Analysis
Great News for Grassy Narrows
Mark Calzavara | April 3, 2020Late yesterday, Grassy Narrows First Nation Chief Rudy Turtle announced that an agreement has been signed with the federal government to fund the entire cost of building the Mercury Care Home for community members who are suffering from mercury poisoning.
This is wonderful news…
Put public health and wellbeing before Big Oil profits
Dylan Penner | April 3, 2020Across B.C. and Alberta, over 100 energy megaproject work camps are continuing to operate, including Site C and the Trans Mountain and Coastal GasLink pipelines. Each of these camps houses hundreds of workers in close proximity, despite the need for physical distancing during…
In memoriam: Mel Watkins
Jan Malek | April 2, 2020The Council of Canadians is saddened to learn of the passing of one of our founding members, Mel Watkins.
A professor emeritus of economics and political science at the University of Toronto and a passionate advocate for social justice, he shared his ideas broadly through…
Fighting COVID-19 starts with universal access to water and sanitation
Vi Bui | March 27, 2020Today, a global pandemic brings into focus how important water is to our lives and to public health and reveals how much more needs to be done to fully guarantee water and sanitation is available to everyone, both as a human right and as a critical way to protect our community…
Win! Judge overturns Alton Gas approval
Robin Tress | March 25, 2020Finally, some good news! After six years of Mi’kmaq-led resistance to the Alton Gas natural gas storage project, yesterday marked a major victory in the effort to stop the project and defend Mi’kmaq treaty rights.
The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia determined that the province did…
Leadership During the COVID-19 Crisis
John Cartwright | March 23, 2020Every day, political leaders at all levels of government are making new announcements to respond to COVID-19 impacts, on both people and the economy. These have been crucial steps to ensure public safety and financial stabilization. Nobody knows how long this crisis will last,…
Caring for each other during COVID-19
John Cartwright | March 19, 2020Uncertain times are never easy, so we’re reaching out to you, and all Council of Canadians supporters, to share our thoughts at this time. Our history as Canadians shows time and again how together we can meet adversity. We have shared with neighbours and with complete strangers…
Alternative Federal Budget Released
Vi Bui | March 17, 2020Facing highly volatile headwinds due to the combination of COVID-19, plummeting oil prices and the collapse of world financial markets, the Alternative Federal Budget (AFB) released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) lays out a roadmap and fiscal plan to…
MPs pass new NAFTA legislation and NDP motion on pharmacare before closing Parliament
Jan Malek | March 13, 2020Amid growing concerns of the COVID-19 virus, MPs came together in the House of Commons today to pass implementing legislation today for the new NAFTA agreement, also known as the Canada-United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Also on the table was an NDP motion calling on the…
WIN! Vancouver becomes the second largest Blue Community in Canada
Vi Bui | March 12, 2020On March 11, Vancouver City Council voted to adopt the Blue Community principles, making it the second largest municipality in Canada to become a Blue Community. This bold move for water protection came on the same day the Council of Canadians celebrated its 35th anniversary.…
Celebrating 35 years of Council of Canadians activism
Jan Malek | March 11, 2020On March 11, 1985, the Council of Canadians was formed as an organization to bring people together to create positive change. Today, 35 years later, we celebrate you, our supporters and members.
The Council of Canadians came together for “a new and better Canada with more and…
UBCIC Endorses Blue Communities Project
Vi Bui | March 10, 2020On February 26, 2020, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) passed a resolution supporting the Council of Canadians’ Blue Communities Project.
UBCIC is a unifying voice, recognizing and upholding Indigenous rights and titles. Their leadership has been critical…