But first…
Rain. So much rain. By the end of summer, I was over Vancouver’s heat, and the dryness, and the existential panic that comes with the knowledge that wildfire smoke could blanket the city at any time. It really grates the ol’ nervous system, and I was basically praying for rain.
Now it’s here and I can’t go outside without windshield wipers on my glasses. Just kidding. I don’t wear glasses. And anyway, it could be worse – this could be winter in Saskatoon.
And look, I love you, Saskatoon, I really do. That prairie charm is real. But you’re outrageously cold and also, what, suddenly facing a catastrophic homelessness problem? 2,000 people! That’s a worrying amount, considering the winter conditions y’all are facing. I’d always assumed that Saskatoon was about as affordable a city as one could find in this country, but apparently that’s not the case after all.
Solutions considered, solutions needed. Maybe pipelines will fix this for everyone…
- Stephen Smysnuik
A necessary “first step” forward
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the necessary framework for a new pipeline from Alberta’s oil sands to B.C.’s northern coast.
And from their perspective, the country needs the the pipeline. Currently, Canada’s economy relies heavily on the U.S., and that includes selling oil and gas almost exclusively to them. In order to diversify our economy away from the U.S. – a necessity given President Donald Trump’s decision to upend our trading partnership – Carney is making the argument that we need to ship this oil to other markets.
A step backward
B.C. Premier, on the other hand, was excluded from the negotiations leading up to this agreement, and he seems none too pleased about any of it.
Basically, B.C. shoulders the environmental risk while Alberta reaps the economic rewards. Meanwhile, Eby has his own projects in mind, including the Ksi Lisims LNG facility, which prioritizes B.C.’s economy, not Alberta’s.
There’s a lot more to this, so mash that button down below to read all about it.
In other news
U.S. national parks will start charging foreign tourists $100 entry, which doesn’t seem like a great way to invite Canadians back into the country
Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to visit President Donald Trump during a visit to Washington, D.C. next week. Q: Will anything come of it? A: 😑
And in case you missed it, check out our previous story exploring whether or not it’s worth it to have kids anymore given the, well, current state of the world
Ciao for now.