Wonder about where the coverage is on Bill C-11?

Me, too.

SOPA + PIPA may be dead — or shelved — but Bill C-11 is alive and well and set to pass ASAP in 2012.

The Harper government approach to copyright is copy-wrong!

Remember Maria Aragon?

Bill C-10 will also make covers like Maria Aragon‘s illegal…

You can say “NO!” to Bill C-11!

Email your MP. Email the PM.

Say something — anything — via Twitter, Facebook, etc. against Bill C-11!

Say “NO!” to Bill C-11 now!

Visit Michael Geist’s website [ michaelgeist.ca ] for more information.

I’m the Prime Minister I am,
The Prime Minister I am, I am,
I have a strong, stable, national Conservative majority government;
Do as I say and not as I do.
You voted for me and not a platform,
And Canadian values are conservative values.
I’m the Prime Minister,
the Prime Minister I am!

Second verse, same as the first!

The 1st session of the 41st Parliament resumed today.

*cue more of the same*

This is what a strong, stable, national Conservative majority government means: NO CONSULTATION. NO COOPERATION. NO COMPROMISE.

Federalism will not survive under Stephen Harper.

*end rant*

Why NO SOPA?

In case you missed it, somecanuckchick dot com went dark — along with thousands of others — on January 18, 2012 to protest SOPA and PIPA.

I believe that SOPA and PIPA would have reached beyond the borders of the United States of America and required internet service providers [ISPs] to take down any website [Canadian, or otherwise!] accused of posting, or linking to, copyrighted content.

I also believe that SOPA and PIPA would have had privacy implications for Canadians, with ISPs performing law enforcement functions that involve invading the privacy of Canadian internet users and Canadian website visitors.

SOPA and PIPA have since been shelved.

Canadian internet users, however, are still under threat from the Harper government, formerly known as the Government of Canada.

Remember Stephen Harper’s lawful access legislation?

Do you think any amount of protest (with a majority in the House of Commons and a majority in the Senate!) will be able to stop the Harper government from ramming through its lawful access legislation?

The same lawful access legislation which featured new information disclosure requirements for ISPs, mandated surveillance technology installation, the creation of new police powers, etc., etc., etc.

FYI the Harper government’s lawful access legislation has many of the same disturbing elements of SOPA and PIPA…

What can Canadians do while waiting for the Harper government to re-introduce its lawful access legislation?

Visit Michael Geist’s website: michaelgeist.ca

And, check out [Un]lawful Access!

After all, it has been approximately 240 days since Bob Rae became the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada… and the Liberals are up in the polls.

Coincidence?

Liberal Party of Canada delegates also elected Maryanne Kampouris as National Policy Chair.

Congratulations!

Just out of curiosity, when will Ethical Oil release its donor list?

FYI, oil and gas pipeline incidents and accidents are a regular occurrence in Canada.

The majority are classified as minor, discharging less than 10 litres and are generally contained without directly impacting the environment.

Since 2010, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada has logged more than 100 different oil and gas pipeline incidents and accidents.

Of course, the goal of the oil and gas industry is to have zero incidents and accidents.

There is an obvious lack of [provincial and federal] environmental, as well as health and safety legislation and regulations that protect the health and safety of all Canadians — Canadian workers and residents of Canada along any of the oil and gas pipelines across Canada.

Enbridge and TransCanada have been involved in nearly three quarters of the reported incidents and accidents, including more than 20 incidents during just the first phase of the Keystone Pipeline — a TransCanada project.

Last year, the Rainbow Pipeline leaked 28,000 barrels (4.5 million litres) of crude oil.

Didn’t hear about the Rainbow Pipeline leak? I’m not surprised…

What we need to focus on now, however, is what have we learned from the Rainbow Pipeline?

We have learned that we are not prepared.

We need comprehensive and strong [provincial and federal] legislation and regulations to cover the following:

• Integrity     READ: Aging Infrastructure — more than half of these oil and gas pipelines are more than 20 years old and there are some oil and gas pipelines that are even more than 40 years old, READ: Maintenance Required. Or, these aging oil and gas pipelines will remain an incident or accident just waiting to happen.
• Transparency     READ: Message Management — when a pipeline incident or accident occurs, oil and gas companies in Canada need to be less concerned with corporate reputation, investor confidence and public relations and more concerned with the incident or accident clean-up details, environmental impact, as well as health and safety information.
• Accountability     READ: Accepting Responsibility — oil and gas companies often do not pay 100% of the costs associated with a pipeline incident or accident; in fact, insurance, READ: the Canadian taxpayers, often are on the hook for a significant amount of the repairs or clean-up expenditures.

P.S. The Harper government is not going to put legislation forth to protect the environment or Canadians.

P.P.S. The Harper government is all about de-regulation, at the expense of much and many.

As of December 2, 2011, there have been no updates made to the Plains Midstream Canada web site. [ Web Updates ]

The largest Alberta pipeline discharge in 36 years is not even a blip on the radar of Mainstream Media’s year-end round-up of stories filed over the course of 2011.

Plains Midstream Canada has scheduled its next update for January 6, 2012. [ Web Updates ]
 
 
 
View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline

View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline (Continued)

View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — Three Months Later…

View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — Six Months Later…
 
 
 
          NOTICE:
 
 
          THERE WAS NO
 
          NATIONAL COVERAGE
 
          OF THE 8 MONTH ANNIVERSARY  
 
          OF THE RAINBOW PIPELINE LEAK.
 
 
          I wonder why…

 
 
 
FYI:

• The Rainbow Pipeline was built in 1965 and runs from Zama, Alberta to Edmonton, Alberta.
• In 2006, 7,500 barrels leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline; an investigation determined the causes were related to its age.
• Plains Midstream Canada purchased the Rainbow Pipeline from Imperial Oil in 2008.
• Plains Midstream Canada is a subsidiary of Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline, with pipelines and crude oil storage facilities throughout the Province of Alberta.
• Plains Midstream Canada says crack detection test conducted in January and April of 2011.

Initially, the Alberta media were told by Plains Midstream Canada that only a few hundred barrels of oil had leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline…

There was no national media coverage of the Rainbow Pipeline leak until after the 2011 Canadian federal election which was held on Monday, May 2.

On Tuesday, May 3, the rest of Canada learned that 28,000 barrels (4.5 million litres) of crude oil has spilled — making it the largest Alberta pipeline discharge in 36 years.
 
 
 
1 month later, Plains Midstream Canada said 42% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak.

2 months later, Plains Midstream Canada said 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak.

3 months later, Plains Midstream Canada said 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak.

6 months after the Rainbow Pipeline leaked 4.5 million litres of oil into the northern Alberta wilderness…

• Plains Midstream Canada fails to acknowledge the 6-month anniversary of the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada only provides weekly updates. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada indicates that the Rainbow Pipeline leak site will be considered 100% remediated, once the oil-contaminated soil has been removed. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada states that soil remediation is ongoing and that oil-contaminated soil continues to be dried and removed to approved waste disposal facilities and/or treated on-site. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada estimates the clean-up and soil remediation phase will take a total of 8 months to complete. [ Web Updates ]

 
 
 
View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline

View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline (Continued)

View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — Three Months Later…
 
 
 
          NOTICE:
 
 
          THERE WAS NO
 
          NATIONAL COVERAGE
 
          OF THE 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY  
 
          OF THE RAINBOW PIPELINE LEAK.
 
 
          I wonder why…

 
 
 
FYI:

• The Rainbow Pipeline was built in 1965 and runs from Zama, Alberta to Edmonton, Alberta.
• In 2006, 7,500 barrels leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline; an investigation determined the causes were related to its age.
• Plains Midstream Canada purchased the Rainbow Pipeline from Imperial Oil in 2008.
• Plains Midstream Canada is a subsidiary of Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline, with pipelines and crude oil storage facilities throughout the Province of Alberta.
• Plains Midstream Canada says crack detection test conducted in January and April of 2011.

Instead of scratching our heads wondering what kind of avaricious, bottom feeding, social pariah pays $500 to listen to Dick Cheney — an alleged war criminal — speak… *cough*

I encourage Canadians to write an email to Le Bon Mot Book Club — let them know that Dick Cheney is an alleged war criminal and you think less of them for inviting an alleged war criminal to Canada.

I encourage Canadians to write an email to The Vancouver Club — let them know that Dick Cheney is an alleged war criminal and you think less of them for hosting an event for an alleged war criminal in Canada.

I encourage Canadians to write an email to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Premier of British Columbia and/or the Mayor of Vancouver and Vancouver City Council.

Ask the Prime Minister of Canada why he let an alleged war criminal into Canada.

Ask the Premier of British Columbia why she let an alleged war criminal into Canada.

Ask the Mayor of Vancouver and Vancouver City Council why they let an alleged war criminal into Canada.

I also encourage Canadians to boycott and/or or write a letter or an email to the sponsors of tonight’s event, which include the likes of TD, KPMG, and The Globe and Mail.

April 19, 2010 — ”Watch the vote, I will smile at you. I miss you. Love, Bob.”

*cough*

Love, Bob?

I wonder what Bob Dechert’s wife, Ruth Clark, thinks about these flirtatious emails…

FYI:

• The Rainbow Pipeline was built in 1965 and runs from Zama, Alberta to Edmonton, Alberta.
• In 2006, 7,500 barrels leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline; an investigation determined the causes were related to its age.
• Plains Midstream Canada purchased the Rainbow Pipeline from Imperial Oil in 2008.
• On or about April 29, 2011, Plains Midstream Canada told the Alberta media that there had been a Rainbow pipeline leak, 100 km NE of Peace River, Alberta; Alberta media told by Plains Midstream Canada that “only a few hundred barrels of oil had leaked”.
• On May 3, 2011 — after the 2011 Canadian federal election — the Energy Resources Conservation Board, the provincial energy regulator, reported “28,000 barrels (4.5 million litres) of crude oil had leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline” — making it the largest Alberta pipeline discharge in 36 years.
• The Lubicon Cree First Nation residents of the nearby community of Little Buffalo report “headaches, nausea and burning eyes”, before Alberta media reports on Rainbow Pipeline leak.
• The Energy Resources Conservation Board denied the Rainbow Pipeline leak was making the Lubicon Cree First Nation residents of the nearby community of Little Buffalo sick.

Further reading:

• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline
• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline (Continued)
• Rainbow Pipeline Leak — 3 months Later…
• Plains Midstream Canada given final OK to restart Rainbow Pipeline
  

Almost 4 months after the largest Alberta pipeline discharge in 36 years, and less than 30 days after the Energy Resources Conservation Board says it received a formal request from Plains Midstream Canada to restart Rainbow Pipeline operations — and despite the fact that Plains Midstream Canada has only recovered 49% of the 4.5 million litres of oil from the Rainbow Pipeline leak and the fact that Plains Midstream Canada no longer provides web updates regarding the percentage that has been recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak site — the Energy Resources Conservation Board has given Plains Midstream Canada the final OK to restart the Rainbow Pipeline.

Based on its real name only policy, I cannot in good conscience continue to be a part of Google+.

What is Google+?

What are the Nymwars?

Should Google+ reverse its real name only policy, I will re-consider the deletion of my Google+ account, as well as my Google profile.

That is all.

Initially, the Alberta media were told by Plains Midstream Canada that only a few hundred barrels of oil had leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline…

There was no national media coverage of the Rainbow Pipeline leak until after the 2011 Canadian federal election which was held on Monday, May 2.

On Tuesday, May 3, the rest of Canada learned that 28,000 barrels (4.5 million litres) of crude oil has spilled — making it the largest Alberta pipeline discharge in 36 years.
 
 
 
1 month later, Plains Midstream Canada said 42% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak.

2 months later, Plains Midstream Canada said 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak.

3 months after the Rainbow Pipeline leaked 4.5 million litres of oil into the northern Alberta wilderness…

• Plains Midstream Canada acknowledges the anniversary of the Rainbow Pipeline leak.
• Plains Midstream Canada has recovered 49% of the 4.5 million litres of oil from the Rainbow Pipeline leak.
• Plains Midstream Canada says the problem is fixed and has applied to reopen the Rainbow Pipeline.
• On or about July 29, 2011, the Energy Resources Conservation Board says it received a formal request from Plains Midstream Canada to restart Rainbow Pipeline operations. [ Article ]
• As of August 3, 2011, Plains Midstream Canada is no longer providing the % of the 4.5 million litres of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]
• As of August 16, 2011, the Energy Resources Conservation Board has given Plains Midstream Canada conditional approval to re-open the Rainbow Pipeline. [ Article ]

 
 
 
View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline

View the Rainbow Pipeline Leak — A Timeline (Continued)
 
 
 
          NOTICE:
 
 

          THERE WAS NO
 
          NATIONAL COVERAGE
 
          OF THE 3 MONTH ANNIVERSARY  
 
          OF THE RAINBOW PIPELINE LEAK.
 
 
          I wonder why…

 
 
 
FYI:

• The Rainbow Pipeline was built in 1965 and runs from Zama, Alberta to Edmonton, Alberta.
• In 2006, 7,500 barrels leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline; an investigation determined the causes were related to its age.
• Plains Midstream Canada purchased the Rainbow Pipeline from Imperial Oil in 2008.
• Plains Midstream Canada is a subsidiary of Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline, with pipelines and crude oil storage facilities throughout the Province of Alberta.
• Plains Midstream Canada says crack detection test conducted in January and April of 2011.

• Plains Midstream Canada says 40% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says full-scale clean-up operations are scheduled to commence on Wednesday, May 25, 2011.

May 25

• Plains Midstream Canada says they have restarted a portion of the Rainbow Pipeline, 10 days after wildfires forced it to close. [ Article ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says 41% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

May 26

• Plains Midstream Canada says oil continues to be recovered from containment trenches along the perimeter of the Rainbow Pipeline leak site. 41% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

May 27

• Plains Midstream Canada says 42% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says that the next daily update will be issued Monday afternoon with a summary of progress over the weekend.

May 29

• Plains Midstream Canada has declined to provide daily updates over this weekend. [ Web Updates ]

 
 
          NOTICE:
 
 

          THERE HAS BEEN ZERO
 
 
          MILESTONE COVERAGE
 
 
          OF THE RAINBOW PIPELINE LEAK
 
 
          BY THE NATIONAL MEDIA.
 
 
          WHY?!?

 
 
 
May 30

• Plains Midstream Canada says 45% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

May 31

• Plains Midstream Canada still says only 45% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

June 1

• Plains Midstream Canada still says only 45% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

June 2 – June 3

• Plains Midstream Canada says 46% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

June 6 – June 9

• Plains Midstream Canada says 47% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

June 13 – June 16

• Plains Midstream Canada says 48% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

June 17 – June 23

• Clean-up operations remained scaled back due to weather-related safety concerns. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says 48% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

June 24 – June 30

• Clean-up operations remained scaled back due to weather-related safety concerns. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

July 4 – July 8

• Rainbow Pipeline leak site conditions continue to improve. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

July 11 – July 15

• Crews have focused their efforts on managing rainwater that has accumulated at the Rainbow Pipeline leak site, as well as monitoring water levels in the ponds and removing released fluid from containment trenches using vacuum trucks. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

July 18 – July 22

• Oil-impacted soil continues to be removed from the Rainbow Pipeline leak site for disposal at an approved waste disposal facility. Additional precautionary measures have been applied to all loads to prevent odours and mitigate community concerns. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

July 25 – July 29

• Plains Midstream Canada acknowledges the three month anniversary of the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]
• Plains Midstream Canada says 49% of oil recovered from the Rainbow Pipeline leak. [ Web Updates ]

 
 
 
FYI:

• The Rainbow Pipeline was built in 1965 and runs from Zama, Alberta to Edmonton, Alberta.
• In 2006, 7,500 barrels leaked from the Rainbow Pipeline; an investigation determined the causes were related to its age.
• Plains Midstream Canada purchased the Rainbow Pipeline from Imperial Oil in 2008.
• Plains Midstream Canada is a subsidiary of Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline, with pipelines and crude oil storage facilities throughout the Province of Alberta.
• Plains Midstream Canada says crack detection test conducted in January and April of 2011.

If you would like to participate, please complete and submit a Notice of Intent to Participate as a Delegate by June 3, 2011.

Feel free to contact your local Provincial/Territorial Association for additional information.
 
 
Note: Only acclaimed and elected delegates who have paid their registration fee receive details for the extraordinary convention teleconference.

To submit your name as a delegate, or to vote to select the delegates from your riding association and/or commission club, you must be a member of the Liberal Party of Canada in good standing by Friday, May 20 2011.

To join or renew your membership, please visit: https://action.liberal.ca/en/membership.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada — Robert Nicholson

Leader of the Government in the Senate — Marjory LeBreton

Minister of National Defence — Peter MacKay
Minister of Public Safety — Vic Toews
Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women — Rona Ambrose
Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development — Diane Finley
Minister of International Cooperation — Bev Oda
Minister of Foreign Affairs — John Baird
President of the Treasury Board & Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario — Tony Clement
Minister of Finance — Jim Flaherty
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons — Peter Van Loan
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism — Jason Kenney
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board — Gerry Ritz
Minister of Industry and Minister of State (Agriculture) — Christian Paradis
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages — James Moore
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec — Denis Lebel
Minister of Health and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency — Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway — Keith Ashfield
Minister of the Environment — Peter Kent
Minister of Labour — Lisa Raitt
Minister of National Revenue — Gail Shea
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development — John Duncan
Minister of Veterans Affairs — Steven Blaney
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway — Edward Fast
Minister of Natural Resources — Joe Oliver
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada — Peter Penashue
Associate Minister of National Defence — Julian Fantino

Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) (La Francophonie) — Bernard Valcourt
Minister of State and Chief Government Whip — Gordon O’Connor
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) — Maxime Bernier
Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs) — Diane Ablonczy
Minister of State (Western Economic Diversification) — Lynne Yelich
Minister of State (Transport) — Steven Fletcher
Minister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) — Gary Goodyear
Minister of State (Finance) — Ted Menzies
Minister of State (Democratic Reform) — Tim Uppal
Minister of State (Seniors) — Alice Wong
Minister of State (Sport) — Bal Gosal
 
 
 
[ Source ]

• St. John’s
• Charlottetown
• Halifax
• Montréal
• Ottawa
• Toronto
• Calgary
• Kelowna
• Vancouver
• Whitehorse

If you live outside of these cities and want to start a rally in your community:

• start a Facebook event
• email dayofaction2011@gmail.com

“It was a privilege to serve the Canadian people and we leave politics with a sense of what a privilege it was and what an honour it was.”
 
 
 
                                                  Michael Ignatieff, Parliament Hill
                                                  May 11, 2011