Category Archives: 2006 Media releases

2006 Media releases | Environmental justice | Extractive industries |

CPP investment in repressive dictatorship cause for concern

London tonight: Friends of the Earth and Canadian Friends of Burma
to press concerns at CPP Investment Board public meeting

(London, Ontario, December 18, 2006) Friends of the Earth-Canada and Canadian Friends of Burma will challenge the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board’s (CPPIB) use of pension fund monies to finance the government of Burma (also known as Myanmar), reputed to be the most vicious and repressive dictatorship in the world. The public meeting will take place tonight from 5 pm to 6:30 pm at the Four Points Hotel, 1150 Wellington Road South in London, Ontario.

CPPIB is a major stockholder in Ivanhoe Mines, registered as a Canadian company holding 50% of the Myanmar Ivanhoe Copper Company — the other 50% is held by the Burma government’s Ministry of Mines.

In a new Friends of the Earth-Canada report, released just prior to the meeting (available at www.foecanada.org), they call on the CPPIB to both divest from Ivanhoe Mines and ensure no other CPPIB investment is made in Burma.

“Canadians, by virtue of their pension funds, are in business with vicious villains,” says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth-Canada. “CPPIB’s investment in Ivanhoe Mines poses a serious risk to the future pensions belonging to Canadians.”

“We were shocked and dismayed to learn that every week, with the CPP deductions from our pay cheques, we are financing Burma’s repressive regime,” says Mr. Tin Maung Htoo, Executive Director, Canadian Friends of Burma.

CPPIB’s Policy on Responsible Investing states that, “Only companies domiciled in countries with which Canada maintains normal financial, trade and investment relations are eligible for investment” (www.cppib.ca/files/PDF/policies/policies/Responsible_Investing_Policy.pdf). Canada does not maintain normal trade relations with Burma — Burma is on Canada’s Area Control List.

“By not formalizing its stance on Burma, the federal government is negligent. It’s hard to see why the Prime Minister has not seized this opportunity to demonstrate progressive Canadian foreign policy,” says Olivastri. “In its opposition days, Mr. Harper’s party voted in favour of progressive action against Burma’s military regime and in support of the pro-democracy movement. Sadly, this negligence leaves the door open for institutions like the CPPIB to skate around their ethical duty.”

“Ivanhoe Mines’ investment in Burma not only legitimizes the military rule in Burma, but badly tarnishes Canada’s reputation. It is providing the cash-strapped regime with more than $60 million each year,” states Tin Maung Htoo.

Tonight’s CPPIB public meeting is the last in a Canada-wide series.

“Falling Through the Cracks: CPPIB Investment in Burma” is available at www.foecanada.org.

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For more information, contact:

Beatrice Olivastri, Friends of the Earth, (613) 724-8690 (cell)

Tin Maung Htoo, Canadian Friends of Burma, (613) 297-6835 (cell)

Friends of the Earth-Canada is a voice for the environment, nationally and internationally, working with others to inspire the renewal of our communities and the earth through research, education and advocacy. It is the Canadian member of Friends of the Earth-International, now uniting 70 country FOE groups.

Canadian Friends of Burma is a federally incorporated, national non-governmental organization founded in 1991 which supports the Burma pro-democracy movement in the struggle for peace, democracy, human rights and equality in Burma.

2006 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Canada violating UN climate change pacts

Climate Justice Programme / Friends of the Earth International

October 31, 2006

Canada violating UN climate change pacts

OTTAWA, CANADA, October 31, 2006 — The Canadian Environment Minister has today been informed that Canada is violating the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), thus legally requiring action under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The Compliance Committee of the UN Kyoto Protocol climate treaty was also informed of the alleged violations.1

The warning came just one day after the release of a ground-breaking report by Sir Nicholas Stern in the UK on the global economics of climate change. The report shows that governments can afford to act — and must do so urgently — to avoid disastrous economic costs.

According to last month’s report by the Canadian Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development,2 the gap between Canada’s GHG emissions and its Kyoto commitments is growing: Canada’s GHG emissions in 2004 were 26.6% above 1990 levels, resulting in a gap of 34.6% from Canada’s Kyoto target of a 6% reduction by 2008-2012. Per capita, Canadians are amongst the highest emitters in the world, with the production and consumption of fossil fuels accounting for 80% of these emissions.

In an opinion by international climate change lawyer Dr. Roda Verheyen,3 submitted today to the Compliance Committee and the Canadian Environment Minister by Friends of the Earth Canada and Friends of the Earth International, with the support of the Climate Justice Programme, she points out that:

(1) Canada is violating the UNFCCC in three respects, by not having established measures to reverse emissions trends, or to adapt, and in not reporting;

(2) Canada is violating the Kyoto Protocol in two respects, by not having made “demonstrable progress” by 2005 towards its 6% Kyoto Protocol objective, and in not reporting on progress;

(3) Canada is likely to violate Article 3.1 of the Kyoto Protocol by not achieving its 6% reduction target during the 2008-2012 period.

Canada’s emissions of GHGs, their contribution to air pollution as defined in CEPA, and Dr. Verheyen’s findings, indicate that the three triggers for the legal duties to control international air pollution under section 166 of CEPA are met.4

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada said:

“With respect to greenhouse gas emissions, we have long felt Canada has demonstrated illegal behaviour on the world stage. Receiving the documentation from lawyer Dr. Roda Verheyen is a giant step toward getting our government to do the right thing and regulate greenhouse gas emission reductions.”

Christine Elwell, Friends of the Earth Canada’s Senior Campaigner described a letter sent to the Canadian Environment Minister as one which, “Established that the Government not only has the authority under CEPA to regulate greenhouse gases, they are obliged to act. We have provided Minister Ambrose with a 30 day window to tell Canadians how the Government will honour this duty to Canadians and the world, with the understanding that they are not free to avoid taking action.”

“We support Friends of the Earth’s actions, and trust the citing of the domestic duty to act, the legal opinion and compliance complaint will lead Canada to reconsider its illegal behaviour. Until then, Canada’s reputation as an honest broker and environmental leader is tarnished,” says Peter Roderick, co-Director of the Climate Justice Programme.

“The scientific evidence calling for urgent action on climate change is undeniable. Yesterday, the conclusions of the Stern Review, commissioned by the UK Government warned that failure to act will lead to global recession. Multilateral action on this issue is needed. The Canadian Government must wake up to the fact that they have their role to play,” said Catherine Pearce, Co-ordinator of the climate campaign for Friends of the Earth International.

For more information contact

Friends of the Earth Canada
Beatrice Olivastri, CEO Tel: +1 613-241-0085 x26 (office); or +1 613-724-8690 (cell)
Christine Elwell, Senior Campaigner Tel: +1 416-604-7333

Climate Justice Programme
Peter Roderick, co-Director, London Tel: +44 20 7388 3141 www.climatelaw.org

Friends of the Earth International
Catherine Pearce, Co-ordinator of the international climate change campaign Tel: +44 7811 283641

Notes to editors

1 The Committee received a submission in May 2006 from South Africa, on behalf of the G77 countries and China, complaining that 15 developed countries had not submitted their reports on demonstrable progress, required by the Protocol. This is the first compliance action by developing countries to hold developed countries to account on Kyoto. As of today, 6 countries have still not sent in their reports, including Canada. The submission is here:

http://unfccc.int/files/kyoto_mechanisms/compliance/application/pdf/cc-2006-1-1-fb.pdf

More information on the Committee’s deliberations is here:

http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2006/cmp2/eng/06.pdf

2 The Commissioner’s report is here:

http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/domino/reports.nsf/html/c2006menu_e.html

3 The opinion and letters will be available later today at www.climatelaw.org and www.foecanada.org

4 CEPA’s s.166 on international air pollution is here:

http://lois.justice.gc.ca/en/C-15.31/225933.html

2006 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

‘Dirty’ Air Act — deceptive and disastrous

Press release
October 19, 2006

‘Dirty’ Air Act — deceptive and disastrous

(Toronto, October 19, 2006) The Bill unveiled in Parliament today deliberately deceives Canadians. “Under Harper’s ‘Dirty’ Air Act, Big Oil wins and the average Canadian chokes,” says Beatrice Olivastri, Chief Executive Officer, Friends of the Earth. “There is nothing to protect Canadians from dirty air or climate chaos — no targets for real reductions of pollution, no schedules that nail down deadlines for reductions.”

In fact, the tabled amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act open the government to constitutional challenges. “By adopting the Bush approach, Mr. Harper’s government is diminishing Canada’s authority to act to defend the environment,” says Olivastri. “Today’s announcement clears the way for an unfettered Big Oil tar sands boom with no regard for the environment.”

“Acid rain was brought to its knees with a combination of concrete targets with set dates to reduce emissions. The Harper approach has none of these attributes,” states Olivastri.

Environment Minister Ambrose stated the new Act would strengthen the federal government’s ability to regulate cleaner air. “Today’s announcement contradicts that statement, as it not only weakens that ability but constitutes a sell out to polluters,” says Ms. Olivastri. “This bill is nothing more than a ‘Dirty’ Air Act.”

For more information, contact:

Brent Kulba, ECO, 416-972-7401

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada, 613-724-8690 (cell)