Nova Scotia mum on why it won't release findings of environmental racism panel
Nova Scotia NDP Leader Claudia Chender speaks to reporters at Province House in Halifax on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia government is not releasing recommendations from a panel tasked with examining environmental racism in the province — and it isn't saying why.
Justice Minister Becky Druhan repeatedly avoided giving a reason under repeated questioning by reporters today following a provincial cabinet meeting.
Druhan did say the government is committed to addressing issues of equity and racism, and she said she believes the panel's work will 'inform' those efforts.
The eight-member panel was appointed in June 2023 to examine how racism affects a community's natural environment, and it was expected to submit recommendations by the end of that year.
The panel was created as the result of an amendment to climate change legislation that was passed in the fall of 2023.
Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender said it was 'disheartening' that the government has sat on the findings for more than a year and she said the panel's report should be released to the public.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
20 minutes ago
- CBC
Canadian ambassador says there's a 'good path forward' to a trade deal with the U.S.
Social Sharing Canada's ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman said she "firmly" believes that both countries could reach a trade deal within the 30-day deadline discussed at the G7 summit in Alberta last week. "We can't do anything to force the U.S. side to come to a deal, but we do think we have a good path forward if we're able to take it," she said during an interview on Rosemary Barton Live that aired on Sunday. Hillman said it's "too soon to tell" whether all U.S. tariffs imposed on Canada will be removed, and she stopped short of saying whether the federal government is willing to accept the continuation of some tariffs. "These are things that will work themselves out in the next number of weeks," she said. Canada is fighting for "open trade and stability" for Canadian workers and businesses, Hillman said during the interview. WATCH | Canadian ambassador to U.S. discusses ongoing trade talks: Canadian ambassador to U.S. 'firmly' believes in path to trade deal 4 hours ago Duration 9:16 Chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton speaks with Canadian Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman about the ongoing negotiations between Ottawa and Washington. Hillman gets expanded role in Washington Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Hillman as Canada's chief negotiator with the U.S. amid heightened trade tensions, CBC News has learned. This role comes in addition to her duties as Canada's ambassador to the U.S. Hillman previously worked on the team negotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement during U.S. President Donald Trump's first term and as Canada's chief negotiator for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Her expanded duties now position her in bilateral talks as U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer's counterpart. Trade and defence talks continuing Since Carney and Trump set the 30-day deadline while meeting at the G7 in Kananaskis, Alta., on June 16, Hillman has had three meetings with her U.S. counterparts — one immediately following the leaders' bilateral, the second on the following day with Greer and another on Friday that included Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who is also the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade. More talks are planned throughout this week. The conversations with the U.S. are focused on different topics, including fentanyl, border security and Arctic defence, although the leaders are focused on tariffs. Hillman said it's still unclear whether defence and trade will be part of one deal coming within the next 30 days. Trump has said "many times" that he likes tariffs, Hillman said. "It's up to Canada to demonstrate we can achieve the same goals with the United States through other means that don't necessarily involve these punishing tariffs, especially on strategic goods." WATCH | PM may raise counter-tariffs on U.S. steel, aluminum if deal delayed: Canada to limit steel imports, may hike U.S. counter-tariffs next month 3 days ago Duration 2:20 Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced limits to foreign steel imports in a bid to prop up Canada's steel industry, which has been hit hard by the U.S. trade war. Canada may hike counter-tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum if a deal isn't reached by July 21. Steel tariffs still at 50% Just days after Canada and the U.S. set a 30-day deadline, Carney signalled he's willing to go higher with Canada's retaliatory tariffs if no agreement is reached. Canada's counter-tariffs on steel will go up or down, depending on trade progress by July 21, in response to U.S. metal tariffs that are now at 50 per cent. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly told CBC Power & Politics host David Cochrane that Canada is taking "measures like [it's] never done" in the free-trade era to protect the steel and aluminum sectors.
CTV News
42 minutes ago
- CTV News
Truck full of pups evacuated from wildfires arrive in Barrie, get set for adoption
Dozens of dogs and a handful of cats who were evacuated from the Northwestern Ontario wildfires get set for fostering and adoption. Dozens of dogs and a handful of cats who were evacuated from the Northwestern Ontario wildfires arrived in Barrie Sunday afternoon, where they will be fostered and prepared to eventually find their new homes. Kelley Ward, founder of 'Lost Boys Hope Rescue,' coordinated their week-long journey over thousands of kilometres from Sandy Lake to Thunder Bay to Sudbury. She picked them up in Sudbury on Sunday and drove them to her Lost Boys warehouse in Barrie. '65 dogs and four cats, I believe,' said Ward of the precious cargo. 'These are dogs that have been previously on surrendered lists that are strays that someone in the community is helping us with, or dogs of people who have been evacuated that wanted their dogs out so that they can be safe.' Ward and her volunteers carefully but quickly unpacked 27 of the pups to limit their exposure to the extreme heat and prepared them for their foster owners as they lined up at the front door. 'It's just a good feeling. It's something that makes a difference,' said Chris Proestos, who fostered one of the pups for his mother. 'We had a dog before, my late sister's dog. We put her down recently, and it's good for my mother to have companionship.' Puppies in Barrie Puppies who were evacuated from Northwestern Ontario wildfires arrive in Barrie, Ont., on Sun., June 22, 2025. (CTV News/Mike Lang) Most of the other canines and cats were picked up by members of the Georgian Triangle Humane Society. 13 dogs and two cats were bound for fosters in Collingwood, three dogs and two other cats were transported to Vaughan and another dog was brought to Kitchener. 'Very emotional to say the least,' said Pam Odam, Georgian Humane Society transport coordinator, of the process. 'Right now, we're doing [trips up north] weekly to try and relieve the pressure on the fosters in Thunder Bay, so that they can bring in more dogs that either need respite from the fires or that they're being surrendered.' The other dogs in the hands of Ward and her volunteers will be quarantined for two weeks before getting fostered, vetted, spayed, neutered and vaccinated. They will then be put up for adoption. At that point, Lost Boys Hope will prepare for their next shipment of canine evacuees. 'I've had northern dogs for ten years,' said Ward. 'It's where my heart and soul is. I love helping the communities, I love the people up there, so that's where I go.' Ward adds that they are always looking for additional volunteers and donations so that they can keep more dogs happy and connect them to more foster owners.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
15K Rotarians from 140 countries celebrate community at Calgary convention
Mark Starratt is the co-chair of the host organizing committee of 2025 Rotary International Conventional, which has 15,000 people from 140 different countries attending. Last week, Alberta hosted the G7, which featured global leaders from around the world gathering together in Kananaskis Country to try to solve a few of the world's problems. This week, Calgary is hosting the 2025 Rotary International Convention, which features 15,000 ordinary folks from 140 countries around the world gathering together at BMO Centre in Stampede Park to try to solve a few of the world's problems. "I don't think we have enough time to talk about the variety of things that are being talked about, but it's everything from peace and conflict resolution to polio eradication to literacy, maternal health, and community engagement,' said Mark Starratt, the co-chair of the host organizing committee. 'There's just so many things going on at this convention. It's hard to put a pulse on just one thing." Starratt said there are 13 Rotary Clubs in Calgary and more than 45 in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, who represent a sliver of the organization's 1.2 million people from 46,000 different clubs. When you put that kind of people to work trying to solve a problem, you can get a lot done, said Rotary International General Secretary and CEO John Hewko. 'Rotary, really, back in 1985, had the the audacity to say we are going to eradicate a disease from the face of the earth,' Hewko said. 'Smallpox have just been eradicated, and we -- to celebrate our 75th anniversary -- said we're going to tackle eradicating polio. John Hewko, Rotary International CEO John Hewko, Rotary International president and CEO (Tyler Barrow, CTV Calgary) 'We were joined by the WHO, UNICEF, CDC, and, more recently, the Gates Foundation and GAVI to create the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. 'We started with 125 countries that had polio back then,' Hewko said. 'We're now down to just two: Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the virus is still circling. So we're on the verge of eradicating polio and leaving a legacy for as long as mankind inhabits the earth.' Hewko said Rotarians around the world have contributed US $2.9 billion to the effort over 40 years, and recently Gates announced he would chip in two dollars for every dollar raised by Rotarians. Not bad for a gathering of not-so-ordinary folks. 'What the polio eradication effort demonstrates is the power of the individual, the power of grassroots organizations to unite together around the cross to drive change and to really make a difference in the world,' Hewko said. Locally, two Calgary Rotary Clubs joined with the Flames Foundation Friday to announce a $3 million donation to build four sports zones in different communities across the city. The convention is believed to be one of the largest Calgary has ever hosted and if there's a problem to be solved in Calgary this week, it might be finding a vacant hotel room or a dinner reservation at a restaurant. All those visitors are expected to book 30,000 hotel room nights and drop around $81 million into the local economy. 'We're delighted to be here in in Calgary,' Hewko said. 'And of course, we're going to be taking advantage of the incredible hospitality of the of the people of Calgary and the City of Calgary.' Rotary International Convention 2025 continues through May 25.
