Politicians

Activists with signs at COP20

Canada’s Climate Negotiations Song and Dance

There’s a void the size of the boreal forest between the Canada we want to have, and the Canada our government has envisioned for us. As Canadians, our values of kindness, honesty, respect and integrity lie at the core of how we see ourselves. We take pride in our place […]

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott

Canada and Australia: Separated at Birth?

Canada and Australia have so much in common that they might be twin nations separated at birth. Both are large democratic, English-speaking, settler nations, thinly populated, prosperous, resource rich and politically moderate. They have multi-party, representative systems and historically have had strong environmental movements. Yet both have lately elected extreme […]

Queen's Park, Ontario parliament building at night.

Where Do Ontario Political Parties Stand on Environmental Issues?

The past decade has taught environmentalists a hard truth about voting patterns, one that many have been trying valiantly to change: the environment takes a backseat when issues surrounding jobs and the economy are front and centre. Just ask Green Party leader Mike Schreiner. “The year 2007 was a great […]

The Nature of Empires book review A\J AlternativesJournal.ca

The Nature of Empires and the Empires of Nature: Indigenous Peoples and the Great Lakes Environment

Indigenous perspectives and academic methods are brought together in conversation in The Nature of Empires and the Empires of Nature: Indigenous Peoples and the Great Lakes Environment. This collection of essays, edited by Karl S. Hele, explores the British, American and French empires’ unsuccessful attempts to exert control over nature […]

Toronto transit platform A\J AlternativesJournal.ca

Toronto Needs a Public Referendum on The Big Move

I spent last summer researching the issue of rapid transit in Toronto, Ontario, and spoke with 10 locals who work in the transit field about ‘The Big Move,’ the proposal from provincial planning agency Metrolinx for improving transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Metrolinx is an agency […]