Energy

Wednesday September 14, 2016

Liberal MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette has broken ranks with his government's approval of a BC dam project, saying a failure to consult local First Nations could violate the UN declaration on indigenous rights.

Nine years ago today, on September 13, 2007, the United Nations took an important step towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples when the General Assembly voted 144-4 to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. While 11 countries abstained, four countries voted against the Declaration: Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia.

First Nations leaders from British Columbia were in Ottawa this week to tell federal politicians they have been betrayed by a government that promised a new relationship with indigenous people then approved the construction of a massive hydro dam that threatens their traditional way of life.

The $8.8-billion BC Hydro project on the Peace River, known as Site C, received authorizations from the federal departments of Fisheries and Transport earlier this summer.

OTTAWA — The federal government’s approach to the Site C dam project in British Columbia is not in keeping with Canada’s constitution nor with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, says Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde.

The multi-billion dollar project — a proposed dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River — would create an 83-kilometre reservoir and flood farm land along with traditional First Nations territory.

Opponents of the $8.8 billion dam hope this week's federal court case marks a tipping point

For the last week, a large bus with the slogan "Stand with First Nations to protect the Peace River" on its sides has been making its way across Canada.

The U.S. is expected to reach a major carbon emissions milestone this year: For the first time, carbon dioxide emissions from burning natural gas in the U.S. are set to surpass those from burning coal — the globe’s chief climate polluter.

Emissions from burning natural gas are expected to be 10 percent greater than those from coal in 2016, as electric companies rely more on power plants that run on natural gas than those that run on coal, according to U.S. Department of Energy data.

August 31, 2016 -  Ontario and Quebec signed an agreement with the Mexican government Wednesday to jointly develop carbon markets with the aim of allowing companies in those provinces to purchase Mexican greenhouse-gas-reduction credits to satisfy provincially regulated emission caps.

A plan to make electricity widely available to natural gas facilities in northeast British Columbia depends on whether or not proposed West Coast LNG projects go ahead.

The climate change plan B.C. Premier Christy Clark released Aug. 19 referred generically to “infrastructure” that would have to be built to “close the gap between electricity and natural gas costs” in B.C. Since then, B.C. government staff has explained the cryptic reference.