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The opposition is growing:11 organizations seek to intervene in CQDE lawsuit against Bill C-5
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 28 -- The David Suzuki Foundation posted the following news release:
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The opposition is growing:11 organizations seek to intervene in CQDE lawsuit against Bill C-5
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This release was originally published by CQDE.
Gatineau, April 27, 2026 - Eleven environmental, scientific, medical and human rights organizations from across Canada are seeking leave to intervene in the legal action brought by the Quebec Environmental Law Centre (CQDE) against the federal Building Canada Act (passed as Bill C-5).
In its lawsuit against this law -passed under closure
... Show Full Article
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 28 -- The David Suzuki Foundation posted the following news release:
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The opposition is growing:11 organizations seek to intervene in CQDE lawsuit against Bill C-5
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This release was originally published by CQDE.
Gatineau, April 27, 2026 - Eleven environmental, scientific, medical and human rights organizations from across Canada are seeking leave to intervene in the legal action brought by the Quebec Environmental Law Centre (CQDE) against the federal Building Canada Act (passed as Bill C-5).
In its lawsuit against this law -passed under closurein June 2025 despite strong opposition from environmental groups, Indigenous communities and civil society -the CQDE condemns the granting of excessive and highly discretionary powers to the federal executive. The organization also warns against the risk of circumventing environmental laws in the name of an undefined "national interest."
By asking the courts for permission to intervene in this case, Amnesty International, the Association des biologistes du Quebec, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Equiterre, Greenpeace Canada, the Trottier Energy Institute, the David Suzuki Foundation, MiningWatch Canada, Nature Quebec, SNAP Quebec and the Regroupement des organismes environnementaux en energie intend to support the CQDE's initiative.
These organizations seek to voice their concerns in court regarding a law they have grounds to fear will have serious consequences for the environment, public health, the integrity of science and human rights.
The BCA: A threat to the environment
Equiterre, Greenpeace Canada, MiningWatch Canada, Nature Quebec, the ROEE and SNAP Quebec are asking the courts to hear their case to highlight the dangers the act poses to the environment.
These environmental groups believe that by circumventing and weakening essential environmental protection mechanisms to accelerate industrial megaprojects, the act opens the door to arbitrary decisions made without rigorous assessments of impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity and the climate.
"Quebecers have been clear: they prioritize projects that improve the resilience of their communities and their living environments. C-5 risks doing exactly the opposite without giving people a say. We have no guarantee that the public interest will take precedence over vested interests, which will do everything in their power to ensure that the selection and approval process for megaprojects -which will be decided behind closed doors -works in their favour." - Marc-Andre Viau, Head of Government Relations, Equiterre
"While dozens of countries are currently meeting in Colombia to plan their transition away from fossil fuels, Canada is passing a law to accelerate their development. The Building Canada Act is not a response to the climate crisis; it's a step backward." - Louis Couillard, Climate and Energy Campaign Manager, Greenpeace Canada
"We've seen it too often: when communities aren't properly involved, mining projects leave lasting scars on the land and the people. This law opens the door to extending these mistakes on a massive scale -and faster than ever." - Jamie Kneen, National Program Co-Lead, MiningWatch Canada
"We have enacted laws designed to protect the land and biodiversity. C-5 allows the federal government to circumvent them with the stroke of a pen. This is a direct attack on our collective autonomy and on environmental laws." - Alice-Anne Simard, Executive Director, Nature Quebec
"The energy transition is a collective choice, not a decision the government can make on its own. C-5 bypasses this essential democratic debate at the very moment we need it most." - Jean-Pierre Finet, energy analyst, ROEE
"Laws essential to the protection of our species and natural environments can now be swept aside with a simple executive order. C-5 jeopardizes environmental gains developed over decades to guide government action, and it is our responsibility to defend them." - Alain Branchaud, biologist and executive director of SNAP Quebec
The Building Canada Act: A threat to Canadians' health
For their part, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and the David Suzuki Foundation wish to voice their concerns about the law's impact on public health.
These two organizations believe that by allowing environmental laws to be circumvented, the act exposes people to increased health risks. Decisions made without comprehensive analyses could have direct consequences, particularly on air and water quality and living environments, in addition to depriving communities of the legal resources necessary to challenge these decisions.
"The links between environmental degradation and human health are well documented, measurable and irrefutable. C-5 allows decisions with potentially irreversible impacts on public health to be made without rigorous assessments; this is exactly the opposite of what medical ethics and the evidence require." - Dr. Helen Hsu, physician, representative of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
"Protecting the health of Canadians means protecting the environment in which they live. C-5 sacrifices this protection in the name of short-term economic growth, with no regard for communities -and in particular for Indigenous Peoples whose territories and rights are directly at stake." - Sabaa Khan, Executive Director of the David Suzuki Foundation Quebec and Atlantic
The BCA: A threat to science
The ABQ and the IET are concerned that C-5 undermines the proper and rigorous consideration of science in decisions with major impacts. By allowing certain projects -hand-picked at the executive's discretion -to bypass safeguards intended to govern risk assessments, it undermines the integration of evidence in decision-making processes for the benefit of all.
By seeking to promote and accelerate the implementation of certain projects at all costs, the government is depriving itself of the crucial expertise of biologists and climate and energy scientists. Without adequate consideration of science, the government is exposing the public to increased risks.
"Biologists document, measure and assess environmental impacts on a daily basis. To disregard this expertise in decisions that have lasting effects on living organisms is to opt for improvisation where scientific rigour is non-negotiable. The expertise of biologists is precisely aligned with this approach to risk prevention and anticipation." - Bernice Chabot-Giguere, Executive Director, Association des biologistes du Quebec
"Major energy decisions involve decades of infrastructure and billions of dollars in public funds. Making such decisions without relying on comprehensive, independent analyses or close monitoring jeopardizes the transition at the very moment when Canada should be accelerating it." - Normand Mousseau, Scientific Director, Institut de l'Energie Trottier
C-5: A threat to human rights and the rule of law
The human rights organization Amnesty International, French-speaking Canadian section, wishes to bring to the Court's attention the heightened risk of erosion of the rule of law posed by the act. By establishing an unprecedented concentration of powers in the hands of the executive branch, Amnesty International is concerned about the delegation of excessive powers without adequate safeguards, which runs counter to the separation of powers -a critical requirement of the rule of law.
Furthermore, by infringing on access to justice for challenges to decisions made under the act, the legislation risks undermining the right to a healthy environment as well as civil and political rights, which are protected by the Canadian Constitution and international law.
"The concentration of powers that C-5 confers on the executive branch is not just an environmental issue; it is a human rights issue. When a government can set aside its own laws by executive order, without adequate oversight mechanisms, the rule of law itself is threatened. Canada has obligations under international human rights law and these apply fully here." - France-Isabelle Langlois, Executive Director of Amnesty International, French-speaking Canadian Section
In support of the CQDE's legal action, which asks the courts to strike down the law, these organizations hope that their participation will enable the Court to fully assess the scope of this law and its consequences.
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Signatory organizations:
Amnesty International
Association des biologistes du Quebec (ABQ)
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)
David Suzuki Foundation
Equiterre
Greenpeace Canada
Institut de l'energie Trottier (IET)
MiningWatch Canada
Nature Quebec
SNAP Quebec
Regroupement des organismes environnementaux en energie (ROEE)
Media Contact
Kathleen O'Grady, Quoi Media
613-897-9276
kathleen54@rogers.com
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Original text here: https://davidsuzuki.org/press/the-opposition-is-growing11-organizations-seek-to-intervene-in-cqde-lawsuit-against-bill-c-5/
Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: CalPERS Monitor - How the Pension System Piled Up Debt and Could Add More
LOS ANGELES, California, April 28 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on April 27, 2026, by Zachary Christensen, Pension Integrity Project managing director and Jordan Campbell, managing director of government finance and senior quantitative analyst:
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CalPERS Monitor: How the pension system piled up debt and could add more
The California Public Employees' Retirement System has $179 billion in unfunded liabilities.
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The nation's largest public pension plan, the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), continues to be a major driver of the state's
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, April 28 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on April 27, 2026, by Zachary Christensen, Pension Integrity Project managing director and Jordan Campbell, managing director of government finance and senior quantitative analyst:
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CalPERS Monitor: How the pension system piled up debt and could add more
The California Public Employees' Retirement System has $179 billion in unfunded liabilities.
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The nation's largest public pension plan, the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), continues to be a major driver of the state'sspending growth.
In 2025, taxpayers, via government employers, including local governments, school districts, and the state, paid $23.4 billion to CalPERS, most of which went toward paying growing unfunded liabilities.
CalPERS had over $179 billion in unfunded liabilities at the end of its 2023-24 fiscal year, up from $114 billion in 2015.
While the state's past public pension reforms have helped slow the growth of pension-related costs, lawmakers need to continue to pursue policies that fund the benefits already promised to retirees and deliver adequate retirement benefits to current public workers without incurring inordinate costs on an already strained tax base.
In this new interactive tool, CalPERS Monitor, we examine the history of legislative changes and pension reforms still impacting CalPERS and evaluate its path toward reducing its debt and fully funding the pension benefits already promised to workers.
Actuarial modeling by Reason Foundation's Pension Integrity Project also shows the potential costs of veering away from past public pension reforms, as state lawmakers are currently considering with Assembly Bill 1383.
Reason finds that the benefit enhancements in AB 1383 would increase 30-year costs from $485 billion to $497.2 billion for CalPERS. That would be $12.1 billion in additional costs borne by taxpayers, assuming the plan hits its expected 6.8% investment return and the state doesn't experience any major economic recessions, which is unlikely.
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Zachary Christensen is a managing director of Reason Foundation's Pension Integrity Project.
Jordan Campbell is managing director of government finance and senior quantitative analyst at Reason Foundation.
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Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/calpers-monitor-how-the-pension-system-piled-up-debt-and-could-add-more/
Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: After Moves to Protect Medical Marijuana, Trump Asks Congress to Save Hemp
LOS ANGELES, California, April 28 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on April 27, 2026, by Managing Director of Drug Policy Michelle Minton:
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After moves to protect medical marijuana, Trump asks Congress to save hemp
CBD and other hemp-derived products are at risk because of a November 2025 spending bill that Congress passed and Trump signed.
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Following a historic move to reduce federal restrictions on medical marijuana use, the Trump administration is now calling on Congress to take action to protect hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products, consumers, and farmers,
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, April 28 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on April 27, 2026, by Managing Director of Drug Policy Michelle Minton:
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After moves to protect medical marijuana, Trump asks Congress to save hemp
CBD and other hemp-derived products are at risk because of a November 2025 spending bill that Congress passed and Trump signed.
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Following a historic move to reduce federal restrictions on medical marijuana use, the Trump administration is now calling on Congress to take action to protect hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products, consumers, and farmers,from an impending federal ban.
In a Truth Social post on April 23rd, President Donald Trump said he was "calling on Congress to update the Law to ensure that Americans can continue to access the full-spectrum CBD products they have come to rely on, and that help them, while preserving Congress's intent to restrict the sale of products that pose Health risks."
CBD and other hemp-derived products are at risk because of a November 2025 spending bill that Congress passed and the president signed to end a 43-day government shutdown and fund the government through January 2026. Among its provisions was Section 781, which amended the federal definition of legal hemp, limiting products to no more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container.
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable argues that the new definition, set to take effect on Nov. 13, 2026, would eliminate 95% of the hemp industry. The industry group claims that "more than 90% of non-intoxicating hemp-derived products contain levels of THC that are greater than the proposed cap." Even products that primarily contain CBD often contain trace amounts of THC, and it's not economically viable to remove these trace amounts.
Prior to this change, the 2018 Farm Bill had defined legal hemp as cannabis with less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis. This classification allowed the consumer hemp market to blossom into a $28.4 billion industry that supports more than 300,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable.
Hemp products can contain a mix of cannabinoids, including non-intoxicating CBD or intoxicating variants of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD is the primary cannabinoid produced within a hemp plant. CBD has anti-inflammatory properties and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a safe and effective pharmaceutical for the treatment of certain forms of epilepsy. Many consumers purchase pills, lotions, and other products containing CBD primarily for medical or therapeutic benefits.
However, once the natural CBD in hemp is extracted, it can also be chemically converted into various isomers of THC that are intoxicating. Federal courts have ruled these intoxicating products are federally legal because the source material is federally legal hemp. The emergent industry of intoxicating hemp products alarmed key congressional leaders, which inspired the redefinition of hemp last November.
Though Trump signed the redefinition of hemp into law, his administration issued Executive Order 14370 the following month, directing various agencies to work with Congress to "update the statutory definition of final hemp-derived cannabinoid products" to allow consumers to continue benefiting from access to full-spectrum CBD products "while preserving the Congress's intent to restrict the sale of products that pose serious health risks." The order also promised that seniors could eventually seek Medicare reimbursements for CBD products. A model program covering up to $500 per year for eligible Medicare patients, with up to 3 milligrams of THC per serving allowed, launched earlier this month.
Following this order, hemp advocates successfully pushed to insert language into the January spending bill that would have delayed the implementation of the new hemp definition and the ban by one or two years. But Republican House leadership quashed the effort, according to MJBIZDaily. House Freedom Caucus members, led by Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), who authored the original ban language, had the delay provision stripped from the spending bill, which passed without it.
With the November 2026 deadline looming and farmers making planting decisions, Trump is leaning on Congress to act now. Numerous members of Congress have already introduced measures that would stop or delay the hemp ban, with some proposing a broader federal regulatory scheme for hemp products. Key examples include:
The American Hemp Protection Act (H.R. 6209), introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), would repeal the new federal hemp language, reverting to the definition in the 2018 Farm Bill.
The Hemp Planting Predictability Act (H.R. 7024), introduced by Reps. Jim Baird (R-IN) and Angie Craig (D-MN), would delay the ban for two years, a move House Oversight and Accountability Chair and bill co-sponsor Rep. Jamie Comer (R-KY) described as a "commonsense extension." Comer urged bipartisan support for this bill, and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced an identical measure in the Senate.
The Cannabinoid Safety and Regulation Act (S. 3474), reintroduced last December by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), would establish manufacturing, testing, and labeling requirements for hemp products, as well as a national minimum purchasing age of 21.
The Hemp Enforcement, Modernization, and Protection Act (H.R. 7212), introduced in January by House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Chairman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX), would federally authorize the sale of consumable hemp products to adults 21 years of age and older and institute a range of manufacturing, labeling, and packaging rules.
The Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, introduced earlier this week by Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Joni Ernst (R-IA), would allow states to opt out of the federal recriminalization of intoxicating hemp products. However, Ernst withdrew her name as a cosponsor days after the measure was introduced.
On the same day as Trump's Truth Social post, multiple Republican lawmakers also filed amendments to the latest version of the Farm Bill--the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567)--to address the pending hemp ban.
Rep. James Comer (R-KY), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, proposed an amendment to delay the ban for one year, until November 2027. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY) proposed a separate amendment that, according to a sponsor's summary, "amends the definition of 'Hemp' to preserve the lawful hemp market while creating a regulatory framework that protects children, bans synthetic cannabinoids, and ensures that any products on the market place are of American origin." However, the Barr amendment was withdrawn on April 22, 2026, for unknown reasons, and it's uncertain if he will file a revised version.
The House Rules Committee is expected to consider the submitted amendments the week of April 27th, deciding which of these amendments, if any, will receive votes on the House floor.
The hemp industry faces a hard deadline with the ban set to take effect this November. Farmers need to know what to plant this spring, manufacturers need supply chain certainty, and consumers need assurances that the hemp products they have access to are safely manufactured and accurately labeled.
In states without vibrant medical marijuana programs, hemp products are the primary means for many people to access cannabinoids for therapeutic purposes. If these products become unavailable, many consumers will resort to illicit and potentially dangerous alternatives.
Congress should heed the president's urging by delaying or eliminating the new federal hemp definition. Then they should work to establish reasonable federal rules that ensure hemp producers comply with minimum standards for safe manufacturing practices and accurately label their products. Prohibition does nothing to protect consumers. It will only eliminate thousands of jobs, deprive consumers of valuable therapeutic products, and drive a billion-dollar market into the illicit economy.
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Michelle Minton is the managing director of drug policy at Reason Foundation.
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Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/after-moves-to-protect-medical-marijuana-trump-asks-congress-to-save-hemp/
Foundation for Economic Education Posts Commentary: Trade Offensive
DETROIT, Michigan, April 28 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on April 27, 2026, by Mark Nayler, freelance journalist and critic based in Malaga, Spain:
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Trade Offensive
Spain is the latest nation to court China's markets.
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Despite US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's warning that anyone seeking stronger trade ties with Beijing would be "cutting their own throat," Donald Trump's weaponized tariffs are causing many countries to seek closer relations with China. There has been a barrage of diplomacy in the first few months of 2026, especially from
... Show Full Article
DETROIT, Michigan, April 28 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on April 27, 2026, by Mark Nayler, freelance journalist and critic based in Malaga, Spain:
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Trade Offensive
Spain is the latest nation to court China's markets.
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Despite US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's warning that anyone seeking stronger trade ties with Beijing would be "cutting their own throat," Donald Trump's weaponized tariffs are causing many countries to seek closer relations with China. There has been a barrage of diplomacy in the first few months of 2026, especially fromEuropean leaders concerned about the effects of Chinese competitiveness on domestic industries. French president Emmanuel Macron, who visited Xi Jinping last December, said that European trade and industry faced a "life-or-death moment," and that its future depended on more balanced trade relations with the world's largest manufacturing country.
The latest European leader to visit Beijing, between April 11 and 15, was Spain's Socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez. The Spanish premier's meeting with Xi Jinping was the fourth in as many years--and trade was top of the agenda. In 2025, exports from Madrid to Beijing exceeded imports by Euros40 billion, a deficit described by Sanchez as "unsustainable." His visit was part of a broader strategy to reduce the EU's Euros360 billion trade deficit with China. Although the two leaders apparently agreed on measures to improve Madrid's imbalanced relationship with Beijing, no concrete details have been released.
Aware of Sanchez's hostility to Trump, Xi also used their meeting to make several indirect hits against the US president. Praising the Spanish premier for his "moral rectitude" (even though two former members of his inner circle are currently on trial for corruption), Xi said that tighter trade ties between Europe and China would "benefit their [respective] societies and also contribute to the stability, peace, and prosperity of the world in this delicate international climate." Any country aligning itself with Beijing, he claimed, would find itself "on the right side of history."
Spain already has a strong foundation on which to develop stronger ties with China, its biggest trading partner outside Europe and the world's third-largest consumer of Spanish olive oil, behind the US and EU. Sanchez's last visit to Beijing was in June 2025, as the two nations celebrated the 20th anniversary of their strategic comprehensive partnership. Agreements reached then included the export of Spanish cherries to China for the first time and an expansion of the Chinese market for Spanish pork products, which already accounts for 20% of Spain's pork exports. Renewables is proving to be another lucrative sector for Madrid. The Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has partnered with multinational automobile company Stellantis to construct a Euros4.1 billion ($4.3 billion) lithium iron phosphate battery plant in Zaragoza in Northern Spain, due to open by the end of this year. More investments on this scale will be needed if Madrid is to close its Euros40 billion trade gap with Beijing.
The leaders of Ireland, Canada, Finland, and the UK have also visited Beijing this year, seeking stronger economic relations amidst a world order that China's leader claims is "crumbling." Wary of causing diplomatic rifts while they try to attract Chinese business, none have challenged China on human rights issues. Perhaps they also remember a 2021 speech in which Xi stated that any country attempting to "bully, oppress, or subjugate" China would have its head "bashed bloody against the great wall of steel."
In early January, Micheal Martin became the first Irish premier to visit Beijing in almost 15 years. After a series of what he called "positive engagements" with Xi and his premier Li Qiang, Martin secured the reopening of the Chinese market to Irish beef, after a suspension in September 2024 due to an isolated case of BSE. Ireland's prime minister also pressed for greater cooperation in renewables and research, in order to reduce a trade deficit of Euros376 million.
Next up for Xi was Mark Carney, the first Canadian premier to land in Beijing since 2017. Ignoring a request from Human Rights Watch to focus on humanitarian issues, Carney also homed in on trade. Operating in what he calls a "new world order," he wants Canada to double its non-US exports over the next decade (currently, 70% of Canadian exports go to the US). A draft deal between Carney and Xi would permit 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada and reduce tariffs on Canadian canola, lobsters, and peas. Trump's reaction to the agreement has been characteristically schizophrenic: though describing it as a "good thing," he has also threatened Canada with 100% tariffs if it follows through.
Visiting China towards the end of January, Finland's prime minister Petteri Orpo was told that his country could "swim freely" in China's "vast" markets. His state visit was followed a few days later by that of the UK's prime minister Keir Starmer, the first by a British premier since 2018. It yielded concrete results, despite Trump's warning that it was "very dangerous" for Britain to do business with Beijing: a four-year investment by AstraZeneca in China worth $15 billion, a 50% reduction in Chinese tariffs on Scotch whisky, and visa-free travel for British citizens in China up to 30 days.
Human rights organizations will no doubt be angry that none of these leaders tried to leverage political change in China as part of their trade negotiations. But there is an argument that open trade itself has significantly contributed to the liberalization of Chinese society, beginning with the open-door policy initiated by Deng Xiaoping in 1978. On this analysis, the gradual opening up and privatization of the economy has resulted in greater personal freedom, especially in China's rural areas, where the return of household responsibility (baochan daohu) has released millions from servitude to the state. Private companies now account for around 60% of China's GDP and 90% of new jobs. Even in a state as repressive as Communist China, it seems, open trade can chip away at governmental control.
The EU leadership itself still has a fraught relationship with Beijing, after hiking tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in late 2024 (a move that Spain opposed). But this might change now that several member states are pursuing unilateral trade agreements with China, driven east by increased US protectionism. They have realized that the best way to reduce their trade deficit with Beijing is not to impose punitive sanctions, but go on the hard sell--increase the exports rather than limit the imports.
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Mark Nayler is a freelance journalist and critic based in Malaga, Spain. He writes regularly for The Spectator and Times Literary Supplement and is working on a biography of the philosopher Bryan Magee, due to be published by Bloomsbury (London) in 2028.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/trade-offensive/
Fossil fuel subsidies undermine foundation of Canadian prosperity, a healthy environment: David Suzuki Foundation
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 28 -- The David Suzuki Foundation posted the following news release:
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Fossil fuel subsidies undermine foundation of Canadian prosperity, a healthy environment: David Suzuki Foundation
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New fossil fuel subsidies contradict Canada's international climate commitments and undermine needed environmental investments announced in Canada's spring economic statement
VANCOUVER | UNCEDED xwm@thkw@y@m (MUSQUEAM), Skwxwu7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND s@lilw@tal (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES -
While today's federal spring economic statement included necessary new funding
... Show Full Article
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 28 -- The David Suzuki Foundation posted the following news release:
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Fossil fuel subsidies undermine foundation of Canadian prosperity, a healthy environment: David Suzuki Foundation
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New fossil fuel subsidies contradict Canada's international climate commitments and undermine needed environmental investments announced in Canada's spring economic statement
VANCOUVER | UNCEDED xwm@thkw@y@m (MUSQUEAM), Skwxwu7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND s@lilw@tal (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES -
While today's federal spring economic statement included necessary new fundingfor climate and nature, it missed the mark by confirming new fossil fuel subsidies instead of investing in accelerating the transition from fossil fuels, the David Suzuki Foundation warned.
Today's economic update included a $25 billion investment in a sovereign wealth fund -while representatives of 57 countries gathered in Santa Marta, Colombia, to build momentum for accelerating the global transition away from fossil fuels.
"Canada has a moral, legal and economic duty to stop financing fossil fuel expansion," David Suzuki Foundation national policy manager Lisa Gue said. "The new Canada Growth Fund will need clear guardrails to align with Canada's commitments to end fossil fuel subsidies and financing. A healthy environment, healthy people and resilient communities -that's true wealth."
At a time of great geopolitical uncertainty, Canada's contribution to international climate finance is more important than ever. "We welcome the extension of this funding in the spring economic statement," Gue said. "Yet Canada's plans to expand fossil fuel exports and further subsidize liquefied natural gas terminals will only exacerbate the climate crisis and aggravate climate harms for the most vulnerable communities at home and abroad."
The spring economic statement announced dedicated funding to protect whales and their habitat, which is crucial for highly endangered populations like the southern resident killer whales, the Foundation said. "While we welcome these investments, they can't be used to justify environmentally destructive projects in or around coastal waters," Foundation nature director Erin Roger said. "Beyond the funding announced today, what's really needed to bring these endangered whales back from the brink of extinction is limiting harm from industrial activity. Healthy coastlines are in the national interest, and we look forward to Canada scaling up action to protect these ecosystems under the new nature strategy."
The Foundation is concerned that amendments to Canada's pesticide law, announced with today's economic update, could increase exposure to chemicals that harm human health and the environment. But it welcomes extension of funding for Canada's chemicals management plan and forthcoming measures to connect, modernize and expand the electricity grid.
"We are encouraged by Canada's intention to work with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners and other stakeholders to strengthen efforts to connect, modernize and expand the electricity grid," Gue said. "A clean and connected electricity grid is a real nation-building project, with recent polling showing that 72 per cent of Canadians want the federal government to invest in an east-west grid."
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For more information or interviews, please contact:
Rosie Rattray: rrattray@davidsuzuki.org, 604-732-4228, ext 132
***
Original text here: https://davidsuzuki.org/press/fossil-fuel-subsidies-undermine-foundation-of-canadian-prosperity-a-healthy-environment-david-suzuki-foundation/
FCC Regulation of Disfavored Speech Is Unconstitutional, Says ITIF
WASHINGTON, April 28 [Category: Computer Technology]-- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation posted the following news release:
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FCC Regulation of Disfavored Speech Is Unconstitutional, Says ITIF
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Following a report that the Federal Communications Commission will order early reviews of eight Disney-owned ABC stations, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from Joe Kane, ITIF's director of broadband and spectrum policy:
It is unconstitutional for the FCC to
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, April 28 [Category: Computer Technology]-- The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation posted the following news release:
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FCC Regulation of Disfavored Speech Is Unconstitutional, Says ITIF
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Following a report that the Federal Communications Commission will order early reviews of eight Disney-owned ABC stations, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the leading think tank for science and technology policy, released the following statement from Joe Kane, ITIF's director of broadband and spectrum policy:
It is unconstitutional for the FCC totake regulatory action against a broadcaster for broadcasting disfavored speech. License reviews should be content neutral. The FCC's role is to provide technical expertise on issues like interference, not to police speech.
For more on this issue, see:
* Joe Kane, " Chairman Carr's Legal Theory of Content Regulation Is More Developed, but Still Wrong," ITIF Innovation Files commentary, March 17, 2026.
* Joe Kane, " Expression Over Radio Waves Is Not Exempt from the First Amendment," Federalist Society, February 11, 2025.
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Original text here: https://itif.org/publications/publications/2026/04/28/fcc-regulation-of-disfavored-speech-is-unconstitutional-says-itif/
Central New York Community Foundation: $3.2 Million Gift Helps First Marsellus M.A.D.E. Cohort Lean Into Leadership and Communication Skills
SYRACUSE, New York, April 28 -- The Central New York Community Foundation issued the following news release on April 27, 2026:
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$3.2 Million Gift Helps First Marsellus M.A.D.E. Cohort Lean into Leadership and Communication Skills
A $3.2 million gift is helping strengthen nonprofit leadership across Central New York through the Community Foundation's Marsellus M.A.D.E. to Lead program. The first cohort of nonprofit managers recently completed the six-month experience, building skills, confidence, and connections to better serve their organizations and community.
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Erin Murphy has worked
... Show Full Article
SYRACUSE, New York, April 28 -- The Central New York Community Foundation issued the following news release on April 27, 2026:
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$3.2 Million Gift Helps First Marsellus M.A.D.E. Cohort Lean into Leadership and Communication Skills
A $3.2 million gift is helping strengthen nonprofit leadership across Central New York through the Community Foundation's Marsellus M.A.D.E. to Lead program. The first cohort of nonprofit managers recently completed the six-month experience, building skills, confidence, and connections to better serve their organizations and community.
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Erin Murphy has workedat Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways for seven years, supporting adult members with training and learning opportunities and helping them succeed as mentors to young girl scouts. She describes herself as a people pleaser and an empathizer and introvert "I'm not that outgoing, go out and connect person," she said.
Open to opportunities to grow her professional skills, Erin applied to and was accepted into the Community Foundation's first cohort of our Marsellus M.A.D.E. (Mission-driven, Achievement, Dedication, and Elevation) to Lead program, made possible by a $3.2 million bequest from John D. Marsellus. Erin was one of 10 mid-level and senior nonprofit managers in the six-month organizational leadership program. Facilitated by Our Glass Consulting, the group met in person again once a month virtually and engaged in one-on-one consulting for about two hours to unlock leadership potential, improve capacity, expand their peer support network, and provide space to explore and solve daily challenges.
By the end of the program, Erin was empowered to seek advice on how to lead meetings about Girl Scout programs and was testing her newly honed skills, armed both with increased confidence and the language to understand her leadership style. "They have done a great job highlighting differences and how to lean into your strengths and identify what you could grow and how to do that," she said.
The first cohort completed its program in March and will celebrate with a graduation this month. The program jumpstarted with support from late donor, John D. Marsellus, a strong advocate for nonprofit professional development. John, an enthusiastic civic leader who died in June last year, was former president of his family business, Marsellus Casket Company. He was also a longtime volunteer and supporter of countless local and national nonprofits.
John's connection to the Community Foundation dates to 1973, when his father, John F. Marsellus, established a donor-advised fund. John and his father shared an interest in nurturing nonprofit leaders. He worked with the Community Foundation to develop the John F. Marsellus Sabbatical program, the Marsellus Executive Development Program, LeadUP CNY (later renamed The Marsellus Next Generation Leadership Development Program) and the Marsellus Forward initiative. Marsellus M.A.D.E. is the latest iteration of leadership programs inspired and supported by Marsellus.
"He was incredibly thoughtful and forward-thinking," said Danielle Johnson, senior director of grants and programs. "He was very aligned with what staff were seeing and hearing from nonprofit professionals. If the need for one program was dwindling, he was able to see new needs emerging. He was very intentional about where those needs were and where a program might be most impactful."
John's concern for nonprofit capacity went beyond building leadership skills, though. "He was also concerned about the leaders taking care of themselves," Danielle said. "He knew the real struggles of being in nonprofits and how isolating it can be in a leadership position. He understood the need to be around like-minded people so we can ultimately improve the community."
Demetrius McNeil and Arlaina Harris of Our Glass Consulting led the first cohort through guest presentations, discussions and interactive exercises aimed at self-assessment and growth. "We wanted them to see themselves as the great leaders they could be but also understand that they are not going through this alone," Demetrius said. "They found that common connection."
He was thrilled to see Erin take initiative to lead meetings at work and to witness growing relationships between emerging and more seasoned managers. One serious, real-life scenario had the participants work together to brainstorm how to modify a program that lost funding. A less serious exercise with a relevant message involved building paper chains -- with only one hand or without scissors. "It's a grade school exercise," Demetrius said. "It points out how we can accomplish things with limited resources. Hopefully they can take things back to their teams and create innovations for the folks they serve."
James Tweedie has already done that. He's relatively new to Central New York, having served as property management at the nonprofit housing development and management organization Christopher Community, Inc., for about 18 months. He previously spent about 20 years in property management in Delaware County. Marsellus M.A.D.E. to Lead helped him update his leadership skills and jumpstart a professional network in Central New York's nonprofit community.
"I am dumbfounded by the amount of people and the number of resources in Syracuse engaged in making Syracuse better," he said.
Thanks to new relationships with program participants, he's connected Christopher Community with Energy Smart CNY and the CNY Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Alliance so their services can help clients at Christopher Community.
James describes his leadership style as director/thinker, expresser, harmonizer. "We talked about identifying the type of leader you are and how you work best with people based on their style," he said. "That's been really enlightening."
He noted that he's changed as a leader as his career has advanced. "I consider that growth," he said. "As you gain more experience and fight more battles, you become a different leader. I think I'm more direct and innovative in my approach than in the past."
James said it's been helpful to update skills, learn new concepts and meet people. "Some great bonds and relationships were made in the group," he said. "Those connections are going to be very fruitful for people."
The application window for the second cohort of Marsellus MADE to Lead opens June 11 at cnycf.org/made.
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Original text here: https://cnycf.org/3-2-million-gift-helps-first-marsellus-m-a-d-e-cohort-lean-into-leadership-and-communication-skills/
