters but reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, legality, and taste. Anonymous letters will not be published. Send your musings and your missives to: Watershed Sentinel, Box 1270, Comox BC, V9M 7Z8 [email protected] or online at www.watershedsentinel.ca 4 | watershedsentinel.ca Canadian News

$500M for Coastal GasLink BC rainforests feed pellet industry Wealth fund shuns Calgary Co’s Pipe Loan Up In Smoke Blacklisted Export Development Canada (EDC), Whole trees from BC’s rare inland The controller of Norway’s $1T sov- the federal government’s export cred- rainforest are being used to produce ereign wealth fund, Norges Bank Invest- it agency, says it will lend up to $500M wood pellets to heat homes in Europe ment Management, has announced it will to build the Coastal GasLink pipeline. and elsewhere, an investigation by Stand. stop investing in Calgary-based oilsands According to Calgary-based TC Energy, earth alleges. Using photos and satellite producers Canadian Natural Resources, the builder of the 670-km pipeline, the imagery of trucks, rail cars and log piles, Cenovus Energy, Suncor Energy, and $250M to $500M loan is part of a deal the investigation found BC’s two largest Imperial Oil because greenhouse gas that includes a “syndicate of banks” that pellet producers are relying increasingly emissions caused by the companies are will fund most of the $6.6B cost of con- on mature trees, instead of sawmill waste. unacceptable. It also excluded three other struction. Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief BC’s wood pellet industry has grown dra- non-Canadian companies, two over envi- Na’Moks called the loan tantamount to matically over the last decade, aided by ronmental concerns and one for human public financing for the project, while tens of millions of dollars in provincial rights reasons. Prime Minister Trudeau environmental advocates said the EDC and federal subsidies. International cli- said the decision is part of an ongoing loan is yet another example of the agen- mate agreements classify energy shift in global investment attitudes that cy’s ongoing support for the fossil fuel as carbon neutral, even if wood pellets oil companies will have to adjust to. industry. are made with waste from logging prima- —www.cbc.ca —www.thestar.com ry forests. May 13, 2020 May 4, 2020 —www.thenarwhal.ca April 23, 20200

On-reserve facility one step closer The moving target BC can’t hit Oilsands profits gush out of country Care for Grassy Emissions Slip Wealth Transfer Grassy Narrows First Nation has moved New data from Canada’s National In- closer to its goal of building a care home ventory Report shows that BC is mov- An investigative report by Stand. on reserve for those sickened by industri- ing backwards on efforts to reduce earth, Environmental Defence and Équit- al mercury poisoning. A new agreement greenhouse gases, with emissions rising erre finds that 70% of Canada’s oil sands commits Ottawa to spend $19.5 million 3.5% between 2017 and 2018. In 2007 production is owned by foreign investors to build the home, which will offer pallia- the province announced the goal of re- and shareholders. Rising profit rates for tive care, physiotherapy, counselling, and ducing emissions 33% by 2020, a target Canada’s five largest oil sands -compa traditional healing. The deal also com- which has been revised to a 40% emis- nies – Suncor, CNRL, Cenovus, Imperial mits Ottawa to provide long-term funding sions cut by 2030. Meeting the new tar- Oil, and Husky Energy – allowed them for operations and maintenance. get will hinge on investment and reforms to transfer $8B to mostly foreign share- for BC’s forestry sector because years of holders in the first three quarters of 2019. “The minister has solemnly promised to poor management, climate impacts and Foreign-controlled operational profit me that he will do what is in his power to insect outbreaks mean BC forests now from the companies nearly doubled, from get us the funding amount that we need lose more carbon than they absorb. 31.6 – 58.4% between 2012 and 2016, the fast, and to give 30 years of funding up — BC press release report found. front so that we can be sure that our loved April 29, 2020 —www.stand.earth ones will be cared for properly,” chief May 11, 2020 Rudy Turtle said. “I expect him to honour his word.” —www.thestar.com April 3, 2020

watershedsentinel.ca | 5 Fracking and Dams

Union of BC Indian Chiefs calls for moratorium: open letter

Dear Ministers Ralston, Heyman, and Donaldson:

We are writing with respect to the negligence and operation Compounding the structural and environmental risks of frack- of oversights carried forth by BC Hydro in regard to their ing and BC Hydro’s dam operations are the violations of In- Peace River Dams, and we demand immediate action to ad- digenous Title and Rights that have been incurred throughout dress the fracking activities that pose unacceptable risks to the Site C Dam’s development. Previously, the United Nations these dams and the surrounding region. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on Canada to suspend the Site C Project until it received the By UBCIC Resolution 2020-06, “Call for Moratorium on free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous peoples, in Fracking Near Peace River Dams,” which was endorsed unan- keeping with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous imously at the UBCIC Chiefs Council on February 27, 2020 Peoples that your government recently enshrined in law. Should (enclosed), the UBCIC raised the dangers posed by fracking and a structural failure occur, the Site C Dam could flood Indige- disposal well operations in the Peace River Region that include nous burial sites and traditional hunting and fishing grounds, the exacerbation of existing faults throughout the region, the poisoning bull trout and other food fish with methylmercury. In triggering of earthquakes and floods, and the severe structural addition, the transmission of COVID-19 amongst workers has compromising of developing and completed dams. Given these been a pressing concern that we previously raised in our open concerns that were also raised and explored in depth in Ben letter to Premier Horgan and Minister Dix on March 20, 2020 Parfitt’s report, Peace River Frack-Up, the UBCIC calls upon calling for a moratorium on Site C Dam construction. An out- the Province to immediately initiate and enforce a moratorium break of COVID-19 at any of the construction sites in the Peace on all fracking activities near the Peace River Dams. Further- River Region would be disastrous and have dire implications for more, it is vital that the Province ensures that further oil, gas nearby communities. and hydroelectric development in the region respects Dunne-za (Beaver people) Title and Rights, as well as their reliance on the Ultimately, the most effective way to limit the risk of COVID-19, Peace River valley as a vital component of their livelihoods and earthquakes, dam failure, and flooding, as well as the conse- cultural identity. quences for Indigenous communities, workers, and residents, is by halting dam operations and banning disposal sites and frack- In his report for the BC Office of the Canadian Centre for Poli- ing anywhere near BC Hydro’s Peace River Dams – including cy Alternatives, Parfitt drew upon internal correspondence and the W.A.C Bennet Dam, the Peace Canyon Dam, and the Site documents from BC Hydro to reveal that the corporation has C Dam. UBCIC stands with and supports West Moberly First known since the 1970s that its Peace Canyon dam was built Nation and other Indigenous communities in demanding that on weak, unstable rock, and that an earthquake triggered by a the Province implement this ban immediately and to respect the nearby natural gas industry fracking operation could cause the cultural, spiritual, and physical ties they have to their traditional dam to fail due to foundational problems. It is dangerous and territories. irresponsible for oil and gas companies to continue fracking in this area, and for BC Hydro to continue construction of its Site C We look forward to your response. dam knowing that disposal and fracking sites could re-activate existing faults and fractures in the region. Besides the hazards On behalf of the UNION OF BC INDIAN CHIEFS, associated with the Site C Dam site, there is also the Peace Can- Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President yon Dam and W.A.C Bennet Dam upstream that could fail and Chief Don Tom, Vice-President cause disastrous effects downstream. Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer

6 | watershedsentinel.ca Teztan Biny Victory

After years of struggle, good riddance to a very bad proposal

Tŝilhqot’in National Government

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is celebrating and protect this sacred area for the sur- the Supreme Court of Canada’s de- vival of our way of life. We look forward nial of Taseko Mines Limited’s (TML) to turning our focus and energy to sup- application to appeal the rejection of porting responsible economic projects in the New Prosperity Mine proposal by appropriate areas of our Territory, as we the Government of Canada in 2014. move towards building a regional econo- New Prosperity Mine threatened a sa- my that respects our culture, our spiritu- cred area of profound cultural impor- ality and our Aboriginal Rights and Title. tance to the Tŝilhqot’in peoples with BC should finally recognize the impor- a destructive open pit gold and copper tance of this area to the Tŝilhqot’in and mine that did not have the consent of support the Dasiqox Nexwagwezʔan. The the Tŝilhqot’in Nation. Nation should never have to face the bur- December 2017, and the Federal Court den of an industrial threat to this sacred In October 2013, an independent federal of Appeal dismissed TML’s appeals in area ever again.” panel of experts concluded, in its envi- December 2019. Both levels of court ronmental assessment report, that New affirmed the position of the Tŝilhqot’in Chief Jimmy Lulua, Xeni Gwet’in First Prosperity would have significant and im- Nation that the Government of Canada Nations Government, commented: “To- mitigable impacts on water quality, fish- made the eminently reasonable and fair day we celebrate the court’s recognition eries, and Tŝilhqot’in cultural heritage, decision to reject this destructive project. of Aboriginal rights and title. Further, rights, and traditional practices. This we celebrate the resiliency and the per- New Prosperity Panel affirmed the im- On May 14, 2020, the Supreme Court of severance of our people. Yes, the courts portance of Teẑtan Biny (Fish Lake) and Canada dismissed Taseko’s application to delivered justice, but that required our Nabaŝ as “unique and of special signif- hear a further appeal. This means Tase- communities to remain vigilant and icance” for the Tŝilhqot’in peoples. The ko has no further legal avenues to appeal strong throughout this entire process, at Federal Panel noted that TML was unable the rejection of the New Prosperity Mine. an immense cost of our time and resourc- to even meet “proof of concept” for its The New Prosperity Mine is now dead – es. Without the leadership shown by our proposal, and that Teẑtan Biny would be it cannot be legally built. communities and Nation, we would have contaminated over time, despite mitiga- lost the integrity of a sacred place in our tion efforts. “This decision has been a long time territory, and our lands, water, and wild- coming,” said Chief Joe Alphonse, Trib- life would be at further risk. The govern- In February 2014, the Government of al Chairman of the Tŝilhqot’in National ment and the courts needed to be educat- Canada accepted the conclusions of the Government. “We are celebrating the ed on Aboriginal rights and title to arrive Federal Panel Report and rejected the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision to- at this decision. We will continue to New Prosperity Mine. In response, TML day, and taking the time to reflect on the protect our culture and our sacred places filed legal challenges to both the Feder- immense sacrifices made by our commu- from threats like TML and we will never al Panel Report and the decision of the nities and members to finally have their stop standing up for ourselves, our rights Government of Canada rejecting the New voices heard and respected. Now we call and for our future generations.” Prosperity Mine. The Federal Court re- on TML to accept that this is the end of jected both of TML’s legal challenges in the road for them. It’s time to move on

watershedsentinel.ca | 7 Manufacturing Change separating waste materials to be recycled. The social enterprise hopes to expand While inclusive employment is the main objective, Firestarter startup a social & environmental win-win manufacturing facilities into the Lower Mainland and , should the enterprise creates its products from waste materials, the pilot be successful in Powell River. with a target of 99% recycled materials.

A community effort starters from recycled wax, toilet paper rolls, and waste wood from construction Recycling isn’t a trend, it’s now a major Free Geek Vancouver. He believes that people with developmental disabilities debris – all things we still have an abun- part of our supply chain. In a great twist the K-lumet model has all the right ingre- working to manufacture K-lumet. The dance of ending up in the landfill. of irony, toilet paper producers in the US dients for success. “My experience with social enterprise in Powell River is the are currently struggling because of the in- Free Geek taught me that the communi- first license for the company in North The project creased demand for their product whilst ty is always ready to support businesses America and has high hopes for expand- lockdowns have reduced their access to that are diverting waste from the landfill. ing the business, but also innovating by K-Lumet is an employment social en- a cheap and steady supply of recycled of- K-lumet is looking for materials people expanding the employment model to be terprise with a vision to create inclusive fice paper which they recycle into toilet don’t often pay attention to, to make them more inclusive, and committing to em- jobs, meaning people with and without paper. into a high quality product.” ploy people from diverse backgrounds. disabilities work alongside each other to Unlike in Europe where sheltered work- make products by hand. During World War II the supply chain The project, fully named “Manufacturing shops are the norm, the model in BC will was so disrupted that the US and Cana- Change: The K-Lumet Pilot Project,” is pay the workers minimum wage or high- While meaningful employment is the dian governments hosted “scrap drives” operated by the charity Inclusion Powell er. In order to achieve a fully inclusive main objective, the enterprise creates its (or in Canada the less sexy “National River and the license holder Barbarah facility, they plan to also offer workplace products – fire starters that burn for up to Salvage Campaign”), whereby citizens Kisschowsky, the mother of an autistic accommodations like specialized equip- 15 minutes, replacing kindling for wood were encouraged to donate recycled met- son, who purchased the license for K-lu- ment and support. stove owners and campers – from waste als and rubber for the government to turn met in BC in 2013, allowing for partner- materials, with a target of 99% recycled into ships and other crucial supplies for ship opportunities throughout BC. There materials. The project aims to produce the war effort. The campaign was hugely is also a research dimension – lessons Leni Goggins is an entrepreneur, pro- ©Darren Greene half a million K-lumet fire starters over successful with people fervently collect- learned during the first three years of op- fessional grant writer, and the project the next two years. This amounts to ap- ing all the metal in their neighbourhoods erations can be used to help other man- manager for Manufacturing Change: The proximately 24,000 kg of wood, 5,000 kg to donate. While the program was pop- ufacturers adopt inclusive employment K-Lumet Pilot Project. For more info see of wax and 166,000 toilet paper rolls that ular, the actual contribution was nomi- strategies. www.k-lumet.ca would otherwise have ended up in a land- nal. But it created a sense of community by Leni Goggins fill. There are drop points set up in Powell during a very turbulent time. K-lumet was founded in Switzerland in River where locals bring their toilet paper 1995 as a shel- Recycling in Canada has its problems donations to charities grinding to a com- rolls and unwanted candles and wax, and For recycling to be successful, we need tered workshop on the best of days. It’s a tedious ritual plete halt. wood is collected from contractors build- community action and education around employment we do because we believe, or at least ing new homes, as well as sawmills and the value of recycling, but also systems program for hope, it’s better than the alternative of Still, recycling diverts waste from land- hardware store operations that have wast- in place to adequately gather and utilize people with dumping all our waste materials into a fills, lessens the demand for raw ma- age from the cuts they make for custom- materials. K-lumet has had to develop a developmental landfill. terials from extractive industries, and ers (an enormous amount of usable wood collection system from scratch, forming disabilities. To- contributes to useful end products. Even ends up in the landfill each year from the partnerships with recyclers, second-hand day there are The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted now during this crisis, recycling discard- construction industry). stores, and those working with waste K-lumet fran- some of our already-weak social infra- ed fabric ends into personal protective management. chise licenses structure, including our waste manage- equipment is happening across the world. Scaling up manufacturing was sched- in 12 European ment systems. Now more than ever, they A Powell River social enterprise, K-Lu- uled to begin in April 2020, but due to David Repa, one of the people in charge countries in- are being put under pressure with depots met, is aiming for a social/environmental COVID-19 the enterprise has had to slow of running K-Lumet, has years of experi- cluding Ger- closing, limiting hours, or limiting the win-win by piloting a European inclu- down production. Still, efforts continue ence in the electronic recycling industry, many where materials that they accept, and clothing sive-employment model that creates fire to educate the public about the benefit of having co-founded the social enterprise there are 2,000

8 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 9 Dicamba

US court rules against herbicide registration

by Lucy Sharratt

A US court has overturned the registra- be herbicide-tolerant. Most of these GM because many farmers bought their GM tion of the herbicide dicamba in that crops are tolerant to the herbicide glypho- dicamba-tolerant seeds as a strategy to country, citing the “enormous and un- sate, but overuse of glyphosate has led to avoid damage from neighbouring farms. precedented” damage to neighbouring glyphosate-tolerant weeds which the her- In fact, the seed companies anticipated crops from pesticide drift. The decision bicide can no longer control. In response, such “defensive planting” and described is a major blow to the biggest seed and companies have developed GM crops it as a “potential market opportunity.” agrochemical companies in the world. that are tolerant to other, older herbicides like dicamba and 2,4-D. The scale of the problem faced by US The ruling means that three dicamba for- farmers is not likely to be replicated in mulations – sold by Monsanto (Bayer), By 2020, about two-thirds of the soybeans Canada, largely due to weather condi- BASF, and Corteva (Dow-Dupont) – are and three-quarters of the cotton planted tions that limit dicamba drift, though now illegal, and the associated geneti- by US farmers was dicamba-tolerant. scientists have warned Canadian farm- cally engineered (genetically modified ers to use dicamba sparingly or avoid it. or GM) dicamba-tolerant seeds are ir- The new dicamba formulations were sup- Despite that, over 50% of the soy planted relevant. The Environmental Protection posed to be less prone to drift. However, in eastern Canada is now “stacked” to be Agency (EPA) has responded by allow- between 2017 and 2019, the use of dicam- tolerant to both dicamba and glyphosate. ing farmers to use up any existing stocks ba on GM soy and cotton fields in the US of dicamba. caused extensive damage to neighbour- The decision will probably not alter Mon- ing crops, over several million acres. For santo’s plan to introduce MON 87429 in Dicamba was introduced in the 1960s, example, earlier this year, a jury awarded Canada, a GM corn that is tolerant to but had limited use because it is prone Missouri farmers Bill and Denise Bader dicamba, 2,4-D, glufosinate, and a group to volatizing and drifting over long dis- $265 million after dicamba drift damaged of herbicides called ACCase inhibitors. tances, damaging neighbouring crops. 30,000 of their peach trees. The judges in However, the herbicide saw a resurgence the recent US decision said that, in allow- A major promise of the biotechnology in 2017 when Monsanto (now Bayer) ing registration of dicamba, the US EPA industry was a reduction in the use of introduced a new dicamba formulation ignored evidence that it would cause such pesticides with GM crops. Calculations to be sold along with the company’s widespread crop damage. from the Canadian Biotechnology Action GM dicamba-tolerant seeds. Such herbi- Network, however, show that herbicide cide-tolerant crops are designed to sur- The ruling also said the EPA failed to rec- sales in Canada have gone up by 243% vive sprayings of particular herbicides ognize “the enormous social cost to farm- between 1994 and 2017. that would otherwise kill the crop plants ing communities where use of dicamba along with the weeds. The herbicide-tol- herbicides had turned farmer against erant systems rely on patented GM seeds farmer, and neighbor against neighbor” Lucy Sharratt is the coordinator of the and accompanying brand-name herbicide and the risk that the use of dicamba Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, formulations. would “tear the social fabric of farming www.cban.org communities.” Almost all of the GM crops grown in For more information: “Sharing the les- Canada (primarily canola, corn, soy, and Monsanto and other companies tempo- sons learned on dicamba in soybeans,” sugar beet) are genetically engineered to rarily profited from the drift problem Country Guide May 22, 2019

10 | watershedsentinel.ca Ancient Trees

Logging old growth for log exports

Ancient Forest Alliance

Conservationists with the Ancient For- umental red cedar trees over 11 feet in Located southwest of Cowichan Lake and est Alliance are calling for both imme- diameter, some of which had previously east of Nitinat Lake in Ditidaht First Na- diate and longer-term steps to protect been photographed by Watt while still tion territory, the Caycuse Watershed was old growth following the logging of standing. once a prime example of ancient coastal some of Vancouver Island’s grandest rainforest, but has been heavily logged ancient forests along Haddon Creek in “This grove has an exceptionally large over the past several decades. Now, as the Caycuse River watershed. The ur- number of massive, ancient cedars,” says the BC government deliberates on how to gent call coincides with the deadline Watt. “Without question, it’s one of the better manage the province’s dwindling for a government-appointed panel to grandest forests on the South Island, ri- old growth forests, logging company submit recommendations to the Prov- valling the renowned Avatar Grove near Teal-Jones is targeting the highest-value ince following a six-month-long Old or the Walbran Valley, stands remaining in the region. Growth Strategic Review. which lies a short distance to the south. In 2020, we shouldn’t be logging global- Continued on Page 12  In April, (AFA) ly rare ancient forests such as these and campaigner and photographer TJ Watt converting them to ecologically infe- found scores of giant trees cut down in rior tree plantations.” the Caycuse watershed, including mon-

An ancient red cedar felled at approximately 800 years old ©TJ Watts watershedsentinel.ca | 11 Old growth continued

There is an extreme sense of urgency an Old Growth Strategic Review, which right now,” stated AFA campaigner An- of endangered species, climate stability, tions’ sustainable economic development because we’re rapidly losing the small included seeking public, stakeholder, drea Inness. “We expect to see strong tourism, clean water, wild salmon, and as an alternative to old growth logging percentage of big-tree forest that re- and First Nations’ feedback on how BC recommendations, based on the scientific the cultures of many First Nations. At and formally recognizing First Nations’ mains unprotected on Vancouver Island,” should best manage old growth. The pan- evidence presented to the panel, and are present, over 79% of the original produc- land use plans, tribal parks, and protected Increase said Watt. “As the province assesses the el’s report and recommendations were looking to the BC government to quickly tive old growth forests on BC’s southern areas; creating a provincial land acquisi- coastal log exports, old growth panel’s findings and decides submitted to Premier Horgan and the BC implement sweeping changes to protect coast have been logged, including well tion fund to purchase and protect endan- says loggers’ union which recommendations it may or may Cabinet at the end of April. The BC gov- ancient forests before the next election.” over 90% of the valley bottoms where gered ecosystems on private lands; and not implement, trees upwards of a thou- ernment will now undertake further con- the largest trees grow. Only about 8% of curbing raw log exports and providing and companies sand years old are being cut at alarming sultations with the goal of developing a The province needs to place an interim Vancouver Island’s original old growth incentives for the development of val- rates, never to be seen again. Forest Min- new provincial Old Growth Strategy. halt on logging in old growth “hotspots” forests are protected in parks and Old ue-added, second-growth wood manu- Mosaic Forest Management, ister Doug Donaldson needs to act quick- and BC’s most endangered forest eco- Growth Management Areas. facturing facilities to sustain and enhance which manages the forest plan- ly and decisively to ensure their protec- The BC government plans to wait up to systems while the proposed Old Growth forestry jobs. ning, operations, and product sales tion.” six months to publicly release the panel’s Strategy is developed, Inness said. The The AFA is calling on the BC NDP gov- for TimberWest and Island Tim- recommendations and the province’s pro- strategy must include new or amended ernment to protect the ecological integri- berlands on Vancouver Island, and In response to growing pressure from posed new policy direction. legislation that protects old growth based ty of BC’s old growth forests while main- See maps and stats on the remaining old the United Steelworkers of Canada British Columbians to address the mis- on the latest science, and BC’s long over- taining jobs and supporting communities growth forests on BC’s southern coast which represents loggers on the is- management and over-exploitation of the “We look forward to seeing the panel’s due Big Tree Protection Order needs to by: implementing a science-based plan to at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old land, are jointly calling on federal province’s old growth forests, in October report, which must be made public much include buffer zones for BC’s biggest protect endangered old growth forests; growth-maps.php and provincial governments to fa- the BC government convened an inde- sooner…time is of essence as many of trees, “otherwise the greatest stands will providing financial support for First Na- cilitate raw log exports, especially pendent, two-person panel to conduct the forests in question are being logged be lost in the meantime,” Inness added. from the logging companies’ pri- vate forest land. The Steelworkers “Many of the trees we located and mea- will be able to unionize about 35 sured in this cutblock would’ve likely workers at the export facilities and qualified for protection under the BC note that the relief on log export government’s proposed Big Tree Protec- restrictions would be “temporary.” tion Order, which they announced in July 2019 and promised would be implement- A diverse group of coastal forest- ed by December 2019,” said Watt. “So ry companies that support more far, the BC NDP have only protected 54 than 30,000 direct and indirect of BC’s biggest trees. Much more urgent- jobs have objected strongly to ly needs to be done to protect monumen- this proposal. They said changing tal trees, the grandest groves, and entire the current laws would betray do- old growth forest ecosystems.” mestic manufacturers and put the livelihood of thousands of forestry “In this time of unprecedented health and works in jeopardy. Mosaic’s log ecological crises, as experts around the exports over the last five years globe are urging governments to halt eco- were at elevated levels, and there- logical destruction and biodiversity loss fore, their proposal would further in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, skew the volume they would be it’s even more critical that BC be a leader able to freely export, and reduce in conservation and protect what remains the fibre volume available to do- of our endangered old growth forests for mestic manufacturers that protects the benefit, health, and prosperity of all.” local jobs, the companies said.

Background information So far neither government has re- sponded. Old growth forests are integral to Brit- —WS staff ish Columbia for ensuring the protection ©TJ Watts ©TJ Watts

12 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 13 Poison Pipes It is estimated that close to 20% of the water main distribution system in North Legislation was passed in America three decades ago to Canada’s ostrich stance on asbestos in drinking water America is comprised of asbestos cement (AC) pipes. The National Research Coun- regulate asbestos in water – but in Canada, the warnings have cil Canada (NRC), Canada’s premier so far received a disinterested shrug from political leaders. scientific research body, says the pipes already have, or are rapidly reaching the end of their service life, and are deterio- rating. Virtually all the NRC reports on studying the issue. “There is no question the ingestion of asbestos to cancer. Re- by Julian Branch the topic say asbestos in the water is a that the ingestion of asbestos, like breath- serve Mining was ordered to stop dump- “health concern.” One NRC report, enti- ing it, much of which when cleared from ing its tailings into Lake Superior. For decades, Canada was the largest tled Bacteriological challenges to asbes- the lungs is then ingested, can lead to the producer of asbestos in the world. tos cement water distribution pipelines development of a variety of cancers in- US takes action to ensure a safer Today, the once thriving industry has goes even further: “Severely deteriorat- cluding stomach, small and large intes- water supply vanished, and the town of Asbestos, ed AC pipes also released asbestos fibre tine, and kidney cancer,” said Frank, who Quebec is searching for a new name, into the drinking water and could pose a holds a PhD in biomedical sciences and is Following the Reserve case, the United in order to distance itself from the trail hazard of malignant tumors of the gas- trained in internal medicine. States commissioned numerous studies of misery left behind by what was once trointestinal tract and other organs in into AC water pipes and ingested asbes- known as the “miracle mineral.” consumers.” The 2010 report goes on to Reserve Mining case – evidence of tos. In 1983, the EPA authored Asbestos say “These AC pipes were laid down be- dangerous asbestos fibres in Drinking Water: A Status Report. The What the vast majority of Canadians fore the potential environmental, social, idea behind the report was to determine aren’t aware of, and what politicians of and health impacts were recognized and The concern surrounding ingested asbes- whether asbestos required regulation all stripes don’t want you to find out, is evaluated. In recent years, problems with tos came to light in the late 1960s to early under the Safe Water Drinking Act. The there is a potentially deadly reminder of AC have gradually become significant in- 1970s in the United States, with a case report outlines that the debate revolving the heady days of Canadian asbestos pro- cluding increases in the number of pipe involving the Reserve Mining Company. around the human risk of the ingestion duction lurking beneath the streets in vil- breaks and failure.” For decades, the company had dumped versus the inhalation of asbestos fibres lages, towns, and cities across the coun- tons of waste rock into Lake Superior. had been ongoing since at least 1971. try, and around the world. Pipes made of The argument swirls around the inhala- Residents of nearby Duluth, Minnesota “Our response, at the time, was that we asbestos cement (AC) that carry water tion of asbestos versus the ingestion of noticed something odd with their water. did not feel there was sufficient data on to millions of homes can be deadly, ac- asbestos. We are well aware of the dan- Test results showed there were strange fi- which to make judgment on the risk. cording to numerous studies and reports gers of breathing asbestos fibres, and the bres in the water. We recommended however, that where carried out over the past half century. direct connection to cancer, asbestosis, asbestos fibres were found in drinking Legislation was passed in America three and a host of other life-threatening ail- The newly-formed Environmental Pro- water, some of the many available means decades ago to regulate asbestos in water ments. However, a debate still lingers tection Agency (EPA) took Reserve to for minimizing asbestos concentrations – but in Canada, the warnings have so far about whether the ingestion of asbestos court in an attempt to stop the mining should be utilized to avoid unnecessary received a disinterested shrug from polit- is hazardous. The World Health Organi- giant from dumping potentially toxic exposure,” wrote Joseph Cotruvo of the ical leaders. zation maintains: “There is no consistent, tailings into the lake. Dr. Irving Selikoff EPA. convincing evidence that ingested asbes- testified at the trial that the ingestion of Health concerns — cancer risks tos is hazardous to health, and it is con- asbestos was every bit as deadly as the In 1987, a working group with the Unit- from asbestos in pipes cluded that there is no need to establish a inhalation of the fibre. Selikoff, who was ed States Department of Health and Hu- guideline for asbestos in drinking water.” the leading American medical expert on man Services (DHHS) produced a report Asbestos cement became popular as a asbestos-related diseases between the entitled Report on Cancer Risks Asso- water pipe material back in the 1940s. However, there is no room for equivo- 1960s and the early 1990s, testified that to ciated with the Ingestion of Asbestos. It The pipes were cheap to produce, and cation in the mind of Dr. Arthur Frank, do nothing would be like playing “a form concludes: “Sufficient direct evidence is at the time, thought to be resistant to in- a medical doctor and expert in environ- of Russian roulette, and we don’t know not available for a credible quantitative ternal and external corrosion. They are mental and occupational health at Drexel where the bullet is.... If we’re wrong, the cancer risk assessment of asbestos inges- made of 80% cement and 20% asbestos. University in Philadelphia, Pennsylva- consequences would be disastrous.” The nia, who has spent the past half-century trial was the first time anyone had linked Continued on Page 16  ©wJacek Dylag

14 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 15 Poison Pipes continued

tion at this time.” However, a few para- conducted at 71 locations across Canada coming from every corner of the globe. cause it wasn’t considered to be a health graphs later can be found this glaringly in 1977,” reads a Health Canada paper One of the blunter assessments, Possible concern when ingested. However, the contradictory statement: “Nonetheless, entitled “Guidelines for Canadian Drink- health risks from asbestos in drinking While the industry is prohibited from selling the pipes in the City recently confirmed that it has been this should not be taken to mean that the ing Water Quality: Guideline Technical water, comes from Italy, following the future, it appears that, other than hope and pray people don’t ever testing water for asbestos since 2015. It potential hazard associated with ingested Document – Asbestos.” discovery of asbestos fibres in the water learn of them, there is no federal plan to address the thousands says the results show “non-detectable” asbestos is an unimportant issue which supply of Tuscany. In part, the abstract of kilometres of rotting asbestos cement pipes bringing water to levels of asbestos in the water. What the does not warrant further research. Even “Based on results of this survey, which reads: “In conclusion, several findings city does not say is whether it has advised if the increased rate of cancer is less than encompassed the water supplies of about suggest that health risks from asbestos millions of homes, businesses and schools in Canada. residents drinking the water, and shower- 10% of the background rate and cannot 55% of the Canadian population, it was could not exclusively derive from inha- ing in it, that it reversed its decision not to be demonstrated by available research estimated that 5% of the population re- lation of fibres.... Health hazards might test, and why. In 2018, the City of Regina tools, the ingestion of water, food, or ceives water with chrysotile concentra- also be present after ingestion, mainly released its Water Master Plan – an over- drugs laden with asbestos by millions of tions higher than 10 million fibres/L and after daily ingestion of drinking water for hensive” plan to ban asbestos and “asbes- The federal Liberals and Conservatives arching 25-year blueprint to deal with all people over their lifetimes could result that 0.6% receives water containing more long periods.” The 2016 report goes on tos-containing products by 2018.” both maintain that deteriorating asbestos water issues. The words asbestos cement in a substantial number of cancers.” The than 100 million fibres/L.” (You will re- to caution that prompt action is required. cement water pipes are a municipal issue. water pipes appear nowhere in the doc- report goes on say that several members call that the current allowable limit in the “The precautionary principle should im- However, when the regulations were The federal NDP promised to write the ument. of the working group felt it was “prudent United States is seven million fibres/L). pose all possible efforts in order to revise rolled out in 2018, it was clear that crum- Trudeau government regarding concerns public health policy to recommend elim- health policies concerning this topic, and bling asbestos cement water pipes, which it has about asbestos cement pipes, but In spite of a mountain of scientific re- inating possible sources of ingestion ex- While those figures are startling, a 2010 a systematic monitoring of drinking wa- contain 20% asbestos, got a free pass there is no evidence that the letter was search that clearly demonstrates the in- posure to asbestos whenever and to what- NRC report titled Safety and waste man- ter to quantify the presence of asbestos is from the “asbestos-containing products” ever sent. herent danger of asbestos leaching from ever extent possible.” A few sentences agement of asbestos cement pipes con- certainly needed in all regions. Further part of the promise. Buried on page 64 water pipes, it seems politicians in the later it highlights “eliminating asbestos tains a sentence that defies belief. epidemiological studies aimed to the of the Canada Gazette, accompanying Regina AC pipes country that was once the world’s larg- cement pipe in water supply systems.” identification of exposed communities the regulations surrounding the ban, is est producer of the mineral are unwill- “In Canada, it is believed that exposure and to an adequate health risk assessment the sad news: “One stakeholder from Deteriorating asbestos cement water ing, or incapable, of acknowledging this In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drink- to high concentrations of asbestos in in their specific geographical regions are the cement pipe industry noted that there pipes exist right across Canada, from fact, and for some reason are extremely ing Water Act. The enforceable regulation drinking water is unlikely,” reads the re- urgently needed.” are no asbestos-free equivalents to the Kelowna to Halifax. However, no city reluctant to take the action needed to en- for asbestos became effective in 1992, port, which followed the aforementioned cement pipes they currently sell. They in Canada appears to face a bigger threat sure there is a safe water supply in Can- with the maximum contaminant level Health Canada study by 43 years. It goes NRC Concerns requested additional time to sell and use than Regina, where expansive clay soil ada. However, the last word is saved for (MCL) set at seven million fibres-per-li- on to state “In addition, regulatory offi- asbestos-cement pipes already in inven- is wreaking havoc on the 530 kilometres Dr. Frank: “Regulating asbestos in water tre (MFL) of water. A 1995 EPA docu- cials have taken the position that there is The NRC has produced a thick stack of tory to allow them to continue their oper- of AC water pipes that make up approxi- means that the lives of some Canadians ment entitled “National Primary Drink- no consistent and convincing evidence reports on asbestos in drinking water. ation while finalizing the development of mately two-thirds of the city’s water main would be saved by not ingesting asbestos ing Water Regulations – Asbestos” says that ingesting asbestos via drinking water While most focus on the water we drink, an asbestos-free cement pipe,” reads the distribution system. A 2005 NRC report, in the water they drink and use in show- the potential long-term health effects of is hazardous to health. Therefore Health some go further. “Although there are 82-page document. And how did the Lib- Failure conditions of asbestos cement ers.” ingesting asbestos are “lung disease, can- Canada has not established a MAC fewer health concerns about waterborne eral government respond to the asbestos water mains in Regina, says from 1994 cer.” The paper goes on to say that if the (Maximum Acceptable Concentration) asbestos fibres, there are still concerns cement pipe lobby effort? “The Regula- to 2003 there were 911 AC pipe breaks in Julian Branch covered health, environ- asbestos in the water supply exceeds the for asbestos in drinking water.” about the inhalation of airborne asbestos tions do not apply to products contain- the Saskatchewan capital. “These pipes mental issues, and politics for decades MCL, steps need to be taken to “prevent from showers, humidifiers,” reads their ing asbestos used before the day that the are experiencing more and more failures as a journalist, and went on to serve as serious risks to public health.” Asbestos A couple of observations: 1) Clear- 2010 report entitled Safety and waste Regulations come into force,” reads the in recent years and account for almost all the director of communications for three cement water pipes are listed in the docu- ly Health Canada and the NRC are not management of asbestos cement pipes. Gazette. of the water main breaks in the city.” provincial premiers. His 40-year career ment as a main cause of asbestos in water. speaking to each other. Perhaps Health “There are also some concerns about the has taught him that persistence pays off, Canada can provide an update on those ingestion of fibres from drinking water as While the industry is prohibited from As mentioned previously, federal politi- and democracy dies in darkness. Does Canada think cancer stops at locations with outrageously high concen- well as the clogging of filter systems.” selling and using the pipes in the future, cians download the responsibility of wa- the international border? trations of asbestos in their water from it appears that, other than hope and pray ter mains to municipalities. So you would How to… their 1977 research? 2) Can the Canadian Political inaction by all parties people don’t ever learn of them, there is think a city with so many crumbling AC Asbestos cement pipes were commonly The 1970s and early ’80s were the hal- minister of health explain how drinking no federal plan to address the thousands water pipes would be very concerned, installed from the 1940s to the 1980s. cyon days of research into the impact of asbestos can cause cancer in Americans, In 2016, the Canadian ministers of health, of kilometres of rotting asbestos cement and have a plan to deal with them. You’d The easiest way to find out whether your asbestos in water. “Chrysotile was the and not Canadians? science, and environment and climate pipes bringing water to millions of homes, be incorrect. When the City of Regina water flows through AC mains is to con- predominant type of asbestos identified change promised that the Liberal govern- businesses and schools in Canada. was first approached in 2012, it insisted it tact your municipal representative. in a survey of drinking water supplies More recently, research and questions are ment was moving ahead with a “compre- didn’t even test for asbestos in water be-

16 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 17 Supply Chains

Pandemic exposes fragility of “globalization”

by Brian Jones

“Supply chain” has entered the lex- of paper rather than iron, the urge to buy as it was. Opponents of globalization icon, no longer the sole purview of local is more a necessity than a sugges- were, and still are, branded as supporters economists in university offices.The tion. If you can get it locally, then buy it of “protectionism” and “isolationism.” last time most people heard the phrase locally, because otherwise you might not Automatic losers, in other words. It was tempting, at first, to think of was probably in high school social stud- be able to get it at all. this “COVID-19 and the Environment” ies class when learning about Napo- That is, until recent weeks, with discus- section as a window on the “silver lin- leon Bonaparte’s disastrous invasion The echo you hear is a reverberation from sions arising about supply chains. Maybe, ing” aspects of this pandemic — replete of Russia in 1812. “Five hundred miles 1988. It’s been bouncing around for more after all, it isn’t good for the economy or with visions of happy dolphins cavort- into Russia, Napoleon’s supply chain than three decades, but even the idealistic for the country to import most of our ne- ing in the canals of Venice, blue skies, became thin, and many of his soldiers socialists in the NDP stopped listening to cessities. and the climate crisis solved. were hungry or sick, or both. Then it it years ago. In the 1980s, when “global- started to snow…” ization” was a mere infant, having been The finest example these days is person- However, scratch that surface veneer, and fathered by Brian Mulroney and his Pro- al protective equipment. The discovery an infinitely complex, sometimes ugly, Apparently, supply chains are still a thing gressive Conservative government, there that hardly any is produced in Canada is and ever-shifting picture appears – one in the 21st century, although now they were multiple warnings against it. High shocking, appalling… and an inevitable impossible to cover comprehensively in involve trucks, ferries and freighters, not among them was that it isn’t a good idea result of “free trade” and globalization. the limited medium of print. But in our cold French soldiers 1,000 miles from to stop making stuff in your own country. Now, the federal government has vowed efforts, one thread kept emerging – how home. No one has yet admitted that if that henceforth there will be enough fundamentally “” and the supply chain breaks, the toilet-paper Nonsense, said the free traders. We don’t made-in-Canada PPE. environmental degradation are bound up hoarders will be proven correct, of a sort. need factories and farms. We’ve advanced together. This is not news to any of us, but Our society, built on stuff and more stuff beyond that. We now have a “knowledge Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the massive economic impacts of this tiny and still more stuff, can sometimes run economy” and a “service economy.” New Brunswick Premier Dwight Ball virus have brought it into sharp focus. out of stuff, such as during, say, apan- and his government, to their credit, rec- demic. In April 2020, it was finally proven: you ognized “food security” is important, and So while authoritarian governments ex- can’t eat “knowledge” or services. “Free started to provide funding incentives for pand power and investment corporation Two centuries later, Napoleon’s own trade” has nothing to do with freedom. It farmers in the province. Maybe green- Blackrock, who helped create the 2008 words remain relevant: “A supply chain has nothing to do with trade. What it does houses aren’t such a bad idea. Maybe mortgage scams, is now advising the Ca- Covid’s that was stretched too far forced me to have to do with is allowing those with the delicate supply chains will convince nadian government, we have articles on abandon Moscow, and also to stop im- capital – i.e., money – to invest wherever enough people to buy local, and produc- the future of fossil fuels, on globalization, porting strawberries from California.” labour, materials, and taxes are cheapest. ing locally will become economically vi- on food processing, on disaster capital- Thus the decline of Ontario’s factories able. ism, and on the possibilities of change. Alongside the worrisome supply chain, and manufacturing jobs. Thus the US’ Potential is everywhere, and knocking at we’re hearing a lot these days about buying infamous Rust Belt. Thus hockey gloves And when the coronavirus finally goes Impact local. The “buy local” movement, or phe- with a tag reading “Made in China.” away, hopefully globalization will go our door. nomenon, was gaining more ground than with it. French infantrymen even before the world The globalizers and the ultra-rich won the Sponsored by was struck by the COVID-19 pandemic. argument so handily that few people to- Brian Jones is a desk editor at The Tele- Now, with the links of worldwide capital- day even recall or know there was a heat- gram in Fredericton. Reprinted with per- ism’s supply chains revealed to be made ed argument back in the day, short-lived mission. ©Illustration compiled by Sarah James 18 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 19 Covid and Change Has coronavirus created opportunities for climate action? This pandemic has shown society what really matters. We have become reoriented to Temporary Emissions Drop Creative problem solving and people coming together the importance of our own health and well-being, and the ways our health and well-be- ing are inextricable from that of the non-human world. It has opened the door to con- Daily global emissions dropped 17% versations with people outside of the climate movement that perhaps would not have in April relative to the same month been as easy to have in the past. It’s also shown us where the vulnerabilities are. We last year due to government restric- see the impact of the growing gap between rich and poor: income inequality, the gap tions during the COVID-19 pandem- Interviews by Gavin MacRae for access to resources, the precarity of work, and the dangers of an economic system ic, a study in Nature Climate Change Jumping Viri that externalizes environmental harm. estimates. A decline in ground trans- Our strange new coronavirus-dominated world has been called many things: a portation made up nearly half the Viruses that jump from animals to fast-forward preview of future climate change disruption, a warning from nature, We’ve been shown, too, what our resources are. We have been seeing this instinct for decrease. The impact of coronavi- people, such as COVID-19, will a binge for “disaster capitalism,” a driver of xenophobia and waning international people to come together in the face of crisis, to do that creative problem solving. We rus on annual emissions for 2020 likely become more common as cooperation that will jeopardize climate action. have seen the power that political will, taken efficiently, can have. is estimated between -4 and -7%, people continue to transform natural depending on when restrictions lift. habitats into agricultural land, ac- But the common thread through much of the commentary is that for the planet and Another thing we’ve witnessed are the financial resources we can muster. In Canada Government actions and econom- cording to a new Stanford study. Re- climate, coronavirus offers the unexpected possibility of radical, beneficial change. the federal government was planning to spend about $70 billion on climate action over ic incentives post-crisis will likely searcher Laura Bloomfield surveyed the next decade. The CERB [Canada emergency wage subsidy] will cost the federal influence global CO2 emissions for communities near the edge of Kibale As journalist Nafeez Ahmed writes, “Amid this unprecedented crisis, we face a unique government $73 billion over the next six months. The scale of what’s possible has decades, the study said. National Park in Uganda and found opportunity to transition to a regenerative civilizational paradigm which no longer completely changed, and that is a real opportunity. they stood greater risk of physical breaches environmental boundaries in ways that make pandemics like this inevitable.” Pennsylvania State University cli- interactions with wild primates and Or simply, as journalist Amy Westervelt tweeted, “What better time to fix shit, what And then, we’ve seen the power of those who benefit from the status quo, who oppor- mate scientist Michael Mann said the viruses they carry. Continued better time to rebuild, rethink than when EVERYTHING is broken?” tunistically are lining up to ask for reckless bailouts and the rollback of environmental the study “underscores a simple loss of forested habitat has primates and social protections, particularly in the fossil fuel industry. truth: Individual behavior alone... and humans increasingly sharing With an eye to this overarching question, the Watershed Sentinel reached out to three won’t get us there. We need funda- the same spaces and vying for the experts to ask how the pandemic is affecting the climate movement, the long-term Bail out the old or invest in the new: Laurie Adkin mental structural change.” same food, increasing the chances outlook for fossil fuels and , and how Canada’s economic response to —www.nature.com, May 19, 2020 of animal-to-human transmission. the crisis could speed transition to a low-carbon economy. The economic beating from COVID-19 has prompted some of the largest public in- Nearly half of the world’s land has vestments in history — with varying goals. In some jurisdictions relief for fossil fuel Bike Boom been converted to agriculture, with Following are conversations edited for length and clarity. interests has included suspension of environmental protections, regulatory roll- tropical forests suffering some of the backs, and criminalization of environmental protest, on top of direct financial aid. Sales of bicycles and e-bikes have highest rates of agricultural conver- Climate movement: Catherine Abreu surged as Canadians choose ped- sion in recent decades. Other jurisdictions such as France, Spain, and the city of Amsterdam are leverag- al power over cars in response to —Stanford University press release After last year’s unprecedented climate strikes, 2020 seemed primed to be a ing COVID-19 funds by tying bailout money to reforms on polluting industries, or COVID-19. The demand has been so April 8, 2020 breakthrough year for the climate movement. Then the virus came, and sudden- enacting permanent climate-friendly policies that will shape economic recovery. pronounced that bike stores in BC, ly that momentum was in question. Yet as Catherine Abreu, executive director Alberta, and Ontario have scrambled of Climate Action Network Canada explains, climate activists have adapted and Laurie Adkin, professor of political science at the University of Alberta, says if to find stock, and manufacturers are connected with allied movements to reach a public with increased appetite for devotion to fossil fuels doesn’t mire us in the economy of the past, Canada’s reported to be out of some models change. response to coronavirus could hasten a transition to an ecologically sustainable and unable to rebuild inventory un- economy. til the fall. Cycling advocates say WS: How has coronavirus affected the climate movement so far? major Canadian cities have been CA: We’ve seen our work escalate, as we develop recommendations for how commu- WS: What are your thoughts on a bailout by the federal government of the oil slow to roll out plans to provide nities and governments can pull out of this crisis in a way that’s climate smart. But and gas sector? more walking and cycling space on many of our usual means of coming together have been completely altered. The year LA: There are big players in the industry that are trying to take advantage of the situ- streets, despite indications cycling of climate activism, including international climate negotiations, has been cancelled or ation. We saw an example of that with the letter by CAPP [the Canadian Association has weathered the pandemic, while postponed. Our ability to gather in the streets has been totally hampered, of course, so of Petroleum Producers to the federal government] that was leaked to Environmental transit ridership and vehicle traffic we’re having to find creative ways of coming together. Climate groups are also work- Defence Canada. It listed about 30 areas of environmental regulation CAPP wanted to has dropped. ing more closely with health, social justice, anti-poverty, humanitarian, and migrant have put on hold, including things like asking the federal government to not proceed —www.theglobeandmail.com justice groups. May 24, 2020 Continued on Page 22  20 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 21 Covid & Change continued

with the ratification of UNDRIP. It was an astonishing list. It was the industry’s chance Maybe people are now more open to realizing that the neoliberal model has failed to Enviro Reg Rollbacks to use the pandemic as an excuse to put all these regulatory things on hold that they fulfill any of the promises that were made about trickle down wealth and prosperity. Deforestation Goes Viral never wanted. But on top of that, the whole idea of economic growth is insane. We can’t keep com- At the end of March, the US Envi- pounding economic growth year after year after year. I mean, the planet doesn’t grow. Under the cover of coronavirus, rain- ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) Simply handing over to the oil and gas sector what it wants, without any kind of public forest deforestation around the world issued a directive outlining situations consultation or discussion with experts in energy policy and climate change, could fur- The outlook for fossil fuels & renewables: Michael Barnard has more than doubled, the German where laws requiring the monitoring ther anchor us to our dependence on fossil fuel extraction and exports, which would be arm of the World Wildlife Fund has and reporting of environmental pol- a very, very bad deal for citizens and taxpayers down the road. We could get stuck with Leading oil companies have lost, on average, 45% of their value since COVID-19 discovered. Satellite data from 18 lution laws would not be enforced if a lot of public debt for stranded assets, on top of all of the environmental liabilities that hit. But in the analysis of Michael Barnard, chief strategist at TFIE Strategy Inc., a countries showed that around 6500 companies could explain why not. we already know about. low-carbon business and technology consultancy, the pandemic has only height- square kilometres of forest were ened the impact of long-simmering factors driving decline of the industry — to the cleared in March, a rise of 150% Alberta went further and suspended How could the federal government best spend stimulus money to support a tran- potential benefit of renewable energy. compared to a 2017-2019 average for the reporting otherwise required un- sition to a sustainable economy? the same month. Illegal loggers have der the province’s primary environ- The Trudeau government has done well by first providing the income replacement WS: how is coronavirus affecting oil and gas? taken advantage of decreased patrols mental statute – the Environmental programs. But we are going to need to provide income security permanently, and I’m MB: Oil and gas led the loss of value in the stock market when the coronavirus hit, but in nature preserves and indigenous Protection and Enhancement Act hoping that we will move towards something like a universal guaranteed income. that was just a kick in the pants when they were already going down. territories due to lockdowns and stay- – as well as the Water Act (except- at-home orders, the WWF said, while ing drinking water facilities) and the We are also going to have to restructure the economy to produce things that we need The fracking expansion led to a boom in fracked natural gas and unconventional oil huge job losses in many countries Public Lands Act. sustainably, and we have to phase out fossil fuels. Now, I know it’s going to take prob- extraction of shale oil. So prior to coronavirus and a Saudi-Russia price war, in two have left unemployed people desper- ably at least 20 years. But, we can phase out the oil sands sooner. Non-conventional years the United States was expected to become a net exporter of crude oil. Now at ate for sources of income. Ontario suspended a major portion oil and gas extraction through in situ and surface mining and fracking is extremely current oil prices, low-cost producers want to kill off higher-priced competitors pretty —www.dw.com, May 21, 2020 of the Environmental Bill of Rights, environmentally destructive. It generates about 15% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emis- much en masse, probably to get rid of 50% of the production in North America, which specifically the section that gives sions, so we’re never going to get our greenhouse gas emissions down if we don’t stop gets us back down to 1972 levels or so and makes [the US] dependent on oil imports. Fossil Faux Pas the public a right to be notified and production in that sector. consulted, and requires the gov- And there are other factors that play in here. We see not only the shutdown of expan- Environmental advocates were out- ernment to consider environmental What kind of economy do we build? I would be investing in public ownership of the sion, we should see the shutdown of all the previously-marginal production. So we end raged after Alberta’s energy minister values when it makes decisions. The renewable energy system, because it’s never going to happen fast enough if we leave it up with less production, especially focused on oil. Sonya Savage said pandemic restric- exemption expires 30 days after On- up to the market. If the government does that, it gets the long-term stream of revenue tions make it a “great time to be build- tario’s state of emergency ends, cur- coming back that can repay that upfront investment. I would also be paying a lot more Are renewables sustaining economic damage from COVID-19? ing a pipeline because you can’t have rently June 19, 2020. attention to agriculture. Canada is going to be one of the few places left in the world, Absolutely, everything is being disrupted. Right now, we’re seeing existing projects protests of more than 15 people,” —Ecojustice, April 8, 2020 depending on how fast and how much the average temperature rises, that is going to be that were in construction shut down. We’re seeing lawyers looking at force majeure in reference to the Trans Mountain able to produce a lot of food. and frustration clauses. Supply chains are also being disrupted, so some projects that pipeline expansion. Savage made the were able to go forward with the labour couldn’t get the parts. comments during a podcast hosted by Let’s build an economy on food production, value-added food products, and transport- the Canadian Association of Oilwell ing food to regional markets through an electrified sustainable transportation system. But have you seen the stories about clear skies over LA and other areas? One of the Drilling Contractors. “Wait, she said Also, we should be building up intercity transportation networks, public transportation things we’re getting in many parts of the world is a cleaner air dividend that people the true part out loud – they’re liter- in cities, and investing massively in retrofitting of buildings. There’s huge potential for don’t want to give up. And so the discussion becomes, well, let’s maintain our clean air ally using covid as a cover to build jobs in these sectors. dividend by investing our recovery funds in renewables and electrification. We will see pipelines because they know protest that barrelling down the pipeline. is impossible,” tweeted prominent There’s also potential for many good jobs in the public sector. In human services you climate activist Bill McKibben in re- need teachers, childcare educators, people to look after elders, people in home care, It sounds like you’re pretty hopeful that this will potentially overturn the status sponse. nurses, doctors. We’ve been through decades now of defunding of education and health quo around energy globally? care and we’re seeing the consequences, and this applies to the COVID-19 crisis. Yeah, oil and gas was already a fragile industry where liabilities were mounting. Oil Alberta house leader and Environ- and gas demand for transportation is going to suffer a five-year lull. People are not ment Minister Jason Nixon later stood How does neoliberalism relate to coronavirus? going to get on planes and travel nearly as much as they used to. People will stay a by Savage’s comment, telling report- We have been poorly prepared for a crisis like this because of the underfunding of the lot closer to home, and that entire demand sector for oil and gas is going to diminish. ers she was “stating the obvious.” health system, infrastructure, and many other things. The extreme income inequality Electric cars and renewable-generated electricity, on the other hand, are going to get —www.theguardian.com & or after four or five decades of neoliberalism is clear. cheaper and cheaper. www.globalnews.ca, May 26, 2020 ©BLM Washington Oregon and

22 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 23 Fossils Going Down ger-term impacts,” he added, “the energy industry that emerges from this crisis will Renewables grow even as pandemic crashes energy demand be significantly different from the one The energy industry that emerges from this crisis will that came before.” be significantly differentfrom the one that came before. The IEA sees renewable energy growing 5% this year to account for nearly 30% compiled by Mitchell Beer of the world’s electricity use, while oil demand falls by 9%, coal by 8%, gas by ably have to re-establish what is going to sive losses sweeping an industry that was The permanent reductions in conven- The brutal analyses landed amid a flur- times greater than the 2008/2009 eco- 5%, and overall energy demand by 6% be our strategy.” far too slow in recognizing its own de- tional energy demand wrought by the ry of headlines that captured a petroleum nomic crash. – the equivalent of all the consumption cline. COVID-19 pandemic will change the oil sector in turmoil, beset by slashed explo- in India, the world’s third-largest energy That’s partly because the lifestyles that and gas industry forever, leaving re- ration budgets, scaled-back production, “The plunge in demand for nearly all user, or the combined energy demand of drive energy consumption (and fossil Massive losses newables as the only energy form resil- and often devastating financial results for major fuels is staggering, especially for France, Germany, Italy, and the United fuel emissions) will likely “be altered ient enough to keep growing, accord- the first three months of 2020 – particu- coal, oil, and gas,” said IEA Executive Kingdom. Those shifts are expected to for some time to come, whether that is The Petroleum Services Association of ing to separate assessments released larly in the Canadian industry. Director Fatih Birol. “Only renewables translate into an 8% reduction in green- because of the economic bandwidth that Canada said a C$7-billion reduction in in April by the International Energy are holding up during the previously un- house gas emissions. people will have or businesses will have, fossils’ spending plans will bring the Agency (IEA) and Europe’s biggest fos- The Paris-based IEA reported the pan- heard-of slump in electricity use.” While or whether it is because of attitudes,” van number of wells drilled across the coun- sil, Royal Dutch Shell. demic had delivered a collapse seven “it is still too early to determine the lon- “The growth of renewables despite a Beurden told media. “We do not expect a try this year to a 49-year low. Crashing oil global crisis could spur fossil fuel compa- recovery of oil prices or demand for our prices had “left producers little incentive nies towards their goals to generate more products in the medium term.” to drill for more, with the price of a bar- clean energy, according to Birol, but rel of oil now fetching less than a cup of governments should also include clean Will demand ever fully recover? “That is coffee,” tweeted interim CEO Elizabeth energy at the heart of economic stimulus hard to say,” he admitted. “We live in a Aquin. “We expect to see a 38% drop in packages to ensure a green recovery,” crisis of uncertainty at the moment; we activity for oil wells versus 2019.” writes. don’t know what is on the other side.” Rystad Energy projected a 41% decline “The big takeaway is that fossil fuels are Even before the pandemic, “attitudes in Canadian exploration and production getting hit way harder than renewables,” have of course been changing for some spending, to less than $21 billion. tweeted climate scientist Glen Peters, se- time as the world shifts gradually toward nior researcher at the Oslo-based Center cleaner forms of energy,” Bloomberg As fossils released their quarterly re- for International Climate Research (CI- wrote. “Mounting pressure from cus- sults in April, Calgary-based Husky En- CERO). “When the world rebounds, we tomers, governments and – increasingly ergy reported a $1.7-billion loss over may be in a ‘new normal’ with renew- – investors has seen large oil companies three months, Cenovus Energy lost $1.8

ables causing declining CO2 emissions!” make ambitious promises to slash their billion, and Vermillion Energy $1.3 bil- carbon emissions.” lion, The Canadian Press wrote. Imperi- Shell braces for shift al Oil lost $301 million, China National But many colossal fossils, including Offshore Oil Corporation announced it On the same day as that tweet, Shell CEO Shell, “haven’t provided a blueprint on was scaling back its tar sands/oil sands Ben van Beurden admitted fossil demand how much they’ll invest in clean energy production, and Teck Resources said may not fully recover after the pandemic to fulfill their long-term pledges. Now, it would cancel its membership in the is over, leaving his company bracing for with the coronavirus crisis reshaping the messaging-challenged Canadian Asso- the shift, Bloomberg stated. “There will entire oil market and the future of con- ciation of Petroleum Producers as part be changes, and therefore we have to be sumption, such investment plans may be of a $1-billion cost-cutting effort, while ready for that,” said van Beurden, who brought sharply into focus.” shareholder Tribeca Investment Partners just half a year ago was insisting his com- urged Teck to dump its underperforming pany had “no choice” but to invest in new As those pivots began to take shape, the fossil projects. “That means that we prob- most recent sharp focus was on the mas- Continued on Page 26  ©Andreas Gücklhorn©Andreas

24 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 25 Fossils continued

oil and coal businesses and replace CEO Don Lindsay. The plunge in demand for nearly all major fuels “It was clear from what we were seeing is staggering, especially for coal, oil, and gas. on the product demand side in North America that we were going to see supply and demand collide in a very messy way this quarter,” Husky CEO Rob Peabody they can’t survive in the global market green energy were poised to weather the told financial analysts. “Our strategy is to they’ve helped to build, taxpayers should storm much better. The news agency cit- keep as many barrels away from the train bail them out. “We have had significant ed utilities as the third-strongest sector on wreck as possible to minimize negative discussions with both the Alberta gov- the Stoxx 600 this year, losing only 11% cash margin.” ernment and the federal government of their value compared to 17% across the about the need for incremental liquidity broader market. This pandemic will pass support,” Pourbaix said during his com- pany’s earnings call in late April. “We’ve “European utilities with bulging renew- “We know this pandemic will pass, the been hearing for weeks that support is able energy portfolios are showing that markets will recover and, as benchmark coming. Weeks have passed and the in- the way out of the coronavirus slump is prices begin to return to more normalized dustry is still waiting, and particularly, coloured green,” Bloomberg wrote. levels, we expect to see these price-driv- the larger side of the industry.” en impacts to our business begin to re- “Energy companies from Ørsted A/S to verse themselves,” added Cenovus Pres- First-quarter financial results were more Iberdrola SA reported robust first quarter ident and CEO Alex Pourbaix. “What’s mixed among global fossils. ExxonMo- earnings in a period that has been bedev- not clear is exactly how long that’s going bil announced its first quarterly loss in iled by a slump in energy demand and a to take.” three decades, at US$610 million, and collapse in gas prices. Owning large wind cut spending by $10 billion, BP saw its and solar portfolios has so far protected So far, “companies are hunkering down profits fall two-thirds, to US$800- mil those companies from the worst effects of and preparing as best they can with a com- lion, and Chevron announced plans to the crisis.” bination of cutting pay, reducing capital cut costs, on the heels of $3.6 billion in spending, restricting dividends and, of quarterly profits driven largely by selling “There is complete consensus that the course, pulling back on oil production,” off some of its oil and pipeline properties. road to economic recovery must be wrote CBC business reporter Kyle Bakx. green,” Iberdola chair Ignacio Galan said But “if these first quarter results are bad, Chaos among fast shutdowns Wednesday. the second quarter is already expected to be much worse, with historically low oil The IEA said some oil fields would de- prices that even turned negative for a few scend into chaos due to the fast pace of A longer version of this story was original- days.” production stoppages. ly published on The Energy Mix (https:// theenergymix.com/) Mitchell Beer is The Which means “the biggest concern for “Lockdown measures have caused un- Energy Mix’s founder, lead content pro- the oilpatch is how long this will last,” precedented demand declines, whose ducer, publisher, and researcher. Bakx added. “The downturn of the last speed and magnitude greatly exceed the five years was too tough for many com- normal market flexibility of supply,” the panies who went bankrupt, and the cur- agency wrote. “Even with attempts at rent predicament is immensely more coordinated management, a disorderly difficult, with little optimism about when production shutdown is likely in some the situation will improve.” places.”

The carnage had the Financial Post In stark contrast, Bloomberg said Euro- amplifying fossils’ insistence that if pean power utilities that had embraced

26 | watershedsentinel.ca Food Cornerstone

Farm survival and COVID aid

by Sylvain Charlebois

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture ernment. Occupying our vast nation’s Ottawa presented a decent, measured really set the bar high with its $2.6-bil- topography should be top of mind, from plan, if too little too late. But the program lion aid request in April. When a feder- coast, to coast, to coast. gives a sense of what needs to be im- al program barely worth $252 million proved over time. Food processing needs was announced, the disappointment In the United States and Europe, gov- support to keep employees safe at work, felt throughout the farming community ernments provided financial aid directly and we need mechanisms to prevent wasn’t surprising. to farmers weeks ago so they could deal spoilage at the farm gate. Those issues with the aftermath of COVID-19. In the are both within the scope of the program, Before the announcement, we expect- US, every American is providing $86 which is a good sign for the future. ed to lose as many as 15% of Canadian through taxes to support agriculture via farms due to COVID-19. Ottawa’s plans government-sanctioned programs. In Eu- Ottawa needs to make sure there are few- won’t change that. rope, it’s over $90 per capita. In Canada, er divisions between the players in the the per capita support for agriculture is food chain. Farmers should care about The $125-million program to support $6. Six tiny dollars. processors and vice versa. The same livestock raises a variety of concerns: goes for the rest of the food chain. There • Executing the program will take The government should be credited for are good examples in other parts of the time. the interesting elements in the plan: world, so much work is still needed. • Few details were provided about the • Recognizing that the Canadian Dairy role of provinces or how much farm- Commission is the ideal agent to deal An urban-rural divide remains entrenched ers will receive. with production surplus. in most federal government policies, in- • The measures will likely not prevent • The $100-million credit to the cluding this announcement. However, more animals from being euthanized Crown corporation responsible for knowing how that divide can skew every- in days to come, and killing farm an- making sure milk surpluses are man- thing, $252 million for farmers is a de- imals for no reason is never a good aged properly. cent start. Expecting more was a mistake. thing. Along with the milk dumping, • The $77 million allocated to expand COVID-19 is clearly giving animal domestic processing capacity. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of activists many great case studies the agri-food analytics lab and a profes- served on a silver platter. The agri-food sector can’t be vigorous sor in food without a reliable, strong processing arm. distribution It’s all such a shame for our farmers. Los- The Canadian processing sector, howev- and policy ing farms won’t compromise our nation’s er, is incredibly anemic and in crisis. In at Dalhousie food security, obviously. Farmland never fact, it was in a crisis when it entered the University. disappears and can always be exploited pandemic. It has lost 12 jobs a day, every by someone else. day, since 2012. That’s 35,000 jobs.

The most significant concern is how we Processing is the cornerstone for any food create jobs and wealth in rural econo- supply chain. Weaknesses in processing mies located far from urban centres. This will always arise in times of crises, and should be a priority for the federal gov- this sector is desperate for more attention. ©Eiliv-Sonas Aceron watershedsentinel.ca | 27 Orphan Wells

Clean up money a start but long-term thinking necessary

by Barry Robinson

In April, the price of crude oil plum- On April 17, the federal government an- ease this problem. The money will sup- meted to negative $37.63 USD a barrel. nounced $1.7B to clean up orphan oil and port clean ups across the country, creat- As some pointed out, oil was officially gas wells, which are left behind when ing jobs, freeing up land, and helping the cheaper than a roll of toilet paper — companies no longer have the money to environment in the process. But, while an apt summary of the times in which continue operations, and other inactive the funding is a smart short-term move, it we’re living. wells held by still viable companies. doesn’t tackle the reasons why there are so many inactive wells across the coun- As an environmental lawyer based in Inactive gas wells are a major problem try in the first place – or why the public Alberta, I’m well aware of the roller for the environment. The longer a well should have to step in when companies coaster ride that is oil and gas prices. The sits inactive, the more likely it is to leak ignore their own messes. COVID-19 pandemic has shown, once methane – a greenhouse gas that is 84 again, just how fragile and unreliable the times more potent than carbon dioxide Without addressing the source of the or- province’s reliance on the tar sands is. Af- in the first two decades after its release phan well problem by requiring compa- ter decades of boom and bust that have – to the surface. Inactive wells are also nies to set aside clean up money before made it impossible for Albertans to plan more likely to contaminate groundwater they drill a well – and laws and policies for their futures – not to mention exten- as pipes and cement break down under- that ensure they use this money for that sive environmental damage – it’s time to ground over time. purpose once the well is no longer in use get off this carnival ride. – inactive oil and gas wells will continue Another problem with orphan oil and to threaten the environment and people As most of us know, weathering the gas wells is that, while they sit inopera- across Canada. COVID-19 crisis will require govern- ble, they take up land that people could ments to come together and take coor- use for other purposes, such as agricul- As we envision what it will take to rebuild dinated action to introduce policies and ture. This is especially problematic when the economy and protect the environment laws to get us through this current mo- companies leave inactive wells sitting in the long-term, Canadians need more ment. But we also need to do this in a way on private property. That’s what hap- than short-term, clean up thinking. We that is sustainable and builds resiliency, pened to Albertan rancher Tony Bruder need a long-term strategy to make sure so that we can better prevent future disas- and his family, some of Ecojustice’s lon- companies don’t make messes in the first ters and cope with any emergencies that gest-standing clients. place, a plan for how we’re going to di- do come our way. versify our economy so we aren’t reliant The scale of this problem is huge. There on a single, volatile industry, and a com- In other words: It doesn’t make sense to are about 95,000 inactive oil and gas mitment to building sustainable systems address today’s COVID-19 crisis with wells in Alberta alone. Of those, nearly that will help us get through future crises measures that will make the climate crisis 18,000 don’t meet the Alberta Energy – whether those are pandemics, market worse in the future. Regulator’s standards for inactive wells, crashes, or climate catastrophes – and despite a five-year push to bring them come out on the other side with our plan- Fortunately, the federal government into compliance. et, systems, and communities intact. has demonstrated it’s willing to take a thoughtful approach to how it spends re- Newly-announced funding for inactive Barry Robinson is a lawyer for Ecojustice. covery money, in the short term, at least. well clean up will, undoubtedly, help Originally published at www.ecojustice.ca.

28 | watershedsentinel.ca Silver Linings

Resurgence in local food production Shareholders power change The original social media It’s Miller Time Accountability Elder Pirates An ancient water-powered grain mill 56% of oil company Ovintiv Inc. Radio Recliner, an online pirate radio standing since 1016 on the banks of the (formerly Encana) shareholders voted station hosted exclusively by elderly DJs River Stour, in Dorset County, UK, has yea for specific climate-related targets from assisted living facilities across the been pressed back into service during in a shareholder resolution filed by the United States, was launched in April as the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally a Pension Plan of the United Church of a means of keeping isolated seniors en- museum that produces flour only for sale Canada. The proposal seeks disclosure of tertained and optimistic during the pan- in souvenir quantities, the Sturminster medium and long-term climate risks, and demic. In addition to news shows being Newton Mill ground over a ton of wheat how the company’s plans square with the aired every day at noon, the station now in April alone. Flour sales are helping Paris Agreement. Kevin Thomas, CEO of streams a continuous loop of content to to refill coffers reduced from the loss of the non-profit Shareholder Association keep its fanbase entertained. On the sta- tourist and school group visits. “It’s like for Research and Education, said the vote tion’s website, listeners can also submit stepping back to an earlier way of life, is a clear signal investors are looking for song requests and ask the hosts to broad- where power was harnessed naturally long-term climate accountability. “In the cast audio messages and shoutouts to and without pollution,” said miller Imo- midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and oil friends and family members. gen Bittner. “It’s good to see that the old price shock, companies need to plan for a —www.goodnewsnetwork.org mill can rise to the challenge.” climate transition, or plan to lose value,” May 27, 2020 —www.smithsonianmag.com he said. May 8, 2020 —www.share.ca April 30, 2020

Science shows marine resilience Massive green recovery package Hope for Oceans

EU Green Deal ©www.lovebeyondwalls.org Declines in marine life could be re- versed within a generation, to restore the The EU has announced massive in- glory of the world’s oceans, according vestments in a green recovery package to Accessible hygiene in US cities to a major scientific review published rebuild coronavirus-ravaged economies in Nature. The review found that con- and tackle the climate crisis. The plan Love Sinks In servation successes, while still isolated, includes €91B a year for home energy ef- demonstrate that many marine species ficiency and green heating, €25B for re- Portable sinks are being installed across can bounce back from overfishing, hab- newable energy, €20B for clean cars over the US as a means of helping homeless itat destruction, and the effects of climate two years, and up to €60B for zero-emis- people wash their hands amidst the novel change. Doing so would require large sions trains. Two million EV chargers in coronavirus outbreaks. Over the course protected areas, sustainable fishing and the next five years are planned, as well of the last two months, Georgia-based pollution controls. “One of the overar- as the production of 1M tonnes of clean nonprofit Love Beyond Walls has set up ching messages of the review is, if you hydrogen. A just transition fund for dozens of hand-washing stations for the stop killing sea life and protect it, then it countries heavily reliant on coal will be city of Atlanta, in areas popularly visited does come back,” said University of York increased nearly fivefold to €40B. The by rough sleepers. They have also teamed professor Calum Roberts, a co-author of package is predicted to create a least 1M up with other homeless charities to install the study. jobs, with workers in polluting industries sinks in cities like Birmingham, Austin, —www.theguardian.com retrained to take on new roles. Columbus, San Bernardino, New Orle- April 1, 2020 —www.theguardian.com ans, Baltimore, and New York City. May 28, 2020 —www.goodnewsnetwork.org May 18, 2020

watershedsentinel.ca | 29 Tar Sands Bailout teachers and education workers. Thou- Instead of using funds from industry the same company that had to twice win sands have already lost their jobs at uni- levies, federal and provincial loans, and injunctions (later enforced at gunpoint by Alberta rides the disaster capitalism train versities and colleges. Doctor’s salaries grants to seal and remediate the wells and RCMP) against Indigenous land defend- will be cut by up to 30% and thousands of pipeline segments of bankrupt compa- ers in order to build a pipeline through nurses, paramedics and heath-care work- nies, newly amended legislation allows unceeded territories. ers will be out of work. them to use this cash to start them up again and to profit from it. First proposed in 2008, the [Keystone though a series of reforms that would oth- These measures – ostensibly a response XL] pipeline has faced formidable op- erwise be resisted and opposed. to unprecedented crisis – are nothing new. These powers are being fuelled by a $100 position from Indigenous nations as it Rather they reflect a stubborn conserva- million provincial loan and $1.7 billion crossed their lands in Canada and the $15 billion bailout? tive agenda of widespread deregulation of emergency relief from the federal gov- United States, including the Blackfoot and financial support for oil and gas com- ernment. and the Sioux, famous for holding up the Under the cover of COVID-19, Alberta panies that have characterized provincial Dakota Access Pipeline. Indigenous op- has amended the Oil & Gas Conserva- governance throughout Alberta’s history. Pipelines propped up position has always been disproportion- tion Act, Pipelines Act, Environmental ately criminalized. Protection and Enhancement Act, Water “Undue hardship” The Alberta government has amended Act, Public Lands Act and the newly im- the TIER regulations, its version of the Now, under the current states of public plemented Technology Innovation and The Alberta government has suspend- carbon tax, to make it easier for emitters health emergency in provinces along the Emissions Regulations (TIER) to miti- ed environmental reporting and amend- to comply. It has also released hundreds pipeline’s route, acts of land defence and gate against “undue hardship” to the oil ed air-quality monitoring requirements of millions of dollars of public money to environmental protests are outright ille- and gas industry. citing “undue hardship” for oil and gas exempt oil and gas producers from six gal. There will be much less need for in- producers, and has determined that these months’ worth of levies owed to the Al- junctions or militarized police raids. The massive federal bailout package oilsands producers won’t have to submit berta Energy Regulator, and extended oil originally rumoured at $15 billion may, reports on how much waste water they and gas tenures for a year. for now, be off the table, replaced by a send to tailings ponds until August 14, Originally published at The Conversation $2.45 billion dollar package that includes 2020. And they’re exempt from reporting Since oil and gas production, including Canada – www.theconversation.com. The high-risk financing for oil companies. when emissions from smokestacks, tail- the construction of pipelines like Trans authors are members of the Department ings ponds, transportation, and dust ex- Mountain, have been deemed an “essen- of Geography, Environment and Geomat-

©Katie Rodriguez Ottawa continues to consider support for ceed daily ambient air-quality limits until tial service,” work in the oilsands contin- ics, University of Guelph. Alberta’s energy sector. If industry and December 31, 2020. They are also free ues apace with deregulation. the Alberta government get their way, from filing inventories of airborne emis- this will include the suspension of income sions and air-quality monitoring reports And that’s not all. As the price of West- tax payments, a troubled asset recovery until December 31, 2020. ern crude se- by Chloe Alexander and Anna Stanley program to facilitate federal purchase of lect plunged to equity assets in oil and gas, a massive There will be no public scrutiny of the en- worthless lev- Jason Kenney and the Alberta govern- This comes at a time when dissent has injection of credit and the suspension or vironmental impacts of the oilsands and els, Kenney an- ment have wasted no time using the effectively been silenced. People are pre- postponement of the scheduled increase little in place to protect people and the en- nounced a $1.5 current coronavirus crisis to aggres- occupied with survival, discouraged from to the federal carbon tax – worth between vironment from oil and gas development billion equity sively deregulate the Alberta oilsands. leaving their homes and banned from $15 billion and $30 billion. until these suspensions expire. And it is investment in gathering in groups. Demonstrations are possible they will be renewed. the beleaguered Using executive powers granted under not only impossible, they are forbidden Collectively, these measures will see bil- Keystone XL a provincial state of public health emer- by law. lions of dollars of public finance flow to Alberta has also passed a bill that amends pipeline, owned gency, Alberta is swiftly dismantling leg- oil and gas producers and pipeline com- the Oil and Gas Conservation Act and the by TC Energy, islative, regulatory, and financial barriers This is a textbook example of what Nao- panies instead of public services and in- Pipeline Act to allow the not-for-profit, and a $6 billion to oilsands development and pushing mi Klein calls disaster capitalism: using stitutions. industry-funded Orphan Well Association loan guarantee through the construction of controversial a crisis, when the normal rules of dem- to produce and sell oil from abandoned to back its con- oil pipelines. ocratic procedure are suspended, to push This means school boards will lay off wells and operate abandoned pipelines. struction. This is

30 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 31 Planet of Yahoos humans convert Earth’s living systems to toxic waste and gar- bage advances as a multiple of the increasing population – ever Human populations have grown so Is looking frankly at planetary limits... off-limits? pushing toward what is blithely called “population die-off” – which means The End for our grandchildren. exponentially that small increments of time now yield huge increases in human numbers. Harvard biologist E. O. Wilson estimates that 30,000 species per year (or three species per hour) are being driven to extinction. commentary by Norm Reynolds Compare this to the natural background rate of one extinction per million species per year, and you can see why scientists refer After seeing the controversial produced/Jeff I have to admit that at first, it seemed picayune to me for the film to it as a crisis unparalleled in human history. The thing about Planet of the Humans that is so terrifying is that Gibbs directed film Planet of the Humans you may ask your- to accusingly point out 350.org founder Bill McKibben’s sup- it doesn’t just point to one group or one action, it very blatantly self, as I did, why is this so incendiary? Why can’t Moore and port for biomass as alternative energy, when in fact McKibben We want to keep growing our numbers and our greedy habits so says there are limits to how much of humanity and our greedy Gibbs suggest that green energy sources like solar and wind had publicly renounced his support for clear cutting forests to we choose to believe leaders on the left and right that tell us to ways planet Earth will take. We need to re-envision what we come with inherent limits and challenges that make them burn as a replacement for coal in thermal electricity generation forget the stop signs, forget the obviously impending collapse, do, how we do it, AND how much our beleaguered planet can less than the panacea we imagine them to be — without many years ago. However, after thinking about this for some we’re magical creatures: the math of exponential growth just endure without succumbing, rather than just painting over the igniting such truculent opposition from so many, and from time, I realized that Gibbs, rather than attacking McKibben, was doesn’t apply to us. We can have it all – isn’t that what our lead- old ways with a thin green veneer. such vastly differing perspectives? trying to dramatize how sometimes what we want to believe gets ers across the political spectrum tell us? in the way of our understanding of what is actually happening. The problem isn’t that Bill McKibben once endorsed biomass From the right we hear that it’s all just hysteria; there is no prob- for electrical generation. The problem is that under the ruse of The idea of burning clear-cut trees (with a few tires and garbage lem. Why worry about melting ice, who knows what treasures green growth we have lost sight of the fact that too much is too thrown in) as a “green energy” alternative to coal was never we might be able to dig up when the ice is gone? From the left much no matter what colour you paint it. If Planet of the Hu- a good idea but, quite understandably, there was a time when we hear that population, pollution and are not mans can reignite that urgent discussion, it might just save us any alternative to mountaintop removing, air polluting, green- a problem as long as we do it the green way, to ever-increasing from becoming a Planet of Extinct Yahoos. house-gas belching coal looked like a desirable possibility. economic growth. The Green New Deal will save us from our population and pollution problems just as Roosevelt’s New Deal McKibben’s long-ago support for biomass is not about corrup- of the 1930s saved the US from an end to capitalism. Growth, Norm Reynolds, a Unitarian lay chaplain and author of Song of tion, it is a succinct reminder that sometimes our longing for in and of itself, is not the problem. Forget old-fashioned math. the Sacred, has been an environmental activist in British Co- a workable alternative can cloud our vision of how clean the With a little of our economy we can, after all, lumbia for over thirty years. perceived alternative really is. have it all, rich or poor. It is amazing how the discussion of what is enough and how much can our Earth can give/take has been The real, profound, pervasive reason that Planet of the Humans buried beneath the idea of an ever-expanding green economy. is so despised and verbally spat upon by left, right, and centre is that it says the unspeakable, unthinkable truth that the current The left’s most enlightened ask how can the Earth’s most ra- growth rate of the human population with its ever-increasing pacious populations even think of cutting back on resource consumption/pollution of the natural world is not sustainable, consumption until the world’s underprivileged populations or even survivable. To even murmur such a thing is to incur the have had a minimally just share of the Earth’s bounties? most grievous possible wrath from all sides. Then along come Gibbs and Moore telling us what we There seems to be no limit to the perspectives from which attacks don’t want to hear – there is a limit to growth on a finite on Planet of the Humans can be mounted. All of them appear as planet. In our hearts we know he is right, and therein lies camouflage to hide from ourselves the fact we cannot imagine the rub: if we let in even a little of the message of Planet a human future without ever-increasing numbers of people on of the Humans, a great river of unconscious wisdom may Earth consuming ever-increasing amounts of “resources” and just come rushing out and we will have to admit (first of leaving behind ever-mounting mountains of garbage. all to ourselves) that we are wrong, we have been deceived by our own greed as well as the more organized greeds of Watershed Sentinel Books Human populations have grown so exponentially that small in- www.watershedsentinel.ca/books others – there really is a limit to how much of the Earth we crements of time now yield huge increases in human numbers. can pillage. There is a limit to how many humans Planet $20 Worse yet, as the human population explodes, the rate at which Earth can support. 32 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 33 Of Mice & Rats All was good in paradise until males be- gan to compete for dominance and hier- Lessons on overpopulation and social disintegration archy in this closed social system. The Conclusion: when the spirit dies, the species dies. most successful males were associated with brood groups that produced the most litters, but as the population expanded, young males grew into adult male coun- What we may garner from Calhoun’s tendency of disenfranchised groups to by Jon Mills terparts competing for roles in an already experiments with rodents is remarkably become fragmented in their behaviours established social order. With no place analogous to the human animal. When to the point of societal decay due to the In the 1940s, ethologist John Calhoun to emigrate, those who failed withdrew children are neglected and forsaken by accumulation of negative interactions began to study the effects of popula- “physically and psychologically,” became their mothers and fathers, abandoned on with others, absence of defined roles, and tion density on rats. He confined wild despondent and inactive, and pooled on the streets, abused by their elders and overpopulation. Norway rats to a quarter-acre enclo- the floor near the center of the universe. society, and subjected to insecurity and sure where they had a bounty of food, ferocity, they become traumatized, feel Despite the fact that it is reductive to plenty of space to mill about, removed As the senior territorial males became unsafe and persecuted, cease to function equate the intelligence and complexity any source of predation or conditions more fatigued in fending off their ma- adaptively, experience ongoing stress of human life to that of a mouse, it nev- for disease, and he watched. turing associates, they were also less and deterioration in health, wellness, ertheless remains a chilling reminder of successful in defending their territories, and social adjustment, aggress on others, what overcrowded conditions can poten- Soon a colony formed and the population which left nursing females more exposed become hopeless and depressed, and/or tially lead to in a controlled society where boomed. But by the end of 27 months, the to invasion of their nests. As their nest withdraw to an autistic state of simple in- plenty of food and water remain avail- population stabilized at only 150 adults, sites became more vulnerable, females stinctual behaviours aimed at physiologi- able. Our current total world population despite the fact that reproduction rates adopted the aggressive role of territorial cal survival until death. is nearly eight billion, and the United Na- were predicted to produce 5000 by that males, which included attacks on their tions estimates it will likely be over 11.2 time. One reason was an extremely high own young who were maimed and forced For an animal so complex as homo sa- billion by 2100. infant mortality rate. Despite an adequate to leave the nests before normal weaning. piens, there is no logical reason why a amount of space, stress from social inter- Soon conception declined, pregnancies comparable sequence of events should Jon Mills is a philosopher, psychoanalyst action led to disruptions in maternal func- ©Syl Pierce were aborted, offspring were wounded not also lead to species extinction. Just and psychologist living and practicing in tions where very few young survived. during delivery, and mothers carried their as biological generativity in the mouse the Greater Toronto Area. young outside of the nest to abandon involves this species’ most complex be- This observation in the wild led to a series them. haviours, so does ideational generativi- See Calhoun (1973) “Death Squared: The of more controlled experiments using do- sparse, ate rarely or only in the company ed units and segregated cells with sepa- ty for humans. Loss of these respective Explosive Growth and Demise of a Mouse mesticated rats indoors. As the population of other members, and eventually crowd- rate story apartments, retreat nesting box- The social matrix began to collapse complex behaviours means death of the Population.” Proceedings of the Royal density increased, behavioural pathology ed together in a pen as one big mob. This es, food hoppers, water dispensers, and when females rejected their progeny, and species. Society of Medicine, 66: 80–88. emerged among both females and males. aberrant social phenomenon, a “patho- an open congregation floor area covered pushed them out into the dense and dan- Females were largely unable to carry a logical togetherness,” disrupted courting with ground corn cob to allow for com- gerous jungle before the development of In other words, if peo- pregnancy to full term, died after delivery practices, building of nests, and nursing munal feeding, social interaction, and ac- any attachment or affectional bonds were ple do not have the if they did, or neglected their litters if they and caring for the young. Infant mortality cess to each tunnel. achieved. opportunities to fulfill survived. Males became more frenzied, rates ran as high as 96% for the most dis- their aspirations, ide- aggressive, resorted to sexual deviation, ordered groups in the colony. The mice had everything they could ever Successive generations were increasing- als, and shared com- even cannibalism, followed by morbid dream of: unlimited food and water, shel- ly unable to engage in species-normative munal needs, where withdrawal, where they would only come With this background in mind, Calhoun ter from the elements, disease, predation, behaviors including: courtship, procre- enjoyment, purpose, out to feed or roam about when others in set out to create the perfect world, this and invasion from other species, and an ation, maternal care, territorial defense, creativity, and mutu- the community were asleep. time with mice. He constructed Utopia: ambient temperature. The initial four and hierarchical intra- and intergroup or- ality give meaning and Universe 1. The basic design consisted of pairs of mice doubled rapidly until reach- ganizational complexities, to the eventu- provide a social link Social disintegration soon occurred: fac- a closed physical universe approximately ing a population of approximately 620, al point of extinction. The last surviving to life, pathology and tions of rats divided into different groups 9 feet square and 4.5 feet high with galva- before the exponential growth started to births were on day 600 after colonization. mayhem will ensue. with modified sex ratios, congregated in nized metal walls at the top. There were slow as a new social organization arose. Conclusion: when the spirit dies, the spe- Calhoun called this the certain pens while leaving other areas tunnels and layers comprised of segment- cies dies. “behavioural sink,” the

34 | watershedsentinel.ca watershedsentinel.ca | 35 Wild Times Big Tree Talk

by Joe Foy

There is a lot of big talk in Victoria Forest: A Last Stand for Biodiversity, by area designations – then it’s back to busi- these days about protecting the last Karen Price, Ph.D., Rachel F. Holt, Ph.D., ness as usual wiping out the remaining of BC’s big tree forests. Victoria is cur- R.P.Bio and Dave Daust R.P.F., M.Sc., unprotected ancient forests. rently sitting on the findings of a panel, concluded that big tree old growth forests the Old Growth Strategic Review, that have almost vanished. The report says Meanwhile, on the frontlines of forest ex- travelled the province talking to peo- that older second growth forests should tinctions, everyday people continue to try ple about BC’s remaining ancient for- now be protected to try to hold on to the to hold the line against a logging industry ests outside of parks and what should province’s collapsing forest biodiversity. that seems it will never be satisfied until be done about them — meaning, should the last endangered species bites the dust. they be logged or protected? The report also delves into the many ways that our government has sought to In the West Kootenay community of Ar- You and I will get to see the panel’s find- make us all think there are lots of big tree genta, extremely rare Southern Mountain ings and recommendations when their old growth forests remaining. They’ve caribou in the local old growth forest report is released in the coming months. designated something called Old Growth have not yet derailed logging plans, but It does make you wonder why the pro- Management Areas, with some areas con- people fight on to defend the forest. vincial government needs so much time taining no actual old growth to manage before breaking the news to us all. We and all areas just too damn small to make In the Lower Mainland, logging of old pretty much already know that, over de- much of a difference. And to back up growth forest that is critical spotted owl cades of mismanagement, the logging their claims of abundant old growth, the habitat continues, even with at last count industry has shredded the ancient forests. BC government has counted every shrub only three owls remaining in the wild. The question is – are we finally going to and wind-blown stick poking out of a save the pitiful remnants that remain? bog or clinging to a mountaintop as old The Wilderness Committee recently growth. This has of course been going on mapped 312 BC government logging per- Meanwhile, in April, an independent for decades – broken up only by public mits in spotted owl habitat – all of them science report entitled BC’s Old Growth protest followed by a spate of protected involving increasingly rare Lower Main- land old growth stands.

From the Sunshine Coast to Vancouver Island to Haida Gwaii, forest defenders are doing their very best, as too many old growth forests continue to slip through their fingers.

So when the BC government finally lets us in on what it intends to do with the re- maining old growth, the only big talk I am willing to listen to is about big action to protect every shred of old growth big tree forests that remain, backed up with big action to protect older second growth forests as well.

Joe Foy is the protected areas campaign- er for the Wilderness Committee. ©Joe Foy

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