It was two years ago, while hovering over the Niger Delta in a two-dollar-per-second rented helicopter that Edward Burtynsky saw an oil-soaked scene of apocalyptic scale. Images of oily waterways flicker in dull rainbow hues; landscapes shine black and are littered with scorched trees; a boat speeds away from the helicopter. He had heard about […]
Site C Injunction Request Has Strong Argument but Poor Odds
Construction needs to stop so that rights ‘aren’t gone before the First Nations can have their day in court,’ lawyer says. The federal government made a splash in the Site C news cycle earlier this month when Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould announced it would not oppose an injunction application from two First Nations groups. It […]
There’s still time to stop Site C
An excerpt from a new book on the dam project that’s divided B.C. Damming the Peace: The Hidden Costs of the Site C Dam Wendy Holm James Lorimer & Company (2018) Site C is a behemoth of a project. Its every twitch initiates a chain reaction in no less than five spheres. I recently contributed, […]
Pain, Anger, Sorrow after Boushie Verdict
The Colten Boushie case should be a wake-up call for Canadians, says Jerilynn Webster, an activist from Nuxalk and Onondaga nations who did much of the planning for Vancouver rallies Saturday and Tuesday. Hundreds of people came to Saturday’s rally to show their dissatisfaction with an all-white jury’s decision to find farmer Gerald Stanley not guilty […]
The non-skier’s guide to Whistler, B.C.
Whistler and Blackcomb mountains are world-class ski and snowboard destinations. People travel from distant continents to experience their legendary powder. But Whistler is equally memorable for what surrounds the mountains. I recently spent 24 hours in Whistler and had ridiculous amounts of fun without ever strapping on skis. Here’s my guide to Whistler for non-mountain sportsters. […]
Site C: What Happens Next?
From expropriation to First Nations lawsuit to political shifts, dam decision brings change. Premier John Horgan has announced his government will continue building the Site C dam, increasing the project budget to $10.7 billion from $8.8 billion. Work should never have started under the previous government, Horgan said, but stopping now would would mean writing […]
Surprised to be Heard: Presenters at Site C Inquiry Find Their Voice
‘I’ve been to many of these things and this was refreshingly good.’ On a Saturday afternoon in late September, the 12th-floor room in a downtown Vancouver office tower was buzzing. People looked around for familiar faces, quietly talking. The list of speakers read like signatures on a petition. Folks seemed nervous; they were full of […]
New York Times’ Daily 360 video: Spelunking for Antibiotics
It can take decades of research and more than billions of dollars to create a new antibiotic drug. Sometimes, the first step of the process starts underground, deep inside a mountain. I filmed this video with Emily McCarty, and Tim Chaffee and Nathan Griffiths did the editing.
Site C called first test for NDP’s commitment to Indigenous rights
‘It’s the issue that’s out front and in everybody’s faces.’ Recent experiences with the federal government have left Prophet River First Nation member Helen Knott wary of government promises. So while she and other Indigenous people are excited about NDP provincial government commitments to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, words […]
Tough Task Ahead for Site C’s Reviewers
Utilities commissioners will need to get knee-deep in data. Can it really be done in 12 weeks? The last time Site C was fully reviewed by the BC Utilities Commission, it was 1983. The commission investigated for just over a year and ultimately concluded that Site C was unneeded and recommended BC Hydro begin investigating […]