VANCOUVER—Fisheries and Oceans Canada is in Federal Court this week defending a policy that allows salmon farming companies to transfer juvenile salmon from land-based hatcheries into ocean pens without first testing for piscine reovirus or PRV.
Biologist Alexandra Morton, represented by Ecojustice, and the ‘Namgis First Nation have challenged the federal policy in separate cases that will be heard together. They argue that PVR is a “disease agent” and therefore it should be illegal for salmon carrying the virus to be transferred into the ocean.
7:29am, Thursday, August 30th, 2018:
We’re in a boardroom high above downtown Vancouver, not far from Robson Street where I’m told there used to be a great hunting path. I’m on the Federal Court of Appeal’s website, refreshing my web browser obsessively.
VANCOUVER—The B.C. Green Party is calling for the province to undertake its own environmental assessment of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in the wake of last week’s Federal Court of Appeal decision to quash the project’s federal approval.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has already pre-determined the outcome of any further assessment and consultation by repeatedly saying the pipeline will be built, said Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver.
Blueberry River First Nations wins important victory in historical claim: Specific Claims Tribunal finds Federal Government responsible for loss of subsurface rights in Reserves
Many of you will have already seen the excellent film The Living Salish Sea. It is a good time to remember it and send it to friends and, especially, uncommitted people, since the potential effect of the proposed pipeline on the inlet/sea is one of the two issues that any future assessment will now have to address.
Please watch, and share our recent video on ATB's (Articulated Tug Barges) (The Nathan E Stewart was one). We are looking into these elusive petroleum product shipments more and more. One such finding is that they do business with KinderMorgan's Westridge terminal on a regular basis.
Rueben George of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation at a news conference with several First Nations who were part of the Federal Court of Appeal case against the Trans Mountain expansion, after the court ruling last week. (Chantelle Bellrichard/CBC)
Liberal MPs have shut down an opposition attempt to have two senior ministers grilled over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project before Parliament resumes later this month.
When I wrote to Justin Trudeau on October 25, 2015—almost three years ago—I warned him that it was critical to implement his promise to redo Trans Mountain’s review and fix the industry-captured National Energy Board as soon as possible.
