In The News
Meet the 10-year-old campaigning against plastic stickers on produce
Canada’s National Observer | March 13, 2023
A 10-year-old girl from Markham, Ont., is taking aim at one of the tiniest, most ubiquitous bits of plastic pollution — the stickers on fruits and vegetables. Maya Thiru is the face of a campaign lobbying for Canada to find another way to identify produce.
How a 10-year-old Canadian girl is fighting to eliminate grocery store produce stickers
CTV News | March 7, 2023
She may have only been on this Earth for about a decade, but Maya Thiru is already making it her mission to care for the environment.
To further tackle single-use plastic waste, 10-year-old Thiru is leading an initiative, ‘Maya’s Plastic Pollution Campaign’ supported by Friends of the Earth, a Canadian environmental advocacy organization, which aims to build awareness of the harm of plastic stickers on fruits and vegetables in grocery stores.
Maya’s plastic pollution campaign
Focus on Victoria | March 7, 2023
by Beatrice Olivasti and John Bennett
A little girl launches a big campaign to get rid of those little stickers on fruits and vegetables. TEN-YEAR-OLD MAYA THIRU, who lives in the Greater Toronto area (GTA), has turned a visit to the grocery store with her mom into a Friends of the Earth Canada environmental campaign. Maya’s Plastic Pollution Campaign hopes to mobilize kids, parents and teachers across Canada in the struggle to rid the planet of plastic pollution.
Paradoxes of Canada’s conservation policies – Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press | January 25, 2023
by John Bennett, Senior Policy Advisor at Friends of the Earth Canada.
Even as the federal government says Canada is moving to conserve more of our natural environment, two of its largest provinces are moving in the other direction.
The paradoxes of Canada’s conservation policies
The Hamilton Spectator| January 20, 2023
by John Bennett, Senior Policy Advisor at Friends of the Earth Canada.
Traditionally, the host country kicks off each session with a positive announcement, so the prime minister’s announcement was no surprise. He said Canada is committed to preserving 30 per cent of our territory by 2030, one of the targets set by previous biodiversity conferences. However, none of this preserving will interfere with business as usual nor be close to any urban area.
The paradoxes of Canada’s conservation policies
Prince Albert Daily Herald (Quoi Media) | January 18, 2023
by John Bennett, Senior Policy Advisor at Friends of the Earth Canada.
Even as the federal government says Canada is moving to conserve more of our natural environment, two of its largest provinces are moving in the other direction.
Camions lourds au centre-ville d’Ottawa : « une violation des droits »
Radio Canada | 12 janvier 2023
Entrevue avec Lynda Collins, avocate travaillant à la Clinique de droit de l’environnement d’Ecojustice. Représentant les groupes environnementaux Les Amis de la Terre et l’Association canadienne des médecins pour l’environnement (Comité de l’Ontario), a envoyé une lettre de quinze pages au maire d’Ottawa, Mark Sutcliffe, à propos de cette question épineuse qui fait l’objet de discussions depuis près de deux décennies dans le Capitale nationale.
Lisez la lettre à Mark Sutcliffe, maire d’Ottawa (en anglais seulement)
Interview with Lynda Collins on clearing the air in Ottawa to protect downtown Ottawans from the dangers of air pollution caused by heavy trucks
580CFRA Radio | January 10, 2023
Lynda Collins, on behalf of Friends of the Earth Canada and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (Ontario Committee), talks about the City of Ottawa’s choice to route heavy trucks through its high-density downtown core is putting lives and livelihoods at risk to the dangers of air pollution caused by heavy trucks.
Downtown Ottawa residents cite human rights violations in push to eliminate trucking corridor
CTV News Ottawa | January 10, 2023
Interview with Lynda Collins, from the Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic on behalf of Friends of the Earth Canada and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (Ontario Committee), talks about the City of Ottawa’s choice to route heavy trucks through its high-density downtown core is putting lives and livelihoods at risk to the dangers of air pollution caused by heavy trucks.
Bennett: Paradoxes abound among Canada’s conservation policies
Ottawa Citizen | January 8, 2023
While the federal government says Canada is moving to conserve more of our natural environment, two of its largest provinces are moving in the other direction.
Positive for Corporations, Negative for Nature
RealWorldRadio (RWR) | December 13, 2022
At the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity taking place in Montreal, Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) has denounced the negotiations for the Global Biodiversity Framework, saying they are “captured” by transnational corporations and that the solutions on the table are actually false solutions
Progress slow at COP talks although some agreement achieved, says Guilbeault
Toronto Star | December 9, 2022
MONTREAL – Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Friday he’s trying to light a fire under his international colleagues to pick up the pace on negotiations at an international meeting on saving the planet’s biodiversity.
COP15 in Montreal: slow nature talks ‘dangerous’ for world
Toronto Star | December 9, 2022
A coalition of civil society leaders said Friday that negotiators have failed to make significant progress on critical parts of the text. Talks at the global environment summit in Montreal are moving dangerously slowly, observers say, risking not only a historic agreement to save nature but even the Paris Agreement’s climate-change targets.
Nuclear has poor track record. Wind, solar, geothermal, hydro don’t
Toronto Star | Ocotber 29, 2022
Readers’ Letters by John Bennett
$1B nuclear plan a tricky compromise, Oct. 25
How is giving a $1-billion, low-interest, federal-government loan to Ontario Power Generation leaving it “up to the market to decide?” Environment and Climate Change Minister, Steven Guilbeault, assured Canadians last November that it’s not up to the government to decide which sources of energy will reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Competition Bureau probe of ‘flushable’ wipes goes down the drain
Globeand Mail | Ocotber 9, 2022
Friends of the Earth Canada and lawyers from Ecojustice filed a grievance with the Competition Bureau saying the makers of 20 disposable wipes were falsely advertising the products as safe to flush down the toilet, but the bureau has informed the groups in a letter that its inquiry is being closed because it’s not clear what it really means to be flushable.
Debate Heats Up Over Flushable Wipes
Zoomer Radio | Ocotber 9, 2022
Friends of the Earth Canada says it has scientific evidence that shows no disposable wipes can be safely flushed.
Advocates thrilled as court orders Health Canada to reassess glyphosate decision
The Canadian Press | February 7, 2022
Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada, says there is some hope new evidence about glyphosate that has come to light in the last five years will be part of the picture as the PMRA reconsiders its decision.
Leave plastic where it belongs – in the tar sands
The Georgia Straight | January 21, 2022
Canada has just delivered its draft regulations to ban single-use plastics. That’s something to celebrate. Scientists have identified six plastic products most commonly found in Canadian litter: plastic checkout bags, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, straws, and food-service ware made from problematic plastics.
Leave raw material for plastic where it belongs — in the ground
Toronto Star | January 17, 2022
Canada’s draft regulations banning single-use plastics are worth celebrating. But a loophole would allow manufacturing for export to continue. In December, Canada delivered draft regulations to ban single-use plastics. That’s something to celebrate. Scientists have identified six plastic products most commonly found in Canadian litter.
Canadian Government Set to Review Glyphosate and All Pesticide Regulation in Major U-Turn
Sustainable Pulse | Aug 6, 2021
The pesticide industry’s attempt to increase the legal levels of glyphosate (Roundup) in Canadian food has been paused after a public outcry. In a major shift in pesticide policy, the Government of Canada is hitting the pause button to suspend decisions on maximum residue levels (MRLs) for glyphosate and any other pesticide under MRLs consideration until independent science is available and considered.
A glimmer of hope
CBA/ABC National | May 3, 2021
The carbon pricing ruling at the SCC is a partial victory for equality-seeking groups. But will it be interpreted in a manner that is equality affirming and aligned with climate justice?
National Poll Shows Over 40 Percent of Canadians Are Self-Described Climate Voters
Niagara At Large | October 8, 2020
COVID-19 Crisis and Climate Crisis both important, finds Friends of the Earth, one of the world’s longest lasting environmental organizations
A real climate-emergency plan must address inequality
iPolitics | October 15, 2020
In the recent global fires, floods and droughts, it’s women who have borne the brunt of climate catastrophe.
Environmental group accuses CPP of breaking its rules with third-party donations in U.S.
Global News | September 28, 2020
The Canada Pension Plan is overlooking its own rules that say its money cannot be used for political ends, says Friends of the Earth Canada.
The Climate Crisis Will Kill Women First
The Tyee | November 15, 2019
Two organizations want the Supreme Court to recognize the lethal vulnerability of girls and women to a changing planet.
Politicians need to tackle plastics pollution, according to Friends of the Earth poll
Recycling Product News | October 9, 2019
Poll findings a powerful indicator of public anxiety about plastics pollution
Bombus is about, the count is on
Empire-Advance | September 1, 2019
Bees are a critical part of food security
You flush me, you #FlushMeNot: Environmental network calls for investigation into flushable wipes
Victoria News | August 28, 2019
Canada’s Competition Bureau is digging into complaints that companies that market “flushable” wipes are making false claims about their products.
Competition bureau investigating claims made by makers of ‘flushable’ wipes
The Star | August 28, 2019
Canada’s Competition Bureau is digging into complaints that companies that market “flushable” wipes are making false claims about their products.
Friends Of The Earth Canada Urges Competition Bureau To Act After Study Calls BS On ‘Flushable’ Wipes
Huffington Post | May 1, 2019
[Friends of the Earth Canada] says companies are taking advantage of customers with the claim.
Oh Canada! How Canada’s largest pension fund is financing drilling along Colorado’s Front Range
The Colorado Independent | March 22, 2019
In a new twist to an old narrative, the foreign interloper in this story is Canada, and the area being despoiled is the United States. Specifically, Boulder County, Colorado.
Canada ‘dead wrong’ to allow use of weedkiller glyphosate: American lawyers
The Globe & Mail | January 30, 2019
American lawyers who successfully sued the makers of the glyphosate-based weedkiller Roundup on behalf of a man dying of cancer say Canada is “dead wrong” to allow it to be widely used here.
Pesticides get most blame for bee deaths, survey suggests
CBC News | June 27, 2017
Margo McDiarmid of CBC News spoke with CEO Beatrice Olivastri about our new national survey and what Canadians think – and know – about wild, native bees
Multinationals descend on Parliament as feds review pesticide ban
National Observer | March 7, 2017
Riley Sparks of the National Observer caught up with Senior Policy Advisor John Bennett regarding the imidacloprid review, who shared his thoughts on the “slow motion ban”
