{"id":30873,"date":"2020-11-27T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-27T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=30873"},"modified":"2025-07-02T04:10:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:10:11","slug":"exposed-a-running-list-of-industry-scandals-and-lobbying-to-profit-from-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/30873\/exposed-a-running-list-of-industry-scandals-and-lobbying-to-profit-from-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Scandal Report: A running list of government scandals and corporate lobbying during COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"has-gp-green-color has-text-color has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">In 2021, we&#8217;re zeroing in on oil and gas sector scandals.   <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/46333\/spilling-the-tea-on-climate-change-villains-your-weekly-gossip-on-oil-and-gas-industry-scandals\/?_thumbnail_id=46362\">Catch up on industry&#8217;s latest tricks on our new page!<\/a><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Wanna know who\u2019s on our ?<\/em><\/strong> <strong><em>list? Read on for this week&#8217;s update on scandals and attempts to profit from COVID-19.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<lite-youtube style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/GnGHOqv9lfA\/hqdefault.jpg');\" videoid=\"GnGHOqv9lfA\" params=\"rel=0\"><\/lite-youtube>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n.update {\n  margin-top: 3em;\n}\n.update h4 {\n  border: 1px solid lightgrey;\n  padding: .6rem .8rem;\n  border-radius: .6rem;\n  margin-bottom: 0;\n}\n.update:target h4 {\n    border-radius: .6rem .6rem 0 0;\n    border-width: 1px 1px 0 1px;\n}\n.update h4::before {\n  content: \"\u25b6\";\n  font-size: 50%;\n}\n.update:target h4::before {\n    content: \"\u25bc\";\n}\n.toggle-hide, .toggle-show {\n  color: inherit;\n  text-decoration: underline;\n}\n.toggle-hide {\n  display: none;\n}\n.update .toggle-show:hover,\n.update .toggle-hide:hover {\n    text-decoration: none;\n}\n.update:target .toggle-show {\n  display: none;\n}\n.update:target .toggle-hide {\n  display: inline;\n}\n.panel {\n  opacity: 0;\n  height: 0;\n  overflow: hidden;\n  border: 1px solid lightgrey;\n  border-radius: 0 0 .6rem .6rem;\n  border-width: 0 1px 1px 1px;\n  padding: .6rem .8rem;\n}\n.update:target .panel {\n  height: unset;\n  opacity: 1;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><\/p>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n.hide-me {\n  display: none;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<p>From Big Oil and beyond, major corporations (and their interests) are using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to lobby the government for everything they\u2019ve ever wanted \u2014 even if it means slowing urgent action on the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis. In this scandal report, we\u2019re documenting everything happening in Canada during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><strong>Does industry\u2019s greedy audacity make your blood boil? Send a message to the federal Cabinet to listen to the people who elected them, not corporate lobbies. We need a national public consultation on a green and just recovery now.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons aligncenter is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-cta\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/act.gp\/2NwCeLo\">EMAIL CABINET MINISTERS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Got a tip? Tell us about it at&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press@greenpeace.ca\" target=\"_blank\">press@greenpeace.ca<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>There has been no shortage of scandals. Here is the latest :<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<h4 class=\"has-crimson-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong>NEW ? November 25 &#8211; Quebec\u2019s mismanagement of its billion dollar Green Fund is said illegal, and its actual GHG emission cuts questionable, reports the Auditor General.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<p>Quebec\u2019s Green Fund, established in 2006, was meant to subsidize projects that would battle climate change and ultimately reduce GHG emissions. 6 billion dollars later, the Auditor General questions the Funds performance, stating shady management practices. The report reads: a lack of rigour in the monitoring of subsidized projects, no quantified targets for reducing GHG emissions in projects, and a violation of the law from undisclosed financial statements. While some adjustments were made, including renaming the Fund (so we can all forget its poor legacy), the lack of checks and balances around such programs really undermines the government&#8217;s will in addressing the climate crisis. The lack of ecosystem protection measures and small GHG reduction targets in Quebec\u2019s latest Green Plan doesn\u2019t help the case.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Report blasts lax management of the $6 billion Green Fund&#8230; again <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HZcWEkm43w\">https:\/\/t.co\/HZcWEkm43w<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/i5CSq4ikwx\">pic.twitter.com\/i5CSq4ikwx<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CTV Montreal (@CTVMontreal) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CTVMontreal\/status\/1331662320683008000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 25, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">(1\/2) Dans le rapport du commissaire au d\u00e9veloppement durable, on apprend que le minist\u00e8re de l\u2019Environnement du Qu\u00e9bec n\u2019a pas du tout consult\u00e9 le Conseil de gestion du Fonds vert pour planifier son Plan d\u2019\u00e9conomie verte <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/polqc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#polqc<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/pev?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#pev<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Thomas Gerbet (@ThomasGerbet) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ThomasGerbet\/status\/1331747272972005376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 25, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">ARCHIVE<\/h2>\n\n<div id=\"20201123\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201123\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 23, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 23, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Canada\u2019s failure to set limitations around its pandemic aid programs has companies divert taxpayer money into shareholder pockets&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program is meant to help companies through the pandemic by keeping employees on board, where revenues dropped at least 30%. So when companies like Leon&#8217;s, who laid off over 70% of its workforce (5800 employees), closed half its stores, and reported its 2nd largest quarterly profit in a century, and increased payments to its shareholders &#8211; it raises much concern. One can say it is simple accounting, but Leon&#8217;s wasn\u2019t transparent in disclosing when and how many employees were being hired back. Instead, it steadily increased shareholder dividends, and also provided a one time special dividend to company investors. As the article reads: \u201c<em>In the future, when governments give any form of federal aid to companies it must come with clear restrictions on dividend payments and share buybacks. Executive compensation should be limited as well. With a bailout package for the airline industry currently being negotiated, this lesson is as important as ever.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Leon\u2019s received almost $30 million in government handouts \u2014 now it\u2019s posting record profits and boosting the amount it pays to shareholders <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/YxwMyLCtiB\">https:\/\/t.co\/YxwMyLCtiB<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TorontoStar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@torontostar<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greg Kealey (@gkealey) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/gkealey\/status\/1331985590364069890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 26, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201116\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201116\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 16, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 16, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Oil companies pressing Canada for an offset program to make up for their pollution, a false solution.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Are you surprised oil companies are lobbying for a coast to coast federal carbon offset program? We wish we were. These schemes are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/41440\/false-solutions-dont-let-covid-19-recovery-bulldoze-forests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">false solutions<\/a> that could subsidize oil companies&#8217; pollution, or make consumers pay for it out of pocket. Offsetting allows companies like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/11\/12\/news\/shell-giving-you-option-offset-your-carbon-emissions-two-cents-litre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Shell to continue business as usual<\/a> by buying their way out the important need to reduce GHG emissions. Planting trees is not the same as restoring a forest ecosystem. Furthermore, the protection of forest ecosystems and carbon stores should<br>be the priority, and done in parallel with robust emissions reductions from fossil fuels. Planting a tree for every new pipeline just won\u2019t cut it.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I don&#39;t trust any plan the &quot;oilpatch&quot; wants!!<br>&quot;The environmental policy the oilpatch wants from Ottawa ASAP&quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/F6mWBdk3pB\">https:\/\/t.co\/F6mWBdk3pB<\/a><\/p>&mdash; albacon (@albacon4) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/albacon4\/status\/1328392094688415745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 16, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201111\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201111\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 9, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 9, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Trudeau lobbies Biden on KXL Pipeline&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Once again, Justin Trudeau wins the fossil leadership award&#8230;&nbsp; he was the first leader to speak to the newly elected US president, Joe Biden, and he did not skip a beat to promote his failing and polluting projects. In (almost) the same breath, Prime Minister Trudeau speaks of the need to fight climate change &#8230;and the need for more pipelines. We can read \u201c<em>The Prime Minister looked forward to further strengthening the Canada-U.S. relationship and to engaging on key issues, including trade, softwood lumber, Buy America, and energy cooperation such as Keystone XL.<\/em>\u201d Nope, nope, nope &#8211; this is not what Canadians want!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I have zero patience for <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JustinTrudeau<\/a> who claims he is a climate champion and then turns around and lobbies Biden to approve KXL pipeline. You can not keep building pipelines and also say you are a climate champion. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/YWVh3v2Qj4\">https:\/\/t.co\/YWVh3v2Qj4<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Jane Kleeb???\ufe0f (@janekleeb) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/janekleeb\/status\/1326898241246523393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 12, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201110\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201110\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 9, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 9, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Canada to use taxpayer money to bailout airlines<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Canada is looking to further support airline companies with backstopped loans and other financial aid. While it does come with some conditions, such as higher interest rates and the need for companies to first refund tickets, why are we helping big polluters with our tax dollars? Why not just buy a pipeline while we are at it \u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/press-release\/16745\/greenpeace-responds-to-canadian-governments-decision-to-buy-kinder-morgans-trans-mountain-pipeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">oh wait!<\/a> If you want to be a climate leader dear Justin Trudeau, you can\u2019t have your cake and eat it too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Bains suggests Ottawa may draw on scorned federal loan program for airline bailout <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rSVB5VQHNm\">https:\/\/t.co\/rSVB5VQHNm<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CTV News (@CTVNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CTVNews\/status\/1325862511082692610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<div id=\"20201109\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201109\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 9, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 9, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Montreal Chamber of Commerce&#8217;s economic recovery plan pushes for green tech, and BigOil &#8216;bailout&#8217; &#8230;woops!<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The Montreal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce recently drafted a report and plan for an economic recovery which doubles-down on green tech. This is good news (so long as forest depleting biomass energy is not part of such solutions). Reading the fine print however, we noticed that the plan also supports funding BigOil to clean up its act. While it sounds noble, let&#8217;s be clear here, we should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/act\/bail-out-workers-not-oil-and-gas-millionaires\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bailout people not oil<\/a>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">Coronavirus: une occasion d&#39;affaires pour les technologies propres <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/polmtl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#polmtl<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/polqc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#polqc<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/polcan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#polcan<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NiDwiKOFfG\">https:\/\/t.co\/NiDwiKOFfG<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Zacharie Goudreault (@zac_goudreault) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/zac_goudreault\/status\/1325926819984519168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201107\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201107\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 7, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 7, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Alberta to slash 11,000 jobs in health-care services amid&nbsp; the pandemic&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>What better way to recognize the invaluable work of individuals on the front line than a pay cut, better yet a lay off to privatize their jobs\u2026 This at least seems to be the logic of the Albertan government, which is seeking an across-the-board pay cut of 4%, while ultimately looking to privatize its Health Care Services affecting 4,000 jobs in housekeeping, 3,000 in food services, 2,000 in laboratories, 400 in laundry, 100 in management &#8211; all of whom are working alongside nurses and doctors. The intent is to save $600M per year.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Yeah so this has &quot;Baaaaaad idea&quot; written all over it! Yikes!!<br>Alberta Health Services to lay off up to 11,000 staff, mostly through outsourcing | CBC News <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zOqrt9Z3Tp\">https:\/\/t.co\/zOqrt9Z3Tp<\/a><\/p>&mdash; RebRioux (@Reb_Rioux) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Reb_Rioux\/status\/1316155303944167434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 13, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201103\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201103\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 3, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 3, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Ontario issues a zoning order threatening critical wetlands in the province. Why? To build a casino!<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>In these times when we need more than ever to protect and restore our ecosystems, our governments are continuing their greedy land grabbing and resource destruction. Wetlands are buffer zones for flooding, carbon sinks to help mitigate climate change, and critical habitats for a variety of animal and plant species. That said, today the Ford government is advancing a provincial zoning order, to speed up construction of a casino, and a 4 million square foot warehouse, with 55 acres of wetlands that will be destroyed in the process. All this, despite the mayor and residents of Pickering contesting this project. Disgusted by this decision, a member of Greenbelt Ontario resigned on the spot. We are far from a green and just recovery &#8230;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">STORY: \u201cThis has been my life\u2019s work, environmental protection,\u201d says Linda Pim, a member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Greenbelt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Greenbelt<\/a> Council who resigned today over the Ford government&#39;s plan to destroy wetlands. <br><br>\u201cI just decided I had to take a stand.&quot; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#onpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GyFIiwQgvI\">https:\/\/t.co\/GyFIiwQgvI<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Emma McIntosh (@EmmaMci) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaMci\/status\/1324161184166236160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 5, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201102\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201102\" class=\"toggle-show\">November 2, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">November 2, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; The planting of two billion trees promised in the federal election has still not seen funding nor a plan.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Liberal environmental promises &#8211; even when they are bogus solutions &#8211; still struggle to turn into concrete action. While Justin Trudeau&#8217;s government pledged a year ago that it would plant an additional two billion trees by 2030, Beth MacNeil, assistant deputy minister at the Canadian Forest Service, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lapresse.ca\/actualites\/politique\/2020-11-02\/promesse-de-justin-trudeau\/les-deux-milliards-d-arbres-annonces-n-ont-recu-aucun-financement.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> there so far still had no specific plan on how these plantations will be financed. Not only has the government failed once again to deliver on its promises, but it is also important to remember that the feds are concentrating their efforts on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/41440\/false-solutions-dont-let-covid-19-recovery-bulldoze-forests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">false solutions<\/a> that do not serve our climate, on the contrary. According to Greenpeace <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/11\/6563297a-regarding-10-billion-for-100000-nature-jobs-greenpeace-canada-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">experts<\/a>, the priorities should instead be the protection of forests, as well as investments of $ 10B for the creation of 100,000 &#8220;nature jobs&#8221; allowing the restoration of ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/prateekawasthi\/status\/1323348833619841028?s=20\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201030\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201030\" class=\"toggle-show\">October 30, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">October 30, 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Alberta offers grants to petrochemical companies despite federal push to ban certain single-use plastics<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Alberta has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bnnbloomberg.ca\/alberta-defies-trudeau-with-grant-offers-to-petrochemical-firms-1.1515510\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> that the province will help cover the capital costs of new petrochemical plants, a move that runs counter to the federal government&#8217;s efforts to reduce the use of single-use plastics. Thus, the Government of Alberta is encouraging the construction of new petrochemical plants and the massive production of single-use plastics, despite their known terrible impacts on health and biodiversity. Concretely, one can read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alberta.ca\/release.cfm?xID=74587C34A7805-EB41-F08F-8C845801CF54F1FE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">on the site <\/a>of the Government of Alberta their desire to attract new petrochemical plants, thanks to subsidies representing 12% of the investment costs.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Killing wolves, shutting down Parks, cancelling energy efficiency, investing in plastic, and doubling down on oil&#8230;.  <br><br>Alberta defies Trudeau with grant offers to petrochemical firms &#8211; BNN <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xKZbQEEdPR\">https:\/\/t.co\/xKZbQEEdPR<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Bruce Lourie, PhD (@brucelourie) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/brucelourie\/status\/1323320137978540032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 2, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201029\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201029\" class=\"toggle-show\">October 29, 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">October 29, 2020<\/a><\/strong> Qu\u00e9bec abandons an MPA for belugas in favor of GNL Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The government of Quebec has secretly decided to remove the marine protected area (MPA) project located between Chicoutimi and the fjord from the list of MPA projects. The La Presse report revealed that the &#8220;Legault government (would have) discreetly removed from its list of marine protected area projects a section of the Saguenay that covers in particular the port area where GNL Quebec wishes to build a natural gas liquefaction plant&#8221;, and this \u201cbecause of concerns of an economic nature brought to the attention of the Minister\u201d. Greenpeace and a large number of groups have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/fr\/communique-de-presse\/44328\/monsieur-le-ministre-charette-nous-naccepterons-aucun-recul-sur-les-aires-marines-protegees-au-quebec\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">called the government to order<\/a>, signaling their opposition as the BAPE around the GNL Quebec project is not even completed yet.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/MiakoUshio\/status\/1322897459832565762?s=20\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201021\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><a href=\"#20201021\" class=\"toggle-show\">21 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">21 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Ontario\u2019s Ford government tries to exploit pandemic to suppress democratic reform<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The Ford government in Ontario has slipped a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cp24.com\/news\/ford-government-moves-to-scrap-ranked-ballot-elections-for-ontario-municipalities-1.5153128\"> shocking ban<\/a> on<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/news\/gta\/2020\/10\/21\/doug-ford-suddenly-decided-to-scrap-ranked-ballots-for-elections-what-does-that-mean-for-toronto.html\"> ranked ballots<\/a> into its COVID-19 recovery bill. Several municipalities in Ontario were moving forward with the ranked ballot system, which can strengthen democratic mandates and improve civility in campaigns. Ranked ballots are used by every major political party in Canada to elect their leaders, including Ford\u2019s Progressive Conservatives. It\u2019s not too late to stop this, so if you live in Ontario contact<a href=\"https:\/\/correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca\/EN\/feedback\/default.aspx\"> Premier Ford<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ola.org\/en\/members\"> your MPP<\/a> and ask them to stop this outrageous ban.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Updated with reaction from <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/meslin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@meslin<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JohnTory?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JohnTory<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/gordperks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@gordperks<\/a>: &quot;It\u2019s loony trying to sneak this in as a COVID recovery measure.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wPdwbhTTsG\">https:\/\/t.co\/wPdwbhTTsG<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jpags\/status\/1318680721725263872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 20, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201019\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201019\" class=\"toggle-show\">19 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">19 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Alberta government sacrifices municipalities, grants big tax breaks to oil industry<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>What do you do when corporations aren\u2019t paying their taxes? Give them tax breaks! Seems crazy? We agree. But that seems to be the answer coming from Jason Kenney\u2019s government in Alberta. Rural municipalities in Alberta say the oil and gas industry owes them $173 million in taxes, but rather than helping struggling municipalities get what they\u2019re owed the Alberta government has decided to use the pandemic as an excuse to grant oil companies a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-alberta-grants-property-tax-holiday-to-oil-producers\/\">property tax holiday<\/a>\u201d. Alberta desperately needs public investment in a green and just recovery that supports communities in the transition off fossil fuels, and to make sure the government has the resources it needs taxes on the oil sector should be increased, not lowered.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Alberta&#8230; where oil producers get a three-year property tax break and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/KeystoneXL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#KeystoneXL<\/a> gets $1.5 billion, while the government lays off healthcare workers and fights with doctors during a pandemic. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ableg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/gFsE34oLc2\">https:\/\/t.co\/gFsE34oLc2<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Patrick DeRochie (@PatDeRocH) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PatDeRocH\/status\/1318578873546792960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 20, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201015\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201015\" class=\"toggle-show\">15 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">15 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Ottawa wastes $20M on expensive, risky nuclear reactors in recovery<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The federal government is<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-ottawa-invests-20m-in-terrestrials-small-nuclear-reactor-technology\/\"> giving $20 million<\/a> to develop new, small nuclear reactors. For decades, nuclear power has been touted as the next big thing, but despite huge public subsidies the technology has remained expensive and failed to live up to the hype (and produced some major nuclear disasters along the way). Read more about why putting public money into this new nuclear technology is a bad idea<a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/42336\/why-the-liberals-throne-speech-should-drop-a-costly-nuclear-bailout\/\"> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cSmall modular reactors\u201d are often mentioned as a way to bring nuclear power\u2019s very high cost down. Cambridge nuclear engineers pour some cold water on that: It\u2019ll be a heck of a challenge to build them for the same cost as large reactors. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/FXt7dzHqpt\">https:\/\/t.co\/FXt7dzHqpt<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Kees van der Leun \uea00 (@Sustainable2050) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Sustainable2050\/status\/1315734363359916032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 12, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201014\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201014\" class=\"toggle-show\">14 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">14 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Oil industry uses pandemic to attack polluter pays principle and demand more taxpayer money to support fossil fuel use<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>There are so many examples of oil industry behaviour that could fit this headline that we\u2019ve lost count. But the latest is that Canadian oil giant Suncor is<a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/global-oil-canada-environment\/focus-canadas-oil-patch-seeks-government-green-aid-to-produce-cleaner-crude-idUSL1N2GB0CG\"> demanding<\/a> the federal government invest in Suncor\u2019s own (supposed) emissions reduction projects,&nbsp; including one aimed at burning more natural gas. Where do we begin? Demanding that taxpayers pay to reduce oil companies\u2019 pollution is a direct attack on the polluter pays principle. Demanding public subsidies to increase fossil fuel burning is an attack on sane climate policy, since responding to the climate crisis requires replacing fossil fuels with zero-carbon technologies, not more fossil fuel infrastructure that locks us into higher emissions for years or decades to come. Every public dollar spent propping up Canada\u2019s fundamentally uncompetitive oil industry (since high cost, high carbon oil fairs poorly in a world of climate crisis that\u2019s transitioning off oil) is a dollar stolen from a green and just recovery.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#coronavirus<\/a> pandemic has reduced oil demand &amp; simultaneously spurred governments in the US, Canada, &amp; elsewhere to sustain supply by boosting subsidies &amp; providing other favors to the oil industry. But we are in an oil decline, managed or not: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TjiqzTM7rG\">https:\/\/t.co\/TjiqzTM7rG<\/a> Premium <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jWSb3A2Vid\">pic.twitter.com\/jWSb3A2Vid<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (@BulletinAtomic) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BulletinAtomic\/status\/1312153636462456832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 2, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201009\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201009\" class=\"toggle-show\">07 October 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">07 October 2020<\/a> \u2013 Big Oil\u2019s secret agenda to kill the Clean Fuel Standard and climate movement exposed in a newly leaked document<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Greenpeace Canada has obtained a leaked copy of a confidential strategy serving BigOil\u2019s devious interests : the three-part strategy, prepared in January 2018 by the public relations firm Navigator, aims at undermining support for the federal government\u2019s proposed Clean Fuel Standard (CFS), by persuading Canadians that \u201cfighting climate change is a losing battle\u201d, while appearing supportive of the fight. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/43575\/leaked-document-details-industrys-secret-plan-to-defeat-clean-fuel-standard-fighting-climate-change-is-a-losing-battle\/\">More information here<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Fossil Fuel companies literally trying to mislead the public to stop democratically-backed climate action because their vision of the future is about maintaining their corporate profits while the world burns. We can do better. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qAp32ZDMLJ\">https:\/\/t.co\/qAp32ZDMLJ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; ? Anna C Keenan ? (@annackeenan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/annackeenan\/status\/1314575056404611073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201008\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201008\" class=\"toggle-show\">07 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">07 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 New study exposes the hidden climate role of nitrogen fertilizers in industrial agriculture &#8211; pushing us past the worst case scenario.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Every day the link between BigOil and BigAg is becoming more clear. As if plastic pollution and dirty air wasn\u2019t enough, BigOil\u2019s synthetic nitrogen fertilizers are further driving climate change. Just how much does industrial agriculture\u2019s heavy use of this chemical fertilizer contributes to climate change? According to a new study, nitrogen is said to trap heat 300 times more effectively than CO<sub>2<\/sub> &#8211; pushing us past worst-case scenarios. If we want to meet our climate objectives,&nbsp; Canada needs to ensure the economic recovery is a truly green one.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/IceAgeFarmer\/status\/1314346189534318594?s=20\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201007\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201007\" class=\"toggle-show\">07 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">07 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 World billionaires are profiting from the COVID crisis<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>As the pandemic hit the globe, and world markets were crashing, and many lost their jobs and homes, the super-rich only got richer. At the peak of the first wave, the wealth of billionaires rose more than a quarter (27.5%), according to a report by Swiss bank UBS. While many distributed some funds, the growing gap between rich and poor, and the absurd wealth concentrated in the hands of a few raises some important questions. Not only does this raise some ethical questions, but there are some real social and economical issues that come with it. This is one reason why Greenpeace is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/38421\/make-the-rich-pay-the-much-needed-wealth-tax-on-multimillionaires\/\">calling for a #WealthTax<\/a> as part of a Green and Just Recovery.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/El_Toupee\/status\/1314094303690592258?s=20\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201006\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201006\" class=\"toggle-show\">05 October 2020<\/a><strong><a class=\"toggle-hide\" href=\"#hide-updates\">05 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013&nbsp; \u201cFor the Owners of Loblaws, Ripping Off Canadian Workers Is a Family Business\u201d&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Why change the title to this article in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jacobinmag.com\/2020\/10\/loblaws-westons-coronavirus-workers\">Jacobin<\/a>, it sums up the greed of the Westons &#8211; the billionaires behind the largest grocery chain in Canada. If you recall, Loblaws cancelled the $2 &#8216;hero pay&#8217; to its frontline workers last June, despite continued health risks, and the company reaching record high profits during the first wave of the pandemic. Instead of making that pay bump permanent, or sharing profits, they are now opposing a decent and livable wage for their employees! And while we are at it, you can add tax evasion to the list&#8230; To learn more about rich grocery moguls and pay cuts read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/40690\/scandal-in-aisle-3-time-for-canadas-wealthy-grocery-store-owners-to-clean-up-their-act\/\">our blog here<\/a>. To read more on this latest scandal, click the newslink above.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">You know, we could probably cover the Coivd losses just by taxing the Westons and Irving appropriately. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/g8JnYWMu5H\">https:\/\/t.co\/g8JnYWMu5H<\/a><\/p>&mdash; knitting by bicycle (@happystash) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/happystash\/status\/1313426847590502400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 6, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201005\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201005\" class=\"toggle-show\">05 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">05 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Quebec uses the pandemic as an excuse to push back a year its sustainable development plan<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Earlier this summer, Quebec\u2019s Sustainable Development Commissioner had warned of possible delays in the release of the province\u2019s Sustainable Development Plan, not because of COVID-19, but because of government inaction. Low and behold, Quebec is now delaying its release to 2022, but using the pandemic as its excuse. This announcement can be added to the long list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/06\/03\/news\/heres-every-environmental-protection-canada-has-been-suspended-delayed-and-cancelled\">undercut environmental regulations<\/a> being \u201cjustified\u201d by our governments as a result of the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">QC repousse ses plans DD d&#39;un an. Ne laissons pas la pand\u00e9mie servir d&#39;excuse pour ralentir nos progr\u00e8s en mati\u00e8re d&#39;aires prot\u00e9g\u00e9es, et la crise climatique. Une relance juste et verte offre une vision et des solutions au-del\u00e0 d&#39;un cycle politique. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8PVB4t6BzP\">https:\/\/t.co\/8PVB4t6BzP<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Olivier K\u00f6lmel (@Kolmel) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Kolmel\/status\/1314669323592630285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20201003\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20201003\" class=\"toggle-show\">03 October 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">03 October 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Alberta\u2019s Premier wants to pause environmental policies, while double down on gas, plastic recycling, and blue hydrogen (false solutions).&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>In response to the throne speech, Alberta\u2019s Premier Jason Kenney asked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/calgary\/wilkinson-climate-change-alberta-challenges-1.5748661\">pause<\/a> federal environmental policies affecting the oilpatch. Two days later he also revealed his government\u2019s new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/edmonton\/provincial-government-envisions-alberta-as-major-gas-exporter-hydrogen-energy-hub-1.5752809\">Natural Gas Strategy<\/a> and vision to make the province a (gas-fed) hub for plastic recycling (and production), and (gas-fed) blue hydrogen &#8211; all false solutions.&nbsp; The plan is reliant on currently inexistent effective carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology (another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/41440\/false-solutions-dont-let-covid-19-recovery-bulldoze-forests\/\">false solution<\/a>). Meanwhile, a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/edmonton\/alberta-petrochemical-incentives-companies-1.5643505\"> $1-billion grant program<\/a> has been deployed to attract investors looking to expand for petrochemicals in Alberta. There is a reason we call it fossil fuel, it is something of the past!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Alberta: Kill the carbon tax! There are better ways to fight climate change!<br><br>Feds: Fine, here are some regulations, the other way.<br><br>Alberta: No regulations!<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4LR0oGKxnI\">https:\/\/t.co\/4LR0oGKxnI<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Mike Kalar (@mfkalar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mfkalar\/status\/1312409964653101056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 3, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Hydrogen from natural gas? Maybe Yah! If carbon capture side of this works. Producing more Plastic? BOO!!! Not unless the Industry deals with the tons of trash already polluting the world. Alberta as a major gas exporter, hydrogen energy hub? CBC <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ujB4TjCTst\">https:\/\/t.co\/ujB4TjCTst<\/a><\/p>&mdash; @WPeet (@WPeet) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WPeet\/status\/1314629916151947264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 9, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200915\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200915\" class=\"toggle-show\">15 September 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">15 September 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says it would be \u201csilly\u201d not to extract Canada\u2019s oil for decades<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>With shocking disregard for the severity of the climate crisis, the urgent need to reduce emissions as quickly as possible, and deplorable and continuing efforts of the oil industry to block action on climate change, Minister Wilkinson said it would be \u201csilly\u201d for Canada to not continue producing and exporting oil for decades. In fact what would be silly is not trying to phase out the oil industry as quickly (and equitably) as possible so we can reduce climate risks and remove our biggest obstacle to climate action. The threats posed by climate change to our communities and our economy demand no less.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">LISTEN: Federal Environment Minister, Jonathan Wilkinson, tells @CBCStephenQuinn it would be silly for Canada not to extract natural resources for energy in the coming decades. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wt7Mvr0LWh\">pic.twitter.com\/wt7Mvr0LWh<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CBCEarlyEdition (@CBCEarlyEdition) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBCEarlyEdition\/status\/1305953529102827520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 15, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200909\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200909\" class=\"toggle-show\">9 September 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">9 September 2020<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Billionaire\u2019s oil company Husky Energy demands government bailout for offshore drilling venture<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>One of Canada\u2019s biggest oil companies, Husky Energy, has<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-husky-energy-asks-ottawa-for-help-as-it-reviews-west-white-rose\/\"> called on<\/a> the federal government to step in with public money to bail out its floundering West White Rose drilling expansion project. Using the pandemic to demand public money to subsidize fossil fuel expansion in the middle of the climate crisis, when oil companies have<a href=\"https:\/\/unfccc.int\/news\/most-fossil-fuels-must-stay-in-the-ground-new-study\"> already discovered<\/a> more oil than can be burned if we\u2019re to avoid climate catastrophe, is scandal enough. But Husky Energy also happens to be majority owned and controlled by a billionaire, and since the pandemic was declared it has paid out about $155 million to shareholders. It\u2019s also said it will prioritize raising shareholder dividends ahead of growth spending. So a billionaire\u2019s oil company is demanding subsidies for climate-wrecking activities while it pays out millions in dividends to its billionaire owner. Yeesh!<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Two fun facts about Husky: it&#39;s majority owned &amp; controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing (<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qs31pvDW9n\">https:\/\/t.co\/qs31pvDW9n<\/a>); it&#39;s paid out ~$155M to shareholders since the pandemic was declared, according to Q1&amp;2 reporting (p9 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/FZe2ng291n\">https:\/\/t.co\/FZe2ng291n<\/a> &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5dxRPkxxTD\">https:\/\/t.co\/5dxRPkxxTD<\/a>) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nhUaqRrqkd\">https:\/\/t.co\/nhUaqRrqkd<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Alex Speers-Roesch (@alexsroesch) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/alexsroesch\/status\/1304438340196937729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Husky must have forgot to mention, but it&#39;s also prioritizing raising dividends (to the billionaire who majority owns &amp; controls the company): Q2 call p6-7 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SSFcsE68RJ\">https:\/\/t.co\/SSFcsE68RJ<\/a> &amp; slide 5 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dLKqSxeVTo\">https:\/\/t.co\/dLKqSxeVTo<\/a>. Taxpayers shouldn&#39;t subsidize billionaires or pollution <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eZCwEMVBLw\">https:\/\/t.co\/eZCwEMVBLw<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Alex Speers-Roesch (@alexsroesch) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/alexsroesch\/status\/1304441358380302341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200908\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200908\" class=\"toggle-show\"> 8 September 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">8 September 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; <\/strong>&#8220;Buffalo Project&#8221; lobby groups calls for western Canada MPs to block a &#8220;green recovery&#8221;. They say they are &#8220;baffled&#8221; by the exodus of investment from the oil sands. Frankly, we&#8217;re baffled that they&#8217;re baffled.<\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Urging MPs to block measures to transition our economy to safer, more sustainable energy and to address long-standing economic inequalities adds insult to injury in a world where the most vulnerable among us are already being worst impacted by covid-19 and face the added risk of being least resilient to climate change, driven largely by human-caused fossil fuels. In fact, transitioning the economy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/40377\/what-exactly-is-system-change-and-how-can-we-build-back-better-from-covid-19\/?_thumbnail_id=37931\">can open a host of new opportunities for western Canada<\/a>, from new jobs in wind, solar, geothermal and green hydrogen to funding for small farmers in growing planet-friendly sectors like oat and pea for plant-based foods.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The exodus of investment these Western separatists find &quot;baffling&quot; is due to the very policies that they are demanding more of: Buffalo Project calls on western MPs, senators to block feds&#39; &#39;green recovery&#39; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6xWi1RgiNg\">https:\/\/t.co\/6xWi1RgiNg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Keith Stewart (@climatekeith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1303446595833298945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200907\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200907\" class=\"toggle-show\">7 September 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">7 September 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Natural Resources Minister, Seamus O&#8217;Regan, pushes for LNG fossil fuel as part of the Liberals\u2019 \u2018green\u2019 recovery package.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Minister O&#8217;Regan said the best path to a low greenhouse gas economy is to make natural gas (LNG: liquid natural gas) a greener product that can be sold overseas. Essentially, he is calling for more exploitation and exportation of fossil fuels as his \u201cgreen\u201d recovery. Both Conservatives and New Democrats have also supported LNG in the past. Yet, making fossil fuels cleaner will not solve economic problems or the climate crisis. This is nothing more than a false solution.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">No. Research shows that fracking, which produces significant LNG in ??, pollutes the land, water &amp; air and harms human health. We must invest in a clean, renewable-energy future today, not LNG.<br>See our recent fracking report here:<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sdfmEUuBdj\">https:\/\/t.co\/sdfmEUuBdj<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/THvi8GYf6K\">https:\/\/t.co\/THvi8GYf6K<\/a><\/p>&mdash; @CAPE-ACME (@CAPE_ACME) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CAPE_ACME\/status\/1303423093612843008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p>The ever increasing fires in the Amazon are not natural. They are being set by cattle ranchers and land-grabbers to clear land for pastures and crop fields. The Amazon forest is being destroyed at an alarming rate, exasperating climate change, killing off unique wildlife, and posing an existential threat to Indigenous Peoples whole call the Amazon home. Yet, instead of condemning this activity, the Canadian government might actually reward it \u2013 by offering Brazil (and Big Agribusiness) a lucrative free trade deal that would up beef imports to Canada. This is the very opposite direction we need to be going in for a Green and Just Recovery, and as climate leaders. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/41711\/amazon-bolsonaro-cattle-abcs-of-destruction\/\">More info here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The federal government is again being urged to halt trade talks with Brazil after another summer of record-breaking fires in the Amazon rainforest.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/G4FcEKQjgi\">https:\/\/t.co\/G4FcEKQjgi<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CTV News Northern Ontario (@CTVNewsNorthern) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CTVNewsNorthern\/status\/1302225600120320000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 5, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200902\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"#20200902\" class=\"toggle-show\">2 September 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">2 September 2020<\/a> &#8211; Plastic industry is lobbying Quebec, under the pretext of the pandemic, to oppose Ottawa\u2019s upcoming ban on single-use plastics<\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Canada postponed its plans to ban single-use plastics to 2021. Meanwhile, the plastic industry\u2019s lobbyists are taking advantage of this time, and the pandemic, to convince provinces like Quebec that single-use packaging and containers are a more safe and sanitary option. Despite health <a href=\"https:\/\/plus.lapresse.ca\/screens\/4b88ad75-5033-4431-8415-7106b86801c8__7C___0.html?utm_content=email&amp;utm_source=lpp&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=internal%20share\">experts saying the opposite<\/a> &#8211; endorsing the safe use of reusables &#8211; Quebec has opened the door to more talks with industry, and is considering a reduction in single-use plastics versus a ban.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">Je me rappelle du bon vieux temps o\u00f9 on se faisait croire que la pand\u00e9mie allait nous forcer \u00e0 revoir notre rapport \u00e0 l\u2019environnement&#8230; \u00ab\u00a0Le lobby du plastique courtise Qu\u00e9bec\u00a0\u00bb <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PFnmGOina2\">https:\/\/t.co\/PFnmGOina2<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Olivier Niquet (@oniquet) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/oniquet\/status\/1301120396230623232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 2, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200824\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200824\" class=\"toggle-show\">24 August 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">24 August 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Oil companies are financing the militarization of Canadian police.<\/strong>&nbsp; <\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Oil and gas companies such as LNG Canada, Enbridge, Cenovus and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., and TransCanada have been contributing millions of dollars to police foundations. At a time where there is a growing movement to defund the police, and a call for more social programs and mental health services instead, BigOil\u2019s money is actually paying for SWAT teams, tactical equipment and surveillance tech. All of this under the guise (PR strategy) of supporting public-friendly initiatives.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/canncr\/status\/1300470704907776000?s=20\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200819\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200819\" class=\"toggle-show\">19 August 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">19 August 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Oil Industry exposed for using pressure tactics for more tax subsidies and regulatory exemptions.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>A government briefing note obtained by Greenpeace, through access to information, sheds light on how the oil industry off the coast of Newfoundland has been using the pandemic to pressure the federal government for subsidies it&#8217;s been wanting for years. So far they haven&#8217;t gotten these subsidies, but they were successful in getting a major exemption from environmental oversight rules, prompting a legal challenge from environmental groups. More on this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/41378\/oil-industry-leveraging-pandemic-to-pressure-government-for-climate-wrecking-favours-in-newfoundland-offshore\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">NEW |  Exploratory drilling now exempt from federal environmental impact assessment<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OyAW7j1JJq\">https:\/\/t.co\/OyAW7j1JJq<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/nlpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#nlpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ADFKt5VpNR\">pic.twitter.com\/ADFKt5VpNR<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CBC Newfoundland and Labrador (@CBCNL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBCNL\/status\/1268619170490355718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 4, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200813\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200813\" class=\"toggle-show\">13 August 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">13 August 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Australian billionaire trying to \u2018buy out\u2019 the opposition for a massive coal mine in the Rockies &#8211; in the midst of a climate emergency.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart\u2019s Hancock Prospecting Pty has been trying to sway opposition to approve a huge coal mine via annual fundraising parties and local refurbishments at a golf course. While Canada has committed to eliminate coal-fired power by 2030, coking coal is \u201cless of a concern at the present time than thermal coal,\u201d according to Canadian Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. The project would produce 4.5 million tonnes of steelmaking coal per year, and set a precedent for new projects in the region.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart woos Canadians, hoping to build big coal mine in Rocky Mountains <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QcCTkZ0ttx\">https:\/\/t.co\/QcCTkZ0ttx<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Report on Business (@globebusiness) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/globebusiness\/status\/1294043070724337665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 13, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200729\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200729\" class=\"toggle-show\">29 July 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">29 July 2020<\/a> &#8211; CAPP, Canada\u2019s biggest oil lobby group, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-oil-lobby-group-wants-changes-to-federal-support-programs\/\"><strong>fights<\/strong><\/a><strong> climate conditions attached to pandemic aid.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Senior Energy Strategist at Greenpeace Canada said, \u201cCAPP is pushing back on the already-minimal climate conditions attached to the federal bailout. This unwillingness to face the future is one of the reasons why global banks are bailing on oil sands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">CAPP is pushing back on the already-minimal climate conditions attached to federal bailout. This unwillingness to face the future is one of the reasons why global banks are bailing on oil sands <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eHVMIroTfD\">https:\/\/t.co\/eHVMIroTfD<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Keith Stewart (@climatekeith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1288471342161985539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200724\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a class=\"toggle-show\" href=\"#20200724\">24 July 2020<\/a><strong><a class=\"toggle-hide\" href=\"#hide-updates\">24 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; CAPP, LNG industry lobby B.C. government for long-term discount on hydroelectricity, blaming economic troubled on the pandemic<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>If the B.C. government agrees to industry\u2019s demands for a discounted rate, the costs would be passed on to regular British Columbians (who already pay more than industrial customers). <em>The Narwhal <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/thenarwhal.ca\/capp-lng-lobby-bc-government-hydroelectricity-discount\/\">has the story<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Oil and gas industry lobbying B.C. for more subsidies that would raise costs of power to citizens and reduce the money available to build safer and cleaner low carbon economic development&#8230;the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bcndp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@bcndp<\/a> wouldn\u2019t&#8230;would they? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/bcpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#bcpoli<\/a> THREAD <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QBqqpRrWv9\">https:\/\/t.co\/QBqqpRrWv9<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Tzeporah Berman (@Tzeporah) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Tzeporah\/status\/1287048658177757185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 25, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200723\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200723\" class=\"toggle-show\">23 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">23 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Ontario passes Bill 197, which will gut the Environmental Assessment Act putting many decisions entirely under the purview of the cabinet.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Billed as an \u201ceconomy recovery\u201d bill, in reality this is a pure regulatory rollback without public consultation. The <em>National Observer<\/em> has more info on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/07\/21\/news\/ford-governments-proposed-environmental-assessment-changes-are-potentially-illegal\">whether this is legal<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/07\/15\/news\/doug-fords-changes-environmental-assessments-explained\">the legislative details<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Once again,a Canadian government is attempting to run roughshod over important Indigenous Rights as well as critical environmental protections under the guise of &quot;cutting red tape&quot;. Thank you to Chief David Nakogee of Attawapiskat First Nation for raising concerns over <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/bill197?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#bill197<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rlrlOWovzA\">pic.twitter.com\/rlrlOWovzA<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Dr. Faisal Moola (@faisal_moola) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/faisal_moola\/status\/1288876418697433088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 30, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200721\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200721\" class=\"toggle-show\">21 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">21 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;&nbsp; Newfoundland continues pushing federal officials for a federal aid package and incentives for exploration.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Outgoing Premier Dwight Ball <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/newfoundland-labrador\/oil-aid-lobby-1.5656135\">said<\/a>, &#8220;I believe support for the oil and gas industry is the only option that the federal government would have to create jobs here in our province. If they don&#8217;t do that, the other option would be to put our province back on large equalization transfers.&#8221; This is the kind of \u2018we need fossil fuels\u2019 to survive the oil industry&nbsp; wants Canadians to believe.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">OPEN LETTER | We have serious concerns about subsidizing oil and gas exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador &#8211; which would make it virtually impossible for the province, or Canada, to meet its climate commitments. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/suuCXjdK0I\">https:\/\/t.co\/suuCXjdK0I<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/nlpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#nlpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a><\/p>&mdash; EnvironmentalDefence (@envirodefence) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/envirodefence\/status\/1273686925162004483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 18, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200717\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200717\" class=\"toggle-show\">17 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">17 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;&nbsp; Alberta government emails show how the oilpatch used covid-19 to lobby for temporary rule changes, including some based on \u201cpurely economic issues\u201d.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The news, unearthed through a <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/7185882\/coronavirus-capp-aer-suncor-emails-monitoring\/\"><em>Global News <\/em>investigation<\/a>, contradicts officials\u2019 previous statement that the suspension of dozens of environmental rules in April and May was based on public health concerns. Instead, we see apparent regulatory capture by industry. Other investigations show that key officials were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/07\/13\/news\/alberta-suspended-environmental-monitoring-oilsands-key-officials-were-left-dark\">left in the dark<\/a> about some regulatory decisions.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Emails show how oil patch lobbied Alberta Energy Regulator for coronavirus relief. In some cases, the regulator granted relief that was not requested, Suncor said <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mNfXtkFmos\">https:\/\/t.co\/mNfXtkFmos<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/abpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#abpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ableg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/aer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#aer<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Mike De Souza (@mikedesouza) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mikedesouza\/status\/1284092473527107584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 17, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200716\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200716\" class=\"toggle-show\">16 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">16 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Alberta introduced legislation putting Alberta on a path toward increasingly privatized health care \u2026 in the midst of a global pandemic.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Worried about a second wave? Well Albertans are worried about a wave of doctors leaving the province. New legislation by the Kenney government would <a href=\"https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/jason-kenney-is-chasing-doctors-out-of-alberta-with-legislation-that-sabotages-public-healthcare\/\">allow the government<\/a> to sign contracts directly with doctors and permit private companies to administer doctor\u2019s clinics.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jason Kenney is chasing doctors out of Alberta with legislation that sabotages public healthcare<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rbPI82A9ws\">https:\/\/t.co\/rbPI82A9ws<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ableg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnhealth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnhealth<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/canlab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#canlab<\/a><\/p>&mdash; PressProgress (@pressprogress) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pressprogress\/status\/1283912594395484161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 16, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200715\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200715\" class=\"toggle-show\">15 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">15 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Ottawa and the provinces <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/7183008\/canada-fossil-fuels-aid-coronavirus\/\"><strong>have given<\/strong><\/a><strong> $16 billion in aid to the fossil fuel industry and little to clean energy.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Keith Stewart, a senior energy strategist at Greenpeace Canada, said the federal government has been \u201ccompletely captured by the oil industry.\u201d We unearthed documents prepared for Natural Resources Canada that contains surprisingly little analysis of what a climate-friendly COVID response might look like.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Are we building back better?<br><br>SEI is one of fourteen expert organizations that launched the Energy Policy Tracker &#8211; a database that tracks the latest information about <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVDI19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVDI19<\/a> recovery packages from a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Climate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Climate<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Energy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Energy<\/a> perspective. Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1ZbgW1OrGJ\">https:\/\/t.co\/1ZbgW1OrGJ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; SEI Research (@SEIresearch) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SEIresearch\/status\/1288888842590838784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 30, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200714\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200714\" class=\"toggle-show\">14 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">14 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Ontario\u2019s Ministry of Labour <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/ford-government-long-term-care-homes-dont-need-to-pay-workers-for-time-spent-getting-tested-for-covid-19\/\"><strong>says<\/strong><\/a><strong> long-term care homes, which are high-risk workplaces, don\u2019t have to compensate workers for getting covid-19 tests.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>\u201cIn my view, it\u2019s inappropriate for workers to shoulder the financial responsibility of keeping co-workers, customers and clients safe,\u201d said McMaster University labour studies professor Stephanie Premji. It\u2019s \u201cparticularly concerning for low-income, precarious workers who can\u2019t afford to take the time off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ford Government: Long-term care homes don\u2019t need to pay their workers for time spent getting tested for COVID-19.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pUdwuOcqBa\">https:\/\/t.co\/pUdwuOcqBa<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#onpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/canlab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#canlab<\/a><\/p>&mdash; PressProgress (@pressprogress) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pressprogress\/status\/1283118725504233472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 14, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200713\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200713\" class=\"toggle-show\">13 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">13 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; The Liberal leadership is downplaying plans for a green stimulus announced early on in the pandemic.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>While some key ministers were initially assigned to a green stimulus task force, the message from Justin Trudeau\u2019s office has changed, walking back the importance of the task force (whose members likewise went quieter on the subject). The <em>Globe &amp; Mail<\/em> has the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/commentary\/article-trudeau-is-hesitating-to-seize-the-best-opportunity-hell-have-to\/\">full story<\/a> (and just days after this broke, the urgency of the climate crisis was underscored by a <a href=\"https:\/\/thenarwhal.ca\/canada-clearcut-logging-boreal-forest-report\/\">report on<\/a> unaccounted carbon emissions from Canada\u2019s disappearing forests).<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/aradwanski\/status\/1282663234948993024?s=20\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200710\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200710\" class=\"toggle-show\">10 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">10 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;&nbsp; Greenpeace Canada staff dug into how grocery stores (and some of their billionaire owners) have cut worker pay despite profiting from COVID-19<\/strong>. We found that stores received more than $700 million in adjusted net earnings in the early part of 2020, while billionaire&#8217;s personal wealth increased by hundreds more millions.<\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Read the full story in our just-posted investigation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/40690\/scandal-in-aisle-3-time-for-canadas-wealthy-grocery-store-owners-to-clean-up-their-act\/\">here<\/a>.  Later today, CEOS of major chains like Loblaws, Metro and Empire (the parent company of Sobeys) will appear before a parliamentary committee to account for worker pay cuts, all announced on the same day. Given stores&#8217; history of colluding on bread prices, MPs want to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-grocery-executives-may-be-called-to-testify-on-pay-cuts-for-workers\/\">take a closer look <\/a>at the decision.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Grocery store CEOs will appear before MPs today to account for cutting worker pay amid <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a> \u2014 an urgent reminder to tackle inequality.  <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/FairPayForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#FairPayForever<\/a> for workers &amp; a wealth tax on the rich can help both people &amp; planet. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JustRecovery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JustRecovery<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/INDU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#INDU<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hJxZkDNvWf\">https:\/\/t.co\/hJxZkDNvWf<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Canada (@GreenpeaceCA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceCA\/status\/1281634113078714368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 10, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200708\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200708\" class=\"toggle-show\">8 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">8 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;&nbsp; Doug Ford\u2019s Ontario government releases 188-page omnibus&nbsp;bill that claims to be about responding to the COVID crisis but undermines environmental protection.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>If passed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/07\/08\/news\/environmental-assessments-speed-under-doug-fords-omnibus-covid-19-recovery-bill\">the changes<\/a> would mean that the provincial government can decide when a project needs an environmental assessment, whereas the current law applies to most projects automatically. This comes after the Ford government suspended environmental oversight during COVID-19 and weakened environmental protections law year. As a whole, the proposed legislation would alter 20 pieces of legislation.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Here&#39;s what we know so far about environmental changes included in Doug Ford&#39;s omnibus COVID-19 economic recovery bill. From <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaMci?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@EmmaMci<\/a>:<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2C9EuysOhI\">https:\/\/t.co\/2C9EuysOhI<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Canada&#39;s National Observer (@NatObserver) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NatObserver\/status\/1280995683609214988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200707\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200707\" class=\"toggle-show\">7 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">7 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Shareholders of Ontario\u2019s biggest private nursing homes, Chartwell, Sienna and Extendicare, are <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/top-for-profit-care-homes-could-pay-out-up-to-59-million-to-shareholders-this-quarter\/\"><strong>set to receive<\/strong><\/a><strong> $59 million this quarter, despite hundreds of COVID-19 deaths at their facilities.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Covid-19 laid bare the consequences of monetizing elder care. Both residents and workers have been hard-hit, including by inadequate conditions impacting their lives and health.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Shareholders at Ontario\u2019s top private nursing homes could take home $59 million following COVID-19 deaths<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RVEPTOvzOR\">https:\/\/t.co\/RVEPTOvzOR<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#onpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/canlab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#canlab<\/a><\/p>&mdash; PressProgress (@pressprogress) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pressprogress\/status\/1280584118238154762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 7, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200707\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200707\" class=\"toggle-show\">7 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">7 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211;&nbsp; Newfoundland and Labrador\u2019s offshore oil and gas industry, alongside Canada\u2019s biggest oil lobby group, launches a new campaign to fund and expand fossil fuel extraction.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The Newfoundland and Labrador Oil and Gas Industries Association (NOIA) and Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) launched \u201cWe Are NL Offshore\u201d on Tuesday, calling on the federal government to provide \u201cincentives to attract more exploration in the region and tax credits to kickstart delayed projects,\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/ipolitics.ca\/2020\/07\/07\/n-l-offshore-industry-calls-for-support-from-ottawa-as-environmental-orgs-warn-against-further-aid\/\"><em> iPolitics<\/em> reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">N.L. Oil and Gas Industries Association and Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers launched a new public push on Tuesday for a support package from the feds, releasing statements of support from over 80 political and business figures <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/nlpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#nlpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fY6VKa39Cx\">https:\/\/t.co\/fY6VKa39Cx<\/a><\/p>&mdash; iPolitics (@iPoliticsCA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iPoliticsCA\/status\/1280626438664785925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 7, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200707\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200707\" class=\"toggle-show\">7 July 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">7 July 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Alberta tries to sidestep justice and keep sand projects out of environmental oversight by redefining \u201cminerals\u201d.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Alberta\u2019s blaze of legislative changes during COVID-19 continues. Now, after a court ruling found that the government should be conducting environmental assessments, the Alberta government is trying to change the law to fast-track 500 sand extraction projects. Jason Unger, the executive director of the non-profit Alberta Environmental Law Centre, told the <em>National Observer<\/em> \u201c(These pits) can be contentious,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have a variety of impacts, whether on water, roads, noise, dust, other things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I learned a lot today about why it matters whether sand is a mineral or not <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ableg<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2BEtmrKO6C\">https:\/\/t.co\/2BEtmrKO6C<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Emma McIntosh (@EmmaMci) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaMci\/status\/1280657722447462400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 8, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200630\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200630\" class=\"toggle-show\">30 June 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">30 June 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Ontario extended the logging industry exemption from endangered species law.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>After using covid-19 as cover for suspending environmental oversight (now restored) Ontario\u2019s provincial government is rubbing salt in the wound by appearing to give into the forestry sector\u2019s whims \u2014 this time, that \u201clogging operations already must meet rigorous sustainability standards\u201d and that the extension of their exemption from endangered species law supports the economy. Read more from Greenpeace campaigner Reykia Fick and others in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/06\/30\/news\/ontario-extends-logging-industry-exemption-endangered-species-law\"><em>National Observer<\/em><\/a> about why this isn\u2019t anywhere near enough to protect crucial species \u2014 and about the hundreds of comments from the public we\u2019re worried weren\u2019t properly considered in this decision to weaken the law. This seems to be a common theme with the Ford government, since just 5 days before this announcement it also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/06\/25\/news\/ford-government-plans-would-strip-endangered-species-protections-golden-horseshoe\">proposed<\/a> to strip endangered species protection.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">ICYMI: \u201cThe Ford government is pretending that the Crown Forest Sustainability Act provides the same protection as the Endangered Species Act, when this is plainly untrue,\u201d Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#onpoli<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/booZ0i0Sb6\">https:\/\/t.co\/booZ0i0Sb6<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Canada&#39;s National Observer (@NatObserver) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NatObserver\/status\/1278672269309435904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 2, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200629\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200629\" class=\"toggle-show\">29 June 2020<\/a><strong><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">29 June 2020<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; Alberta cuts more slack to Big Business and digs deeper into Albertans\u2019 pockets to finance its infrastructure-heavy recovery.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>While governments around the world consider green stimulus packages, Jason Kenney\u2019s Alberta government is focused on big infrastructure spending and supporting the big corporations. In its initial plans to restart the economy, Alberta is planning expedited corporate tax cuts and creating jobs in the pipeline sector, among other investments and jobs in health, education and social services. \u201cClimate change\u201d appears just once in the plan. Hours following the Kenney government&#8217;s new economic strategy, the New York based agency <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-fitch-downgrades-albertas-credit-rating\/#:~:text=Fitch%20Ratings%20downgraded%20Alberta%20to,with%20a%20double%2DA%20rating.\">downgraded<\/a> Alberta\u2019s credit rating to a double-A-minus from double-A (and it\u2019s not the first agency to do so; spending big dollars on a non-renewable resource in economic decline is no recipe for a healthy society).<\/p>\n\n<p>Senior Energy Strategist Keith Stewart breaks it down in his thread below.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">1. Reading through the Kenney government&#39;s new economic strategy, it is fascinating how &quot;environment&quot; only appears in relation to a defence of oil and gas. The words &quot;climate change&quot; &amp;  &quot;greenhouse gas&quot; never appear, and &quot;renewable&quot; appears only once<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4kJHJlGRiz\">https:\/\/t.co\/4kJHJlGRiz<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Keith Stewart (@climatekeith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1277670909453766658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200629\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200629\" class=\"toggle-show\">29 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">29 June 2020<\/a> &#8211; The airlines strike again, deciding to relax in-flight physical distancing during COVID-19<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Yes. This came out over the weekend. As if asking for bailouts (check out our blog on the topic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/37876\/4-things-to-think-about-when-it-comes-to-covid-19-airline-bailouts-and-the-environment\/\">here<\/a>) wasn\u2019t scandalous enough, airlines like Air Canada and WestJet are allowing passengers to buy tickets for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/politics\/airlines-physical-distancing-reaction-1.5630146\">adjacent seats<\/a>. We\u2019re not surprised to see these companies appearing to put profits ahead of Transport Canada recommendations to optimize social distancing. Sadly, it\u2019s now been reported that&nbsp; 3 domestic flights to Vancouver were potentially <a href=\"https:\/\/bc.ctvnews.ca\/3-flights-to-vancouver-international-airport-possibly-exposed-to-covid-19-1.5008026\">exposed to Covid-19<\/a>, underscoring the urgency of a cautious, safety-first approach. People and health, not profits, should be at the heart of the decisions companies are making.<\/p>\n\n<p>Canadians have been quick to take to Twitter to voice their concerns, including acclaimed musician Jann Arden.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Hey <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AirCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AirCanada<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WestJet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@WestJet<\/a> you guys are both so completely irresponsible&#8230; packing your flights is both dangerous and counter intuitive to social distancing practices. The numbers will go up. It\u2019s too soon and you\u2019re endangering your passengers.<\/p>&mdash; Jann \u201cstop live horse export\u201d Arden (@jannarden) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jannarden\/status\/1277942050659287043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 30, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200620\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200620\" class=\"toggle-show\">20 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">20 June 2020<\/a> &#8211; Juan Lopez Chaparro, 55 year-old-father of four and migrant worker from Mexico, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/london\/migrant-worker-mexico-juan-l%C3%B3pez-chaparro-1.5621866\"><strong>died Saturday<\/strong><\/a><strong> in London, Ontario after falling ill with COVID-19. He has been working at a farm that is <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespec.com\/news\/hamilton-region\/2020\/06\/10\/vittoria-farm-ignored-warnings-before-covid-19-outbreak-worker-alleges.html\"><strong>reported to have allegedly ignored<\/strong><\/a><strong> warnings about COVID-19 risks for migrant workers.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>According to the CBC, \u201cmost recently he worked for Scotlynn Group &#8230; which currently has 217 positive COVID-19 cases involving migrant workers and farm employees.\u201d Support migrant workers\u2019 fight for fair working conditions through the <a href=\"https:\/\/migrantrights.ca\/\">#StatusForAll campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">His name is Juan L\u00f3pez Chaparro. Third farmworker to die following Bonifacio Eugenio Romero and Rogelio Santos Mu\u00f1oz. Farmworkers know that a single COVID-19 infection on a farm puts them all in danger, but they cannot risk speaking out because they don&#39;t have citizenship. <br><br>1\/2 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/n9sEFQvpbg\">pic.twitter.com\/n9sEFQvpbg<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Migrant Rights Network #StatusForAll (@MigrantRightsCA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MigrantRightsCA\/status\/1275040951250096128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 22, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200619_2\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200619_2\" class=\"toggle-show\">19 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">19 June 2020<\/a> &#8211; A Greenpeace investigation found that the oil, plastic and petrochemical lobby has logged more than 400 communications with federal officials. That\u2019s 5 communications per day.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>That\u2019s way more access than the average Canadian has, which is why Greenpeace is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/act\/dont-let-corporate-lobbies-decide-our-future\/?_ga=2.92693663.384070647.1592236032-257567520.1566233355\">calling for a Cabinet to hold a national public consultation<\/a> on a green and just recovery this summer. Most of these communications focused on taxation, finance and the environment. We know that the oil lobby is lobbying for a $27-30 billion bailout from the government along with a host of regulatory rollbacks. <a href=\"https:\/\/act.gp\/2NwCeLo\">Take action here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JustinTrudeau<\/a> you need to listen to the people.<br>During <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a>, big polluters asking for bailouts, derailing <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ClimateAction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ClimateAction<\/a> &amp; opposed to a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/plastics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#plastics<\/a> ban clocked 400+ gov&#39;t meetings.<br>Organize a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JustRecovery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JustRecovery<\/a> public consultation NOW&gt;&gt;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/z5dpr4EAMX\">https:\/\/t.co\/z5dpr4EAMX<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@greenpeaceCA<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Julia Levin (@lev_jf) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lev_jf\/status\/1273980959604473858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 19, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200619\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-80-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200619\" class=\"toggle-show\">19 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">19 June 2020<\/a> &#8211; Ottawa relaxes clean fuel targets, letting fossil fuel companies off the hook for the time being.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The government is opting to start the clean fuels standard lower and raise it faster so that the 2030 goal is still reached.&nbsp; The problem here lies in the fact that this only works if the next government doesn\u2019t cave to industry pressure as well. It passes the buck, deferring the bulk of emission reductions to the future. This relaxed standard isn\u2019t exactly what the oil and gas lobby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capp.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Federal-Regulatory-Impact-Request.pdf-1.pdf\">asked for<\/a> in its March 27 letter to the federal government, but it\u2019s a step in that direction. <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/7086877\/coronavirus-clean-fuel-standards\/amp\/\"><em>Canadian Press<\/em><\/a> has the story.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Table 3, however, is where rollback demands move from tragedy to farce. Why delay implementation of clean fuel standard (policy process began in 2016) from 2022 to 2025? Oh right, because they&#39;ve always opposed it: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/c5doVKjVQ5\">https:\/\/t.co\/c5doVKjVQ5<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Keith Stewart (@climatekeith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1251149029561430024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 17, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200618\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-grey-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200618\" class=\"toggle-show\">18 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">18 June 2020<\/a> &#8211; Alberta ends state of emergency as its economy reopens but continues suspension of environmental monitoring regulations.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>This is nothing but a favour to the oil industry. The audacity and blatant attempt to leverage the pandemic for industry gain is summed up by Dale Marshall of Environmental Defence\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/06\/18\/news\/alberta-environmental-monitoring-remains-suspended-state-emergency-ends\">comment<\/a>: \u201cThere are a whole bunch of things opening up \u2026 But we can\u2019t get two people going onto a site to do environmental monitoring? This continues to be a pretty flimsy excuse to make an ideological, anti-environmental decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Updated this list again! New today is Bill 22 in Alberta, which: <br>?\ufe0feliminated the need for cabinet approval on oilsands projects<br>?eliminated an energy efficiency org (&amp; folded it into another agency) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ableg<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cpZM2znnoF\">https:\/\/t.co\/cpZM2znnoF<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Emma McIntosh (@EmmaMci) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaMci\/status\/1271196645024247808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200617_3\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200617_3\" class=\"toggle-show\">17 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">17 June 2020<\/a> &#8211; After second death of migrant worker from COVID-19, the government issued an <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/06\/17\/news\/qualtrough-apologizes-migrant-worker-deaths-says-program-needs-overhaul\"><strong>apology<\/strong><\/a><strong> but is failing to act urgently to protect vulnerable, essential workers, fight racism and ensure #StatusForAll.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Canada&#8217;s Temporary Foreign Worker Program is under intense scrutiny following several coronavirus outbreaks and the deaths of two workers in southern Ontario: Bonifacio Eugenio Romero and Rogelio Mu\u00f1oz Santos. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/39944\/migrant-justice-is-climate-justice-greenpeace-canada-support-statusforall\/\">Learn more<\/a> about how to support migrant workers, including the people caring for our elders and putting food on our tables during the pandemic. Greenpeace Canada support their fight for full immigration status, including health services, protection from discrimination, paid emergency leave and adequate employment conditions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We remember Bonifacio and Rogelio. We mourn and we fight back. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/StatusForAll?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#StatusForAll<\/a> Solidarity Caravan is leaving Toronto shortly <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xBeyI0jqYi\">pic.twitter.com\/xBeyI0jqYi<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (@MWACCanada) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MWACCanada\/status\/1271800429060526086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 13, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200617_2\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200617_2\" class=\"toggle-show\">17 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">17 June 2020<\/a> &#8211;&nbsp; The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) launches new lobbying offensive in Quebec<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Canada\u2019s largest oil and gas lobby has registered to lobby Premier Legault\u2019s Quebec government to take measures to support the fossil fuel industry. Issues on CAPP\u2019s agenda? Regulatory rollbacks, the clean fuel standard and (you guessed it) financial support. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ledevoir.com\/societe\/environnement\/580915\/le-lobby-petrolier-canadien-reclame-un-soutien-du-gouvernement-legault\"><em>Le Devoir<\/em>\u2019s Alexandre Shields has the story.<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200617\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200617\" class=\"toggle-show\">17 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">17 June 2020<\/a> &#8211; Gas company Enbridge <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/business.financialpost.com\/commodities\/enbridge-to-cut-salaries-offer-800-staff-early-retirement-severance\"><strong>cuts non-union pay and offers buyouts<\/strong><\/a><strong> to hundreds of workers, despite announcing recent dividend payouts to investors.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>In May, Enbridge <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newswire.ca\/news-releases\/enbridge-declares-quarterly-dividends-848337432.html#:~:text=CALGARY%2C%20May%205%2C%202020%20%2F,the%20March%201%2C%202020%20dividend.\">announced<\/a> a quarterly dividend to investors payable on June 1st, this payout comes despite the impacts of the pandemic and oil price tumble on the industry. This news also came at the same time that Ovintiv (formerly Encana) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/business\/ovintiv-encana-layoffs-1.5616174\">announced<\/a> worker layoffs in Canada and the US. Ovintiv is registered to lobby the federal government for COVID-19 funding, as is the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, which is seeking a series of tax cuts, regulatory rollbacks and bailout from the government (see below). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/04\/056bf30f-greenpeace-canada-briefing-on-bailouts-apr-9-2020.pdf\"><strong>Learn more about the conditions Greenpeace Canada recommends be attached to any funding to make sure workers and climate are protected.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Enbridge has cut base pay across its non-union workforce by 10-15%, deferred $1bn in capital spending, &amp; cut costs by $300mn, including salary cuts &amp; pensions. But it kept its big dividend for investors. How long can this last? <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/climaterisk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#climaterisk<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ySiPpueME8\">https:\/\/t.co\/ySiPpueME8<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Patrick DeRochie (@PatDeRocH) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PatDeRocH\/status\/1273620154899972103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 18, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200615\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200615\" class=\"toggle-show\">15 June 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">15 June 2020<\/a> &#8211;&nbsp; Colliers Project Leaders, a subsidiary of a $4 billion real estate and investment company, asked employees to fudge time sheets and &#8220;surrender&#8221; vacation time if they want to keep their jobs.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>That\u2019s what an email sent by Franklin Holtforster, company president and CEO, told his employees, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/business\/vacation-days-colliers-project-leaders-1.5601141\">CBC\u2019s GO Public reports.<\/a> Thanks to the investigation, the company offered to return the days. Still, this is a symptom of a larger problem: several big grocery store chains owned by wealthy people recently cut vacation pay (see below), and a new federal report shows that Canada\u2019s 1% own just over 25% of the country\u2019s wealth. It\u2019s time for the wealthy to stop amassing their fortunes on the backs of workers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/37870\/what-is-a-green-and-just-recovery-4-simple-actions-to-make-it-happen\/\"><strong>Canada needs a wealth tax now. Take action.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;Unethical and illegal&quot;&#8230;CEO asks employees to lie on time cards or risk job losses violating labour laws <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TFcnqIM6EE\">https:\/\/t.co\/TFcnqIM6EE<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Colliers_PL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Colliers_PL<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/collierscanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@collierscanada<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Colliers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Colliers<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Labour Council (Ott) (@Ottawalabour) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Ottawalabour\/status\/1272551260101718018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 15, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200611\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-dark-shade-black-color\"><a href=\"#20200611\" class=\"toggle-show\">11 JUNE 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">11 JUNE 2020<\/a> &#8211; Alberta introduces <a href=\"https:\/\/lethbridgenewsnow.com\/2020\/06\/11\/new-bill-introduced-to-cut-red-tape-in-alberta\/\">bill 22<\/a>, which proposes 14 legislative changes across six different ministries, including making it easier for oil patch projects to be approved.<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The ever-growing list of environmental and energy regulatory rollbacks in Alberta makes it clear that pro-industry politicians are doing everything they can to make the most out of COVID-19. But people in Alberta are fighting back: First Nations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/edmonton\/first-nations-appeal-aer-monitoring-requirements-oil-companies-1.5602501\">are appealing<\/a> the Kenney government\u2019s decision, including for the lack of consultation on these unilateral clawbacks. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Updated this list again! New today is Bill 22 in Alberta, which: <br>?\ufe0feliminated the need for cabinet approval on oilsands projects<br>?eliminated an energy efficiency org (&amp; folded it into another agency) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ableg<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cpZM2znnoF\">https:\/\/t.co\/cpZM2znnoF<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Emma McIntosh (@EmmaMci) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaMci\/status\/1271196645024247808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200610\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200610\" class=\"toggle-show\">10 JUNE 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">10 JUNE 2020<\/a> &#8211; Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) and the province\u2019s Legault government launch new <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20200610225137\/https:\/\/pl61.ca\/\"><strong>website<\/strong><\/a><strong> to promote bill 61 (Projet de loi 61)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>It&#8217;s been one week since the CAQ released their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/montreal\/quebec-government-s-economic-relaunch-plan-blasted-at-national-assembly-hearings-1.5604989\">controversial economic recovery bill<\/a>, which has drawn fire from opposition, environmentalists, human right activists, anti-corruption watchdogs and more due to the large number of rules it would allow the government to bypass. So, to try to defend the bill, the government launched an even more controversial website, supposed to help people &#8220;separate the true from the false&#8221; denouncing the conspiracy against them.<\/p>\n\n<p>But guess what? Following outcry, a few days later the website redirected to a very different page &#8230; and as of June 12, the link simply now <a href=\"https:\/\/pl61.ca\/\">directs back<\/a> to the CAQ\u2019s party home page (say &#8220;bye bye&#8221; to conspiracy theory, and hello to demagogy).<\/p>\n\n<p>Check out the before and after:<\/p>\n\n<p><strong><em>Before:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large  caption-style-medium caption-alignment-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/c97c4619-4c25034dc0e6c76f942ad45f60651050.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/c97c4619-4c25034dc0e6c76f942ad45f60651050.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/c97c4619-4c25034dc0e6c76f942ad45f60651050-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/c97c4619-4c25034dc0e6c76f942ad45f60651050-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/c97c4619-4c25034dc0e6c76f942ad45f60651050-510x338.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<p><strong><em>After (since removed):<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large  caption-style-medium caption-alignment-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/bd8290b9-screen-shot-2020-06-11-at-2.51.27-pm-1024x464.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38889\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/bd8290b9-screen-shot-2020-06-11-at-2.51.27-pm-1024x464.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/bd8290b9-screen-shot-2020-06-11-at-2.51.27-pm-300x136.png 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/bd8290b9-screen-shot-2020-06-11-at-2.51.27-pm-768x348.png 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/bd8290b9-screen-shot-2020-06-11-at-2.51.27-pm-510x231.png 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/06\/bd8290b9-screen-shot-2020-06-11-at-2.51.27-pm.png 1430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200608\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200608\" class=\"toggle-show\">8 JUNE 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">8 JUNE 2020<\/a> &#8211; Billionaire owner of Save-on-Foods Jim Pattison says he\u2019s powerless to stop a $2 hazard pay cut for frontline grocery store workers \u2026 a few days later, Loblaws (owned by another other Canadian billionaire family, The Westons) and Metro followed suit.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The injustice and apparently blatant disregard for economic inequality in such decisions is staggering and must be corrected. Everyone deserves a living wage. And the hazards that low-waged essential workers face to keep society going (especially since states of emergency haven\u2019t ended in all provinces) add urgency to this need. Read more in <a href=\"https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/billionaire-owner-of-western-canadian-supermarket-chain-suggests-hes-powerless-to-stop-worker-pay-cut\/\">Press Progress<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/7058582\/coronavirus-canada-metro-loblaw\/\">Canadian Press<\/a>. Take action through the link below.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Here is the letter sending page. It only takes a minute. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/W1xLe0BddA\">https:\/\/t.co\/W1xLe0BddA<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Richard Unelected Person Campbell (@wrychrd) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wrychrd\/status\/1266518908451741697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200604\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200604\" class=\"toggle-show\">4 JUNE 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">4 JUNE 2020<\/a>&nbsp; &#8211; After weeks of oil industry lobbying to Canada\u2019s Natural Resources Minister and others for regulatory rollbacks, the Trudeau government <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/newfoundland-labrador\/offshore-drilling-enviromental-assessment-faster-1.5598253\"><strong>has exempted<\/strong><\/a><strong> some offshore drilling in Newfoundland and Labrador from federal environmental impact assessments.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>We\u2019re written previously about Newfoundland\u2019s oil lobbying (find the entries below). Now is not the time for the government to bend over backwards to meet oil lobby demands. The lack of a serious environmental evaluation process for such projects threatens not only our climate objectives but also increases the risks linked to oil spills and seismic drilling which further impacts already threatened whales.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p>Check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/06\/03\/news\/heres-every-environmental-protection-canada-has-been-suspended-delayed-and-cancelled\"><em>National Observer&#8217;s<\/em> comprehensive list<\/a> on environmental regulation rollback during COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Governments across Canada have suspended\/cancelled\/delayed environmental protections during <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a>. I made a list of every single one I could find! (small thread) <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cpZM2znnoF\">https:\/\/t.co\/cpZM2znnoF<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Emma McIntosh (@EmmaMci) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaMci\/status\/1268184785672982531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 3, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200603\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200603\" class=\"toggle-show\">3 JUNE 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">3 JUNE 2020<\/a>&nbsp; &#8211; A <a href=\"https:\/\/ici.radio-canada.ca\/nouvelle\/1709173\/environnement-opposition-projet-loi-61-relance-economie\">new Quebec government bill<\/a><\/strong><strong> aims to soften and lighten environmental regulations on regulatory projects.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>If passed, the law could put the environment at risk and <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.ctvnews.ca\/local\/montreal\/2020\/6\/4\/1_4969243.html\">speed up 202 infrastructure projects<\/a>. Greenpeace spokesperson Patrick Bonin has been following this economic recovery bill closely. He said \u201cIf this is the Legault government&#8217;s economic recovery project, it\u2019s clearly a missed opportunity and a missed turn towards what could have been a springboard\u201d to a green recovery.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">Relance: le <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/pl61?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#pl61<\/a> contient 16 projets en transports collectifs vs 34 routiers (&#8230;) Quant aux aires prot\u00e9g\u00e9es, le gouv. joue \u00e0 l\u2019autruche\u2026 Une <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/relance?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#relance<\/a> \u00e9conomique du si\u00e8cle dernier!<br><br>Notre r\u00e9action &gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/I1ezazhBOi\">https:\/\/t.co\/I1ezazhBOi<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RadioCanadaInfo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RadioCanadaInfo<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JdeQuebec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JdeQuebec<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeDevoir?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@LeDevoir<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/polqc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#polqc<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AssNat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AssNat<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Qu\u00e9bec (@greenpeaceQC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/greenpeaceQC\/status\/1268292461971017728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 3, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200601_2\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200601_2\" class=\"toggle-show\">1 JUNE 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">1 JUNE 2020<\/a> &#8211; TD Bank charges $30,000 mortgage penalty to woman forced to sell home due to pandemic<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Banks should not be profiting from the pandemic-induced hardship its borrowers are experiencing. Even if this doesn\u2019t break any rules, it\u2019s a moral failure. &#8220;TD is profiting by collecting this ridiculous amount of penalty, which is only based on the fact that the interest rate posted by Bank of Canada is so low \u2014 which was done to help people,&#8221; said Kristina Barybina, who was impacted by TD\u2019s decision. CBC\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/business\/mortgage-penalty-pandemic-1.5588741\"><em>GO Public <\/em><\/a>has the story.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Canada&#39;s major banks are being urged to show some mercy to people being forced to sell their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. TD Bank charged one Ontario woman a $30,000 mortgage penalty recently:  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JswCZmSHt0\">https:\/\/t.co\/JswCZmSHt0<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBCAlerts\/status\/1267428339838484480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 1, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200601\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200601\" class=\"toggle-show\">1 JUNE 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">1 JUNE 2020<\/a>&nbsp; &#8211; Bonifacio Eugenio-Romero, a migrant worker from Mexico, has died of COVID-19, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/windsor\/southwestern-ontario-farms-covid19-migrant-worker-dies-1.5593046\"><strong>despite previous complaints<\/strong><\/a><strong> by workers to union representatives about the lack of proper protective equipment at the Kingston farm where he worked.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>COVID-19 has exposed how the most economically disadvantaged and precarious workers are most at risk. This needs to change. Please support organizations leading the fight for migrant justice, like the <a href=\"https:\/\/migrantworkersalliance.org\/\">Migrant Justice Workers Alliance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;This death&#8230;is not simply a tragedy it&#39;s negligence by politicians who sacrifice the needs of vulnerable workers while appeasing the interests of the regions powerful agricultural lobby.&quot; &#8211; Chris Ramsaroop, Justice for Migrant Farm Workers <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/StatusForAll?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#StatusForAll<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zGWjqNBPRU\">https:\/\/t.co\/zGWjqNBPRU<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Canada (@GreenpeaceCA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceCA\/status\/1268609736808816640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 4, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200531_2\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200531_2\" class=\"toggle-show\">31 MAY 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">31 MAY 2020<\/a>&nbsp; &#8211; Greenpeace did some digging and we found that Ontario\u2019s government is proposing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/article-ontario-proposes-extending-endangered-species-act-exemption-for\/\">extend an exemption<\/a> for the forestry industry from respected the Endangered Species Act.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>This could be another step towards decimating species at risk, like caribou. Greenpeace nature and food campaigner&nbsp; Reykia Fick said, \u201cWe\u2019re concerned they\u2019re taking the COVID moment to undermine environmental legislation that has nothing to do with the pandemic itself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Now is the moment to reinvest in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/nature?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#nature<\/a> &#8211; not push wildlife towards extinction. <br><br>My interview on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/fordnation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@fordnation<\/a> government&#39;s new attack on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/EndangeredSpecies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#EndangeredSpecies<\/a> protections:<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GreenRecovery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#GreenRecovery<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@GreenpeaceCA<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IM24fCsmSi\">https:\/\/t.co\/IM24fCsmSi<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Reykia Fick (@reykia) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/reykia\/status\/1266576450724995076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 30, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200531\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200531\" class=\"toggle-show\">31 MAY 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">31 MAY 2020<\/a> &#8211; Amazon helps put the Keystone XL pipeline (and Canadian builder TC Energy) online with its web services, AI and automation tools.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Our colleagues at Greenpeace USA exposed how Big Data companies like Amazon, Google and Microsoft are enabling oil companies to profit from the climate crisis with their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/usa\/reports\/oil-in-the-cloud\/\"><em>Oil in the Cloud<\/em><\/a> report last month. Amazon has also faced criticism of its labour practices during the pandemic (see also previous entires). The news of the TC Energy partnership was released on May 13, but flew under the radar. <em>OneZero<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/onezero.medium.com\/how-amazon-is-bringing-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-online-440000803ae9\">has the full story on Keystone XL here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Amazon is helping arrange the speedy delivery of&#8230;tarsands oil. And human rights abuses. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Si9zmc6Aw2\">https:\/\/t.co\/Si9zmc6Aw2<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/billmckibben\/status\/1267484476835315714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 1, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200529\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a class=\"toggle-show\" href=\"#20200529\">29 May 2020<\/a><a class=\"toggle-hide\" href=\"#hide-updates\">29 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Lobbyists and industry interests of all stripes continue their full-court press.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Not only did the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) log 41 meetings in April (including 1 with Environment Minister Wilkinson and 3 with Natural Resources Minister O\u2019Regan), but we\u2019ve also seen politically-connected developers reported to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/toronto\/article-ontario-issues-special-orders-to-approve-developers-plans-and-quash\/?fbclid=IwAR3T5_h8L8-1e5bh5Ce5HahseRtApW7HIVZar1R6K37kswVRhLt01xooY0U\">reap rewards<\/a> in Ontario, while for-profit nursing home and health services lobbyists <a href=\"https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.ca\/entry\/for-profit-homes-conservative-insiders-coronavirus_ca_5ec5922cc5b63de4aabdd95f?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWIuc2t5cGUuY29tLw&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAptQD_vE4QebAYHEQ1dzy0N__gGmXYE4K0u5yUbvAVbUbaJKtNHAnWEOjqPdjYIn16wastxlr9o2eX1NbaNsUWTOieJ1o8aSDP8LDqUNlo3LUZiA61JjtxP71M-JoJeTLbhEeNX_6bbJTEppetHkQPTziumYiq9Ij9ckqxoq7bU\">with ties to Doug Ford\u2019s government<\/a> and Canada Proud have also entered the lobbying fray. Meanwhile, Newfoundland oil interests have also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/newfoundland-labrador\/oil-ottawa-offshore-1.5585156\">renewed pressure<\/a> on Ottawa to incentivize drilling and exploration.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u2018Canada Proud\u2019 donor\u2019s for-profit \u2018virtual health\u2019 service is lobbying Doug Ford for a COVID-19 contract<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qlECDhMO8r\">https:\/\/t.co\/qlECDhMO8r<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#onpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/canlab?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#canlab<\/a><\/p>&mdash; PressProgress (@pressprogress) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pressprogress\/status\/1266387034647773184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200529_2\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a class=\"toggle-show\" href=\"#20200529_2\">29 May 2020<\/a><a class=\"toggle-hide\" href=\"#hide-updates\">29 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Conservative leadership candidates announce their ideas for economic recovery, including winding down emergency income support, repealing environmental laws, building pipelines and eliminating the carbon tax, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/politics\/mackay-otoole-jobs-plan-1.5588826\"><strong>the CBC reports<\/strong><\/a><strong>.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>With the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis not going anywhere, now is the time to scale up climate action that will kickstart our economy, not recklessly rollback important protections and incentives for a green and just economic transition.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Peter MacKay went first Wednesday, pushing out a roadmap that included familiar Conservative staples like championing Canada\u2019s natural resources projects, retooling the tax system to support job growth and reining in government spending <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cpcldr?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cpcldr<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/onga90B1NW\">https:\/\/t.co\/onga90B1NW<\/a><\/p>&mdash; iPolitics (@iPoliticsCA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iPoliticsCA\/status\/1266062968191680519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 28, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200526\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a class=\"toggle-show\" href=\"#20200526\">26 May 2020<\/a><a class=\"toggle-hide\" href=\"#hide-updates\">26 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6988215\/alberta-government-sonya-savage-pipeline-protest-covid-podcast\/\"><strong>says<\/strong><\/a><strong> \u201cnow is a great time to be building a pipeline because you can\u2019t have protests of more than 15 people.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>And despite much trash-talk about the rest of the world\u2019s oil by Canada\u2019s pro-oil movement, Savage also came out <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1265671181291708422?s=20\">supporting OPEC.<\/a> Amnesty International\u2019s Alex Neve aptly captured some feelings about Savage&#8217;s pipeline comments &#8230;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">If there every was any doubt that <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jkenney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@jkenney<\/a>&#39;s &quot;Fight Back Strategy&quot; is grounded in total, utter contempt for human rights &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3qP89o3K3M\">https:\/\/t.co\/3qP89o3K3M<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Alex Neve (@AlexNeve24) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlexNeve24\/status\/1265038665627115521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 25, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200525\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a class=\"toggle-show\" href=\"#20200525\">25 May 2020<\/a><a class=\"toggle-hide\" href=\"#hide-updates\">25 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Canada\u2019s five richest billionaires got richer during COVID-19 \u2026 but they donated less than 1% of their wealth, <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ricochet.media\/en\/3143\/canadas-top-billionaires-are-getting-richer-thanks-to-covid-19-and-donating-a-pittance\"><strong>Ricochet media reports<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>David Thomson, Joseph Tsai, Galen Weston, David Cheriton and Mark Scheinberg saw their wealth increase by 9% since mid-March ($5.5 billion), found Quebec-based TaxCOOP. It\u2019s no wonder 75% of Canadian want a wealth tax.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Canada\u2019s top billionaires are getting richer thanks to COVID-19 \u2014 and donating a pittance <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BAHp4sx6We\">https:\/\/t.co\/BAHp4sx6We<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ricochet_en?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ricochet_en<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Sabrah (@TalibSST) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TalibSST\/status\/1266415683128242178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200521\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200521\" class=\"toggle-show\">21 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">21 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; The Alberta government suspends environmental monitoring requirements almost all companies operating in the province\u2019s oil and gas industry.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Now, a longer list of companies than before no longer have to do things like monitor fumes, test surface wasters in their operations, or monitor groundwater and soil until September. They also don&#8217;t need to do any wildlife monitoring. As the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/edmonton\/alberta-energy-regulator-suspends-environment-monitoring-for-oilpatch-over-covid-1.5578994\">Canadian Press reports<\/a>, &#8220;A University of Calgary professor of resource law said the list of exemptions is similar to the longtime wish list of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Shaun Fluker suggested the pandemic is being used as an excuse to grant concessions.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">so let me get this straight, it&#39;s safe for hairdressers, grocery cashiers and meat processing workers to work within inches of other people but &quot;it&#39;s no longer safe&quot; for multibillion dollar oil and gas companies to monitor their environmental impacts???<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CCrwVLMFB5\">https:\/\/t.co\/CCrwVLMFB5<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Emma Jackson (@EmmaJackson57) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaJackson57\/status\/1263533277920419840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 21, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200520\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200520\" class=\"toggle-show\">20 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">20 May 2020<\/a> &#8211;&nbsp; The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers is back with (you guessed it) more bailout demands, this time asking the federal government for $27-30 billion, including more money <em>just in case<\/em> more orphan wells are abandoned, as a host of tax breaks and fee waivers.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>After their first memo was leaked last month, CAPP posted some of their other correspondence on their website. Their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capp.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Federal-Liquidity-Letter.pdf.pdf\">April 15 memo<\/a> laid out more detailed demands around a federal loan program and tax breaks. In a shot across the bow against Alberta strengthening regulations to ensure polluters deal with their messes, the oil lobby was asking for the feds to set aside even more money for future orphan wells (letting investors walk away with profits while taxpayers are left holding the mop). Sources say that any new money for abandoned well clean up will only flow once the feds and Alberta agree on the new polluter pay regime. They also asked for some shiny new tax breaks and fee waivers:<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image  caption-style-medium caption-alignment-center\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"559\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/05\/258e617c-screen-shot-2020-05-20-at-10.56.09-pm.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/05\/258e617c-screen-shot-2020-05-20-at-10.56.09-pm.png 559w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/05\/258e617c-screen-shot-2020-05-20-at-10.56.09-pm-300x134.png 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-canada-stateless\/2020\/05\/258e617c-screen-shot-2020-05-20-at-10.56.09-pm-510x228.png 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200520_2\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200520_2\" class=\"toggle-show\">20 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">20 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Major Quebec credit union Caisse de Depot banks on Big Oil and seeks gains in pharmaceutical stocks.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Not only is the bank investing in pharmaceutical companies poised to do business during the pandemic, but it increased its exposure to Suncor, the largest Canadian producer, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.journaldemontreal.com\/2020\/05\/20\/la-caisse-mise-sur-les-pharmas-et-les-petrolieres\"><em>Journal de Montreal <\/em><\/a>has the story. Caisse de Depot has a history of supporting fossil fuels and has long been the <a href=\"http:\/\/sortonslacaisseducarbone.org\/\">target of civil society efforts<\/a> to have the bank divest or de-finance its fossil fuel liabilities.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">\u00ab\u2009Financer GNL irait \u00e0 l\u2019encontre (&#8230;) des plans de relance (qui) permettent de cr\u00e9er des emplois verts en luttant contre les changements climatiques\u2009\u00bb, a soulign\u00e9 par ailleurs le porte-parole de Greenpeace, Patrick Bonin.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DTjqr8Hhvk\">https:\/\/t.co\/DTjqr8Hhvk<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Qu\u00e9bec (@greenpeaceQC) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/greenpeaceQC\/status\/1263228230233972737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 20, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> \n<\/div><figcaption><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200519\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200519\" class=\"toggle-show\">19 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">19 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Gazoduq, a major pipeline company in Quebec, is asking the provincial government for a bailout to help build a new fracked gas pipeline.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The company has a host of lobbyists registered, and so far, the government has not closed the door to the possibility. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ledevoir.com\/societe\/environnement\/579171\/gazoduq-demande-l-aide-de-quebec\"><em>Le Devoir<\/em><\/a> has the story. Alongside other environmental groups, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ledevoir.com\/societe\/environnement\/579204\/les-ecologistes-s-opposent-a-un-financement-public-pour-gnl-quebec\">we\u2019re calling<\/a> for the Quebec government to officially decline to fund this project, which is at odds with Canada\u2019s climate commitments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p>Want to stop GNL Quebec? Take action<a href=\"https:\/\/www.non-gnl-quebec.com\/greenpeace\/\"> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">Les \u00e9cologistes s\u2019opposent \u00e0 un financement public pour GNL Qu\u00e9bec le projet d\u2019export. de gaz fossile albertain produit par fracturation comme le gaz de schiste. La relance doit \u00eatre verte et le gouv Legault doit cesser de subventionner les hydrocarbures  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/G6Cb6dTPC7\">https:\/\/t.co\/G6Cb6dTPC7<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Patrick Bonin (@patbonin) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/patbonin\/status\/1262880408502501377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 19, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200515\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200515\" class=\"toggle-show\">15 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">15 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Amazon cancels $2 \u201chero pay\u201d wage increase and double-overtime pay for frontline warehouse workers \u2026 even though the public health emergency is still going and Amazon owner Jeff Bezos is the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6942479\/jeff-bezos-trillionaire-amazon-coronavirus\/\"><strong>richest man in the world<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Workers have tested positive at Amazon facilities in Canada, including an outbreak in the Balzac, Alberta warehouse.The company has also told workers it will limit the amount of unpaid time workers can take off. <a href=\"https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/amazon-tells-canadian-warehouse-workers-theyre-getting-a-pay-cut\/\"><em>PressProgress<\/em><\/a> has the story. Earlier this month, Canadian software developer Tim Bray resigned due to Amazon\u2019s firing of workers fighting for Covid-19 protection.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Well that\u2019s awkward. Just after <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Amazon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Amazon<\/a> got that $5M contract from <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PSPC_SPAC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@PSPC_SPAC<\/a> to deliver <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/PPE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#PPE<\/a> instead of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/canadapostcorp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@canadapostcorp<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lJa4aY7JNA\">https:\/\/t.co\/lJa4aY7JNA<\/a> @AnitaOakville <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cupw?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@cupw<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3IyswHxxbA\">https:\/\/t.co\/3IyswHxxbA<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Holly Doan (@hollyanndoan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hollyanndoan\/status\/1261794642061819906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 16, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><figcaption><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200513\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200513\" class=\"toggle-show\">13 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">13 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Quebec\u2019s government raises eyebrows by awarding a $1.7 million contract to the Canadian wing of global financial consulting giant McKinsey to advise the province on loosening the COVID-19 lockdown.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Opposition members and health professionals are wondering why health and epidemiology experts, such as from local universities, weren\u2019t invited to advise on the planning, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ledevoir.com\/politique\/quebec\/578831\/deconfinement-la-firme-mckinsey-a-touche-1-7-million\">according to<\/a>  Quebec French-language newspaper <em>Le Devoir<\/em>. Ethics experts caution against the lack of public tender in the deal and the lack of transparency that goes with it. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">D\u00e9confinement: la firme priv\u00e9e McKinsey a touch\u00e9 1,7 million <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eGA3qjz0jL\">https:\/\/t.co\/eGA3qjz0jL<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Le Devoir (@LeDevoir) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeDevoir\/status\/1260544980768210945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 13, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200511\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200511\" class=\"toggle-show\">11 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">11 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; The Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) calls on the federal government for &#8220;a suspension of all federal excise and carbon taxes on jet fuel and av gas\u201d.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The call came in a letter to the Prime Minister and several Cabinet members. Despite seeming to shrug off the sector\u2019s duty to pull its weight on climate action (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tc.gc.ca\/eng\/policy\/summary-2018-annual-report-canada-action-plan-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions-aviation.html\">Canadian<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2019\/sep\/19\/airlines-co2-emissions-rising-up-to-70-faster-than-predicted\">global<\/a> aviation emissions are on the rise), the association somehow insists we\u2019re #InItTogether. Airline workers deserve protection and support, but companies should still hold up their end of responsibilities to stop climate change. Even if economies are starting to re-open, the climate crisis hasn\u2019t gone anywhere.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We\u2019re proud to stand together and support <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CanadianAviation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#CanadianAviation<\/a>. We\u2019ve asked <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JustinTrudeau<\/a> and our government to support our industry. We\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/inittogether?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#inittogether<\/a> and stand ready to get Canadians and our economy moving again.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/bizav?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#bizav<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/g5fHcTIxBx\">pic.twitter.com\/g5fHcTIxBx<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CBAA Canadian Business Aviation Association (@CBAACanada) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBAACanada\/status\/1259845798101159937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 11, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200506\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200506\" class=\"toggle-show\">6 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">6 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Alberta takes its rollback of environmental monitoring under COVID-19 to a whole other level, suspending monitoring requirements for oil companies. Now polluters like Imperial Oil, Suncor, Syncrude don&#8217;t have to do much testing or monitoring.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The Alberta Energy regulator posted the new rules<a href=\"https:\/\/edmontonjournal.com\/pmn\/news-pmn\/canada-news-pmn\/alberta-suspends-environmental-monitoring-rules-for-oilsands-over-covid-concerns\/wcm\/05dbcb0d-f062-4114-9585-85366adc2947\/\"> yesterday<\/a>. What\u2019s new? Well, as of mid-March, companies still had to monitor environmental data but didn&#8217;t need to report it to the public (citing difficulties of reporting due to the public health crisis); now companies are even off the hook in monitoring. The <em>Canadian Press<\/em> reports that methane leak testing and almost all wildlife and bird monitoring has been suspended, while air quality programs (including those affecting Indigenous Peoples) have been reduced<em>.<\/em> This is deeply concerning for human and environmental health. We don\u2019t know of any other place in the world that has taken environmental rollbacks as far as Alberta. Not. Good.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">3. This is the equivalent of taking the batteries out of your smoke alarm to get a good night&#39;s sleep: you don&#39;t know if something is going wrong until you have a major problem. It will be almost impossible to prosecute violations because the system is based on self-reporting<\/p>&mdash; Keith Stewart (@climatekeith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1258002869091008513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 6, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200501\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"has-dark-shade-black-color has-text-color wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200501\" class=\"toggle-show\">1 May 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">1 May 2020<\/a> &#8211; Ontario allows \u201csecret\u201d lobbying to happen, allowing companies to ask for legal changes during COVID-19, reports the <em>National Observer.<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Premier Doug Ford\u2019s government created <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontario.ca\/page\/frontline-business-help-us-support-you-during-covid-19\">an online portal<\/a> for business to ask for regulatory changes to help them cope with the pandemic. On the surface, it may sound like a compassionate move, but (yup, you guessed it) there&#8217;s a catch: the portal creates a loophole in lobbying laws that help ensure transparency, which we all know is important to a healthy democracy. How? Under provincial lobbying rules, you don\u2019t need to register or publicly disclose lobbying activity if you\u2019ve been invited (in writing) to do so. Learn why a respected democracy watchdog organization is concerned <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/05\/01\/news\/ontario-allowing-secret-lobbying-amid-covid-19-critic\">in this <em>National Observer story<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Ontario government is allowing businesses to do \u201csecret lobbying\u201d by inviting them to ask for temporary law changes during <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a>, Democracy Watch says. My latest: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7zrdiUMqKG\">https:\/\/t.co\/7zrdiUMqKG<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#onpoli<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Emma McIntosh (@EmmaMci) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EmmaMci\/status\/1256354877653037063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 1, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200429\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200429\" class=\"toggle-show\">29 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">29 April 2020<\/a> &#8211; CEO Alex Pourbaix of oil sands company Cenovus calls for a bailout for big oil companies<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>\u201cWe have had significant discussions with both the Alberta government and the federal government about the need for incremental liquidity support,\u201d he said on an investor call, as reported in the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/business.financialpost.com\/commodities\/energy\/oil-majors-need-support-now-to-drive-canadas-economic-recovery-in-coming-months-cenovus\">Financial Post.<\/a><\/em> We looked at the federal lobby registry and found that between March 12 and 31st, Cenovus alone logged 10 different meetings with 12 different government officials, including Natural Resources Minister Seamus O&#8217;Regan.<\/p>\n\n<p>Greenpeace is warning against a large-scale oil bailout and cash funnelled toward investors, which will make Canada\u2019s economy less resilient to the coming transition off fossil fuels. Instead, any financial support should focus on cleaning up the sector\u2019s environmental messes, financial support directly to workers and transitioning them into quality jobs outside the fossil fuel sector.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Cenovus publicly calling for a Big Oil bailout: &quot;Pourbaix acknowledged the federal government has made loan supports available to small and mid-sized companies through the BDC and EDC, but larger companies in the industry also need the support.&quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/X8Djr48pwK\">https:\/\/t.co\/X8Djr48pwK<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/MGNHv00Hy0\">https:\/\/t.co\/MGNHv00Hy0<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Keith Stewart (@climatekeith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1257314730789621760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 4, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200427\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200427\" class=\"toggle-show\">27 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">27 April 2020<\/a> &#8211;&nbsp; Regional economic interests ask authorities to expedite approvals for <strong>GNL Quebec<\/strong><\/strong>, a<strong> massive fracked gas project  (includes a new pipeline, Gazoduq).<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>GNL Quebec is a fossil fuel megaproject that would involve the construction of a fracked gas pipeline from Alberta to Quebec&#8217;s Saguenay Fjord (by the company Gazoduq), a gas liquefaction plant (by \u00c9nergie Saguenay) and an export terminal for tankers. The proposed pipeline route crosses Indigenous land and would generate <a href=\"https:\/\/theenergymix.com\/2019\/06\/04\/quebec-lng-megaproject-would-boost-emissions-by-37-million-tonnes-per-year\/\">7.8 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p>Now, regional economic actors in the Saguenay region are <a href=\"https:\/\/ruemorin.com\/2020\/04\/27\/je-crois-en-ma-region-interpelle-les-gouvernement\/?fbclid=IwAR2O6EIHqvZdUcMSDkAGcP7vJz8_oBV8nop23M3RkkT1PYyFYF5RdLvJhfk\">reportedly asking for<\/a> an accelerated review process, telling local media that they believe the authorities should &#8216;prioritize the rapid relaunch of major projects under development in Saguenay, including GNL Quebec and other industrial and mining projects. Of course, these projects must obtain the approval of the appropriate environmental authorities, but through an accelerated approach.&#8217;<\/p>\n\n<p>Want to stop GNL Quebec? Take action <a href=\"https:\/\/www.non-gnl-quebec.com\/greenpeace\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/GNlQuebec?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#GNlQuebec<\/a>| &quot;This project has an impact on all Quebecers, cause it will increase Quebec&#39;s GHGs. The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/bape?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#bape<\/a> should consider all the emissions, upstream and downstream and organize decentralized audiences, for everyone.&quot; &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/carobrouillette?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@carobrouillette<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cbcdaybreak?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@cbcdaybreak<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/gTeVspmzdU\">https:\/\/t.co\/gTeVspmzdU<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Ay2ECxlFYe\">pic.twitter.com\/Ay2ECxlFYe<\/a><\/p>&mdash; \u00c9quiterre (@equiterre) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/equiterre\/status\/1235284722420535299?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 4, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200426\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200426\" class=\"toggle-show\">26 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">26 April 2020<\/a> &#8211; In the midst of a climate emergency, Newfoundland\u2019s government asks the federal government for a bailout for coastal oil exploration.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The <em>Globe and Mail<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-newfoundland-wants-federal-money-to-fund-oil-and-gas-exploration\/\">reported<\/a> that last month, provincial Natural Resources Minister Siobhan Coady wrote to her federal counterpart Seamus O\u2019Regan (who has also been meeting with Canada\u2019s biggest oil and gas lobby group) for support to the oil sector, especially to accelerate oil exploration off Newfoundland\u2019s coast. An estimated 5.1 billion barrels of crude oil lay beneath the ocean floor in this region \u2014 oil we can\u2019t afford to burn since Canada is <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6218195\/un-emissions-report-canada\/\">failing to meet existing greenhouse gas reduction targets<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p>What to do instead? Well, workers in the industry are facing mass layoffs in the face of the oil price crash and COVID-19 \u2014 a trend that will likely continue as the world transitions off fossil fuels. This is the time to transition workers into quality clean tech jobs.&nbsp; For a start, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sierraclub.ca\/en\/media\/2020-04-27\/enough-federal-government-should-not-be-giving-more-money-oil-industry-newfoundland\">Sierra Club Canada Foundation suggests<\/a> that instead of funding Newfoundland\u2019s oil expansion, politicians can support energy efficiency measures for individuals, industry, and municipalities that will create jobs and help save on electricity bills.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">News: Newfoundland and Labrador offshore industry &quot;in crisis mode.&quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NoiaNL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@NoiaNL<\/a> &amp; CAPP seek federal incentives for offshore amid plummeting oil prices, pandemic: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QSscPhVEkK\">https:\/\/t.co\/QSscPhVEkK<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/MyOffshoreMyFuture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#MyOffshoreMyFuture<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Offshore?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Offshore<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CAPP Oil Gas Canada (@OilGasCanada) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OilGasCanada\/status\/1254772557158346753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200422\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200422\" class=\"toggle-show\">22 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">22 April 2020<\/a> &#8211; The auto industry asks Canadians to keep buying gasoline-powered cars.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Automakers deserve a shout out for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/business\/article-inside-the-canadian-automotive-industrys-mission-to-make-more\/\">pivoting quickly<\/a> to produce life-saving ventilators in the face of COVID-19. This is proof that they can change their operations if the need is great enough. <\/p>\n\n<p>Yet recently, the President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheartradio.ca\/am800\/news\/apma-president-urges-canadians-to-keep-buying-cars-and-oil-1.12208435\">told a local Windsor, Ontario, radio station<\/a> that people should keep buying gasoline-powered cars right now, even though renewables are \u201cthe future\u201d. APMA President Flavio Volpe says that a return to \u201ca new normal\u201d is coming, which will look a lot like the old normal.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p>We say that automakers&#8217; recent switch toward ventilators is evidence of the opposite of what Mr. Volpe says. Let\u2019s call out companies\u2019 attempt to <a href=\"https:\/\/forge.medium.com\/prepare-for-the-ultimate-gaslighting-6a8ce3f0a0e0\">\u201cgaslight\u201d us<\/a> into thinking we\u2019re stuck with \u201cnormal\u201d, instead of being capable of leaping into a better tomorrow. The federal government <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/canada\/article-climate-clean-tech-could-take-centre-stage-in-federal-economic-2\/\">is already eyeing a green stimulus plan<\/a>, and more than 60% of Canadians think that the economic recovery from COVID-19 should prioritize climate action, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ipsos.com\/en-ca\/news-and-polls\/Two-Thirds-Of-Canadians-Think--In-The-Long-Term-Climate-Change-Is-As-Serious-Of-A-Problem-As-Coronavirus\">recent Ipsos poll<\/a>. Plus, the auto industry has been under pressure for decades to transition to electric vehicles due to climate change and air pollution. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;If you switch to an EV now, your impact is far greater than just your personal reduction in emissions. Early adopters are vital.&quot; <br> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vptcsT4sMT\">https:\/\/t.co\/vptcsT4sMT<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Aotearoa (@GreenpeaceNZ) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceNZ\/status\/1252702466698706945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 21, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200417\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200417\" class=\"toggle-show\">17 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">17 April 2020<\/a> &#8211; The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) asks Trudeau\u2019s inner circle for secret meetings and to hit the pause button on climate action.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Our friends at Environmental Defence uncovered a <a href=\"https:\/\/d36rd3gki5z3d3.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/COVID-19-Regulatory-Request.pdf?x64506\">13-page secret memo<\/a> CAPP sent to federal Cabinet Ministers asking for a wishlist of items they probably would never have dared asking for if we weren\u2019t in a public health crisis. In the memo, dated March 27th, CAPP asks for:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Vital protections against reckless oil and gas expansion to be removed (cynically asking the government to apply the \u201cdo no harm principle\u201d \u2014 meant to protect people and nature \u2014 to industry\u2019s financial bottom line).<\/li><li>Legislation on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to be delayed.<\/li><li>Their meetings (and with them, topics of conversation) to be kept off the books by suspending the legal requirement to report all lobby meetings with the government.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Suspensions of environmental monitoring, like air pollution emissions (which in the midst of a pandemic from a virus that attacks the respiratory system, seems particularly egregious).&nbsp;<\/li><li>Stop progress on all climate initiatives (we\u2019d say it was unbelievable if we weren\u2019t talking about an industry with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheredling.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Center-for-Climate-Integrity-Amicus.pdf\">rich history<\/a> of trying to derail climate action).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<p>\u2026 and that\u2019s not even all of it. Get the <a href=\"https:\/\/environmentaldefence.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/CAPP-COVID-Memo-EDC-Backgrounder.pdf\">full story<\/a> with Environmental Defence.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Oil industry&#39;s demands for sweeping rollbacks &amp; exemptions are not only an attempt to get what they&#39;ve been lobbying for &quot;but to go even further and request things that would never be asked for unless we were in a global health crisis.&quot; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CCDale?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CCDale<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DjMVUkWHqH\">https:\/\/t.co\/DjMVUkWHqH<\/a><\/p>&mdash; EnvironmentalDefence (@envirodefence) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/envirodefence\/status\/1251131307679256577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 17, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200413\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200413\" class=\"toggle-show\">13 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">13 April 2020<\/a> &#8211; Migrant workers reportedly forced into risky situations on Canadians farms.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/business\/2020\/04\/13\/migrant-farm-workers-fear-exposure-to-covid-19.html\"><em>Toronto Star<\/em><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/04\/17\/news\/migrant-and-undocumented-workers-plead-help-during-covid-19?utm_source=National+Observer&amp;utm_campaign=695c4d7eb3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_17_12_39&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_cacd0f141f-695c4d7eb3-254414997\">other outlets<\/a> have reported on the injustices migrant workers across Canada have faced during COVID-19. Some migrant farm workers have reportedly been expected to work without the mandatory two-week isolation period, the <em>Star<\/em> reported. By not enforcing the isolation period, farm owners would put the health of the workers in jeopardy.&nbsp;Workers have also reported a lack of access to food, employment protections and health care.<\/p>\n\n<p>All of this is unacceptable for a vulnerable group of people who have been essential to Canada\u2019s food security and economy. Farm companies must respect their human rights obligations now and after COVID-19. Healthy food shouldn\u2019t come at the expense of anyone\u2019s rights. To take action, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/migrantworkersalliance.org\/\">Migrant Workers Alliance for Change<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/migrantrights.ca\/\">Migrant Rights Network<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Our society can&#39;t cope w\/out <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/EssentialWorkers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#EssentialWorkers<\/a>.<br><br>Because they are on the frontline, they are rightfully being called heroes \u2014 and they deserve decent working conditions &amp; wages &amp; basic safety materials <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/OnTheFrontlines?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#OnTheFrontlines<\/a><br><br>Send them a message of solidarity: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/f2GHPFx0EL\">https:\/\/t.co\/f2GHPFx0EL<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/17IZsMaupU\">pic.twitter.com\/17IZsMaupU<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Canada (@GreenpeaceCA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceCA\/status\/1255583935297474560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 29, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200407\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200407\" class=\"toggle-show\">7 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">7 April 2020<\/a> &#8211; Doug Ford\u2019s Ontario government effectively suspends public consultation under Ontario\u2019s&nbsp;<em>Environmental Bill of Rights<\/em>.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Following the lead of Jason Kenney\u2019s government in Alberta, Ontario Premier Doug Ford suspended important environmental regulations in Ontario, particularly the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/04\/08\/news\/ontario-suspends-environmental-oversight-rules-citing-covid-19\">requirements to consider environmental values or consult the public<\/a>. As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/toronto\/ontario-temporarily-suspends-environmental-oversight-law-citing-covid-19-1.5541875\">reported by CBC<\/a>, the move allows it &#8220;to approve some projects&nbsp;without&nbsp;public consultation&#8221;. The rule will be in place until 30 days after the end of Ontario\u2019s COVID-19 state of emergency.<\/p>\n\n<p>The move was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/toronto\/ontario-temporarily-suspends-environmental-oversight-law-citing-covid-19-1.5541875\">slammed<\/a> by environmental groups, who worry that projects unrelated to COVID-19&nbsp;could be green-lighted without adequate oversight. Our friends at Ecojustice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecojustice.ca\/pressrelease\/ford-suspends-public-participation\/\">called it<\/a> \u201cthe latest in a series of moves the Ford government has made to dismantle environmental protection in Ontario\u201d. The exemption is broad and doesn\u2019t specify what projects really would be affected, which is why Ecojustice termed it an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/04\/08\/news\/ontario-suspends-environmental-oversight-rules-citing-covid-19\">\u201copportunistic\u201d<\/a> kind of overreach.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Environmentalists slam Ontario for suspending oversight regulation amid pandemic <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XWX90SO53k\">https:\/\/t.co\/XWX90SO53k<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tkTvbFw2Sb\">pic.twitter.com\/tkTvbFw2Sb<\/a><\/p>&mdash; CBC Toronto (@CBCToronto) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CBCToronto\/status\/1253590028137226246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 24, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200402\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a id=\"april2\" href=\"#20200402\" class=\"toggle-show\">2 April 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">2 April 2020<\/a> &#8211; Conservative MPs Pierre Poilievre and Shannon Stubbs call on the Trudeau government to \u201cspeed up\u201d the review process for the GNL Quebec fracked gas project (\u00c9nergie Saguenay natural gas liquefaction complex and Gazoduq pipeline).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>In an<a href=\"https:\/\/business.financialpost.com\/opinion\/want-real-stimulus-heres-20-billion-worth\"> op-ed for the <em>Financial Post,<\/em><\/a> the two politicians called for the government to \u201cremove obstacles\u201d that prompted one billionaire investor to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/montreal\/saguenay-lng-project-1.5486517\"> pull out of financing the fracked gas export project<\/a>, reportedly due to &#8220;instability&#8221; and the &#8220;Canadian context&#8221;. By this, sources appear to have meant the nationwide<a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/29468\/we-need-to-talk-about-colonial-violence-wetsuweten-and-prime-minister-trudeau\/\"> rail blockades<\/a> in solidarity with the Wet&#8217;suwet&#8217;en Nation in B.C. earlier this year. The Nation remains opposed to a different fracked gas pipeline, Coastal GasLink, proposed in B.C.<\/p>\n\n<p>We say, the best way to make things stable is by making it clear that companies must fully respect Indigenous law, rights and title. No ifs, ands, or buts. Pretty clear, right? Instead, Poilievre and Stubbs (the latter, a Conservative MP from Alberta who has been meeting with Canada\u2019s biggest oil and gas lobby) are asking to \u201cput extra resources into the Impact Assessment Agency, demand it speed up the process and impose legal time limits on decision-making&#8221; for GNL Quebec.Take action to stop GNL Quebec<a href=\"https:\/\/www.non-gnl-quebec.com\/greenpeace\/\"> here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Pierre Poilievre and Shannon Stubbs: Want real stimulus? Here\u2019s $20-billion worth <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/y3Tb3iB7dR\">https:\/\/t.co\/y3Tb3iB7dR<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yNQvjd2FNe\">pic.twitter.com\/yNQvjd2FNe<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Financial Post (@financialpost) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/financialpost\/status\/1245715972817911808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 2, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200331\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200331\" class=\"toggle-show\">31 March 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">31 March 2020<\/a> &#8211; As the price of oil free falls, oil and gas lobbyists logged 29 meetings with federal government representatives.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>When Greenpeace Canada\u2019s Senior Energy Strategist Keith Stewart logged onto the <a href=\"https:\/\/lobbycanada.gc.ca\/app\/secure\/ocl\/lrs\/do\/clntSmmry?clientOrgCorpNumber=226641&amp;sMdKy=1588117051801\">federal government\u2019s lobby registry<\/a>, he did a double take. Between March 12 and March 31, Canada\u2019s chief oil and gas lobby group, CAPP (the same guys from the secret memo described above), logged 29 meetings on the topics of &#8220;Energy, Taxation, Finance and Health.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n<p>CAPP\u2019s lobbyists twice met with (Liberal) Seamus O&#8217;Regan, Minister of Natural Resources, and with Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs. CAPP also met with Alberta (independent) Senator Paula Simons, chiefs of staff, policy advisors and more. The <em>Canadian Press <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/04\/17\/news\/oil-lobby-calls-carbon-tax-freeze-and-delaying-new-climate-regs\">called it<\/a> an \u201call-hands-on-deck lobbying effort\u201d. If CAPP got their way in convincing the government to suspend lobbying reports, we wouldn\u2019t even know these meetings happened.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Full court press: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OilGasCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@OilGasCanada<\/a> logged 29 separate meetings with 42 senior federal officials on the topic of &quot;Energy, Taxation and Finance, Health&quot; in the March 12 &#8211; 31 period (according to federal lobbyist registry) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JustTransition?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JustTransition<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pgq4r74z6c\">pic.twitter.com\/pgq4r74z6c<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Keith Stewart (@climatekeith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/climatekeith\/status\/1250787571350867970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 16, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200331_2\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200331_2\" class=\"toggle-show\">31 March 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">31 March 2020<\/a> &#8211; The Keystone XL pipeline gets a major funding injection from Jason Kenney in Alberta.&nbsp;Construction on the Coastal GasLink &amp;Trans Mountain Expansion pipelines pushes on, despite concerns from Indigenous and local communities.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>For the most part, oil and gas pipeline companies aren\u2019t letting a pandemic get in the way of construction. The Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Nebraska is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/04\/07\/opinion\/kenneys-billions-keystone-xl-ballast-sinking-ship\">going ahead<\/a> with construction after the Alberta government boosted it with a billion-plus dollars of funding on March 31st. Construction is also underway on the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vice.com\/en_ca\/article\/qjdaex\/theres-still-no-deal-in-wetsuweten-but-pipeline-construction-is-ongoing\"> Coastal GasLink<\/a> fracked gas pipeline and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.burnabynow.com\/news\/burnaby-residents-claim-no-social-distancing-in-trans-mountain-construction-1.24109237\">Trans Mountain Expansion<\/a> tar sands pipeline. Hundreds of workers in remote areas are currently living in <a href=\"https:\/\/thenarwhal.ca\/former-chief-medical-officer-urges-b-c-to-shut-industrial-work-camps-during-coronavirus-pandemic\/\">\u201cman camps\u201d <\/a>supporting energy projects, including new infrastructure \u2014 despite concerns of COVID-19 transmission risks <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/6750920\/first-nation-coastal-gaslink-pipeline-coronavirus\/\">raised by the Indigenous leaders<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p>Sneaky construction getting under your skin? Share our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalobserver.com\/2020\/04\/20\/opinion\/essential-or-exception-whose-rights-matter-pandemic?utm_source=National+Observer&amp;utm_campaign=04f1a396e6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_20_12_30&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_cacd0f141f-04f1a396e6-276864765\">op-ed in the <em>National Observer<\/em><\/a> or find more ways to get the word out on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/30327\/pipeline-construction-an-essential-service\/\">our website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;The expansion of economic enterprises cannot be considered essential when it directly endangers the health and wellbeing of every one of us&#8230;We urge you to tell Coastal GasLink to stay home.&quot; Full <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/UBCIC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@UBCIC<\/a> letter @ <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/V5gHvTXW8M\">https:\/\/t.co\/V5gHvTXW8M<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#COVID19<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Wetsuweten?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Wetsuweten<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RAVENtrust?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RAVENtrust<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3w1gTQccI0\">https:\/\/t.co\/3w1gTQccI0<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/he2vniY9Sr\">pic.twitter.com\/he2vniY9Sr<\/a><\/p>&mdash; First Peoples Law (@FirstPeoplesLaw) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FirstPeoplesLaw\/status\/1245369822780641280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 1, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200331_3\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200331_3\" class=\"toggle-show\">31 March 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">31 March 2020<\/a> &#8211; Jason Kenney\u2019s Alberta government rolls back environmental monitoring regulations.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>Alberta Premier Jason Kenney\u2019s government issued <a href=\"https:\/\/open.alberta.ca\/dataset\/0cc78dea-655e-4a28-8128-5f0310399b74\/resource\/d26172b7-7109-418c-bfbe-e9b049076581\/download\/aep-ministerial-order-17-2020.pdf\">an order<\/a> exempting all facilities (other than water treatment plants) from reporting requirements under the province\u2019s three main environmental laws. This made the Alberta government the first Canadian government to use the public health emergency as cover for rolling back environmental protections (in the U.S., there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drillednews.com\/post\/the-climate-covid-19-policy-tracker\">nearly two dozen<\/a> such initiatives).<\/p>\n\n<p>One University of Calgary law professor, Shaun Fluker, <a href=\"https:\/\/ablawg.ca\/2020\/04\/02\/covid-19-and-the-suspension-of-routine-environmental-reporting-in-alberta\/\">pointed out<\/a> that Kenney\u2019s rules go further than a comparable move by the Trump administration, where companies were required to show a causal connection between the inability to report and COVID-19. Reporting in the U.S. is simply deferred whereas in Alberta it is suspended (companies are expected to keep collecting data but will only have to submit it to the government upon request). <\/p>\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the province is refusing to allow Canadians more time to file statements of concern, even though it\u2019s rolling back oversight.<strong> <\/strong>This could put nature and local communities at risk, and is purely in the interests of corporate executives. Read more in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/30253\/while-we-fight-covid-19-big-oil-rolls-back-environmental-protection\/\">our blog here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I&#39;ve contacted the Alberta Energy Regulator <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AER_news?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@AER_news<\/a> for a week to ask if they will extend (not suspend) deadlines for filing statements of concern, and they refuse. So project permitting proceeds at full speed in Alberta, while environmental oversight is out the door. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#ableg<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/M4zpmBV63w\">https:\/\/t.co\/M4zpmBV63w<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Anna McIntosh (@Anna_McIntosh1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Anna_McIntosh1\/status\/1245527942098227201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 2, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<div id=\"20200319\" class=\"update\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><a href=\"#20200319\" class=\"toggle-show\">19 March 2020<\/a><a href=\"#hide-updates\" class=\"toggle-hide\">19 March 2020<\/a> &#8211; Kenney and the oil industry ask for a bailout styled on corporate payouts during the 2008 financial crisis<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n<div class=\"panel\">\n\n<p>As oil prices crashed in Canada and around the world due to geopolitical conflict and the economic slow-down caused by COVID-19, oil companies asked for a 2008-style corporate bailout.&nbsp; The <em>Globe and Mail<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/politics\/article-ottawa-prepares-multibillion-dollar-bailout-of-oil-and-gas-sector\/\">reported<\/a> that Ottawa was mere days away from a $15-billion bailout for the oil sector. And among the sought-after policies were tax suspensions (income <em>and<\/em> carbon taxes) as well as a credit facility similar to what in the US is called a Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p>TARPs would mean that the federal government purchases shares of companies in trouble like it did for the auto industry in 2008. These types of schemes put money right in the hands of wealthy shareholders and executives, which is why Greenpeace opposes TARP-style measures for the COVID-19 pandemic. Money should go to workers most impacted by the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n<p><strong>Update: <\/strong>With the help of tens of thousands of Canadians speaking out, the oil industry\u2019s desired bailout was denied and federal support was limited to supporting employees, reducing emissions and cleaning up abandoned oil wells! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/story\/30623\/federal-coronavirus-bailout-corporations-should-be-paying-to-clean-up-orphan-wells\/\">Read more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The federal COVID-19 bailout for the oil &amp; gas sector that was once &quot;hours, possibly days&quot; away has been delayed. <br><br>Your message is getting across, STAY LOUD &amp; add your voice calling for a <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JustRecovery?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JustRecovery<\/a> &gt;&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EZfPyoearZ\">https:\/\/t.co\/EZfPyoearZ<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/BailoutPeople?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#BailoutPeople<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cdnpoli<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zBMlnaDXVR\">https:\/\/t.co\/zBMlnaDXVR<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Greenpeace Canada (@GreenpeaceCA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GreenpeaceCA\/status\/1247188615572197382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 6, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><!-- closing panel tag -->\n<\/div><!-- closing the update tag -->\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>Got a tip? Tell us about it at <a href=\"press@greenpeace.ca\">press@greenpeace.ca<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><em>Want to know what industry is up to south of the 49th or around the world? Check out what our friends at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.drillednews.com\/post\/the-climate-covid-19-policy-tracker\"><em>Drilled<\/em><\/a><em> have dug up in the U.S. and what fossil fuel project <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gem.wiki\/Impact_of_COVID-19_Pandemic_on_Major_Fossil_Fuel_Projects\"><em>Global Energy Monitor<\/em><\/a><em> is tracking during the pandemic.<\/em><\/h4>\n\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"EmptyMessage\">Block content is empty. Check the block&#8217;s settings or remove it.<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re here to expose corporations&#8217; sneaky efforts to profit from and during the coronavirus pandemic. Find out what&#8217;s new this week!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":41197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"not set","p4_local_project":"not set","p4_basket_name":"not set","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[23,24,25,28,29,32],"p4-page-type":[16],"class_list":["post-30873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nature","tag-climate","tag-consumption","tag-energysolutions","tag-health","tag-indigenous","tag-oil","p4-page-type-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30873"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30873\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71013,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30873\/revisions\/71013"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30873"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=30873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}