Ottawa Insider

Natasha Bulowski reports from Ottawa with a slant on how federal policy is impacting British Columbians.

Canada's National Observer is a proud participant of the Local Journalism Initiative, which supports the creation of original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada.

808 Articles

The unfinished business of preparing Canada’s power grids for extreme weather

The climate resiliency of electricity grids across North America is coming under closer examination following a winter storm in the United States that has killed dozens and left millions of others in the freezing cold.

Carl Meyer

February 22nd 2021

Texas disaster shows need for climate audits of power grids, experts say

“The broader lesson for Canada is that (climate) adaptation is now front and centre. And that’s not a lesson just for the power sector, it’s a lesson for all infrastructure, whether it be roads, sewers, flood prevention."

Carl Meyer

February 19th 2021

Canadian companies’ watchdog still unable to take complaints about human rights abuses abroad

The Canada Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) was supposed to launch its Compliance and Dispute Resolution Mechanism in November, but it was delayed because CORE extended the consultation period relating to its operating procedures to early December.

Yasmine Ghania

February 17th 2021

Canadian lawyers urged to pursue ‘climate leadership’ in their practice

Lawyers for Climate Justice believe their colleagues should consider taking on pro bono work where they can help with efforts to cut carbon pollution.

Race Against Climate Change

Carl Meyer

February 17th 2021

A public database of global fossil fuel reserves is coming soon

The “Global Registry of Fossil Fuels” would fill a major gap in public knowledge, where only expensive or proprietary databases on fossil fuel reserves have existed before, or ones that are not detailed enough or are designed for industry use.

Race Against Climate Change

Carl Meyer

February 16th 2021

Independent scrutiny helps get to best climate answers, U.K. expert says

Mike Thompson, chief economist and director of analysis for the U.K.'s Climate Change Committee, says, "It’s pretty clear that once you set these targets, this is not about tomorrow’s problem, this is today’s problem."

Race Against Climate Change

Carl Meyer

February 12th 2021

Nature Canada calls on Trudeau and Biden to tackle climate change, species collapse

Nature Canada wants the two administrations to hone in on nature-based climate solution investments and the conservation of landscapes and seascapes, with a particular focus on Indigenous-led conservation.

Race Against Climate Change

Yasmine Ghania

February 11th 2021

Trans Mountain says it had safety in mind when it removed peaceful pipeline protest site

Simon Fraser University professor Tim Takaro is set to have challenge of pipeline company's injunction order heard in court on March 3.

Trans Mountain

Carl Meyer

February 11th 2021

Physician challenges Trans Mountain pipeline in court after protest site demolished

Tim Takaro, a 63-year-old health sciences professor, says he is choosing civil disobedience because his professional code of conduct requires that he protect the health of Canadians.

Trans Mountain

Carl Meyer

February 10th 2021

Canadians want plastics ban expanded, poll finds

Abacus Data polled 1,500 people, a majority of whom want the list of banned plastics to include other commonly littered plastics products: hot and cold drink cups, cigarette filters, and all forms of polystyrene.

Race Against Climate Change

Yasmine Ghania

February 10th 2021

Senators, human rights groups urge feds to renew Rohingya aid in wake of Myanmar coup

Senators, city councillors, academics and human rights groups who fear Myanmar’s military takeover puts the Rohingya people at greater risk are calling on the federal government to renew the financial aid granted to the ethnic minority that's set to expire next month.

Yasmine Ghania

February 9th 2021

The new green paper sector doesn't need trees

“This concept that we’ve had about things being waste, and no longer of any use, is completely artificial," says the founder and executive director of Vancouver non-profit Canopy.

Carl Meyer

February 9th 2021

Conservatives work to lay Michigan’s Line 5 pipeline dispute at Trudeau’s feet

Federal Green Party Leader Annamie Paul says rhetoric portrays “false choice” between jobs and environment.

Carl Meyer

February 5th 2021

Clearview AI engaged in illegal ‘mass surveillance’ of Canadians, probe finds

The exact number of images of Canadians that were sucked into Clearview’s database is unknown, the commissioners said, but it is a “relative certainty” that it numbered in the millions.

Carl Meyer

February 4th 2021

Cybersecurity experts want more transparency as Amazon government data requests soar

The department of Public Safety did not respond to Canada’s National Observer's request for comment on whether the government demanded users’ data from the company. However, cybersecurity experts see a flaw in Canada's privacy laws that goes beyond Amazon.

Yasmine Ghania

February 3rd 2021