Good morning!

Canada’s wildfires have smashed another record. Alberta put its renewable energy approvals on hold. And a First Nations leader is celebrating new efforts to protect the globe’s largest remaining coastal temperate rainforest.

Last week, I put out a call for ways to stay grounded as the climate crisis unfolds around us. I was aiming to share a few thoughtful responses I got this week — both from readers in our CNO community and some of my colleagues in the newsroom — but ran out of time to pull everything together. I promise to have a souped-up version of this newsletter for you next week with all the great ideas you shared!

In the meantime, the CNO team has been hard at work this week digging into climate progress in the East, ships colliding with whales in the West and why some pension plan members want an Imperial Oil exec off their board. Check out all our biggest stories of the week below.

Have a great long weekend and stay safe!

— Dana Filek-Gibson

Top CNO reads

Justin Trudeau’s approach to housing could get him evicted. When young Canadians are practically begging for a shock-and-awe strategy, columnist Max Fawcett asks, why are the Trudeau Liberals giving them shrug-and-blah instead?

“I couldn't get important questions answered.” Bruce Lanphear was co-chair of a federal committee meant to give advice on Canada's pesticide regulations. In June, he resigned over the agency’s lack of transparency. He tells Marc Fawcett-Atkinson what led to his decision to leave.

Whales are being hit by ships in northern B.C. Three collisions were reported over a 10-day period last month, worrying research groups that want better communication when whales are hit, Rochelle Baker reports.

Danielle Smith opens a new front in her war against renewables. When it comes to energy policy in Alberta, there’s no hypocrisy too big or too obvious to keep the UCP from rigging things in favour of the oil and gas industry, writes columnist Max Fawcett.

Nova Scotia’s progress report on climate change is missing a key update. As the province reels from deadly floods, one local environmentalist points out the report failed to touch on a coastal protection law designed to help Nova Scotians adapt to the growing impacts of climate change, Cloe Logan reports.

A B.C. contractor pleads guilty to dumping wastewater as the Site C megaproject marks a milestone. Peace River Hydro Partners must pay a fine of $1.1 million over the incident and will have its name added to the environmental offenders registry, Natasha Bulowski reports.