The People Say Stop the XL Pipeline – Will Obama Listen? Does He Care?

By Michael Collins

(Washington, DC 1/17)  The nation’s capital hosted over 40,000 citizens assembled to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.  The crowd urged President Obama to bring to reality his lofty words on climate change in the inaugural address just days ago.  By stopping the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, the president would deal a blow to the rogue energy companies who, by their actions, are ready to sacrifice everything to transport oil from Alberta, Canada’s tar sands, across the United States, for refinement in Houston, Texas and shipment to China.

The broader concern of the gathered citizens and march sponsors, 350.org, and the Sierra Club, represents the existential issue of our time.  We need to get very real, very soon on the manifest threat to the earth’s climate posed by fossil fuels and the threat to the human species embodied by insane ventures like the Canadian tar sands project.  The verdict of science is clear.  As leading climate scientist James E. Hansen said, the full exploitation of tar sands oil and use by China, or any nation, is “game over for the climate.”

Canadian Gov’t Dissolves Thousands of Same-Sex Marriages

Surprise, You're Divorced!

By Kevin Farrell
Unicorn Booty

UPDATE 1/13/12: Canadian Gov’t: YES, We Dissolved Your Gay Marriage, But We’re Working on a Fix 

Thousands of LGBT couples across the world awoke this morning to learn that they are no longer married.

A Department of Justice lawyer under Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party of Canada government has nullified all same-sex marriages performed in Canada in which the couples’ native country does not permit gays and lesbians to marry.

Canada Hosts War Criminal: Bush Does B.C.

By James Corbett
GRTV.ca

Human rights groups, civil rights campaigners and concerned citizens united in their condemnation of the visit of former US President George W. Bush to Canada this week for a speaking engagement in Surrey, B.C.

Bush’s visit rekindled debates among Canadians about their government’s willingness to host an unconvicted war criminal who is guilty of authorizing torture in contravention of numerous international treaties and the laws of his own country.

Fukushima Update 2011 Oct. 23

By Corbett Report

Here’s the weekend update on nuclear fallout, with his referenced articles either linked or reproduced below. Highlighting some of it: TEPCO seeks a trillion-yen bailout; Japanese hold a conference demanding more public input into the nuclear debate; Government and industry lie about nuclear safety; German Study: Children near nuclear plants have DOUBLE leukemia rates; Canadian officials lie to public about radiation levels, and much more.

Waterboard Bush: Occupy Surrey Demands War Criminal’s Arrest

Several videos have been posted on the Surrey rally calling for the arrest of admitted torturer George W. Bush. Here’s a protest song posted by The Georgia Strait (and more pictures here):

World News on Bush Visit to Canada: Arrest the War Criminal

On March 17th 2009, Cynthia McKinney’s birthday, we broke the police line defending the puppet of Wall Street G.W. Bush in Calgary Alberta and attempted to serve him the papers drawn up by Gail Davidson and Lawyers Against War (LAW).

This mass torturer/murderer is coming to Surrey, BC this October 20th 2011, lets give him and Bill Clinton a huge welcome. (P.S. Bring an extra pair of handcuffs for Mayor Watts for collaborating with self confessed war criminals.)

Below is a list of articles from corporate media reporting on the call for his arrest.

Why the New Security Zone along the Canadian Border?

By Michael Collins

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) just issued an environmental report on its enhanced security plan to cover an area extending from the East Coast to the West Coast, from the northern border of the United States to 100 miles south of the border. While there are few specifics on the new security measures, the environmental report offers enough to see how we will be protected against threats to national security coming from Canada. The Department of Homeland security will enhance efforts and technologies to reduce the danger from “known terrorist affiliates and extremist groups [that] have an undisputed presence along the Northern Border in both the United States and Canada.” Northern Border Security Programs, p. 1-3, September 2011 (Northern Border) (Image: thelastminute)

In 2006 the American Civil Liberties Union exposed the expansion of border control activities to within 100 miles of any point on the U.S. border. ACLU labeled this area the Constitution Free Zone. Search and seizure options at border checkpoints are not constrained by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S Constitution, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure. Now, thanks to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), just because they’re within 100 miles of the nearest border nearly 200 million citizens are subject to searching and procedures that previously were used exclusively at border checkpoints.

Win! Juan de Fuca Resort plan to go down in defeat

By Council of Canadians

It looks like you did it! The people of the greater Victoria region have great reason to celebrate, as overwhelming public outcry and a historic three days of public hearings later, the members of Land Use Committee A have decided that they cannot go against your wishes and allow a sprawl vacation resort off the Juan de Fuca trail.

Mike Hicks, director of the Juan de Fuca electoral district, was the first to announce his decision Friday morning. Colwood Mayor Dave Saunders and Sooke Mayor Janet Evans said they made up their minds following the public hearings. Metchosin mayor John Ranns has consistently stated his opposition to the project. We are yet to hear from Denise Blackwell, representing Langford, but when it goes to the Capital Regional District board on Wednesday, it could be unanimous. Read the Times Colonist report here (Defeat looks likely for Juan de Fuca resort proposal).

Internal Combustion

By Robert C. Koehler

What entitlement! I hit the gas, power off to my destination. No one asks me whether the trip is serious or banal, necessary or foolish, conscious or impulsive. I just go, ripping up the miles as though they were daydreams. The engine purrs. My name is Everyman, and I have the power of gods.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not addicted or anything. I can get off oil whenever I want to. On the other hand, I may be willing to sacrifice 740,000 acres of pristine boreal forest in Northern Canada — part of one of the largest intact ecosystems left on the planet — along with, oh, 166 million birds, and all the remaining caribou inAlberta, before I do.

Tough call.

Face to Face with Anthony J. Hall: The Bowl with One Spoon (Video)

By Face to Face

Chris Cook, special guest host and editor of pacificfreepress.com interviews Dr. Anthony Hall in this week’s installment. (60 mins)

Dr. Hall, professor of Globalization Studies at the University of Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada), has recently completed his Magnum Opus, “The Bowl With One Spoon” — specifically the two books that comprise the past 16 years of his research; “Earth Into Property: Colonization, Decolonization and Capitalism” and “The American Empire and the Fourth World”.

How Safe Is Your Food? GMOs, Foodborne Illness and Trade Agreements

Graph: Data compiled by GRAIN from government and UN sources, 2008-2010 (except Australia=2005)

By Rady Ananda

A research group that supports community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems, GRAIN, has released a global report, Food Safety for Whom? Corporate Wealth vs. Peoples’ Health, showing how governments and corporations use “food safety” to manipulate market access and control. Rather than making food safer, domestic and trade rules “force open markets, or backdoor ways to limit market access.”

Living Wage: From Egypt to Canada

The Real News Network covers Egyptian demand for a living wage, while the Victoria Labour Council recently sponsored an evening of discussion about a very important issue: reducing poverty and child poverty, by bringing in a living wage.

Canada ousts PM Harper

Opposition topples Canadian government

A no-confidence vote succeeded in triggering Canada’s 4th election in 7 years and the ousting of PM Stephen Harper

By Rob Gillies
Associated Press (Salon)

Opposition parties toppled Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government in a no confidence vote, triggering Canada’s fourth election in seven years.

The opposition parties held the Conservative government in contempt of Parliament on Friday for failing to disclose the full financial details of his tougher crime legislation, corporate tax cuts and plans to purchase stealth fighter jets.

A Perfect Storm of GMOs, Chemicals and Cancer

By Rady Ananda

Several books, including Seeds of Destruction and Corrupt to the Core, along with the film, The Idiot Cycle, lay out the framework for and evidence of a concerted effort to sicken and then treat humanity, while earning obscene profits. When we factor in other recent actions taken by transnational corporations and lawmakers, the conspiracy adopts a more ominous tone.

Authors William Engdahl and Shiv Chopra appear in Emmanuelle Schick Garcia’s powerful film, The Idiot Cycle: What you aren’t being told about cancer. Both writers provide detailed evidence of a corporate-government conspiracy to adulterate the food and water supply with dangerous substances linked to a host of illnesses. The Case Against Fluoride, a book using hundreds of peer-reviewed studies, provides more evidence. In David Gumpert’s Raw Milk Revolution, we get a peek at the US government’s war on the natural dairy industry.

Canada defeats GMO hazard legislation

By Rady Ananda

By a vote of 178 to 98, on February 9th, Canada’s House of Commons defeated Bill C-474, an Act that would have required an analysis of potential harm to export markets before permitting the commercialization of any new genetically engineered seed. Organic farmers now fear the collapse of the wheat and alfalfa markets, since Canada’s export markets reject biotech food.

Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth) and leader of Canada’s New Democrats, expressed his disappointment in an email promising to “continue to take every opportunity to pressure the government to initiate a public debate around genetic engineering and to use a precautionary approach to this important issue.”

Canada Passes Draconian Food Law

Famine: Third Horse of the Apocalypse (Vasnetsov)

By Brigid of Gaia
Bring the Children Home

An Open Letter to the Police

On December 13, 2010, a piece of draconian legislation was passed into law by the Canadian senate. I refer to Bill C36, which is just one piece in the wider global plan called Codex Alimentarius. The bill controls consumer products and is widely understood to be the precursor for another bill that will give Health Canada the power to take some 75% of natural health products off the shelves.

At least as important as this is the part of the bill that removes the law of trespass. Until tonight, a police officer needed a warrant to enter private property in Canada. No longer. Under the new law, police can enter and seize private property at any time, for any reason, even if the person in question is not suspected of any crime.

Canada caves on mining subsidy, eco-protection bill

Canada’s Parliament Buckles under Weight of Mining Industry

By Paul Weinberg
IPS

The corporate clout of the mining industry trumped political ideology in Canada when members of all political parties helped to narrowly defeat a bill late last month that would have imposed standards on Canadian mining companies operating in developing countries.

Canadian health victory in NAFTA chemical case

By Luke Eric Peterson
Embassy Magazine

Victory for Foreign Affairs over Chemtura may scare Dow off.

The lawyers at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade are not bragging about it—at least not to date—but they’ve just won an impressive victory in an $80 million-plus NAFTA lawsuit. Earlier this month, a panel of three arbitrators dismissed claims filed by the US chemical company Chemtura under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Chemtura had sought to hold Canada liable for financial losses related to the government’s phase-out of lindane, a hazardous agricultural chemical. However, the company failed to persuade arbitrators that government regulators acted without regard for scientific evidence or due process.

Canada Provides Safe Haven for Suspected War Criminal

By John Boncore

(March 1, 2010) Calgary – According to legislation enacted in 2000, the Crimes Against Humanity & War Crimes Act bans all who are credibly suspected to have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity from entering Canada or, if they have managed to get in, to arrest them on the spot. This law is supported by international laws to which Canada is signatory.

Yet on March 17th 2009 George W. Bush was in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for a speaking engagement at the Telus Convention Centre which was sponsored by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

Could Vancouver 2010 be the next 9/11?

By Marc Stinebaugh
dprogram.net

I now believe I have reasonable grounds to bring into suspicion that there may be a “false flag” terrorist attack during the Olympics in Canada, which take place in Vancouver and Whistler from Feb. 12th until Feb. 28th. I have compiled the following suspicious activity that I have found through various media sources. I’m not going to go as deep into each point as I could, and I will try to source information as best as I can, but some of it also comes from my own sources which I am not able to provide a link to.