The Louisiana-Pacific Corporation has made a public request to the Clean Environment Commission to have their Air Emissions Standards lowered! It is requesting to have its emission limits of formaldehyde increased by more than forty-seven fold at the dryer, and nearly fourteen fold at the press. Benzene emission limits will increase by a factor of twenty-one and a half at the dryer, and sixty-five and two-thirds at the press.

The LPC argues that the levels are low enough that they do not pose a risk.

Rather than hope that these levels are low enough to not pose a risk, and continue to use them until hard scientific evidence emerges showing that they may, in fact, be far more harmful than we were assessing, the Green Party of Manitoba believes that we should implement the precautionary principle. This means that when evidence gives us good reason to believe that an activity, technology, or substance may be harmful, we should act to prevent harm rather than waiting for scientific certainty, especially when alternatives exist.

In the present situation there is good evidence to indicate that the pollutants being released, including benzene, formaldehyde, and MDI may be harmful. Furthermore the technology already exists, and is already installed, to minimize the release of these harmful pollutants.

There are ... ways that LPC could work on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, and the Clean Environment Commission should examine these alternatives.

Read the Article Here.

Presentations in DOC and PDF format available Here.

Read the Article Here.

Read the Article Here.

• June 2010
• September 2009
• July 2009
• October 2007
• December 2006
• August 2006
• March 2006
• September 2005
• July 2005

Tom Oleson comes awfully late to the discussion of the Kyoto Accord — as if everybody doesn't already agree that we'd rather not sacrifice too much to meet its targets. But there is little common sense in his framing of our choices.

The Hobson's choice is not between economic felicity and climate hell. If you accept the premises of Kyoto (if you don't, there's no argument), then the only choice is between allowing future generations to thrive in a benign world, or sitting on our asses so that we can continue our exponentially growing consumption. Stark choice: save ourselves, or save our grandchildren.

Common sense says that if the targets must be met, then we meet them. Common decency says that we do it for our progeny.

JEFF PRESSLAFF

(To Manitoba Co-operator)

Highlights of the CropLife Canada meeting were featured in the September 27 issue. CropLife is the lobby organization for multinational chemical/biotech companies operating in Canada. It has done some good things like supporting pesticide container collection and triple rinsing.

CropLife complains it doesn't get any respect - that things like pesticides are misunderstood by the general public. I place myself among those Canadians who are deeply suspicious of any organization that lobbies my government on behalf of the world's multinational chemical companies.

I read about CropLife's complaints one day after returning from Central America where I worked with Canadian and Central American scientists studying pesticide contamination of water, food and even human breast milk in that region. The world's multinationals are happy to sell pesticides to poor, illiterate farmers who cannot comprehend labels and hence misapply many of these products. Unfortunately for the farmers and their families, their own governments do not have the resources or choose not to demand more accountability from the chemical companies.

My frustration with CropLife extends to its claims about biotechnology. I have seen too many Roundup Ready soybean fields in Manitoba polluted with Roundup Ready canola volunteers to have any faith in the multinational's ability to predict "side effects" of their technology. Boy, I can hardly wait to see what "gene-stacking" will bring us!

However the worst is yet to come. CropLife Canada represents companies who are busy buying up the world's germplasm. Once they own all the seeds, who knows what will happen? It is time to toss out our present model of agriculture, where few control so much. We need to rebuild agriculture from the ground up, but that's a topic for another day.

CropLife feels that its message is misunderstood and that many Canadians do not trust them. Tough.

DR. MARTIN ENTZ
Professor of Cropping Systems
Department of Plant Science
University of Manitoba

(To Winnipeg Free Press)

Unlike Bartley Kives (Colourless Election, May 12), the Green Party of Manitoba (GPM) lives in the present reality, we do not live in 2003 and we do not for one moment confuse idealism with being unrealistic. We find truth in the writings of John Avalon who said, "Idealism without realism is impotent, realism without idealism is empty."

He professes to be concerned about the issues yet devotes the few column inches he has prior to May 22 waxing on past Green leader Markus Buchart. Apparently Kives believes that in 2003 Buchart managed a political party, his Wolseley campaign, and media relations all by his lonesome and won 19% of the votes cast. Wow, if that were true then I too might long for the Green Party of 2003. But it isn't true.

I must take exception to describing Manitoba Greens as "unmotivated." Never in my life have I met a more dedicated, energetic, knowledgeable group of people with such a strong commitment to integrity. Idealists? Perhaps, in the sense that we believe as a society we can and should do better.

The reality is that we are 100% volunteer-run; there are no paid positions in the GPM. Unlike federal political parties, we do not receive funds for number of votes won.

We have many more members than the current 15 nominated candidates who would also grandly and ably represent us. However, they are unable to do so because they can't relinquish a month's salary to take time off for campaigning.

We too face the reality of having rent/mortgages to pay, children to feed, parents or spouses who are ill, and exams to write, in addition to meeting the demands of our jobs or careers. And yet, here we stand with a comprehensive plan to address social, economic and ecological ills in a strategic way.

If Kives is as obsessed about water quality, sustainable farming and Lake Winnipeg as he claims, then I invite him to inform himself with our online platform [it's the big green button on our home page]; and then competently report on what the Greens are in fact proposing.

The Green Party of Manitoba has made huge inroads into the provincial arena; otherwise the other parties wouldn't insist on describing themselves as us.

TANJA HUTTER, Communications & Media, Green Party of Manitoba

A new politics for all our futures—VOTE YOUNG

The Green Party of Manitoba is proud to announce Ellen Young as its candidate for Concordia in the upcoming by-election. Ellen is a lifelong resident of the neighbourhood. Ellen graduated from Kildonan East Collegiate and is currently attending the University of Manitoba.

Ellen has worked tirelessly for her community. Passionate about children and education, she volunteers at an after school tutoring program in Winnipeg's North End. She has also volunteered at the Concordia Hospital and Concordia Senior's Home.

In October of 2009, Ellen travelled to Ottawa as a participant in Power Shift, the largest Canadian youth conference in history, to express her belief that Government is failing to address climate change. In addition to her service for Power Shift, Ellen has worked with Manitoba Eco-Network, the University of Manitoba Campus Greens, Amnesty International, Rainbow Pride Mosaic and the University of Manitoba Students Union.

Ellen will provide a determined and energetic voice, committed to the needs of Concordia's residents. She will demand that more be done to support families and single parents who are raising children in Concordia, to improve health care services within the riding, and to increase funding for schools and public transportation.

"I am committed to the people of Concordia, have been all my life, and will work hard to have the opportunity to represent them. I hope to inspire the people of Concordia -- young and old alike -- to make changes for better government and better lives." declared Ms. Young.

For Media Inquiries or to arrange an interview with Ellen,
send an email to:

For direct and up to date information on Ellen Young and her campaign, visit Ellen's Website!

Today marks an anniversary that the Manitoba Government has little reason to celebrate. On January 8th of 2009, the government allowed Louisiana Pacific Canada Ltd. (LP) to shut down equipment which controlled industrial pollutants at its big wood products plant in the Swan Valley.

The Leader of the Green Party of Manitoba (GPM), James Beddome, labels the government’s decision to let LP take those controls offline as “hasty, unwise and without public input.”

Public outcry led to a March 26, 2009 request by the Minister of Conservation to the Clean Environment Commisson (CEC), a provincial advisory body, to conduct an investigation into whether the “temporary” shutdown should be made permanent.

Read More: "Precaution vs. Pollution"

The Green Party of Manitoba (GPM) was among many parties whom successfully urged the RM and Council of Lac Du Bonnet to use their discretion and allow Alison and Jeremy Maki, to keep the fourteen chickens that are living free range on their property contrary to municipal by-laws.

The Maki's are raising these birds as pets and egg producers.  They also grow their own vegetables and harvest their own maple syrup.   "We want to be self-sufficient. We want to teach our children how to live green." Alison told the Lac Du Bonnet Leader late last week.

"The simple fact that these people are choosing to raise animals and producing food in the confines of their property is simply a forward thinking example of environmental responsibility.", wrote GPM Leader James Beddome in an e-mail to the Reeve and Council of the RM.

Read More: "GPM helps Maki family"

The Green Party of Manitoba [GPM] is deeply dismayed that Manitobans may lose access to bus service between communities, and is calling on the Governments of Manitoba and Canada to do everything that is necessary to ensure that Manitoba's intercity public transportation remains in operation.

Read more: " GREEN PARTY URGES FEDS AND PROVINCE TO MEET WITH GREYHOUND "

In light of the current outbreak of H1N1 influenza, or Swine 'Flu, the Green Party of Manitoba is calling for an immediate halt to the development of any new confined animal feeding operations, or "CAFOs," in the province. Large numbers of hogs and chickens are fed in these facilities, also referred to as "factory farms." The Government of Manitoba has allowed the development of many such operations, especially in the southeast and central areas.

Read More: "Confined Animal Feeding Operations and Potential Health Risks"