News

Canadian parties respond to Clinton call for a new continental climate pact

WASHINGTON — A campaign promise by Hillary Clinton rippled across the border into Canada's election on Wednesday, with parties responding to her call for a broad, North American climate-change plan.

She released a policy paper that proposed climate negotiations among Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, one day after she announced her opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline.

The position paper from the presidential contender added a new wrinkle to a pipeline issue that has already inserted itself in two national elections — the current Canadian one and the 2016 U.S. presidential race.

Clinton wants to follow her opposition to Keystone with a broader program that includes immediately launching talks toward a North American Climate Compact.

It would be a more aggressive plan than an existing one among the three countries, a continental working group created this year that proposes infrastructure upgrades but does not including a mechanism for enforcing emissions reductions.

"Building a clean, secure, and affordable North American energy future is bigger than Keystone XL or any other single project. That’s what I will focus on as president," said the Clinton paper.

"As president, I will immediately launch negotiations with Canada and Mexico to forge a North American Climate Compact that sets strong national targets to cut carbon pollution, so all three countries demonstrate a commitment to climate action; (and) provides accountability measures, so each country has confidence that the others are living up to their end of the bargain."

Canada's main political parties all reacted from the campaign trail. 

The opposition parties enthusiastically supported Clinton's call, while the governing Conservatives took a different tack, noting that there's already a precedent for what Clinton is proposing and refusing to comment further on a U.S. campaign promise:

— In a statement, Justin Trudeau's campaign team noted the similarities between Clinton's proposal and a speech he delivered three months ago on Canada-U.S. relations, where he called for a new, continental, clean-energy agreement: "The Liberal party is firmly in favour of Ms. Clinton's proposal," said spokesman Dan Lauzon.

— The NDP issued a similar commitment: "As Prime Minister, Tom Mulcair would welcome the opportunity to sit down with the presidents of the United States and Mexico to discuss how our countries can collectively reduce our impact on the climate," said senior adviser Karl Belanger.

— The Conservatives said there's already an agreement in place: "(We) established a new North American partnership on energy and climate change earlier this year. Canada's focus is achieving new tangible results through this new North American collaboration. We will not engage in presidential primary debates," said a statement from the Conservative campaign.

But one environmental group said what Clinton proposes is different. Keith Stewart of Greenpeace Canada said this could be the first time countries are held accountable for breaking their commitments on emissions.

"Right now we have a bunch of things down on paper but there's no penalty for not actually meeting the targets we've set. Talk is cheap," Stewart said.

He predicted that the U.S. election promise might shake up Canada's debate: "I think this is going to put climate back into the Canadian election in a new way — as a foreign-policy issue," Stewart said. 

"We now have proposals coming from the U.S., from someone who stands a good chance of being the next president, saying, 'We want to work with Canada. And we expect Canada to pull up its socks'."

Clinton's paper came one day after she stunned allies of the Keystone project by announcing opposition to a pipeline she'd once said she was inclined to support. She called Canadian oil the continent's dirtiest fuel.

That announcement instantly became a 2016 U.S. election issue, as Republicans pounced.

In Canada, the Conservatives and the Liberals support Keystone, although the latter blame the Harper government's inaction on climate for making Canadian oil a target in the U.S. The NDP opposes Keystone, on the grounds that it would ship refining jobs to the U.S.

The political division over the Canada-Texas pipeline is becoming increasingly clear in the U.S., with Republicans supporting it and Democrats lining up against.

 

Alexander Panetta, The Canadian Press

Alberta gas well blowout still not capped: Encana

FOX CREEK, Alta. — Workers in northwestern Alberta were still fighting Wednesday to control a blowout at a well that has been venting natural gas and small amounts of a toxic chemical.

A spokesman for well owner Encana (TSX:ECA) said crews were opening a second route to the site, located 18 kilometres from the community of Fox Creek.

Jay Averill said that would give crews more room to work and let them onto the site more efficiently.

Averill said monitoring data showed low levels of poisonous hydrogen sulphide have been released since the well blew Monday, but they are well beneath those that would pose a health risk. 

He says the well passes through a zone containing the toxin, but is intended to draw gas from a zone free of it.

The province's energy regulator says waterways or wildlife have not been affected.

The Canadian Press

Over $100,000 raised for legal action opposing Site C

Organizers to force end to Chase the Ace if no one wins this weekend

INVERNESS, N.S. — A wildly popular fundraising game that has drawn thousands of people to a small Cape Breton town will be brought to an end on Oct. 3 by organizers who say Chase the Ace has simply grown too big.

Cameron MacQuarrie said Wednesday that if no one wins the jackpot this Saturday, they will regroup the following weekend and play until someone draws the highly sought ace of spades.

MacQuarrie, one of the game's organizers and the vice-president of the local Royal Canadian Legion, said he expects 15,000 people will descend on Inverness this weekend as the game tightens and the chances of winning increase.

But he said the growing crowds are raising concerns among police and emergency health providers who worry the large number of people might hamper their access to someone in distress.

"We're not able to facilitate all the needs of the people coming — like basic needs like washrooms and also emergency services," he said from his home in Inverness.

"Our emergency providers have kind of been on a watch to see how high the risk factors were getting. And now it's at a critical point."

The game of chance, which involves finding the ace of spades in a deck of playing cards, saw its jackpot grow from $35 last October to more than $884,000. Also, the person with the winning ticket — and a chance to pick a card — gets 20 per cent of the total ticket sales.

MacQuarrie expects the jackpot to hit $1 million, which led them to add a third venue in the community to host people for the event Saturday.

He says the Broad Cove concert grounds, along with the local legion and arena will be used to accommodate the throngs of people who have been coming in droves to buy tickets, listen to music, play cards and wait to see if they struck it rich.

Compared to the same event last year, MacQuarrie said this Chase the Ace has grown well beyond their expectations with people coming from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to play.

"It took on a different life somewhere around the $100,000 mark," he said. "It's an interesting phenomenon and has developed its own culture. It has a bit of a carnival feel to it."

So many people were participating that a temporary cellphone tower was brought in to handle a surge in traffic and it was taking hours to simply get out of the parking lot and back onto the highway nearby.

The draw raised money for the local legion and a centre for adults with intellectual disabilities.

There are six cards left in the deck for the next draw Saturday.

The Canadian Press

Demands for change at Memorial University after hearing impaired complaint

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — About 100 supporters rallied Wednesday at Memorial University of Newfoundland to demand more help for students with special needs.

The university students' union urged people to "show your outrage" at the event after hearing-impaired history major William Sears said an instructor refused to accommodate him by wearing an FM transmitter.

He filed a complaint with the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission after history professor Ranee Panjabi allegedly refused to wear the transmitter earlier this month, citing religious beliefs. The assistive device helps Sears, 20, hear lectures.

Leah Robertson, the student union's director of advocacy, called at the rally for several improvements. They include a campus office to handle reports of discrimination, an external review of the Sears case and regular accessibility audits to be made public.

"We are going to continue pressing for change at this institution," Robertson said. "We're going to continue working to ensure that not a single student or member of our community experiences any form of discrimination or barrier to accessing education, which is their right."

University president Gary Kachanoski has apologized for the incident and promised a full review of how accommodation procedures failed. A university spokesman said Wednesday Kachanoski will discuss changes demanded at the rally with student leaders.

Panjabi has not answered requests for comment.

She has been the subject of similar complaints before, including in 1996 when Memorial University reached an agreement aimed at balancing competing rights. It did so after Panjabi filed her own human rights complaint over the university's decision at the time that she should have worn a microphone as requested by another student.

The agreement called for other forms of accommodation, Kachanoski said in a statement released Monday.

Options included providing a stand to hold the microphone portion of the "phonic ear" to pick up Panjabi's lectures. She told local television station NTV last week that other technology might have helped avoid the most recent fracas.

A letter from the university made public by the former student involved in the 1996 dispute quotes Panjabi as telling the dean of arts her religious objections were not based on a specific tenet. They're part of her "personal spirituality and commitments."

The agreement reached by the school with Panjabi further states: "The university will inform any hearing-impaired student registered in any of Dr. Panjabi's courses that the instant settlement accord is binding ... and that the university cannot entertain an objection or complaint that Dr. Panjabi will not wear a microphone or other technological device on her person."

That deal is also under review, Kachanoski said in his statement.

Morgan Sears, sister of William and a fourth-year student at Memorial, attended the rally in his place as he focuses on his studies. It takes courage and determination for students with disabilities to handle situations others don't have to think about, she told reporters.

"MUN is supposed to be a very inclusive environment and this just goes to show that it's not all the time."

Leon Mills, executive director of the local Canadian Hard of Hearing Association branch, said Memorial's initial response was "weak."

"I think it gave the university a black eye," he said. The association has asked the school to review whether its 1996 agreement with Panjabi is legal.

 

Follow @suebailey on Twitter.

Sue Bailey, The Canadian Press

Iraqi couple allege Alan Kurdi’s father was captain of the boat that capsized

An Iraqi couple is reportedly alleging that the father of a three-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed up on a Turkish beach was the captain of the vessel that capsized killing at least 12 people, including his famil...

NYC police commissioner: I ‘personally apologized’ to ex-tennis pro James Blake for arrest

NEW YORK — The New York City police commissioner and mayor offered apologies to tennis star James Blake on Thursday as officials scrambled to deal with fallout from his mistaken arrest outside a Manhattan hotel. The officer who forcefully ar...

Wednesday’s Scoreboard

Wednesday's Games MLB American League Boston 10 Toronto 4 Baltimore 5 N.Y. Yankees 3 Tampa Bay 8 Detroit 0 Cleveland 6 Chicago White Sox 4 Minnesota 3 Kansas City 2 (12 innings) Oakland 4 Houston 0 Texas 9 Seattle 6 -- National League St. Louis 4 Chica...

Federer, 34, likes the way he’s playing at US Open; will face Wawrinka in all-Swiss semifinal

NEW YORK — Even Roger Federer is wowed by how well he's playing at 34 — and the ease with which he's winning at this U.S. Open. Federer is into his 10th semifinal at Flushing Meadows, and record 38th at all major tournaments. To get back to...

1/3 of School District 60 students expected haven’t registered for the school bus

Man did not receive ‘serious harm’ in arrest, IIOBC determines

Shaw TV: Classic Cars at Stuie’s Diner

Veteran goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc to retire after women’s World Cup

Lowe’s builds Canadian reach by adding 13 Target stores, distribution centre

Lightning ready to ‘do damage’ in playoffs with Stamkos leading the way

RCMP arrested male after robbery at Kelly’s Convenience store

Some numbers from Luka Rocco Magnotta’s first-degree murder trial

B.C. Supreme Court verdict of fracking from Oil and Gas Commission

Play of rookie Stuart Percy making Maple Leafs’ defensive decisions difficult