Analysis: The Harper government’s week of history-making blunders

When the story of the Stephen Harper government is told, historians will say that the week of March 17 to 23, 2013, is remembered, not for the release of a lacklustre federal budget, but for day after day of political … Continue reading

BC asks municipalities to “clarify” earthquake and tsunami response

Update:B.C. modifies, enhances emergency notification process (Official news release) CBC: New tsunami warning protocol rolled out in B.C. EmergencyInfoBC Please be advised that @EmergencyInfoBC is the only authorized emergency alert feed for Gov’t of BC. Tweet Thu 8 Nov 11 48 The British … Continue reading

The tsunami, Twitter and the Zones: Did social media amplify government generated confusion?

Kitimat, BC and New York City had one thing in common this week, the misuse and use of social media, Twitter and Facebook, that spread both accurate warnings and dangerous misinformation about an impending disaster. In the case of New … Continue reading

New US pipeline safety report finds more problems with Enbridge, problems also found in other big pipeline companies

A new draft report for the U.S. Congress from the United States Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration takes new aim at Enbridge for failures in its pipeline leak detection and response system. Not that the PHMSA is singling out … Continue reading

Kitimat LNG progressing–or is it?

At the District of Kitimat Council meeting on Monday, October 1, as part of Mayor Joanne Monaghan’s regular “good news” briefing, she told council that the Kitimat LNG  project continues to “progress positively.”  The news from Calgary on Tuesday, however, … Continue reading

Enbridge faces $68,000 fine for not inspecting pipeline branch in Ohio

Enbridge is facing a new penalty from the US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration for not inspecting a pipeline branch in Ohio and Michigan. The decision by the PHMSA comes just after a couple of days after the agency acknowledged … Continue reading

US calls for study that could relax double-hulled oil tanker regulations, citing costs to build, energy consumption

The United States Department of Transportation Maritime Administration has issued a call for a study that is calling into question the future of double-hulled oil tankers. On August 6, 2012 the Maritime Administration, also known as MARAD, issued a “solicitation” … Continue reading

Romney endorses Harper’s environmental fast track policy–if oil goes to the United States

Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for president of the United States today issued his “white paper” on energy policy. It calls for an integrated energy market with Canada, the United States and Mexico. Romney also endorses Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s … Continue reading

Rolling Stone discovers Northern Gateway controversy, but gets lost on the way to Kitimat

It’s every muscian’s dream to make it On the Cover of the Rolling Stone. (And when Rolling Stone does investigative journalism, every politician’s nightmare). Now the venerable, storied music mag has discovered the Northern Gateway pipeline, running a story on … Continue reading