The 100th International Women's Day
On this, the 100th anniversary of the first International Women’s Day, we want to thank the many brave and principled women and men who made it possible for women like us to practice the learned professions. It is sometimes hard to remember how rare this is in human history, how recent…
View the post titled The 100th International Women's DayHanna, wind and Statements of Environmental Values
In Hanna v. MOE, what did the Decisional Court decide about the legal status of the Ministry of the Environment Statement of Environmental Values? Not much, in my opinion.
View the post titled Hanna, wind and Statements of Environmental ValuesBitter drinks change moral judgments?
Environmentalists often insist that “everything is connected”. But it’s still slightly depressing how much external and theoretically irrelevant factors influence decision-making. Presumably including government and judicial decision-making. For example, those who drink bit…
View the post titled Bitter drinks change moral judgments?Divisional Court rejects Hanna anti- wind application today
The Divisional Court has strongly rejected Ian Hanna’s attack on renewable energy approvals for wind turbines. Hanna objected to the 550 metre setback requirement, proposing that turbines should only be sited in remote locations. He claimed this was required by the MoE Statement of Env…
View the post titled Divisional Court rejects Hanna anti- wind application todayIs Flyrock really a pollution discharge?
The Ministry of the Environment has prosecuted and convicted an Ontario company for failing to report a “discharge” when fly rock flew out of a construction site and damaged a house. Castonguay Blasting was following all proper precautions when the blast occurred, and immediately…
View the post titled Is Flyrock really a pollution discharge?Dumping construction waste: $150,000 fine
Willy’s Roll-Off Ltd., 1092066 Ontario Inc., Willis and Susan McKeown and Percy Pyper Ltd. pled guilty in February to impairing water quality, establishing a waste disposal site without approval, and failing to transport waste only to an approved site. They were fined a total of $150,000 plu…
View the post titled Dumping construction waste: $150,000 fineDrinking water standards getting a little tighter
Health Canada has released its new Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, prepared by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water (CDW).[1] This replaces the existing 1996 edition. Bottom line: the numbers are a little stricter than 15 years ago.
View the post titled Drinking water standards getting a little tighterLong ago and far away? Oil company liability
Chevron is not the only US oil company facing blockbuster claims for damages from South American indigenous groups, due to past environmental damage apparently sanctioned by their governments. The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to allow 25 Peruvian plaintiffs to sue Occidental …
View the post titled Long ago and far away? Oil company liabilityThe Agent Orange story keeps growing
We are closely watching the growing story about Agent Orange use in Ontario, and the possible toll it may be taking on affected workers. Mutagenic pesticides like Agent Orange can take decades to make people sick. And when a 60 or 70 year old gets cancer, it can be fiendishly hard to know wh…
View the post titled The Agent Orange story keeps growingBanning shark fin soup
The high status and traditional importance of shark fin soup in Chinese and related cultures is causing world wide devastation of these keystone predators. After 400 million years of playing a key role in the world’s oceans, sharks could now be wiped out in a generation. Shark finning …
View the post titled Banning shark fin soupReceive Blog Posts
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