Millions of Canadians support incoming President Biden’s rejection of Keystone XL. Please let Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson know that you are among them. Joe Biden wants to see immediate and strong action on the climate emergency. He has promised to bring the US back into the Paris Agreement and, as a decisive first step, cancel the Keystone XL pipeline project. That pipeline would enable a huge expansion of Canada’s fossil fuel industry, carrying 300 million barrels of tar sands oil annually. We read that the Canadian government is preparing to lobby the president-elect to break this promise. This, despite a throne speech commitment to take immediate action on the “extreme risk” posed by climate change and the warnings of climate scientists. As the IPCC has made clear, there are less than ten years to cut global emissions in half if we are to avoid climate catastrophe. It is time for Canada to be a leader in addressing the climate emergency and to encourage the world’s biggest oil producer and second biggest producer of greenhouse gases to do the same. It is time for climate leadership in both countries. Des millions de Canadien·ne·s appuient le rejet de Keystone XL tel que le propose M. Joseph Biden. Par cette pétition, nous souhaitons informer le premier ministre, M. Justin Trudeau et le ministre de l’Environnement, M. Jonathan Wilkinson que ces Canadien·ne·s ne veulent pas de ce pipeline et exigent que leur gouvernement laisse enfin tomber Keystone XL. M. Biden dit espérer des actions immédiates et fortes en faveur de l’urgence climatique. Il a promis de ramener les États-Unis dans l’Accord de Paris et, comme première étape décisive en ce sens, il a promis d’annuler le projet de pipeline Keystone XL. Ce pipeline, s’il est construit, permettrait une expansion considérable de l’industrie canadienne des combustibles fossiles, transportant chaque année quelque 300 millions de barils de pétrole extrait des sables bitumineux. Or, nous apprenions récemment que le gouvernement canadien s’apprête à faire pression sur le président élu états-unien pour qu’il rompe cette promesse, et ce, malgré les engagements du discours du trône en faveur de mesures immédiates contre le « risque extrême » posé par la crise climatique et malgré les avertissements des climatologues. Comme le GIEC l’a clairement indiqué, nous avons moins de dix ans pour réduire de moitié les émissions mondiales si nous espérons éviter une catastrophe climatique. Il est plus que temps pour le Canada d’être un chef de file dans la lutte contre les crises climatiques et d’encourager les plus grands producteurs de pétrole et de gaz à effet de serre à faire de même. Il est plus que temps de faire preuve de leadership en matière de climat dans les deux pays.

The CRD, the province and the federal government have all publicly acknowledged that we are in a climate emergency and the need to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As a society, we need to move towards zero waste and the creation of a circular economy. Expanding the landfill during a climate emergency is not the solution or direction that will help us achieve a cleaner, more sustainable future. Other cleaner alternative waste management solutions do exist and are already in use in continents that include Europe and Asia involving waste to energy solutions and bolder incentives to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover. We want the CRD to take another look at what is happening in other jurisdictions including Nanaimo’s Solid Waste Management Plan which will divert 90% of its municipal waste from the landfill through bolder recycling initiatives. Why is this important now? Waste management and garbage generation is a shared responsibility by all of us whether you live in James Bay, Sooke, Saanich or the southern Gulf Islands. We all generate garbage that ends up in the landfill. It's time to think and act collectively by changing our own behaviors and consumption patterns that produce waste, and by demanding more progressive thinking and leadership on the proposed Solid Waste Management Plan by our elected CRD representatives when we know that better solutions exist. Landfill Revenues The CRD's continued reliance on tipping fees as a revenue source, along with projected revenue from the sale of renewable natural gas (RNG) to FortisBC, relies on the status quo approach of continuing to expand a landfill that releases methane gases into the environment. Tree Preservation The CRD's current plan to destroy 73 acres of forest and sensitive eco-systems in the Mount Work area is unacceptable. This forest stores 180 tonnes of carbon a year - an offset equivalent to taking 195 cars off the road every year. Over the 50 year extension of the proposed Hartland landfill, carbon emissions would be increased by 9000 tonnes. This amount is inconsistent with the CRD's overall goal of making the region carbon neutral by 2050. Forests have many life sustaining values such as controlling rainfall runoff, cleansing water and air, providing habitat for wildlife and birds, and storing carbon. The BC Conservation Data Centre iMap shows that the surrounding forest habitat of Mount Work and Durrance Lake Regional Park are home to 16 species at risk including the rare Western Screech Owl. Let the Minister of Environment and the CRD Board know that you don't support their current plans to expand the Hartland Landfill when they could adopt alternative waste management practices that will put us on the road to embracing zero waste practices, a circular economy and a sustainable future. Have questions? Need further information? Check out the MountWorkCoalition.org website and look for our Call to Action! https://www.mountworkcoalition.org/be-informed/call-to-action-public-feedback-needed-now-on-crd-draft-solid-waste-management-plan

- We need to protect this land for future generations living in Ontario - We must protect our environment. We cannot live if our air, water and land is polluted - These lands are home to Endangered Species only found in Ontario - The Conservation Authorities work to ensure significant lands are protected - These lands prevent flooding and other natural disasters - By developing this significant lands, we are increasing our carbon footprint when we are in a Climate Change crisis - Greenspace directly impacts pandemics (dense areas with less greenspace cause illness and viruses to spread faster)

The B.C. government must stop throwing good money after bad into the unneeded Site C dam. In July, BC Hydro belatedly admitted that serious geotechnical issues had materialized at Site C and that the fix was unclear. Before any more work continues, and any more of our billions are potentially wasted, the Premier must call for an independent expert review with full public transparency. BC taxpayers and Hydro ratepayers deserve to know what they are paying for. If the independent expert panel finds that this project can't be fixed or that attempted fixes will cost billions more, cancellation of the project must be on the table. These billions can be put to much better use helping families, businesses and all British Columbians to weather the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information on the Site C dam, see https://stopsitec.today/site-c-faq/

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is one of the largest pension funds in the world, managing $434.4 billion on behalf of more than 20 million working and retired Canadians. The CPP is invested by an independent, arms-length crown corporation called CPP Investments, with a mandate to invest in the best interests of Canadians (outside of Quebec) and ensure the long-term sustainability of Canadians pensions. How the CPP invests our retirement dollars is a major factor in how quickly Canada and the world can transition to a zero-carbon economy while growing our pension savings in a warming world. The decisions of pension funds like the CPP have major influence over whether companies build electric cars and solar panels, or diesel engines and oil and gas infrastructure. Every two years, the CPP is required by law to hold free public meetings. They are holding ten meetings from October 5th to 20th and encouraging us to participate and ask questions. You can register for meetings here: https://www.cppinvestments.com/public-meetings#:~:text=We%20hold%20public%20meetings%20every,meetings%20will%20be%20held%20online. The CPP provides little information on how it’s investing our retirement savings, but we’ve learned that the CPP: Currently owns about $12 billion worth of fossil fuel companies-- nearly double what it does in renewable energy; -Has $144 million invested in Chinese coal companies; -Owns a fracking company in Colorado that is drilling wells next to schools, homes and playgrounds, and donated over US$600,000 to pro-fracking candidates and Big Oil interest groups in Colorado’s 2018 state elections; -Bought Irish offshore gas reserves from Shell in 2017, only to see the new Irish government ban licenses for new offshore gas exploration and production this year; -Owns billions of dollars in shares in the most polluting oil sands, gas, coal and pipeline companies. -By the end of fiscal year 2020, the CPP’s “Energy and Resources” portfolio dropped 23.4 per cent-- the worst return of any asset group. These risky fossil fuel investments are incompatible with Canadian and global climate commitments, and are inconsistent with the CPP’s mandate to invest in the best interests of Canadians. You can send questions to the CPP today. Demand better and ask the CPP to stop investing our shared retirement savings in risky fossil fuels. Want to learn more about the CPP’s approach to investing in risky fossil fuels? Check out this handy guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KYesiEuXPySYOOCHKm7MGUytUscSANN8/view?usp=sharing For more information, email: [email protected]

Canada has been implicated in perpetrating war by the UN, due to Canada selling LAVs to Saudi Arabia which are being used in the war in Yemen. Canada has a trade agreement with Saudi Arabia which includes selling war implements to access to Saudi Arabia’s market, specifically oil. Canada needs to produce more green energy and get off oil dependency.

In recent years, Toronto public spaces have become a free-for-all for year-round fireworks. While celebration on special public holidays like Canada Day can be enjoyed by the whole family, certain parks in Toronto, like the Humber Bay Shores and Ashbridges Bay, have suffered from individuals with disregard for the needs of wildlife or neighbourhood peace shooting fireworks almost every night of the week and as late at 1:00 am. This causes harm in multiple ways: Quality of Life: Fireworks are being set off every night by different individuals, in many cases well after midnight. The disruption to a peaceful environment, loss of sleep, and overall harm to quality of life for residents speaks for itself. PTSD: Fireworks can trigger panic attacks in vulnerable populations, particularly those who have experienced PTSD, including veterans, refugees, victims of gun violence. These individuals can at least plan for a few scheduled holidays, but unscheduled nightly incidents literally make the city unliveable for them. Pollution: Research documents a two- to four-fold increase in suspended particulate matter in the air following fireworks, including trace metals harmful to our lungs. A few nights a year may be manageable, but the use of fireworks in some areas on a nightly basis through the summer becomes a health concern to local residents. And those wonderful volunteers who clean up public spaces can attest to the deluge of debris they are battling. Simply put, late night revellers typically don't clean up after themselves. Pet / wildlife safety: Pet owners see their loved pets suffer every night fireworks are lit, experience extreme anxiety, stress, and fear during fireworks. The harm to wildlife goes beyond fear created by these loud blasts. Perchlorate contaminates ground water and harms wildlife that drink that water, inhibiting iodine uptake in the thyroid gland and inhibiting iodine from crossing the placenta, impacting the ability of the fetus to regulate hormones. Geese, ducks, swans, and grebes all consume fireworks debris left over in the water. Shoreline birds may experience panic during nesting. And the noise can lead nocturnal birds to become disoriented and fly into windows of nearby condos. Chronic exposure due to multiple fireworks per week increases the risk to animal health exponentially. Species like the nocturnal Eastern Whip-poor-will are now designated as threatened, urbanization contributing to their diminishing numbers. We certainly don't need to exacerbate the environmental threat to wildlife so carelessly. Injury: Emergency Departments and Fire Departments prepare for an influx in the weeks leading up to our holidays. Hand burn and eye injuries are the most common reported injuries, adolescents experience the greatest prevalence of injury. This uncontrolled use of fireworks creates a needless diversion of front line health and safety resources. It's time for us to be more responsible with fireworks — for the sake of our pets, our parklands, our wildlife, and one another. Etobicoke Fireworks Remediation Committee References: Alupo, C (2017). Canine PTSD: An inquiry study on psychological trauma in dogs. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Animal Environment and Health. Canner, J.K., Haider, A.H., Selvarajah, S., et al. (2014). US emergency department visits for fireworks injuries, 2006-2010. Journal of Surgical Research, 190(1): 305–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2014.03.066 PMID:24766725. Hickey, C., Gordon, C., Galdanes, K. et al. (2020). Toxicity of particles emitted by fireworks. Part Fibre Toxicol 17, 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12989-020-00360-4 Lin, C. (2016). A review of the impact of fireworks on particulate matter in ambient air. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 66(12), 1171-1182. DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2016.1219280 Shamoun-Baranes, J., Dokter, A. M., van Gasteren, H., et al. (2011). Birds flee en mass from New Year’s Eve fireworks. Behavioral Ecology, 22(6), 1173–1177. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arr102 Sijimol, M.R., Mohan, M. (2014). Environmental impacts of perchlorate with special reference to fireworks—a review. Environ Monit Assess, 186, 7203–7210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3921-4

Habitat loss not wolves is driving caribou to extinction in British Columbia. Killing wolves is a cruel distraction. More than 1,000 wolves in BC have died agonizing deaths through aerial gunning since 2015. Since the 1970’s successive BC governments have ignored proven science and continued to waste time and money on the failed and misguided strategy of scapegoating wolves. It has been clear for decades that caribou are being driven to extinction by destructive human activities. Logging and other extractive industries damage and destroy critical habitat and snowmobiling, ATV’s and heli-skiing harass already stressed herds. As a result, caribou generally and particularly BC’s unique deep-snow dwelling mountain caribou have declined sharply over recent years. Research recently published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation found that wolf kill programs in British Columbia (and Alberta) cannot be shown to provide the presumed benefit for reversing the decline of endangered caribou and are based, at best, on guesswork. Contractors hired by government to shoot wolves from helicopters are typically self-supervised and this killing method often entails extreme anxiety, pain and suffering prior to death, failing to ensure that wolves are killed humanely. In addition to ethical concerns, wolf kill programs incur high environmental and economic costs and degrade ecosystems. While we acknowledge with respect that the BC government, the Salteaux and West Moberly First Nations and Canada have undertaken a recovery program for a few herds in N.E. BC we are concerned about the plan’s reliance on wolf killing and maternal penning, neither providing the long-term benefit of habitat protection. Moreover, there are 54 herds in BC requiring protection and anything less than a province-wide recovery strategy will be a conservation failure.

It is important here in our province and everywhere else across the nation - and indeed, worldwide. Litter not only looks ugly, but causes real damage to wildlife and the environment in general. If we could address this very visible problem immediately, by fines, or a reward system for recycling, we would see the benefits all around us, of clean beaches, lakes, open spaces, in our cities and even along the sides of the roads. Our wildlife, both in the ocean and lakes as well as the woodlands would not be at risk of harm by ingesting plastic, birds and animals getting stuck with sometime fatal results in discarded tubs and cans would not be happening either. This would have a knock on effect for us all, as slowly, the plastic waste trickles down into water courses, and stays in the earth, not biodegrading, and polluting in a very big way. We could even, with the will, create sustainable jobs by processing all this waste by re-purposing, or waste to energy.

The Ford Government wants to ramp up the greenhouse gas pollution from Ontario’s gas-fired power plants by more than 300% by 2025. (1) If Doug Ford and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) get their way, Ontario will not be able to meet its 2030 Climate Target. We must not let this happen! 1- https://www.cleanairalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GAS_REPORT_FINAL_WEB_R.pdf 52 groups - and growing - are part of this campaign! AWARE Simcoe Braden Homes Ltd. BurlingtonGreen Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment Canadian Climate Challenge Canadian Environmental Law Association Citizens Climate Lobby Creating Healthy & Sustainable Environments Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario Clean Air Partnership ClimateFast CoEnergy Co-operative David Suzuki Foundation Don Heights Unitarian Congregation, Social Action Committee Ecology Ottawa eMERGE Guelph Sustainability Environmental Defense Environment Hamilton Folkes Construction Inc Fridays for Future Fridays for Future Ottawa Grassshopper Energy Green 13 Green Party of Ontario Hamilton 350 Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Office of the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul Kairos Leadnow Ministry for Social Justice, Peace, and Creation Care of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto. MobilizeTO Mount Dennis ecoNeighbourhood Initiative Ontario Clean Air Alliance Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative (OREC) Oxford Community Energy Co-operative Prevent Cancer Now Reep Green Solutions Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario Shift Action for Pension Wealth and Planet Health SolarShare South Riverdale Community Health Centre Sustainable Waterloo Region The Council of Canadians The Lea[ The Roots Collaborative Toronto Environmental Alliance Toronto 350 Trinity St. Paul's United Church - Climate Justice Group University of Toronto Environmental Action (UTEA) Wellington Water Watchers Wilderness Committee Women's Healthy Environments Network York Region Environmental Alliance

We need to challenge the power of the military-industrial complex Do you know that the largest lobby group for the fighter jets is a charity - the Global Affairs Institute? We need the $19 billion for housing, child care, the green new deal, and for education, long-term care, etc. Quote: "More for COVID-19 latest hurdle in Canada's long road to buying new fighter jets" Fighter jets are a major polluter, and they are mainly used for air shows.

CanWhite Sands has applied for a sand processing plant to take out 5.5 CFL football fields squared by 26 stories high of silica sand each year for the next 25 years. The oxygenizing of this silica will produce acid of a pH of 2.44 leaching heavy metals like arsenic. The drainage is to the Brokenhead river where this acid along with a polyacrylamide which breaks down in sunlight and acid to acrylamide a potent neurotoxin. This project will pollute the Brokenhead river contaminate the carbonate aquifer and kill lake Winnipeg. This environmental assessment plan ignores key aspects of the proposal that will lead to this damage. Link to Government EAP: gov.mb.ca/sd/eal/registries/6057canwhite/index.html CWS Proposed Project Impacts to Brokenhead River - Dennis Analysis.pdf https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:f4976d99-cf02-4f89-8814-0505b2f4a1f4 Dennis LeNeveu's Correction of Free Press Article https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=139593417826957&id=115584813561151 Risk Assessment of CanWhite Sands Project “Dangerous to Eastern Watershed” By “Our Line in the Sand”- a local community group https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:d9881975-18b3-45d2-8198-a8f9126fa284