Canada

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/27698918

archived (Wayback Machine)

The U.S. ambassador to Canada is expressing frustration over the anti-American sentiment he sees in this country, including from politicians, after U.S. President Donald Trump hit most of the world with tariffs.

Authors:

Chris Arsenault
Chair of the Master of Media in Journalism and Communication Program (MMJC) and assistant professor of journalism, Western University

Philippe Le Billon
Professor, Geography Department and School of Public Policy & Global Affairs, University of British Columbia

Raphael Deberdt
Postdoctoral Fellow, Mining Engineering Department, Colorado School of Mines

Excerpt:

As climate change intensifies, companies and countries are attempting to build new low-carbon supply chains. From electric vehicles to solar panels and wind turbines, these technologies require vast amounts of critical minerals.

These are commodities such as cobalt, lithium and nickel, and also include a smaller set of 17 rare earth elements like dysprosium, neodymium, praseodymium and terbium.

Canada’s federal government, and provincial officials in Ontario, have pledged some of the biggest public subsidies to private companies in a generation — more than $43 billion — to create this new supply chain.

Plans for new mines in Northern Ontario’s “Ring of Fire” to extract critical minerals parallel billions in production subsidies to EV producers and related manufacturers in the province’s southern manufacturing heartland.

The idea is to supply southern factories with northern minerals. Instead of only exporting unrefined primary commodities like oil, copper or lumber, Canadian industry would also export high-value, renewable technology-related products.

In addition to promises around jobs, innovative industries and fighting climate change, politicians, business executives and military analysts frame the country’s critical minerals strategy around countering China’s dominance.

However, our new study identified several challenges to subsidizing supply chain integration in Canada.

Based on 20 interviews with government officials and industry leaders in Ontario’s critical minerals sector, and a review of existing literature, we identified challenges including: opposition to new mining and infrastructure projects, particularly from some Indigenous communities; some policymakers lacking understanding of the complexity of supply chains; slowing global EV demand and regional trade barriers at a time of uncertainty for the sector.

I've added the [contradicting U.S. weather officials] portion to the title to add context for why this is a story. However it isn't a necessary change and I'm open to removing it. Story below:

U.S. weather officials say winds are kicking up old ash on Mount St. Helens left over from the 1980 eruption, and those particles are drifting through Washington State.

There was speculation the ash travelled hundreds of kilometres north, settling on surfaces in the capital region.

However, Environment Canada says the ash in Victoria is from the Bear Gulch wildfire, which is about 6,300 hectares in size and burning west of Seattle.

“We see the plume over Victoria and it actually looks like it’s even making it into Howe Sound and points further north from there,” Dov Bensimon with Environment Canada’s Volcanic Ash Activity Centre said.

While volcanic ash and wildfire smoke can affect people with respiratory issues, the difference between the two is that wildfire ash dissolves in water and varies in shape.

“Volcanic ash is very fine rock fragments,” Bensimon said. “So if you put it in water, it’s not going to dissolve. It’s more like extremely fine sand.”

He also said volcanic ash does not travel very far.

After a tough race to the finish line, the winners of The Amazing Race Canada's 11th season have been crowned: Vancouver residents and best friends Jonathan Braun and Jesse Harink.

As the pair crossed the finish line, overcome with emotion, they embraced in celebration.

"I just am so happy we got to do this together," Braun said. "This has been a life goal for so long and I just never thought it could ever come true."

But it's the runners up who've made their hometown of Prince George, B.C., proud: Secwepemc actor Grace Dove and her brother Joe Syme.

The pair got off to a somewhat rocky start, finishing second to last in the first leg of the race. But they quickly turned things around in the second leg, finishing second overall.

Dove and Syme stayed in the middle of the pack for a few weeks, but they were the top team for legs seven and eight, and ultimately finished in second place in the race across Canada.

No Paywall

Had a tab open of Pierre's twitter from last week and saw he actually posted some data instead of a slogan.

Conservative supporters has gotten so stupid lately it's actually kind of concerning. The chart clearly shows Harper was terrible and by far the best for that metric was Chrétien.

In case anyone forgot the dates.

https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/primeMinisters