A train derailment in northern BC forced an elementary school to evacuate early Thursday morning.
The train derailed near Giscome Elementary School around 40 kilometres east of Prince George.
School officials have evacuated the children to a nearby church as a precaution.
The derailment comes only a day after a freight train in Kingston, Ontario went off its tracks on Wednesday.
According to school vice-principal Jason Schwartz, the derailment took place around 9:30 a.m. as pupils were beginning their day.
The children’s parents were made aware of the school’s evacuation and were given the option to pick up their kids or have them transferred to a nearby school for the remainder of the day.
While CN Rail has not commented on the situation, Schwartz claimed that the train cars were transporting propane and coal.
“On our way to town, at the Giscome crossing where the school is, there is a train wreck of propane tank cars — crumbled tanks,” local Catherine Kendall told CBC.
A video of the incident shows the train completely halted with several cars piled up and off their tracks while workers wearing safety jackets inspect the area nearby.
As of yet, investigators do not know the cause of the derailment.
The derailment in BC took place nearly 350 kilometres away from the site of the BC LNG pipeline’s construction.
According to transportation minister Marc Garneau, there have been signs of tampering with rail tracks by protestors who oppose the project’s construction.
The company owned by multi-billionaire Warren Buffett has decided to cancel a multi-billion dollar investment planned for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Saguenay, Que.
Berkshire Hathaway had planned to invest $4 billion out of the $9.5 billion needed to build the marine terminal, which would enable the export of LNG to overseas markets.
The company behind the project, GNL Québec, said investors are getting cold feet because of Canada’s ongoing rail blockades and anti-pipeline protests
Spokesperson Stéphanie Fortin confirmed only that an undisclosed investor withdrew its bid due to “instability” attributed to “the current Canadian political context.”
Fortin said the project will proceed without job losses, though the news was still less than welcome to local politicians.
“It’s concerning when we talk about an investor putting in $4 billion of $9 billion. It’s clear that Mr. Buffett has good reasons. We’re seeing the rail crisis — that’s surely one of the reasons,” said Saguenay deputy mayor Michel Potvin.
The plant would include a 782-kilometre pipeline to transport natural gas sourced in western Canada to Quebec.
Berkshire Hathaway is not the first company to have second thoughts about Canadian energy development.
In February, Teck Resources Ltd. withdrew its application for approval of a $20.6 billion oil sands mine in Alberta for similar reasons.
The project was expected to produce $70 billion in tax revenue for the federal government and employ 7,000 in its construction phase, as well as 2,500 to keep the mine in operation.
According to Teck CEO and President Don Lindsay, the reason for its withdrawal was due to Canada’s ongoing resource development and climate change debate.
Lindsay said that the debate placed his company “squarely at the nexus of much broader issues that need to be resolved.”
What exactly is a hereditary chief? What are these illegal blockades all about? Do these protesters speak for all indigenous people in Canada?
True North’s Sam Eskenasi sits down with Mètis indigenous rights activist Ryan Bellerose to discuss the pressing issues facing indigenous communities in Canada today.
Ryan is an activist from Paddle Prairie who has been heavily involved in the struggle for indigenous rights worldwide. He has articles published around the world and contrary to popular belief, he does not live in an igloo.
True North is committed to telling the other side of the story that the mainstream media refuses to talk about. Independent media in Canada is more important than ever. Support True North: http://www.tnc.news/donate/
A Trudeau-appointed senator said in a 2019 speech to Chinese alumni that people should be “praying every night” that the People’s Republic of China doesn’t share the same fate as the Soviet Union.
The remarks were delivered by Senator Yuen Pau Woo in Vancouver to members of the Fudan University School of Economics according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
“There are of course many critics who believe the People’s Republic of China will meet the same fate as the USSR. Indeed, some are counting on it to happen and trying to accelerate the process,” said Woo.
“But with a Chinese economy that is already larger than that of the US in purchasing power terms, and the Chinese market serving as the number one destination for exports from over 120 countries, we should be hoping and praying every night that China does not implode.”
Woo gave his speech only a few months after the unlawful arrest of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor by the Chinese government in retaliation for extradition proceedings against Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
Woo is no stranger to events hosted by groups with links to China’s communist government.
In January it was revealed that Woo spoke at an event hosted by the Canada-China Friendship Society, which has been lauded by the Chinese embassy for creating “mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and Canadian peoples.”
During the speech, Woo said “a fresh perspective is needed” on Canada-China relations.
“We should be humble about whether a different strategy would produce better results,” said Woo.
“It should come as no surprise to anyone that a proud and ancient civilization such as China’s would be resistant to pressures for change from outside the country.”
The so-called support protests for the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs that have sprung up across the country have now manifested themselves into what can only be described as domestic terrorism.
This week alone we saw the arson (and subsequent arrest of a suspect) of a CN rail station in Prince Rupert and anarchists on the main rail line starting fires on the main line between Toronto and Montreal and the fourth derailment in less than a month on the same line.
Other incidents have sprung up in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Quebec. We do know that the so-called Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs are actually the board of an NGO non-profit and speak for no one and represent nothing. They have all the authority of a hamster running on a wheel in a cage.
Yet, our government spent three days in “negotiations” with them and announced a deal had been reached but wouldn’t tell Canadians what the details were. Yet, the deal, such as it was, had nothing to do with the blockades. How does that happen?
If the blockades were the trigger for the meetings you’d almost think the blockades would be on the table for the discussions, wouldn’t you?
How do you negotiate a settlement deal with anyone who cannot speak for the actual stakeholders, can’t speak with the authority to actually represent the group of 20 First Nations who signed the pipeline deal after five years of negotiations and much consultation and several referendums on the matter? How do you negotiate with someone and start the process by taking off the table the one thing you actually want which is the end of the blockades?
The Prime Minister should spend a weekend reading Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal because this effort by his government was an absolute embarrassment in which he came out of with nothing and won’t tell the country what he spent to get nothing while the blockades continue.
The utter incompetence of the Trudeau government was clearly on display when the Aboriginal Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennet made an appearance on CTV on the weekend to try and defend what the government was doing. The result was incomprehensible and embarrassing. For all the money they foolishly spend could they not afford someone competent to brief and prepare the Minister before she appears on national TV?
But make no mistake about it, none of this has anything to do with the Wet’suwet’en people. The hereditary chiefs have been bought by the Tides Foundation and the Pembina Institute among other eco-activist organizations primarily funded out of the USA.
They seize upon any convenient issue against the Canadian energy sector to yell and shout and stamp their feet. Which, if that was all they did, wouldn’t be so bad. But, it is the acts of domestic terrorism that need to be dealt with and thus far, it is a war the police are losing.
The report identifies “Greenpeace, Tides Canada and Sierra Canada to name a few,” as significant threats.
It goes on, “Those within the movement who are willing to go beyond peaceful actions primarily employ direct action tactics, such as civil disobedience, unlawful protests, break and entry, vandalism and sabotage. Some of the more violent prone extremists advocate the use of arson, firearms and improvised explosive devices.”
It is very prophetic in fact. Reading the report describes exactly what we are seeing today. What we are not seeing is the police being aggressive to protect the country and the economy from those who would do us harm.
And the government of Justin Trudeau dithers having negotiations with a group who doesn’t speak for anyone, can’t influence anything and somehow, it seems, got bought off without solving any problem.
The UN official that led the negotiations for the Paris Agreement is now calling for civil disobedience to fight climate change.
In her new book, Christiana Figueres encourages civil disobedience to force institutions into further action.
“It’s time to participate in non-violent political movements wherever possible,” she wrote.
From 2010-2016, Figueres served as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In 2015, Figueres led the Paris Agreement negotiations on climate change.
Figueres also supports Extinction Rebellion, a radical environmentalist group that the United Kingdom recently added to a list of extreme ideologies that target the public and youth. Figueres praised Extinction Rebellion in 2019 when the group was blocking traffic and railways in London.
Extinction Rebellion has been a major player in many of the protests across Canada in recent weeks. In mid-February, Extinction Rebellion attempted to kidnap BC Premier John Horgan and place him under “citizen’s arrest” for his support of the Coastal GasLink pipeline.
Figueres also encourages readers to vote as if climate change is the biggest issue facing them personally.
“Large numbers of people must vote on climate change as their number one priority,” she wrote.
“As we are in the midst of the most dire emergency, we must urgently demand that those who seek high office offer solutions commensurate with the scale of the problem.”
The strict greenhouse gas reduction goals set out in the Paris Agreement have been used to justify many of Canada’s decisions made in the name of addressing climate change, such as the carbon tax.
Last year, the United States informed the United Nations that it will be withdrawing from the Paris Agreement effective November 2020.
The Liberal health minister in charge of handling Canada’s response to the novel coronavirus outbreak said that borders are becoming less relevant as the virus spreads.
According to 680 News, Minister of Health Patty Hajdu made the comments in response to questions about why the Liberal government hasn’t implemented extra screening measures along Canada’s borders.
“The more countries that have outbreaks, the less relevant borders become. A virus knows no borders,” said Hajdu.
The Canadian government’s handling of the outbreak has been starkly different from how US President Donald Trump has addressed the potential pandemic.
Trump implemented several travel restrictions after the virus claimed its first death on US soil, in Washington state.
The restrictions include travel warnings for South Korea and Italy, as well as a travel ban for Iran. The ban applies to any foreign national who has travelled to Iran in the last two weeks.
Recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would be creating a cabinet committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland to deal with the outbreak.
In Canada, 33 people have been infected with the COVID-19 virus, while globally there have been 90,870 confirmed cases spanning over 72 countries.
20 people are believed to be carrying the virus in Ontario, while there are 12 cases in BC, and one in Quebec.
Trudeau warned Canadians to not trust “misinformation” circulating about the virus and take extra precautions to avoid infection or spreading the virus.
“It’s not that different than what people should be doing during flu season anyway: Washing your hands regularly, making sure you’re being careful about when you feel symptoms of a cold coming down, being there to support your families, coughing into your elbows, maybe taking a little more care around travel,” said Trudeau.
Greenpeace Canada is offering a $70,000 salary for a full-time campaigner to “scandalize” Canada’s fossil fuel industry.
“Greenpeace Canada (GPCA) is seeking a Campaign Head to provide leadership in the development and implementation of our campaigns to fight climate change and scandalize the fossil fuel industry in Canada,” reads the job description.
The job requires candidates to be willing to travel globally and lists the position’s locations as Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, or “within Canada.”
“You will work with colleagues in Canada and around the world and some international travel may be necessary,” says the ad.
While the job description doesn’t say anything about whether the candidate is required to be a Canadian citizen, it does require that they be “legally entitled to work in Canada.”
This is not the first lucrative environmental job advertisement to pop up in the last few weeks.
As reported exclusively by True North, American-based company Stand.earth is hiring a “senior oil and gas campaigner” to stop BC’s LNG pipeline.
“Stand.earth is seeking a passionate and experienced campaigner to develop and implement strategies to raise awareness and build power to stop the expansion of the oil and gas sector,” read the job posting.
The full-time position offered to pay the successful applicant a salary ranging between $70,000 and $85,000.
Both jobs are being advertised in the midst of a national crisis centred on the opposition of a small number of hereditary Wet’suwet’en chiefs to the BC LNG pipeline.
Since January, environmental activists have been protesting and setting up blockades across the country in support of the Wet’suwet’en chiefs.
Brampton city council approved a motion Wednesday to post Indigenous land acknowledgements in all city facilities and parks.
The motion by Councillor Charmaine Williams was approved by the council unanimously, including support from Mayor Patrick Brown.
“Whereas, posting land acknowledgement [sic] on city facilities and parks creates a direct link to the stewardship of the indigenous community and our current use of the land,” wrote the motion. “Be it resolved that staff be directed to provide a report to committee of council on the implementation timeline, and strategy for community consultation on posting the land acknowledgement on city-owned parks and facilities.”
Indigenous land acknowledgements are a practice where the indigenous inhabitants of the area are referenced in speech or in writing.
They are most often said at the beginning of public ceremonies or gatherings.
“It’s a great way to be constantly reminded that we’re visitors of this land, we are not owners of this land,” said Williams during the council meeting.
First Nations issues have been at the forefront of national attention over the past few weeks as the country grapples with blockades by protesters claiming to support hereditary Wet’suwet’en chiefs who oppose British Columbia’s LNG pipeline.
Despite reaching an undisclosed deal with federal ministers and police actions to end the protests, the blockades have continued throughout various parts of Canada.
Leftist politicians will use any opportunity to lecture Canadians about racism.
Five weeks ago when the coronavirus first arrived in Canada, politicians like Toronto Mayor John Tory called Canadians “racist” because some suggested quarantining those returning from affected areas.
Fast forward to now, while the coronavirus continues to spread, that’s exactly what Canada is doing.
True North’s Anthony Furey is shocked these social justice warriors can politicize a public health issue.
