As many economists have pointed out, and our PM who claims to be an economist refuses to hear, every petro-state has an inflated value to their currency. We already know that we are not doing as well in the export field because our dollar is high in comparison the US dollar, and products such as processed wood are too expensive now. This is why we export way too many raw logs as we well know here in BC. This also applies to any manufacturing we may have left and to such things as wheat.

Will Canadians see higher levels of pesticide and herbicide residues on our vegetables and fruits as American standards are adopted? Will we see a proliferation of GMO crops which are dangerous to human and animal health? Will more GMO foods begin hitting our dinner plates? Will Canadians see toxic but FDA-approved Gulf Coast seafood, or genetically modified and ISA-contaminated salmon, or GM pigs on our dinner plates soon? Will we see raids on small farmers, organic co-ops and health food stores? Unfortunately, the answer to all these questions seems to be "YES", as regulations are harmonized.

Once upon a time North American waste activists looked to Canada for cutting edge moves towards sustainable waste management. Looking back we remember the ban on incineration by the Ontario NDP; the blue box program; the pay-by bag systems; EPR in Vancouver...Just a few years back Canada was poised for a genuine move towards a Zero Waste future but over the last few years we have seen a return to the sloppy and wasteful efforts at the back end of the problem with a rash of incinerator (and incinerators in disguise like gasification and plasma arc facilities) proposals to destroy rather than recover its waste.

In the second of three stories examining the ramifications of a series of new cross-border agreements, author Nelle Maxey analyzes the Orwellian transportation pact which could see such invasive technologies as predator drones, RFID chips, cell phone and vehicle GPS monitoring brought to bear on Canadians. While the mainstream media's reporting on the recent US-Canada Border Security Deal has focused on relatively benign-sounding trade initiatives, clearly there is much more at stake, including Canada's environment, public resources, civil liberties and sovereignty.

As is always the case, the public is the last to find out the government's plans, but it takes only a modicum of common sense to see that Harper's moving of the Environmental Assessment Process to the National Energy Board from the Ministry of Environment, the subsequently announced streamlining of the Environmental Assessment Process, and the budget cuts to the Ministry Environment resulting in fewer and fewer monitoring facilities and scientists to staff them or to write reports on environmental implications of resource extraction are all related to establishing a "single Canada–U.S. regime" for pipelines and other cross-border infrastructure.

It’s fairly obvious that a coal mine project that calls for a mine to be located only 5 kilometers from Baynes Sound, home to a thriving and economically important shellfish industry, is an insane idea. Couple that with an environmental assessment that doesn’t include any mechanism for public consent, and it’s no wonder that the residents of the Comox Valley, Port Alberni, and Vancouver Island are fed up and disgusted...Many of us see peaceful direct action and civil disobedience, as another tool to use in the fight against this massive coal mine proposal near Fanny Bay.

It was a day of polarities to be sure. Whether it was planned or coincidence, December 2nd began with Taseko Mines Ltd. president and CEO Russell Hallbauer beaming with approval at the pro-mining speech given by Minister of Energy and Mines, Rich Coleman, at a mining forum luncheon. Humble pie was to be served later at the Supreme Court of B.C. as a ruling came down for an injunction against Taseko Mines, preventing them from pursuing work in the Tsilhqot'in territory...As the Province of B.C. has been aggressively bullying its way to expand mining proposals and promoting B.C. as a “place to invest”, the response by First Nations has increasingly been to stand their ground in opposition.

In the wake of two major developments regarding the highly controversial proposed Prosperity Mine - the Harper Government's decision to provide Taseko Mines a new environmental review for an alternate version of the project and the BC government's issuing of road building and exploration permits to the company, over First Nations opposition - David Williams of Friends of the Nemaiah Valley provides a candid summary of the enormous environmental and cultural implications of the proposed mine. This is the first story from our new op-ed blog, Your Voice.