By Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth It is wonderful to hear about widespread citizens’ efforts to plant pollinator gardens and corridors. In equal measure, it is disturbing to hear about municipal enforcement of antiquated by-laws that allow enforcement officials to cut down naturalized gardens based on complaints. A case in point is the
Friends of the Earth has been granted intervener status in a historic youth-led climate challenge against the Ontario government. Titled Mathur et. al., the youth applicants allege that the Government of Ontario’s weakening of climate targets will lead to widespread illness and death, and violates Ontarians’ Charter-protected rights to life, liberty, and security of the
It’s taken an enormous amount of work to arrive at the announcement of draft regulations to ban six single-use plastic products. For that work, we say thank you to former ECCC Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, current ECCC Minister Steven Guilbeault, their staff and ECCC scientists. This is an important step towards limiting plastic pollution that pervades the oceans, our rivers
Governments from much of the world are meeting in Glasgow at the UN Climate Conference of the Parties #26. You can watch live streaming of official events at COP26. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, host of COP26, boiled down his aspirations for the meeting to “Coal, Cars, Canopy (trees) and Cash.” One Day One of COP 26, Prime Minister
Today and every day we must pay attention to healing, truth and reconciliation. The discovery of unmarked graves of indigenous children who attended residential schools in two of many possible locations is a stark reminder that all settlers across Canada must act on the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) and
By Don Huff and Beatrice Olivastri Even in a fast paced, modern society, Christmas can be as full of warmth as a hundred years ago. Our traditions may be updated, but the core of Christmas – spending time with family and friends, reflecting on the year, and taking time to recharge – remains the same.
Written by Caitlin McCloskey Buy Nothing Day takes place November 28th, the day after Black Friday. It’s a day where, you guessed it, you don’t buy anything. Buy Nothing Day started as a response to the buying frenzy of Black Friday and consumer culture that drives the modern holiday season, and, let’s face it, every
Op-ed published by iPolitics on October 15, 2020. Written by Anne Levesque, co-chair of the National Association of Women and the Law and Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada. ‘In the recent global fires, floods and droughts, it’s women who have borne the brunt of climate catastrophe.’ It was heartening to see climate
Written by John G. Hollins (1) If language is not used rightly, then what is said is not what is meant. If what is said is not what is meant, then that which ought to be done is left undone. – Confucius The term climate emergency is the political buzz phrase of the year. The
Friends of the Earth supporter, Larry Meikle attended the 2018 previous CPPIB meeting in person. For the 2020 virtual meeting, he’s submitted the following question to the Chairperson of the CPPIB for the 2020 meetings. “The recently released 2020 CPP Investments’ Sustainability Investing report, under ‘Exclusions and Exits’, states: “As a long-term investor, we prefer
