The Cohen Inquiry into the disappearing Fraser River Sockeye Salmon took 18 months, cost $26 million, heard from 179 witnesses and came up with 75 recommendations, all of which have been ignored by the Canadian Conservative Government.
Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer believes that water-shortage issues will dominate Canada/US relations in the next 5 years and that these “water wars” will make the present Pipeline debates seem trivial.
A Judge has overruled Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea’s decision to open the Vancouver Island Herring fishery after hearing that Shea refused to listen to the recommendations of the scientists in her own department to keep the fishing closed to protect the threatened species.
The Canadian Conservative Environment Minister and Fisheries Minister were chastised by the courts for breaking the law by failing to enforce the “Species at Risk Act” and missing statutory deadlines by up to 6 years.
A massive road construction project in Iceland was halted as locals protested that it was disrupting an important elf church. Meanwhile in Canada, Harper seems determined to push through approval of the Enbridge Pipeline despite many real environmental concerns.
“I assume the Penguin Plunge will be a spectator sport this year!” Travellers on a Russian research ship stuck in ice at Antarctica since Christmas Eve will have to wait at least until New Year’s Day for rescue.