January 27, 2010

Banned at home, Canada continues exporting deadly asbestos worldwide

Microscopic image of Asbestos. Despite being banned here, Canada remains the West's biggest exporter of the deadly mineral. Over the past two decades, Canada has spent millions stripping asbestos from the walls and ceilings of schools, the Parliament Buildings, and hospitals. The national outcry against asbestos has led to some government restrictions on its use and production, causing many Canadians... [More >>]

January 14, 2010

Olympic Countdown: 5 facts about the Vancouver 2010 medals

There’s more to these shiny trophies than meets the eye 1. The 2010 Games boast “the greenest medals yet,” the papers clamored following their October unveiling. That’s technically true, since the medals include recycled metal reclaimed from electronic waste. But out of 2,855 kilograms of metal used to manufacture this year’s medals, recycled content is just 12.41 kg, or 0.43 percent... [More >>]

November 23, 2009

The Ecuadorian village that’s taking the Toronto Stock Exchange to court

Marcia Ramírez is suing the Toronto Stock Exchange over a violent incident with a Canadian mining company's security service. Photo by Malcolm Rogge. Marcia Ramírez is in for the fight of her life: suing the Toronto Stock Exchange for listing a company that it knew might cause her harm. In early December 2006, Ramírez was one of some 30-odd residents of the remote Intag valley in northwestern... [More >>]

May 29, 2009

All That Glitters: Canada’s toxic legacy in the Philippines

Alex Felipe witnesses the toxic effects of Canadian gold mining on three remote Philippine communities Click here for a full-screen slideshow A child plays in the creek near Cosan Admitting that I was a Canadian has never been as difficult as when I travelled to the Philippines to photograph two Canadian-owned open-pit mining sites last winter. The fact that I am also Filipino by blood didn’t... [More >>]