Should Canada lose the UK monarchy?

The death of Queen Elizabeth has prompted The Tyee's 'quick quiz' poll asking if we think Canada should cut ties with the monarchy - @ this link:

https://thetyee.ca/Polls/2022/09/08/Canada-Cut-Ties-Monarchy/?results=true#poll-results

Here's my - kinda lengthy! - (optional) comment explaining why we must CUT THE CORD🤞 (esp. now that Charles the adulterer & his 'queen' are in)

Consider the following truths, which flowed from the gut - & the heart - because keeping well-informed is as essential to me now as breathing..

Canada's govts all talk about 'Reconciliation' without owning the genocidal atrocities VS. 1st Nations people by colonisation - carried out "by the Queen's men". 

Decolonization & honoring U.N.D.R.I.P. are ways to properly "reconcile" with FNs -- by addressing not just burying/ denouncing early colonial Govts' widespread land grabs (= why FN kids were forcibly removed from their families/ homes & put into jail-like residential schools that condemned & replaced their ancestral FN oral histories/ truths with Govts' false narratives of 'valid' control..) 

White 'settlers' were the main beneficiaries of colonial Govts' land-grabs/ power theft, while FNs were victimized & vilified, & corralled into Govt-ordered 'reservations'. Unlike other provinces, BC's founding officials didn't bother signing treaties for unceded FN land - they just appropriated & began enriching themselves by their unsustainable development/ extraction.. 

Colonial Govt-ordered apartheid/ oppression/ segregation of residential schools & reservations produced new generations of compliant Anglicized FN who returned as foreigners to their families, stripped of their elders' culture/ knowledge/ language/ traditions.. 

Many other FN kids were adopted by WASP families in an underhanded process that confirmed Govts' total disdain for indigenous rights - eg. the '60s scoop', info on which most non-indigenous citizens - & possibly many FN - are woefully ignorant.. 

Fast-forward to today & the past few years of Govt-claimed Reconciliation: 

●While backing assimilated pro-logging, pro-industry FN bands, the BC-NDP has steadfastly ignored legit opposition by hereditary FN leaders (jurisdiction holders of vast territories outside of bands, affirmed by the Supreme Court) to industrial mega-projects like CGL pipeline built thru their lands without consent; 

●Govt's automatic response to rightful FN protection of their own lands VS. CGL's many ongoing violations (reported on BC Govt's website: LOOK IT UP & be appalled!) has been to send in RCMP troops in military gear to suppress their eco-activist-backed peaceful protests - by all accounts, the same-old ugly harassment, intimidation & violence as b4.. despite BC-NDP's adoption of U.N.D.R.I.P. into BC law.. 

(It's to hereditary FNs' credit that they've resisted cont'd colonial oppression/ victimization & kept their cultural values, to inspire 'land protectors' of all stripes fighting for healthy communities & ecosystems against all odds: RESPECT)

 Point is, our Govts (& main 3 political parties) have been hypocrites & liars favoring polluting big-industry/ globalization over interests of citizens & communities for too long.. & still push ecocidal, risky & polluting projects on Crown land - in which the Queen has never intervened or shown concern. Clearly, they don't care about Cdns - & it shows. That's unacceptable in 2022! 

Yet when elected, officials pledge allegiance to the Queen instead of to serving their constituents, giving Govts even more of an excuse to work for corporations & not people. A true democracy is governed by its people - not answerable to a distant uninterested monarchy or any other entity.. 

Canada must be the only British colony that hasn't requested independence from the Crown!  And that's a sad reflection of Cdns' apathy/ complacency - of which our govts have taken enough advantage (ie. Screwed us over repeatedly!) 

We have never been so desperate as now to have the Greens - with or without a distant monarchy - lead Canada toward a better, healthier & happier destiny for everyone - but esp. for our kids & future generations...

(Let that sink in)

FOREST BIOMASS: Letter to Govt.

Stand.earth has numerous opportunities to TAKE ACTION on Climate change, which I urge everyone to do now - including their key campaign against the unsustainable destruction of our primary forests for export as pellets that are burned as fuel, called FOREST BIOMASS..

Forest Biomass is an ecocidal & polluting cycle that Trudeau's Liberal Govt. claims is a "Carbon-neutral climate solution" -- another blatant LIE that perpetuates rising emissions & the catastrophic loss of our non-renewable Old-growth forests by irresponsible corps like UK's DRAX INC.

I've written the following letter via this Stand.earth link:

FOREST BIOMASS IS A FALSE CLIMATE SOLUTION - click to add your own letter!  All letters written on this Stand.earth page are sent to:

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson (Liberal Party of Canada) & The Honourable Steven Guilbeault (Liberal Party of Canada)

Subject:  FOREST BIOMASS is noT sustainable! 

Dear Ministers,

The evidence exposed by Stand.earth is shockingly clear:  our primary forests are being logged to produce wood pellets for global export, to burn for fuel.

Burning forests for fuel is FAR from a "climate-friendly solution" to the fossil fuel economy, & its claims of carbon neutrality have been SCIENTIFICALLY DISPROVEN AROUND THE WORLD.

Industrial use of forest biomass is at odds with national & global carbon emissions reductions goals for a livable planet. 

We deserve true investments in clean energy, & climate protection that does not mechanize away union jobs & devalue/ disrespect our important forest ecosystems!

The time to move away from high-GHG, polluting energy production is NOW, by meaningful consultation with [hereditary] indigenous leaders & scientists -- NOT by pandering to fossil fuels/ logging firms whose historical contribution to Climate change is utterly defeating- & damning. 

We need climate solutions that prioritize healthy ecosystems & local production, to safeguard aLL Canadians' future wellbeing.  It can be done.. but only if you cut Govt's ties to corrupt industry lobbyists & dictatorships like Brazil.

We're watching you closely, because so far you've only failed Canadians on key Climate action:  & that's unacceptable!

Thank you,

Sarah M. Chesterman 

Please STOP SPRAYING OUR FORESTS!

(Updated Sept '22 - see bottom of pg)

Email now: stop the chemical herbicide spray in forests across southern B.C. (stand.earth)

Org's like StopTheSprayBC have been opposing the unethical spraying of forests by BC Timber for the purpose of killing fire-resistant broadleaf shrubs/ trees that jeopardize ecosystem/ wildlife health for years if not decades:  It's GOT TO STOP!!

For more information, Stand.earth have provided these links on their letter-writing page, for review / add more details to your submission:

• Angelina Hopkins Rose from the St̓át̓imc Nation’s letter template
• Stop the Spray BC press release
• Stand.earth statement

Here's my letter, which Stand.earth will send to key decision-makers, including Premier Horgan & Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy:

To whom it may concern,

I am appalled that the province has not fulfilled its responsibility to adequately engage Indigenous Nations & the public at large RE. Pest Management Plan 18597-40/2022-27 proposed by BCTS for the Sea to Sky & Chilliwack Natural Resource Districts on unceded Stó:lō, St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh territories.

"Given the complexity & potential severity of these issues, 30 days is simply not enough time for members of our communities to be adequately engaged & provide feedback." - Excerpt from the letter written by Angelina Hopkins Rose, St̓át̓imc First Nations member

Glyphosate, currently under federal review, is an especially controversial chemical herbicide that is the subject of ongoing lawsuits for potential cancer links.

The potential impacts of this plan are immense & likely to jeopardize local food & medicine sources for Indigenous communities, as well as all wilderness areas:

"The broad-leaf plant species that BC Timber Sales proposes to target with glyphosate, triclopyr & Formula 40 include salmonberry, huckleberry, thimbleberry, elderberry, salal, red raspberry, blueberry, mushrooms, Indian Hellebore, Devil’s club, fireweed.. These are all culturally significant plants & medicines that local Indigenous peoples have harvested & relied upon for thousands of years. Targeting these native plants will have serious negative impacts on local Indigenous peoples, local wildlife, & wild salmon." - Excerpt from the letter written by Angelina Hopkins Rose, St̓át̓imc First Nations member

The protection & recovery of forests, including fire & drought-resistant species like broadleaf trees, must be an integral part of any strategy to mitigate climate change impacts.

The B.C. NDP government has pledged to undertake a “paradigm shift” for forest management, specifically to value ecological & community values above timber values. The continued spraying of chemicals, especially without due public dialogue or transparency, is the very antithesis to this commitment.

Signed,

Sarah (Saz) Chesterman

Update Sept. 20th:  important FB post by the knowledgeable Taryn Skalbania:

Taryn Skalbania

17 h  · 

Did you sign this yet? https://www.intotheweedsimpact.com/...

INTOTHEWEEDSIMPACT.COM

Into the Weeds Impact - Home

Official film site for Into the Weeds and information about the ban against glyphosate

Help save BC bears: Protect bear dens!

Through Sierra Club BC's important campaign to save our bears by calling for long-overdue protection of their essential Old-growth dens for winter hibernation,  I wrote this letter [cc'd to relevant Govt. ministers/ decision-makers] using SC's tools -- & you can too, at this link:  

Call on B.C. to enact legal protection for bear dens - Sierra Club BC

[MY LETTER:]

As a born-&-raised BCer, I'm extremely disturbed about the ongoing destruction of bear dens across the province.

A century of old-growth logging has dramatically reduced the number of bear dens across B.C.  Bears desperately need our help -- as does all biodiversity -- while these CRIMES of Clearcutting &  Old-growth logging continue!!

Bear dens are nurseries – safe places to give birth & survive the winter.  Logging these sanctuaries puts the lives of bears & the many beings who depend on them at risk. 

The fact that we still have no province-wide legal protection for bear dens is a shocking policy gap that should have been resolved years ago -- & aligns with the Together for Wildlife strategy implementation work currently underway.  (So you say - but why should we believe you?) 

In 2020, Premier Horgan promised to implement all recommendations made by the Old Growth Review Panel, including to “declare conservation of ecosystem health & biodiversity of BC’s forests as an overarching priority, & enact legislation that legally establishes this priority for all sectors.” 

Protecting bear dens is a small step the B.C. government can take immediately to catch up on the promised paradigm shift in forest stewardship.  It's simply critical that this is done NOW, in time for the coming denning season. 

Everyone can agree that protecting bears’ homes is necessary for their long-term wellbeing.  So please -- download & implement this applicable Sierra-Club BC report today:

https://sierraclub.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/ELC-Report-on-Protecting-Bear-Dens-2022.pdf. 

Thank you very much. 

BC's CLimate iNaCTion wiLL BURN us aLL..

Half-baked plans won’t cut it in a #ClimateEmergency! Pls. join me in using #SierraClubBC's letter-writing tool to tell #bcndp that BC desperately needs effective actions to combat #ClimateChange B4 deadly effects worsen.. Click link:

Tell your MLA we need a full climate plan for B.C.! - Sierra Club BC

My (edited) letter using the tool:

Dear [Premier Horgan, Mr. Heyman],

I am writing to you today to express my dismay at the BC Government’s woeful lack of action to combat Climate change, "the Challenge of our times" according to experts, leading financial institutions & the scientific community at large.

Therefore I strongly support Sierra Club BC's Ecojustice-backed legal action against the BC Govt for failing to devise & implement legislation to achieve the targets set out in its own Climate change plan.  And I'm calling on your help to ensure Premier Horgan moves quickly to protect us from worsening Climate risks.  

With the increased frequency of deadly Climate events like floods, landslides & wildfires, anything less than a plan without blind spots & loopholes is unacceptable.  Govt's 2021 report on the Climate Change Accountability Act falls short by failing to include a plan for 2025, 2040 & 2050 targets -- & by omitting plans to cut GHG pollution from the O&G sector.  

The latter is a real worry, due to BC Govt's ongoing support for fracked gas/ LNG projects.  Also missing is the C02 footprint of BC Forestry, which continues to deplete our critically key -- globally rare -- C02 sinks/ wildlife habitats at an unsustainable rate. 

Without addressing these top risks, we have no reason to trust our Govt is serious about taking action to combat dangerous -- increasing -- Climate.catastrophes.

BC brags about being a "Climate leader", yet continues to emit more [cumulative] C02/GHG pollution as Climate effects batter our province.

How many more deadly “atmospheric rivers"/ "heat domes" will it take for the Govt to realize that claims about "bold Climate action" without implementation is an abrogation of its basic duty to keep all BCers safe in an emergency? Claims that "BC's Climate plan is the best in North America" -- if even true -- mean NOTHING without actual emissions reductions.  ESP. if our emissions counts exclude the very industries that continue to make BC a significant material contributor to Climate change!!?

IPCC scientists have warned Canada -- & specifically BC -- are failing by continuing to invest in GROWING Climate-wrecking, ecocidal industries like LNG & Tar Sands pipelines (fossil fuels) & logging.. as well as rewarding them with tax breaks that belong to renewable, sustainable new operations.  Such clear neglect of public duty (Govt malfeasance) -- aided by an equally ethics-light MSM -- keeps Cdns misinformed in endless loops of Govt 'announcements'/ 'decisions'/ 'goals' etc. --> momentary public appeasement/ distraction/ doubt --> exposure of Govt corruption/ inaction/ ineptitude--> helpless hand-wringing at yet another after-the-fact done deal turned deadly resulting from Govt's undying (inexplicable & inexcusable) loyalty to corporate/ industrial status-quo profiteering at BCers' expense, eg. Deadly fires/ mining disasters/ Salmon & Species-At-Risk die-off/ Watershed contamination --> Deafening Govt silence over their utter dearth of trust-buildibg action/ fines --> Public despair --> Back to more Govt plans/ platitudes (& still no actual progress bringing us a Just Transition!!?)

The Green party -- STILL -- provide the only voice of reason, responsibility & sound solutions -- studiously ignored by the vastly inferior duds in office.. (whether Liberal, NDP or -- god help us -- Cons)

Canada's outsize contributions to Climate change NEED to be exposed & curtailed -- INCLUDING exported GHGs via shipped Coal, LNG & pipelined TarSands oil.. as well as raw logs from our criminally CLEARCUT FORESTS -- sold to foreign corps for unsustainable uses, which further lock in global rising GHGs..

Anything less than proactive legislation that restores healthy ecosystems & forests, & works at meeting Paris-Agreement targets in every sector, is bound to fail:  Science says so, & Science doesn't lie..

The stakes couldn't be higher for ensuring a livable & prosperous future for all BCers! 

I expect you, my elected representative, & the B.C. Govt to take this emergency to heart & UPGRADE -- IE. implement effective Science-led Climate actions NOW

Thank you very much, 

Sarah (Saz) Chesterman

CC: Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman and Premier John Horgan.

Spotted owl, endangered & unprotected native of BC

& here's my comment on this relevant article at Falcon calls B.C. NDP economic plan ‘propaganda document’ – Nelson Star

Saz Sarah Chesterman

The fact that BC recently emerged -- not unscathed-- from 2 consecutive climate-brought calamities (last summer's extreme heat-dome that directly claimed 60 deaths + 1,000s of hectares of wildfires accelerated by rampant dried-out clearcuts; AND Nov's catastrophic floods/ landslides that crippled our key agriculture industry) would be #1 URGENT priority in a budget drawn by Greens, the only BC party with the brains, guts, heart & science-backed souL needed to tackle this overriding 'Challenge of our Time' that's hit BC -- smack on schedule, as shown by every scientific study of the last 30+ yrs (which inform the Greens' initiatives..)

ALAS-! My fellow BCers have glibly -- infuriatingly -- decided 'en masse' that we don't DESERVE Greens' carefully-considered, in-depth expertise.. & so by default, THIS 'LACK OF' [EVERYTHING WE NEED TO SUCCEED] is what we get -- in a majority, no less. AGAIN. Only now, it's heating up 4ReaL.. & we need to GET THINGS RIGHT to make any inroads at all reversing these unlivable extremes-!?

BCers' profound ignorance of all but what they read/see on #MSM isn't helping, as unfortch Premier Horgan's BC-NDP is failing hard at every turn -- this budget included++ -- but confidently claims/ looks otherwise: HOW do the majority of BCers NOT SEE THRU this Govt's double-speak, promising all kinds of high-sounding Climate ACTIONS but delivering only more inaction & ineptitude?

EG. Agreeing with scientists in words is 1 thing -- saying THIS should alert most peops we've psychopaths in Govt:
"Science shows fossil fuels burning/ use is a major driver of climate change.. but we're going forward on/ funding massive NEW clean [= dirty: LNG isn'T clean OR renewable!!?] energy 'projects' like LNG/ TMX to RAISE REVENUE FOR THE 'JUST TRANSITION' WE'RE PLANNING FOR.." 

WHEN? 2030?? 2050??? That's too late - esp after locking ourselves & all Earthlings into polluting fossil fuels for another decade or 2!!??

THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION -- it's trying to quit smoking using cigarettes, & BCers' ever-compliant silence at these constant Govt INSULTS [implying our weak-&-easy acquiescence of same-old junk/ inaction] means MORE & WORSE CLIMATE CRISES are coming -- & even scarier, our Govts don't CARE they're leading us like lemmings off the cliff -- rather than improving our prospects for success!!?

At this late hour, only the latter will do - the rest simply deserves NO CONFIDENCE in this Govt's ability to lead us into an ACTUAL 'JUST TRANSITION' (starting with protecting all our intact OldGrowth forests from being clearcut, as our last & only C02-sinking saviours -- our 'Lungs of the North' which BC govts from day 1 have permitted the wholesale destruction thereof)

It's clear this govt has no interest in protecting our best interests or the natural features that make BC 'Beautiful':  we're losing the crucial fight of our lives -- & only the Greens have what it takes to lead us into actual, measurable, real-life success.