Youth of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

2009-11-15T11:11:00.001-08:00

2009-09-30T22:36:00.001-07:00

2009-08-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

2009-08-30T22:13:00.001-07:00

Iba Bouramine at her best

2009-05-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Response to "Quebec Woman" - Letter from a non-Muslim Algerian immigrant

Canada - A major decision of the Supreme Court promotes freedom of expression

Sources of Holy Water

The rising of the Sharia in United Kingdom, a real nightmare

The number of Muslims in the world

Great Britain - Babies who do not like spicy ethnic food are "racist"

65 wounded in Darfur camp shooting

Investigation of preaching hate in a prestigious mosque in London

The NDP must indicate the door to Samira Laouni

... So God exists

Great Britain - Great anti-Sharia demonstration in London. "Une loi pour tous !"

Algeria - "The people kabyle is based not recognize as its President Bouteflika"

Did Jesus ever lied?

How to come out as an atheist

Anne Humphreys at her best

2009-04-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Islam did not impose the hijab

The Canadian Muslims opposed to Sharia are a minority and are hounded

Karzai harshly criticized

Secularism and the Arab world

Great Britain - Accommodement racist religious requirements of a Muslim prisoner

Defamation against Francis Chartrand

The dubious friends of the NDP

The sermons the most useless

Professor Hired for Outreach to Muslims Delivers a Jolt

The flat-to-ventrisme of Radio-Canada before the Islamist propaganda

2008 Canadian parliamentary dispute

Quebec - MP Thomas Mulcair converts to Islam

The NDP

Francis Chartrand at his best

2009-04-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

My position on the accomodations - January 31, 2007

Clean energy: Do we need an Apollo project for energy?

The Russia loses a large plume: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is gone

Michel Vastel

Samira Laoumi

I would rather be a fucking lumberjack with a beaver hat than being kneeling in front of the Plateau

The Moralistic Foundations of Creationism

A open letter to Dr. Laura Schlessinger

Killing in a nursery in Belgium: a man charged, another crazy release, bravo to the tolerance of stupidity

Blasphemer, and proud of it

CIA destroyed 92 interrogation videos : "An investigation into the serious abuses of the ’War on Terror’ is imperative"

Right in your face

Oscar 4

2009-01-28T01:45:00.001-08:00

Oscars 3

2009-01-28T01:41:00.000-08:00

Oscars 2

2009-01-28T01:32:00.001-08:00

Tribute to Oscars

2009-01-27T22:48:00.001-08:00

What hurts

2008-11-30T23:54:00.000-08:00

Link

Why Reporters Without Borders is not endorsing the Global Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy, by Francis Chartrand

2008-10-29T01:13:00.000-07:00

Why Reporters Without Borders is not endorsing the Global Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy for ICT companies operating in Internet-restricting countries?

Reporters Without Borders welcomes the adoption of the Global Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy as a first step towards ICT companies’ recognition of the importance of free expression while operating in Internet-restricting countries. The international press freedom organization recognizes the important work done by the participants of this multi-stakeholder initiative that gathers companies, academics, investors and NGOs. Nevertheless, after participating in the discussions for almost two years, Reporters Without Borders decided last September to withdraw from the discussions and to not endorse those principles.

The organization believes these principles are one step in the right direction, but they do not go far enough to provide a sufficient protection to freedom of expression on the Internet.

"Under these principles, another Shi Tao case is still possible" stated Reporters Without Borders referring to the jailed Chinese reporter whose verdict revealed that Yahoo ! gave some personal identifying information to the Chinese authorities. "We believe that, as of today, the best option to prevent IT companies from being forced to collaborate with the Web-censors in repressive countries remains to provide a legal framework for companies willing to resist governments’ requests that violate the international free speech standards, as the Global Online Freedom Act, introduced by Representative Chris Smith does for American IT firms", commented the press freedom organization. "We will follow the implementation of the principles and are willing to continue to take part in this interesting collaboration and exchange of ideas, but in a different capacity. We stand ready to be, as a third party, of any assistance to the Initiative should our expertise or input be needed. We have been monitoring the free flow of online information for years and we will continue to denounce the obstacle to online free speech", added Reporters Without Borders.

Reporters Without Borders is concerned by several loopholes and weak language on the central points that may threaten the very implementation of these principles and justify the status quo. It also regrets the fact that some sensitive issues related to the monitoring process remain yet to be addressed.

Here is an overview of the organization’s main concerns:

1 - Local law remains the reference even if it violates international human rights standards. Thus, participating companies will comply with repressive regimes who have at their disposal an arsenal of legal provisions aimed at silencing dissidents.

2 - The extent to which companies are expected to challenge governments’ requests remains unclear. Requests in writing are sought but not mandatory.

3 - Companies could still enter into business relationships (joint ventures, mergers) with local partners that do not follow the principles, then bypass the restrictions imposed by the principles and blame the local entity (such as Alibaba for Yahoo!) in case of violations of freedom of expression or collaboration for the arrest of dissidents.

4 - Disclosure to users and transparency regarding the type of personal information retained by ITC companies’ remains unsatisfactory.. Users have no assurances that companies will try to minimize data collection, nor do they know how long this data will be saved.

5 - The assessors’ independence and impartiality as well as the extent to which companies’ will provide them with the necessary information to monitor developments remains uncertain.

Reporters Without Borders has supported the Global Online Freedom Act (GOFA) since its birth. Introduced by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) in February 2006, it would protect American IT companies from being forced to collaborate with repressive regimes. The Act would prevent repressive governments - those that punish dissidents and human rights activists who exercise their right to online free expression - from accessing personal data through US companies.

The bill would ban companies from locating the servers containing this data and from providing information that identifies users, except in cases in which the law is being legitimately applied, to be decided by the US justice department. The US companies would also have to act transparently and transmit information about the type of censorship they apply to an interagency-staffed Office of Global Internet Freedom, which would have the job of defining US government policy for the promotion of the free flow of online information and monitoring violations. A feasibility study of technologies and equipment’s export control would also be made. The bill also promotes the idea of a voluntary code of conduct to be established for companies working in countries with repressive regimes. GOFA was approved by the House’s Foreign Affairs Committee in October 2007 and is now awaiting a floor vote. In July 2008, MEP Jules Maaten, initiated the European Global Online Freedom Act (EU GOFA), which was drafted out of the American GOFA, and whose goal is to protect European ICT firms doing business with répressive regimes.

Link

Only peace protects freedoms in post-9/11 world, by Anne Humphreys

2008-10-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

It is not economic prosperity but peace that guarantees press freedom. That is the main lesson to be drawn from the world press freedom index that Reporters Without Borders compiles every year and from the 2008 edition, released today. Another conclusion from the index - in which the bottom three rungs are again occupied by the “infernal trio” of Turkmenistan (171st), North Korea (172nd) and Eritrea (173rd) - is that the international community’s conduct towards authoritarian regimes such as Cuba (169th) and China (167th) is not effective enough to yield results.

“The post-9/11 world is now clearly drawn,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Destabilised and on the defensive, the leading democracies are gradually eroding the space for freedoms. The economically most powerful dictatorships arrogantly proclaim their authoritarianism, exploiting the international community’s divisions and the ravages of the wars carried out in the name of the fight against terrorism. Religious and political taboos are taking greater hold by the year in countries that used to be advancing down the road of freedom.”

“The world’s closed countries, governed by the worst press freedom predators, continue to muzzle their media at will, with complete impunity, while organisations such as the UN lose all authority over their members,” Reporters Without Borders added. “In contrast with this generalised decline, there are economically weak countries that nonetheless guarantee their population the right to disagree with the government and to say so publicly.”

War and peace

Two aspects stand out in the index, which covers the 12 months to 1 September 2008. One is Europe’s preeminence. Aside from New Zealand and Canada, the first 20 positions are held by European countries. The other is the very respectable ranking achieved by certain Central American and Caribbean countries. Jamaica and Costa Rica are in 21st and 22nd positions, rubbing shoulders with Hungary (23rd). Just a few position below them are Surinam (26th) and Trinidad and Tobago (27th). These small Caribbean countries have done much better than France (35th), which has fallen again this year, this time by four places, and Spain (36th) and Italy (44th), countries held back again by political or mafia violence. Namibia (23rd), a large and now peaceful southern African country that came first in Africa, ahead of Ghana (31st), was just one point short of joining the top 20.

The economic disparities among the top 20 are immense. Iceland’s per capita GDP is 10 times Jamaica’s. What they have in common is a parliamentary democratic system, and not being involved in any war. This is not the case with the United States (36th domestically and 119th outside its own territory) and Israel (46th domestically and 149th outside its own territory), whose armed forces killed a Palestinian journalist for the first time since 2003. A resumption of fighting also affected Georgia (120th) and Niger, which fell sharply from 95th in 2007 to 130th this year. Although they have democratic political systems, these countries are embroiled in low or high intensity conflicts and their journalists, exposed to the dangers of combat or repression, are easy prey. The recent provisional release of Moussa Kaka, the Niger correspondent of RFI and Reporters Without Borders, after 384 days in prison in Niamey and cameraman Sami al-Haj’s release after six years in the hell of Guantanamo serve as reminders that wars sweep away not only lives but also, and above all, freedom.

Under fire from belligerents or intrusive governments

Countries that have become embroiled in very violent conflicts after failing to resolve serious political problems, such as Iraq (158th), Pakistan (152nd), Afghanistan (156th) and Somalia (153rd), continue to be highly dangerous “black zones” for the press, places where journalists are targets for murder, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest or death threats every day. They may come under fire from the parties at war. They may be accused of taking sides. Any excuse will do to get rid of “trouble-makers” and “spies.” Such is the case in the Palestinian Territories (163rd), especially the Gaza Strip, where the situation got much worse after Hamas seized power. At the same time, in Sri Lanka (165th), where there is an elected government, the press has to face violence that is only too often organised by the state.

Bringing up the rear are the dictatorships - some disguised, some not - where dissidents and pro-reform journalists manage to open cracks in the walls that enclose them. The year of the Olympics in the new Asian power, China (167th), was the year that Hu Jia and many other dissidents and journalists were jailed. But it also provided opportunities to those liberal media that are trying gradually to free themselves of the country’s still pervasive police control. Being a journalist in Beijing or Shanghai - or in Iran (166th), Uzbekistan (162nd) and Zimbabwe (151st) - is a high risk exercise involving endless frustration and constant police and judicial harassment. In Burma (170th), run by a xenophobic and inflexible junta, journalists and intellectuals, even foreign ones, have for years been viewed as enemies by the regime, and they pay the price.

Unchanging hells

In Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali’s Tunisia (143rd), Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya (160rd), Alexander Lukashenko’s Belarus (154th), Bashar el-Assad’s Syria (159e) and Teodoro Obiang Nguema’s Equatorial Guinea (156th), the leader’s ubiquitous portrait on the streets and front pages of the newspapers is enough to dispel any doubt about the lack of press freedom. Other dictatorships do without a personality cult but are just as suffocating. Nothing is possible in Laos (164th) or Saudi Arabia (161st) if it does not accord with government policy.

Finally, North Korea and Turkmenistan are unchanging hells in which the population is cut off from the world and is subjected to propaganda worthy of a bygone age. And in Eritrea (173rd), which has come last for the second year running, President Issaias Afeworki and his small clan of paranoid nationalists continue to run Africa’s youngest country like a vast open prison.

The international community, including the European Union, endlessly repeats that the only solution continues to be “dialogue.” But dialogue has clearly had little success and even the most authoritarian governments are still able to ignore remonstrations without risking any repercussions other than the inconsequential displeasure of the occasional diplomat.

Dangers of corruption and political hatred

The other disease that eats away at democracies and makes them lose ground in the ranking is corruption. The bad example of Bulgaria (59th), still last in Europe, serves as a reminder that universal suffrage, media pluralism and some constitutional guarantees are not enough to ensure effective press freedom. The climate must also favour the flow of information and expression of opinions. The social and political tensions in Peru (108th) and Kenya (97th), the media politicisation in Madagascar (94th) and Bolivia (115th) and the violence against investigative journalists in Brazil (82nd) are all examples of the kinds of poison that blight emerging democracies. And the existence of people who break the law to get rich and who punish inquisitive journalists with impunity is a scourge that keeps several “great countries” - such as Nigeria (131st), Mexico (140th) and India (118th) - in shameful positions.

Certain would-be “great countries” deliberately behave in a manner that is brutal, unfair or just disturbing. The examples include Venezuela (113th), where President Hugo Chávez’s personality and decrees are often crushing, and the Putin-Medvedev duo’s Russia (141st), where state and opposition media are strictly controlled and journalists such as Anna Politkovskaya are killed each year by “unidentified” gunmen who often turn out to have close links with the Kremlin’s security services.

Resisting the taboos

The ranking’s “soft underbelly” also includes countries that waver between repression and liberalisation, where the taboos are still inviolable and the press laws hark back to another era. In Gabon (110th), Cameroon (129th), Morocco (122nd), Oman (123rd), Cambodia (126th), Jordan (128th) and Malaysia (132nd), for example, it is strictly forbidden to report anything that reflects badly on the president or monarch, or their family and close associates. Journalists are routinely sent to prison in Senegal (86th) and Algeria (121st) under repressive legislation that violates the democratic standards advocated by the UN.

Online repression also exposes these tenacious taboos. In Egypt (146th), demonstrations launched online shook the capital and alarmed the government, which now regards every Internet user as a potential danger. The use of Internet filtering is growing by the year and the most repressive governments do not hesitate to jail bloggers. While China still leads the “Internet black hole” ranking worldwide, deploying considerable technical resources to control Internet users, Syria (159th) is the Middle-East champion in cyber-repression. Internet surveillance is so thorough there that even the least criticism posted online is sooner or later followed by arrest.

Only a few countries have risen significantly in the ranking. Lebanon (66th), for example, has climbed back to a more logical position after the end of the bomb attacks on influential journalists of recent years. Haiti (73rd) continues its slow rise, as do Argentina (68th) and Maldives (104th). But the democratic transition has halted in Mauritania (105th), preventing it from continuing its rise, while the slender gains of the past few years in Chad (133rd) and Sudan (135th) were swept away by the overnight introduction of censorship.

Link

2008-09-30T03:08:00.001-07:00

2008-09-30T03:06:00.001-07:00

2008-09-30T03:03:00.000-07:00

Salaries of policians

2008-08-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

The salary of politicians in France, here and here.

The salary and allowances and benefits in Quebec, click here.

The salary in the federal public sector here.

The salary and allowances and the allocation in Canada, clquez here.

Some videos 2

2008-08-18T19:54:00.001-07:00

Some videos

2008-08-08T02:39:00.000-07:00

Tribute to Dieudonné

2008-07-26T00:32:00.000-07:00

Dieudonné aux BBR 2006
Uploaded by Militant-FN

Agression de Dieudonne
Uploaded by eikichi

Dieudonne chez fogiel ONPP
Uploaded by fanstes

Dieudonne chez Ardisson
Uploaded by fanstes

2008-07-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

Les infidèles sont des animaux
Uploaded by Tazda

Tribute to George Carlin

2008-06-27T23:14:00.001-07:00

History of the fuck word

2008-06-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

Clinton, vice president?

2008-06-18T01:47:00.000-07:00

How to Create a Magibon

2008-06-07T00:32:00.000-07:00

OUR VIEW: Hustler editorial board endorses Obama, McCain

2008-06-04T04:07:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Hustler Editorial Board on 01-31-08, 9:55 pm More from this Writer Submit to Digg or Facebook

In the immediate weeks and months following Sept. 11, 2001, the nation’s united front transcended race, economic class, geographical region and party line; a national tragedy and attack should not be the only impetus for that unity.

Facing the considerable structural failures on the issues of healthcare, immigration and the economy, the public has expressed its distaste and disapproval time and time again for our president, Congress and the wide disparity between them. To combat these issues we need more than solutions from our presidential candidates — we need leaders who can unite us behind them.

Keeping this mindset of bipartisanship and the kind of practical compromise that does not sacrifice ideology, the Hustler editorial board strongly recommends the Democratic and Republican parties nominate Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, respectively, as their candidates.

Obama’s inspirational, faith-based message and rhetorical magnetism resonate with Americans in a unique way that may solve some of these partisan divides. Though not as experienced as some candidates, he has proven himself worthy with his firm refusal to cater to certain special interests at the expense of the nation — like his vow to pay teachers on the basis of merits — and his potential to galvanize the fractured aggregate of the Democratic Party.

Similarly, McCain’s belief in honor and duty to the country carries a similar sense of a unified message. His pragmatic approach and steadfast refusal to succumb to party ideology on a select set of issues demonstrate an ability to break free from the cast-iron party politics of the past decade. Behind this practical, assured mindset lies a profound amount of political experience and faculty, manifested as well in McCain’s major bipartisan efforts and accomplishments in a variety of policy fields. McCain’s political career has been built on concrete results — a McCain presidency promises to deliver again.

http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/6381

Olbermann at his best

2008-05-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Francis Chartrand in the company of his young delegate Jessica Leblanc

2008-05-21T21:47:00.000-07:00

From Airbus to Sponsorship: Conservative and Liberal scandal leave working families behind - Thurday November 15, 2007

2007-11-18T11:50:00.000-08:00

The Mulroney affair feels like just the latest chapter in the never-ending story of Conservative and Liberal scandal.

While middle-class families are working longer and harder just to make ends meet, the allegations about Liberals and Conservatives abusing people’s hard-earned tax dollars keep coming up.

Ordinary Canadians are fed up. It’s time for some answers.

Since 1997 the NDP has been calling for an Inquiry into the Airbus affair, including their $2 million settlement with Mulroney, but the governing Liberals refused. Who were they trying to protect?

The new Conservative Party isn’t much different than the old one. Did anyone in the former or current Conservative government engage in a cover up of evidence related to the Airbus affair?

The Conservatives aren’t the only ones who have tough questions to answer. The NDP is also asking questions that involve the Liberal Party, who took thousands of dollars from Karlheinz Schreiber when they were in government.

It’s also time to put working families first.

In his mini-budget, Stephen Harper put large profitable corporations ahead of working families by handing out a $14 billion corporate tax cut, half of which went to the banks and oil companies, while refusing to invest in people and their communities.

Harper’s mini-budget will make child care, university and college education, seniors care and prescription drugs more expensive for working families.

Harper’s mini-budget downloaded the city and community infrastructure costs to homeowners, who because of a lack of federal investment face increases in property taxes.

Stephane Dion refused to stand up to Harper’s mini-budget and assured its passage when every Liberal Member of Parliament abstained.

Whether it’s Sponsorship or Airbus, Liberal scandals or Conservative ones, working families deserve better.

Jack Layton and the NDP will continue to get to the bottom of the latest scandal and ensure the priorities of working families come first.

Young New Democrats

2007-10-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

The New Democratic Party is a broad-based political party of the Left. Ours is not a solitary voice in the woods, but rather the combined voices of all those who are interested in building a movement based upon social justice, human dignity, and environmental sustainability. Women’s groups, anti-racist groups, the LGBT movement, workers, and all popular forces are invited to join with us in building a progressive alternative.

With the apparent coronation of Paul Martin as Prime Minister, Canada’s shift towards the right can only be expected to continue. We have no reason to believe that as Prime Minister, Paul Martin will shy away from the strategy he adopted as one of Canada’s most draconian finance ministers. However, the time may be just right for the Left. Quebeckers are tired of the Bloc Quebecois/Liberal party impasse. Equally, Quebeckers see no need for the Reform/Tory/Alliance option as the Liberals offer the same solutions in more palpable doses. Only the NDP can unite progressive voices from Quebec and from the rest of Canada. Only the New Democratic Party can offer Canadians a genuine choice.

The New Democratic Youth of Quebec is the youth section of the NDP (Quebec). Following the election of Jack Layton, a Quebecker, as federal NDP leader, several activists decided that an NDP renewal in Quebec must begin with young activists. The NDYQ has several purposes: First of all, we work hard within the larger party to raise issues of concern for young Canadians and Quebeckers. Secondly, we work to familiarize young members with the inner workings of the party and of the political process in general. Thirdly, we work tirelessly to bring new young voices into the NDP and to bring the NDP to young Quebeckers. If you are 25 years old or younger, and if you want to help build a more just and equitable Canada, add your voice to our movement!

Email : jeunes@npd.qc.ca

NDP to put climate change law back on agenda

2007-10-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

Cullen to re-table amended Clean Air Act as private Member’s bill

SMITHERS – NDP Environment critic Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley) served notice today that he will re-table the Clean Air and Climate Change Act – a bill that will die when Parliament is prorogued – as a private Member’s bill upon Parliament’s return in mid-October.
“After thirteen years of Liberal inaction and 18 months of delays by the Conservatives, working families have waited long enough for action on the environment. By proroguing Parliament, Harper’s Conservatives have tried to kill a comprehensive blueprint to get Canada on the right track in fighting climate change – we’ll make sure he’s unsuccessful.”

Cullen said he will submit his re-drafted legislation once the prime minister officially prorogues the House of Commons. He also called on the other opposition parties to support moving the former “Bill C-30” (Clean Air and Climate Change Act) to a priority position in the private Members’ order.

“This bill was the work of all parties in the House. Even Conservative MPs had a say,” said Cullen.

Key aspects of the bill that Cullen says must be made law immediately are:

Short-, medium- and long-term greenhouse gas targets.
An earlier deadline for regulating the industrial sector.
A hard cap on greenhouse gas emissions from big polluters.
Leading and mandatory standards for smog-producing “air contaminants”.
Leading vehicle fuel efficiency standards.
A cap and trade carbon market.
Government authority to regulate air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
Effective provincial equivalency rules.
Authority to designate “significant areas” for environmental protection.
Programs reviewed annually.
Building retrofit fund.

Campus Clubs

2007-08-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

The New Democratic Youth of Canada has Campus Clubs at the following universities and colleges. If you would like to get in contact with the NDP club at your campus, or if your school isn't listed below and you'd like to start a campus club, please don't hesitate to contact youth@ndp.ca.

British Columbia

Douglas College

North West Community College

Simon Fraser University

Thompson Rivers University

University College of the Fraser Valley

University of British Columbia

University of Northern British Columbia

University of Victoria

Alberta

Grande Prairie Regional College

Red Deer College

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

University of Alberta

University of Calgary

University of Lethbridge

Saskatchewan

Meadowlake Young NDP

University of Regina

University of Saskatchewan

Young NDP Saskatoon

Manitoba

University of Winnipeg

University of Manitoba

Brandon University

Collège Universitaire de Saint-Boniface

Ontario

Algoma University

Brock University

Carleton University

La Cité Collégiale

Lakehead University

Laurentian University

Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology

McMaster University

Nippissing University / Canadore University

Queen's University

Ryerson University

St. Lawrence College (Kingston Campus)

Trent University

University of Ottawa

University of Waterloo

University of Western Ontario

University of Windsor

University of Guelph

University of Toronto

University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus

University of Toronto at Mississauga, Erindale College

Wilfrid Laurier University

York University / Osgoode Hall

Québec

Bishop’s University

Concordia University

McGill University

Université de Montréal

Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

New Brunswick

Mount Allison University

St. Thomas University

Université de Moncton

University of New Brunswick (St-John)

Woodstock Community College

Nova Scotia

Acadia University

Cape Breton University

Dalhousie University

Mount Saint Vincent University

Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University

Saint Mary’s University

St. Francis Xavier University

Université Ste. Anne

Newfoundland and Labrador

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Save the Boreal forest

2007-05-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

An aerial view of Boreal forest in the Temagami region of Ontario.

Canada's Boreal forest is one of the largest tracts of ancient forest left in the world. Almost 80 per cent of the world's original forests has been degraded or completely destroyed, making the protection of our Boreal forest all the more important.

One of the major threats to Canada's Boreal forest ecosystem is industrial logging for the pulp used in tissue products. Greenpeace is working to stop the destruction of Canada's largest intact ecosystem by trying to persuade consumers, institutions and companies to choose to consume or produce more ancient forest friendly tissue products.

The red fox is one of the many species found in the Boreal forest.

Canada's Boreal forest: Ancient forest under threat

Canada's Boreal forest is one of the largest tracts of ancient forest left in the world. Almost 80 per cent of the Earth's original forests have already been degraded or completely destroyed, making the protection of our Boreal forest all the more important.

One of the major threats to Canada's Boreal ecosystem is clearcut logging to make disposable products such as toilet paper and facial tissue. Greenpeace is working to stop the destruction of Canada's largest intact ecosystem by trying to persuade consumers, institutions and companies to choose ancient forest friendly tissue products - ones made from 100 per cent recycled content.

This forest has been clearcut to produce Kimberly-Clark toilet and tissue paper products even though recycled alternatives exist.

Canada's Boreal forests are being clearcut to create building materials and consumer products such as toilet paper, office paper, books, and catalogues. Read more about the threat unsustainable tissue products pose to the Boreal forestThe logging industry continues to cut down over 290,000 hectares of forest in Quebec, 185,000 hectares in Ontario and 67,000 hectares of forest in Alberta every year. This means that an area of forest larger than Prince Edward Island is lost every year in these three provinces alone. Approximately half of the Boreal forest has been allocated or licensed to logging companies. The heaviest development is concentrated in the southern reaches of the Boreal, which also is the most productive wildlife habitat. Over 90 per cent of this area is clearcut, with individual clearcuts sometimes extending over 10,000 hectares in size or approximately 17,000 football fields. This makes them some of the largest clearcuts in the world.

A disappearing forest means increased threats to the survival of the species that inhabit it. Already, the Labrador marten, wolverine, woodland caribou, eastern wolf are listed on endangered species lists. Global warming is another real threat to Canada's Boreal forest. Scientists predict that parts of the forest will become much warmer because of climate change. This will mean increased forest fires and outbreaks of insect infectations.

Putting pressure on companies that destroy the Boreal is one solution to Boreal forest destruction.Enlarge Image

Greenpeace is actively working on solutions to reverse the continuous loss of habitat in the Boreal forest.

We provide consumers with up-to-date information on purchases that will reduce the impact on the forest, exert pressure on companies that use ancient forests in irresponsible ways, help publishers find ancient forest friendly papers and develop a forest management certification system that ensures old growth forests are not clearcut. Every small step builds towards ensuring a sustainable future for the Boreal forest.

Our objective is to foster the creation of long-term sustainable jobs with greater local control of resources that focus on the needs of future generations. Our interest is in seeing the ecology of the Boreal forest maintained over time, and we do not feel that this is contrary to ensuring that Canadians get the highest return possible from our public forests, instead of simply shipping raw logs and disposable tissue products beyond our borders.

Turn your loose change into social change

2007-04-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.youth.ndp.ca/loosechange

Canada's environmental crisis: How we got here and what we can do to change it.

2007-04-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

> > > > >
Nearly 10 years ago the Liberal Party of Stéphane Dion committed to the world that Canada would cut greenhouse gas pollution to 6 percent below 1990 levels. Instead, Liberals failed to act and emissions grew over 30 percent.

Ordinary Canadians are tired of Liberal inaction and the denial of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives. We can’t afford more delay.

That's why the NDP has proposed that all parties work together to completely re-write Stephen Harper’s so–called ‘Clean Air Act’ so that we can end subsidies to big oil & gas, place hard caps on big polluters, invest in energy efficiency and develop cleaner cars.

A Climate Change Plan for Ontario

2007-03-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Toronto, Canada — The McGuinty government conducted a public consultation process in the fall of 2006, and Greenpeace joined other environmental groups in outlining how the provincial government should deal with climate change.

A Climate Change Plan for Ontario is long overdue. The McGuinty government conducted a public consultation process in the fall of 2006, but these meetings lacked adequate notice and preparation time, and provided no draft proposal or background material.

Despite these limitations to the consultation process, Greenpeace joined other environmental organizations, calling on the government to:

• establish a plan to meet Ontario’s portion of Canada’s Kyoto commitment and achieve further deeper reductions post-2012;

• commit all Ontario government agencies to achieving these targets; and

• adopt substantial measures in the 2007 provincial budget increasing conservation and renewable energy.

In December 2006, Greenpeace made a number of specific suggestions that the province should pursue. This document, Ontario’s Climate Crisis: The Time to Act is Now, is not meant to be a climate plan for the province. Rather, it identifies a number of policies and programs that should be addressed in order to devise a effective plan.

We have had no meaningful response from the McGuinty government, which has moved backwards by delaying its phaseout of coal generation, and by its support of nuclear power (both rebuilding old nuclear plants, as well as building new ones).

Tories need a tough approach to climate change - Greenpeace weighs in on how Canada should address the problem

2007-03-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ottawa, Canada — Canada's Conservative government has failed to adequately address climate change, proposing a so-called Clean Air Act that was more smog and mirrors than real action on this global threat. Recently, hearings have been held to strengthen the Act. Last week, Greenpeace was in Ottawa to ensure Canada takes needed action to avert dangerous climate change.

We called for a complete overhaul of the Act, stressing that Canada must honour our Kyoto targets, and then further reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in the years to come. As the Act is written, the Conservative government has not committed to absolute reductions in greenhouse gas emissions before 2020, and this is a huge mistake. The longer we wait to reduce these emissions, the more intractable the problem becomes.

Canada is already near the bottom of a list of 41 industrialized countries that have signed Kyoto in terms of the increase in our greenhouse gases, and we are on track to do even worse in the future.

From the way reductions in emissions are calculated under the Act, to the introduction of stringent vehicle emissions standards to elimination of tax breaks for the Alberta tar sands, we need to drastically overhaul the Clean Air Act.

The first step is to meet our Kyoto commitments with stringent emissions reductions, and we are waiting on the Harper government to step up to the challenge.

Quebec provincial Elections 2007 - 17 questions to Quebec's main political parties

2007-03-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Greenpeace sent to all Quebec political parties a questionnaire covering environmental topics. Thanks to the answers given, the members of Greenpeace and the citizens of Quebec will be in a better position to judge if the parties are truly sincere in their willingness to implement real political solutions for the environment as soon as they take power.

The parties involved had a few days to complete the Greenpeace questionnaire. Following that, a Greenpeace team gathered their answers, and ascribed a note to each political formation according to their performance in environmental protection. The questions include many topics, click here to view them.

Read the letter sent to parties
Read the questions we asked all parties
Download the questions as a pdf document
Find out more about the grading method
View results by party or by question
View parties' report cards View Greenpeace's comments -->

Victory! Polar Bear Protected!

2007-01-03T10:40:00.000-08:00

United States — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has officially listed the polar bear as a 'threatened' species, due to the meltdown of its sea-ice habitat caused by global warming.

This is a huge victory for polar bears, even if it did take a Greenpeace lawsuit to accomplish it. This action comes in response to a lawsuit filed last December under the federal Endangered Species Act by Greenpeace, Center for Biological Diversity, and NRDC.

What this means for the polar bear

Listing under the United States Endangered Species Act -- America’s safety net for plants and animals on the brink of extinction -- will provide broad protection to polar bears, including a requirement that United States federal agencies ensure that any action carried out, authorized, or funded by the United States government will not “jeopardize the continued existence” of polar bears, or adversely modify their critical habitat.

Thin Ice

Polar bears live only in the Arctic and are totally dependent on the sea ice. A growing body of evidence shows that the Arctic ice is vanishing much faster than previously expected. The thick multiyear ice has been shrinking eight to 10 percent per decade, with some climate models predicting that the Arctic could be ice-free in summer as early as 2050.

In some polar regions, the sea ice season has shortened as much as three weeks, and scientists have discovered that the polar ice caps are melting at an alarming rate - more than a million square miles - losing an area the size of Colorado in just the last year.

Thanks to all of you who took action to protect the polar bear. It couldn't have happened without you!

— Greenpeace USA

Letter from NDP Youth Critic Nathan Cullen

2006-09-14T23:46:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce myself as your Federal New Democratic critic for Youth and to talk about some of the dreams I have about how we can make Young New Democrats a more central part of our work.

It’s only been a couple of years now since I decided to take a chance and go after the nomination in the Pacific Northwest. I found myself riding a wave of energy and people power. We ran a campaign that brought politics into the homes and coffee shops of people who were feeling more and more excluded from what was happening in Ottawa. Young people were a huge part of what brought me into politics and remain a key reason that keeps me here.

This past spring I was intrigued by our down-to-the-wire negotiations with the Liberals. Jack Layton and our Caucus’ commitment to youth and education became even more obvious when a major component of the first ever NDP budget bill included $1.5 billion for post-secondary education and training. It also included considerable new funding for the environment, affordable housing and foreign aid while ensuring a balanced budget. These were issues that resonated with me personally and with many young people whom I’ve spoken with over the summer.

At a university event I attended with Jack Layton here in Ottawa I was reminded again of the power of the young voice in politics today. As I listen to the tone of many parliamentarians and lobbyists stuck in a traditional mindset the progressive ideas that young folks have towards poverty, education the environment show real vision. When young people have acted collectively and spoken up on issues like trade and war (APEC, Quebec City, Seattle) their power has resulted in real change.

A federal election is imminent within the next few months and I call on young Canadians from across the political spectrum to involve themselves in the national conversation and to bring their incredible power to the process.

Nathan Cullen, NDP critic for youth

About Us - Who we are and where we stand

2006-07-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

As young people we want to build a country and a world where equality, justice and opportunity are enjoyed by all.

That’s why we’re active in the New Democratic Party of Canada.

We are young workers and students, artists and trades people, idealists and practical thinkers.

We don’t just talk about the issues that are important to young people and the future of our country – we act to bring about social change.

From St. John’s to Victoria to Yellowknife, we believe that people are more important than profits and that social change is not only possible – it’s necessary.

That’s why we work at the ballot box as well as in the streets. We’re working hard with Jack Layton and the NDP to ensure that government puts people and the environment first.

New Democratic Youth are a diverse, lively and fun group of people. We respect the unique experiences that have brought us all together. Harnessing our diversity, we play a vital role in the movement for progressive social change.

Whether it’s fighting to lower tuition fees and increase access to education and training, protecting the environment, standing up for human rights or by working to end global poverty – the NDYC is making a difference today.

And we invite you to become a part of it.

Making a difference

The reality is that people our age – 26 years and younger - are increasingly disillusioned with politics.

Young people are unlikely to vote and even less likely to get involved in politics.

Tommy Douglas, CBC’s greatest Canadian and the first Leader of the NDP once said, “Courage my friends, ‘tis not too late for a better world’.”

The NDYC knows that young people have ideas and opinions that must be heard.

The NDP is actively listening.

We’re listening to young people in the lunchroom complaining of low wages, crippling student debt, a polluted planet and injustice and poverty throughout the world. We’re listening to young people who can’t find affordable housing or have to leave their families and communities to pursue job opportunities.

We’re listening to young people and putting forward ideas solutions that work. And we’re getting results.

In the last election more young people ran as NDP candidates than any other political party.

There’s a good reason. Jack Layton and the NDP believe it’s time to build a Canada where equality, justice and opportunity are enjoyed by all.

We invite you to join us to help make that happen.