British Columbia

North America has a serious problem with climate change. And the effects are being felt now.

It's apparent in the California drought, atmospheric rivers that have caused massive flooding in Toronto and Calgary, and the lengthening forest-fire season.

This year, parts of Fort McMurray burned down in early May. In May! Not July or August.

Just two months after federal government officials got a standing ovation at the United Nations for embracing a declaration on indigenous rights, the Liberals are facing criticism for issuing authorizations for Site C – a massive dam in northeast B.C. that some First Nations say will harm their way of life.

“It’s an absolute betrayal,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

If it's ever built, a $22 billion oil refinery in Kitimat would be Canada's largest

July 27, 2016 -  Share:B.C. newspaper owner David Black thinks Canada should be refining its oil, not shipping it offshore.

Will the federal Liberal government put up a $10 billion loan guarantee for David Black’s proposed $22 billion low-carbon refinery in Kitimat?

That is just one of the financing issues the B.C. newspaper magnate needs to resolve if he is to succeed in building what he says would be Canada’s biggest – and the world’s cleanest – oil refinery.

July 19, 2016 - The province has approved $120-million in tax breaks to 10 energy companies in exchange for continued spending on developing the industry’s infrastructure in northeastern British Columbia, Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman said Tuesday.

Companies involved, which include Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Chevron Canada and the Cutbank Ridge Partnership — a joint venture of Encana Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp. — are expected to spend $185 million on 15 authorized pipeline or road-building projects.

LNG Canada joint venture participants – Shell, PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corporation and Kogas – have decided to delay a final investment decision on LNG Canada that was planned for end 2016.

VANCOUVER - British Columbia First Nations are wasting no time in enforcing their claim on traditional lands in light of a landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision recognizing aboriginal land title.

The hereditary chiefs of the Gitxsan First Nations served notice Thursday to CN Rail, logging companies and sport fishermen to leave their territory along the Skeena River in a dispute with the federal and provincial governments over treaty talks.

How a discovery in South China Sea fuels further doubt around BC's stalled natural gas dreams.

Over the last few years, China has annoyed some of its neighbours by dredging islands out of the South China Sea and claiming the whole region as its property. These steps have not much alarmed the West, apart from a few pundits looking for the Next Big Enemy.

On June 10, 2016, KAIROS released an Open Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Columbia Premier Christy Clark urging them to suspend construction of the Site C dam on the Peace River until Indigenous peoples’ rights have been respected and the B.C. Utilities Commission has conducted a thorough review.1 This Briefing Paper will explain why KAIROS and other civil society organizations are taking action on this issue.

[Webpage editor: Here is only the text; go to link for the original.]