We need to get serious about freeing up interprovincial trade once and for all
July 1st marked five years since the coming into force of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), whose goal (its website tells us) is to “establish an open, efficient, and stable domestic market” in Canada. Has there been any progress in the half-decade since then in reducing and eliminating barriers to interprovincial free trade? According…
The Trudeau government is completely overlooking LNG as a solution
Canada is missing out on an opportunity to help Indigenous communities access a cheaper and more reliable form of clean energy in a zealous pursuit of certain renewable energy sources. In its recent climate plan, the federal government committed to reducing the reliance of remote communities on diesel fuel. Many First Nation, Métis and Inuit…
But not in the way you thought
For two decades, it has been predicted that climate change will open up the Arctic to economic development, leading to a race for resources. The region is supposed to be more accessible due to climate change. But is that true? In reality, many of the impacts of climate change make shipping, transportation and infrastructure development…
Life's tough for polar bears: climate is extreme, ice varies, food's scattered. Yet they persist
I recently had several encounters with polar bears in the Canadian Arctic at Coningham Bay on Prince of Wales Island, along the Nunavut coast. We had been advised that bears sometimes frequented this interesting area because Beluga whales often came here to moult and feed, and they are a plentiful and reliable source of food…
Kimberly Fairman is helping to revolutionize the way public health policy is developed in Northern Canada. Fairman is executive director of the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research, an organization focused on improving the health of northerners through community-based research. “This is the most meaningful work of my career,” Fairman said. “It gives me the freedom to…
U of A researchers shed new light on the structure and formation of Earth’s earliest continents
Scientists have found evidence for a missing piece of a 3.2-billion-year-old continent, according to a new study by University of Alberta scientists. The research identifies the only remnant of ultra-hot lavas within this ancient landmass, located within tiny mineral grains preserved in sandstone. “Our research developed a method to identify and date pieces of our…
Project to develop culturally appropriate program is among 19 projects to receive funding from Canadian Institutes of Health Research
A University of Alberta researcher will consult with two Indigenous communities in the Northwest Territories to co-create a culturally appropriate promotion program for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection and the main cause of cervical cancer worldwide, but it is preventable with a vaccine for females aged nine to…
Indigenous communities are setting up their own satellite, fibre optics and even cellular phone networks
When Bruce Buffalo returned to Maskwacis after years away in the big city, he was appalled to discover parts of his community still had no internet service. Just an hour’s drive from Edmonton, some neighbourhoods in the Indigenous community remained cut off from the rest of the world as recently as 2016, apart from a few…
Changing climate in the Canadian North will have a ripple effect for many species, study shows
Warmer winters with less snowfall could wreak havoc on snowshoe hare populations in the Canadian North – and the fallout has consequences for other wildlife such as lynx and coyotes, according to a new study by University of Alberta ecologists. “Our study shows that snowshoe hare survival is significantly reduced in shallow snow, particularly when…
Though the diamonds found are quite small the geologic implications are immense
The presence of diamonds in an outcrop atop an unrealized gold deposit in Canada’s Far North mirrors the association found above the world’s richest gold mine, according to University of Alberta research that fills in blanks about the thermal conditions of Earth’s crust three billion years ago. “The diamonds we have found so far are…
Zinc is a critical ingredient in a variety of products, including soap. In the midst of a pandemic, we need to ensure supply
Zinc is an important ingredient in disinfectants such as soap, so it plays an important role in preventing the spread of COVID-19. As we know, the twin pillars of COVID-19 prevention are social distancing and washing your hands properly. So mining this bluish-white metal is important to Canada’s strategy for addressing the pandemic at home.…
U of A researchers work with community members to produce culturally appropriate information
A series of new videos co-created by University of Alberta researchers and communities in the Northwest Territories are striving to improve the use of cancer screening in the region. The series of 11 videos includes two that offer general information about cancer risks and prevention from a recognized physician in the community. The remaining nine are split…
It’s time to reduce funding to police and reallocate those dollars to more proactive ways to reduce crime
Here’s a couple of questions that might have seemed crazy to many people just a few short years ago but are gaining purchase today. Do we really need as much policing as we have? Or are the ever-growing police budgets actually inadvertently leading to greater violence? A lot of us have believed that police exist…
By Aaron Wudrick and Franco Terrazzano Canadian Taxpayers Federation Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has chosen to make life more expensive for Canadians by increasing the federal carbon tax by 50 per cent amidst the COVID-19 economic and health crisis. Meanwhile, governments around the world are moving in the opposite direction because hiking taxes during a…
Smart Energy Communities are not only more resilient, they also create new opportunities for local economic development, lower energy costs and a cleaner environment
By Aida Nciri and Eddie Oldfield QUEST Canadian municipalities and energy utilities are on the front lines of the impacts of climate change. A recent report by the Insurance Bureau of Canada highlights the financial costs of climate change, with insured damage for severe weather events reaching $1.3 billion in 2019. Of the top 10…