SAY “NO” TO THIS………………
AND “YES” TO THIS…………..
Tag Archives: Alberta tar sands
REMEMBERING 2013
As we say goodbye to 2013 – I would like to reflect on the stories that I find to be the most inspirational and personal to me.
Saying goodbye to Iringa, Toka and Thika – TORONTO ZOO ELEPHANTS
There has been much controversy surrounding the Toronto Zoo elephant program but it was a controversy that ended with a positive outcome for Iringa, Toka and Thika – the three elephants that have been relocated to PAWS, I 35-hectare sanctuary located in Sand Andreas, California. The sanctuary has been divided in half to accommodate the African elephants before they are integrated with the other three that are already residing there.
Bob Barker – who has been pivotal in this relocation, was present when the elephants arrived and indicated that it was about time that the elephants were relocated. “I have never met with so much acrimony as we did in Toronto,” he said. “And why I don’t know.” Bob Barker covered the cost of the move and relocation of the elephants.
Iringa and Toka, youngsters spared from a deadly cull in Mozambique – arrived at the zoo in 1974, the year it opened. Thika was born in Toronto and has never known life outside of the Toronto Zoo’s one-hectare zoo.
The elephants will now live on rolling grassland with trees, meadows, lakes a walnut orchard, three heated barns and a Jacuzzi.
Here is the video of Iringa, Toka and Thika’s arrival:
Iringa, Toka and Thika – the morning after their arrival:
It costs about $70,000+/yr to care for an elephant – PAWS welcomes any donations to ensure their well-being. To make a donation, please visit the PAWS website at: http://www.pawsweb.org/donate_online.html
FREEDOM for the ARCTIC 30
Greed speaks loudly when peaceful activists are threatened to be jailed for defending the Arctic waters and wildlife from oil drilling and greedy oil companies. The 30 activists and crew members of the Arctic Sunrise, were illegally removed from the Arctic waters and their ship (at gunpoint) – for defending the Arctic waters. Many people supported these brave men and women – government officials from many of the countries the detainees were from spoke out against Russia and demanded their freedom. As a Canadian – I am ashamed of our government for not getting involved or even making a statement on behalf of the Canadians who were illegally detained in Russia. Stephen Harper – the Conservative Prime Minister of Canadian supports BIG OIL and has recently announced that it would submit a claim for 1.7 million km of the Arctic seabed, including the North Pole. The Canadian Alberta tar sands is an environmental nightmare – imagine the damage that will be done if the Conservative and Harper Government are allowed this claim?
The real criminals are not the Arctic 30 – it is those policy makers that ensure that the big oil companies get what they want. The Arctic 30 should be deemed heroes for protecting our waters and our environment from those the real criminals who have no regard for wildlife and the environment.
The 28 activists and two freelance journalists, including Canadians Ruzycki and Paul, who were illegally detained by Russian forces on board the Arctic Sunrise on September 19th were granted presidential pardon on December 18th after spending more than two months in prison.
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/Blog/the-true-north-melting-and-oily/blog/47719/
To ensure that Greenpeace continues to protect our planet – please visit their website for past victories and current battles: http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/ The link will also allow you to make any donation.
The passing of Nelson Mandela
“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
There is nothing more than I can say about a man whose legacy speaks volumes. Nelson Mandela was a pivotal force for equality, compassion and love not only in South Africa, but around the world. His legacy will live on!
Please read his bio as posted on the Nelson Mandela Foundation website: http://www.nelsonmandela.org/content/page/biography
PETA’s ACTIVISM in 2013
Here are PETA’s 11 Most Important Animal Rights Videos of 2013 *** Please note: Some of these videos are graphic and will require you to sign into your account to view the video. In my opinion – if it is too violent to watch – It is too violent to buy or eat!!!
For more information regarding PETA’s activism or to make a donation to PETA – please visit their website: http://www.peta.org/#/
BRIDEGROOM – A story about LOVE
Watching this documentary put many things in perspective for me. Some of us should really be thankful for living in a country where all are treated equally under the law. This is one reason why so many in the LGBTQ community are fighting for equal rights and protections under the law in the United States and around the world.
If we really make it a point to treat others the same way we want to be treated – we can make so many positive things happen for ourselves, for each other, for our environment, for animals and for the planet. It is time to break the mold of what you believe to be true – think outside the box and enlighten yourself. Once you are free from what you believe MUST be the truth – then amazing things will happen and have happened. Don’t let yourself be the obstacle from what good you can contribute. Let 2014 be the year you create a life that is authentic, compassionate and loving.
I will leave you with a video and song that was released in December of 2012 – “Clown” by Emeli Sandé, enjoy and HAPPY NEW YEAR – much health, happiness and love to all of you!
Together, we can make the world a more positive one!
CANADA LOVES DIRTY ENERGY
Canada has much to be proud of, here are some of things we can be proud of:
- CN Tower name one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Modern World’ by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
- Discovery of insulin for the treatment of diabetes by Frederick Banting and Charles Best of Toronto, 1922. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1923.
- Development of Pablum in 1930: three doctors from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, developed the infant food as a way to prevent and treat rickets in children.
- Safer Stem Cells: researcher, Andras Nagy, found a way to safely generate stem cells from adult human skill cells, opening the possibility in the future of using a patients own cells to reverse damage caused by disease, injury, aging or genetics and cure diseases whose treatment costs the Canadian health-care system billions of dollars a year.
- Universal health care.
- Gay marriage.
- Home to some of the most-successful musicians of all-time such as; Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Joni Mitchell, Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain, Rush, Drake. Shania Twain has the most successful (and best-selling) album by a female artist of all-time.
- Dr. Roberta Bondar, Canada’s first woman in space and first neurologist in space.
- Terry Fox – Marathon of Hope.
- Rocky Mountains and other beautiful and natural landscapes.
With so much to be proud of – how can Canada recently rank last in environmental protection? A recent Globe and Mail article, written by Paul Waldie and citing the Washington-based Center for Global Development, indicated the following:
The Washington-based Center for Global Development assesses 27 wealthy nations annually on their commitment to seven areas that impact the world’s poor. Canada came 13th in this year’s survey. Denmark led the list, followed by Sweden and Norway, with Japan and South Korea at the bottom.
Canada dropped from 12th place last year and did far worse in the environmental protection category, where it ranked 27th. Every other country made progress in this area except Canada, the centre said in a report on the rankings.
Here is a link to the complete Globe and Mail article http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canada-dead-last-in-oecd-ranking-for-environmental-protection/article15484134/ and link to the survey that the Center for Global Development completed http://www.cgdev.org/initiative/commitment-development-index/index
What can we expect from a country who withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol, the world’s only treaty governing the emissions of heat-trapping gasses. Could this be because our Prime Minister is a big supporter of BIG OIL, the Keystone Pipeline and the horrible environmental ‘eyesore’ that is the Alberta Tar Sands? Quite possibly, after all the tar sands is located in his home province of Alberta.
I was under the impression that world governments worked for the people, the greater good of their country and the planet. When I hear of studies indicating that – Canada, as a wealthy nation is moving backwards, it completely deflated any respect and hope I have for our democratic system. Why is our government not listening to the countless scientists that are saying we are at a very critical stage in the planets history. Is it because our government(s) are trying to silence the scientific community? Judge for yourself:
http://sciencewriters.ca/initiatives/muzzling_canadian_federal_scientists/
http://www.frankejames.com/canadian-government-tries-to-silence-franke-james/
The above links is clear evidence that our government does not have the best interests of its citizens but the interests of big corporations and big oil. If people do not become engaged or involved in government policies – then they can expect more of their civil liberties and freedoms to be taken away from them. What can you do? Talk to your friends and inform and educate yourself as to what is happening. Write to your Member of Parliament and insist that you will not vote for them should they continue to disregard what the people want. Write, blog, share information that is sent to you about the lack of action that our/any government has on the important issues, such as; the environment, automation of jobs, lack of jobs, health care and education. The government should not be in business to ensure their laws protect those who are breaking laws, polluting our planet and making profits on the backs of the poor and middle-class.
When the Center for Global Development publishes their report next year – will we have improved? Probably not. Why – because our government will continue to support BIG CORPORATIONS and DIRTY OIL. We need new faces in politics – people who are not motivated by power, money or greed but motivated by their convictions to reach positive resolutions for the planet and its inhabitants. If we elected people who are motivated by their convictions for positive change, we could make a dent in climate change, CO2 emissions, unemployment, human rights issues, poverty, starvation, crime, financial inequality and violence perpetuated by war.
COALITION OF POSITIVE ENERGY 