A quote probably familiar to Island naturalist Daryl Guignion:

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."
   --- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

---------------

Events:

The P.E.I. Legislature sits from 1-5PM today.

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

-------------------
Local Food:
Orders for Eat Local PEI due today.
More details at: https://www.localline.ca/eatlocalpei
---------------------------
Tomorrow, Thursday, March 4th:
Webinar: Carbon Bombs, Canada and the Climate, with National Observer's Linda Solomon Wood and author (and 350.org founder) Bill McKibben, 8PM, online, free.  Details to register at this link

One of you (thank you) has recommended these recordings, from former Governor of the Bank of Canada Mark Carney, via podcasts from CBC Radio show Ideas.

He writes to listen to the ..."three part BBC Reith Lectures where Dr. Mark Carney articulately delivers his perspective on the distinction between economic value, human values and climate change. They can be found on CBC’s Ideas' website:

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-23-ideas/clip/15826098-bbc-reith-lectures-mark-carney-part-one

Furthermore, quoting my friend, since "it’s quite possible Dr. Carney may offer for political office, I think it’s all the more important to understand his informed and persuasive positions on the critical issues now facing us. His forthcoming book, Values: Building a Better World for All will be released March 16, 2021."

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-23-ideas
for the three lectures and their other recordings.

The Guardian (P.E.I.) has a self-explanatory and sometimes completely irrelevant Monday editorial feature,
"Cheers and Jeers", and some parts of yesterday afternoon's sitting of the P.E.I. Legislature made me think of a "Whys, Sighs and Highs" of (my personal, peripheral and probably equally immaterial) notes from the P.E.I. Legislature....

Why...
....was the Legislature meeting in person at all, bringing over 20 MLAs and staff into a building for most of a day when the Province was in a modified "red zone". (CBC article link) The justifications regarding "essential work" could be argued, perhaps with less political grandstanding, and some business was done; the last half hour was spent discuss a Government Motion (No. 19: Clem Campbell's  'Smile Reminder") recognizing kindness and thoughtfulness of a very darling little child and his pin initiative.  It was sweet but perhaps not "essential".

Sigh...
...about the questioning of the definition, and presence on the Island, of "precarious employment" by the new Minister of Social Development and Housing Brad Trivers (in discussions of an Opposition Motion 18: "In appreciation of Island Youth and their Contributions to Keeping Our Community Safe" recognizing the stresses and sacrifices of Island youth during the pandemic).  He is a smart and lickety-split go-getter; he needs to talk and listen to way more people, and really hear about life from different perspectives, abilities, backgrounds and advantages. (And he can use his organizing talents and ideas to help his department run cohesively.)

High...
....at the flickering spirit of collaboration and all-pulling-in-the-same-direction about the MLAs responsibilities and abilities to lead through this pandemic and prepare our Island for the future.  Let's encourage them to nurture that flame.

Climate Change perspective: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/letter-throne-speech-soft-on-climate-558105/

LETTER: Throne speech soft on climate -The Guardian Letter to the Editor

Published in print and on-line on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021

Peter Bevan-Baker’s response to the recent speech from the throne was spot on – especially in relation to climate issues.

It’s great to see specific plans and $60 million committed to promote research and development and to support businesses in the clean technology sector. But the lack of specifics on how we are going to more immediately tackle climate change was disappointing.

At the end of the throne speech under the heading of “A Cleaner Environment” is a list of one-line items which members of the legislature will be asked to “consider policy, program and budgetary proposals related to.” It’s not that all items on the list aren’t important — it is the lack of specifics that is alarming.

For instance, the first item is “Encouraging a greater use of electric vehicles”. Given that over a year ago the Climate Change Secretariat sounded the alarm about the need for bold action to reduce our emissions in the transportation sector and given that the Sustainable Transportation Action Plan of November, 2019 identified several actions to reduce transportation emissions, I expected more specific program announcements in this throne speech.

An EV and home charger incentive program was one of those actions. If we are serious about encouraging electric vehicle use we will need such a program as well as electric vehicle mandate legislation. “Implementing an Island wide transit system” was another line item in the throne speech. While it’s great to see this need acknowledged, improving urban and rural transit was part of the Sustainable Transportation Action Plan and here we are over a year later with no implementation plan identified. Given that half our province’s carbon emissions come from transportation, we need to get more bums in buses and more electric vehicles on our roads very soon in order to meet our climate targets. 

The premier has made some bold commitments on climate but the lack of urgency and specificity reflected in the Throne Speech makes me wonder if we will get there.

As Greta Thunberg has said, “Our house is on fire”. We need to act now.

Marilyn McKay, Charlottetown

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming - -no matter how much time you have this week:
https://www.metopera.org/

Verdi’s Falstaff, today until 6:30PM
Starring Mirella Freni, Barbara Bonney, Marilyn Horne, Susan Graham, Paul Plishka, Frank Lopardo, and Bruno Pola. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From October 10, 1992.  Just over 2 hours

Wagner’s Die Walküre, tonight 7:30PM until 6:30PM Thursday
Starring Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Gary Lakes, James Morris, and Kurt Moll. Production by Otto Schenk. From April 8, 1989. Just under 4 hours.

Events:

Dr. Heather Morrison's weekly update, 11:30AM, radio at Q93, online at PEI Government YouTube channel or Facebook page.

Food ordering deadline, noon, Charlottetown Farmers' Market 2GO, for pickup Thursday between 3-6PM at the Charlottetown Farmers' Market.  The Stratford location is closed this week.
https://cfm2go.localfoodmarketplace.com/Overview

The P.E.I. Legislature was supposed to sit in person from 1-5PM at the Coles Building, and I am not sure what's planned for today.

The Legislative Assembly website or Twitter account will probably have the news. 

Here is a nice summary of what the MLAs were working on last week, from that Twitter account:

"After the Speech from the Throne is presented to the House, every member has a chance to respond to the Speech from the Throne if they wish, rising when they are recognized by the Speaker and presenting their views on Government’s plan for the session.
....This response is called the “Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne” and it's the first piece of business every sitting day. When members finish debating the Speech from the Throne the Address is formally presented to the Lieutenant Governor as the response of the House."

P.E.I. Legislature Twitter account:
https://twitter.com/peileg

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

------------------
If you have power and enough internet to watch some video, GoPEI! encourages you to get active with free exercise programming each day online through Facebook:

Their notice:
Stay safe. Stay active.

We are here for you this week, #PEI. Find ways to feel good by moving your body — from the comfort of your own home! We've got a great lineup of classes to help keep you active.

Join the #goLiveathome group today:

www.facebook.com/groups/goLiveathome

Ideas from across the pond, from today's U.K. Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/02/uk-urged-to-create-green-apprenticeships-to-help-covid-recovery

UK urged to create green apprenticeships to help Covid recovery - The (U.K.) Guardian article by Fiona Harvey

Danger of young people’s futures being blighted by climate and Covid crises, say campaigners

Published on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021

Green apprenticeships would prepare young people for jobs in renewable energy and the restoration of the UK’s natural landscape, and stop young people having their careers blighted for life by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, a report says.

The report found that 250,000 green apprenticeships and a network of skills centres at further education colleges could be created with about £10.6bn of government money. Local authorities could create more than 44,000 apprenticeships in London with the right investment, along with about 20,000 in the West Midlands and 14,000 in Greater Manchester.

Other regions also have high potential, as the report found scope for nearly 12,000 apprenticeships in West Yorkshire and 6,400 in the Sheffield area.

About 500,000 young people aged 16 to 24 are out of work, and that number could double when the furlough scheme is withdrawn, according to the report, commissioned by Friends of the Earth from Transition Economics. The authors say the consequences of this past year’s setbacks for young people thrown into unemployment could last for years. If wages remain lower for young people through their working lives, from the “scarring” effect of early unemployment, the cumulative loss to their earnings could reach £39bn over the next 20 years.

<SNIP> -- rest of story here:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/02/uk-urged-to-create-green-apprenticeships-to-help-covid-recovery

Atlantic Skies for March 1st - March 7th, 2021 - by Glenn K. Roberts

The Search for "life" on Mars

NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover successfully landed on the Red Planet on Thursday, Feb.18, a technical and logistical feat of which NASA can rightfully be very proud. Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous 'Barsoom' stories about a race of beings living on the Red Planet aside, Perseverance, or "Percy" as it is now affectionately nicknamed, will not be searching for any archeological traces of alien civilizations. In addition to the other scientific and technology-testing tasks it has, the rover's primary task is an extremely interesting one, one that has the potential to profoundly alter our view of the universe, and our place, as humans, in it  - the active search for biosignatures of past or present "life" on Mars.

Enough evidence now exists to confirm that Mars, when it first formed 4.5 billion years ago, had an atmosphere much like Earth's early atmosphere, and that it also had vast amounts of water on its surface, in the form of lakes, oceans, and flowing rivers, for at least about the first billion years. Early Mars had a magnetosphere (a magnetic field surrounding the planet generated by the dynamo effect of its spinning, hot, molten core) that maintained its atmosphere by protecting it from the extreme radiation of the Sun's solar wind (as does Earth's magnetosphere). However, as the planet's core cooled, its magnetosphere diminished in strength to the point where it wasn't strong enough to prevent the solar wind from stripping away the upper levels of the Martian atmosphere. As the planet's upper atmosphere thinned, more and stronger solar radiation struck the lower portions of the atmosphere, until it, too, eventually dissipated into space. With no atmosphere to protect and maintain it, the surface water on Mars evaporated into space, leaving behind the physical evidence of its former presence carved into the Martian landscape in the form of vast river deltas, alluvial fans, basins, and other geophysical formations. It is on one of the river deltas in Jezero Crater that Perseverance landed.

On Earth, biologists credit the presence of water on our planet with the creation and establishment of the earliest and most basic microbial life forms - bacteria, from which all life on Earth ultimately evolved. It is quite possible that ancient Mars was able to hold onto its water for a sufficiently long enough period for similar microbial life forms to have developed in its water bodies. Using a vast array of instrumentation, in particular the Scanning Habitable Environments with Ramen and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals, or 'SHERLOC' (l love the acronym), Percy will image and analyze the Martian surface mineralogy, chemical composition, and organic compounds in a search for biosignatures of any ancient microbial life that may have once been present, or any microbial life forms which might be present today. It is hoped that Percy might find some stromatolites - wavy, rocky mounds similar to those formed long ago on Earth by microbial life along ancient shorelines and in other environments where metabolic energy and water were present. Just as traces of ancient microbial life forms have been found in ocean bed sediments on Earth, it is hoped that traces of ancient microbial life forms, if they formed in the Martian water bodies, might also be discovered. Should the initial tests conducted by Percy indicate the presence of either past or existing microbial life forms, samples will be collected by the rover, and cached in collection tubes for retrieval by a future Mars mission which will return the samples to Earth for more detailed and specialized testing. Such a discovery, even if only proof of extinct life forms, will, without a doubt, revolutionize our knowledge and perceptions on how, when and where life first appeared in our solar system.  Although, on its own, such a discovery does not prove the existence of higher life forms on Mars or elsewhere in our solar system or the Milky Way Galaxy, it does open, at the very least, the possibility; and perhaps, for the time being, that is enough.

With a clear, unobstructed view to the southeast on the morning of Mar. 4, just before sunrise, you might catch a glimpse of Mercury (mag. +0.2, in Capricornus - the Sea Goat) about 1/2 degree (a close conjunction) to the left of Jupiter (mag. -1.9), as the two planets hover just about the horizon. Saturn (mag. +0.7, in Capricornus) will be to the right of and slightly above Jupiter and Mercury. Mars (mag. +0.9, in Taurus - the Bull) is an early evening object, visible about 59 degrees above the southwest horizon (2.5 degrees below the Pleiades star cluster) by about 6:40 p.m., remaining observable until just before it sets in the southwest around 1 a.m. Both Venus and Jupiter are too close to the Sun to be observable this coming week.

The first two weeks of March (and April) are the best times to look for the Zodiacal Light. At this time of the year, the ecliptic (the apparent line of movement of the Sun, Moon and planets across the sky) is tilted almost vertically relative to the western horizon. The Zodiacal Light is sunlight reflected off a myriad of minute dust particles along the inner plane of our solar system, left there by countless comets zipping in around the Sun. Look for a diffuse, whitish, pyramid-shaped glow of light extending upward from the horizon about one and half-hours after sunset, when the sky has fully darkened. Viewing from a dark site, away from city lights, will increase your chances of finding the Zodiacal Light, and will greatly enhance its overall appearance. If you have trouble spotting it, try using your averted vision by looking just to the side (your eyes detect faint light better off to the side, rather than directly on). Take your DSLR camera along for a timed photo.

Until next week, clear skies.

 Events:

 March 4 - Mercury and Jupiter in close conjunction; ESE, pre-dawn

           5 - Last Quarter Moon

  -30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Good old classics with marvelous (ageless, timeless) divas:

Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, today until 6:30PM
Starring Beverly Sills, Alfredo Kraus, Håkan Hagegård, and Gabriel Bacquier, conducted by Nicola Rescigno. Production by John Dexter. From January 11, 1979.

Verdi’s Falstaff, tonight 7:30PM until Wednesday 6:30PM
Starring Mirella Freni, Barbara Bonney, Marilyn Horne, Susan Graham, Paul Plishka, Frank Lopardo, and Bruno Pola. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From October 10, 1992

Shared by my dear sister-in-law in the States, and very timely:

"Kindness is more than deeds.  It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch,  It is anything that lifts another person."

     --- C. Neil Strait

FYI:

Latest Government Update on COVID 19 measures are here, published online Sunday evening:
https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/modified-red-restricted-measures-prince-edward-island-five-new-cases-announced

Local Food Ordering:

Organic Veggie Delivery week, order by Monday PM today for delivery Friday, March 5th.
https://www.organicveggiedelivery.com/

Charlottetown Farmers' Market 2Go, order by TUESDAY NOON, for Thursday pick-up/delivery,
https://cfm2go.localfoodmarketplace.com/
(due to probable increased demand, they might close orders early, so keep that in mind)

EatLocalPEI --
Order by Wednesday night
for pickup/delivery Saturday/Sunday
https://www.localline.ca/eatlocalpei

-------------------------------
MLAs will not be sitting in the Legislature today, which gives everyone a chance to prepare for the next two weeks, with sittings originally scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1PM-5PM, and Fridays from 10AM-2PM.  Doing the math, it's the same number of sitting hours per week as the previous way (16).
However, of course, they may do something different tomorrow and Wednesday due to COVID gathering restrictions.

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

----------------------------------
Thursday, March 4th:
Webinar: Carbon Bombs, Canada and the Climate, with National Observer's Linda Solomon Wood and Author Bill McKibben, 8PM, online, free.
from the event notice:
Bill McKibben is a decades-long veteran of climate advocacy, whose grassroots activism has enormously impacted environmental politics.
Almost 10 years ago, McKibben dubbed Canada’s tar sands projects “carbon bombs” which devastate the environment. The federal Liberals and Alberta Conservatives have both doubled down detonating those bombs, sinking fortunes into the development of new oil pipelines even as President Joe Biden has signalled a disinterest in building new fossil fuel infrastructure. As Texas freezes over with lethal, extreme winter weather, McKibben's messages resonate stronger than ever.
Is it too late for Canada to get on the right path?
Join McKibben as he works through these dilemmas with host Linda Solomon Wood in a public Conversations event
Details and registration link
----------------------
Thursday, March 11th:
Deadline -- Public Input on Make up of Elected School Board

this notice from Colonel Gray High School's weekly report in The Guardian:
The Department of Education and Lifelong Learning is seeking input into elected board-related matters. Help direct the future of education and share thoughts by doing a short online survey: https://www.research.net/r/esbc

Those interested can also email their thoughts using esbc@edu.pe.ca or send a written submission by mail to:

Elected Public School Branch Board of Directors Public Consultations, Department of Education and Lifelong Learning, PO Box 2000, Charlottetown, P.E.I, C1A 7N8, attention: Legislative and Planning Co-ordinator. The deadline for submissions is March 11.

from today's The (U.K.) Guardian:

Electric cars truly greener – Fossil fuel cars waste hundreds of times more resources than battery electric cars, according to a study that adds to evidence the switch will bring large environmental benefits. After recycling, only about 30kg of raw material is lost over the life of a lithium ion battery, compared with 17,000 litres of oil used in a petrol or diesel vehicle, according to analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E). Its calculation shows petrol and diesel cars use at least 300 times more resources. T&E calculations suggest a battery electric car will use 58% less energy than a petrol car over its lifetime and emit 64% less carbon dioxide.
article link: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/01/fossil-fuel-cars-make-hundreds-of-times-more-waste-than-electric-cars?

from last month: Online link: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/guest-opinion-marking-50-years-of-wetland-conservation-and-loss-547472/

GUEST OPINION: Marking 50 years of wetland conservation and loss - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Dan Kraus

Published in print on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021

Fifty years ago, nations gathered to create the world’s first global agreement to conserve a habitat. This had long been undervalued, and as a result was rapidly disappearing. Fifty years ago, there was a global call to action to save our wetlands.

On Feb. 2, 1971, the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was adopted in Ramsar, Iran. Often referred to as the Ramsar Convention, its purpose was to stop the worldwide loss of wetlands. Today, 171 countries, including Canada, are parties to the convention.

The Ramsar Convention has helped many wetlands. Over 2,400 wetlands around the world have been designated as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance. Canada has 37 Ramsar sites, including some the Nature Conservancy of Canada have helped protect in Atlantic Canada. They are Tabusintac Estuary and Shepody Bay (N.B.), Musquodoboit Harbour (N.S.), Malpeque Bay (P.E.I.) and Grand Codroy Estuary (N.L.). World Wetlands Day marks the signing of the Ramsar Convention and is a day to highlight the importance of wetland conservation

Despite a global agreement and a special day of recognition, we have not been kind to wetlands over the last half century. Over the past 50-years, over one-third world’s remaining wetlands have been lost. They continue to disappear at a rate faster than forests, and the loss is accelerating.

In every country, including our own, we are now facing an increasingly critical decision: which wetlands will we choose to save, and which wetlands will we choose to lose?

Canada has 37 sites designated as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance, including Malpeque Bay in P.E.I.
Contributed - SaltWire Network
reprinted from online article -- better resolution and other graphics at the online article
Our choices will matter for both nature and people.

Wetlands come in many forms across Canada. Our vast northern peatlands are some of the most extensive and intact wetlands left on Earth. But in southern Canada, we’ve done our part to contribute to global wetland losses by draining forested swamps, prairie sloughs and coastal salt marshes. In many parts of southern Canada, only a fraction of our original wetlands remain.

What all our different wetlands share is their ecological importance. Coastal fens along the Great Lakes coast and saline wetlands of the prairies, along with over 90 other wetland communities, are of global conservation concern. Wetlands provide spawning habitat for many sportfish. They produced millions of waterfowl each year and are essential for keeping Canada’s “duck factory” open. Many of Canada’s terrestrial and freshwater species at risk regularly occur, or rely, on wetlands, including eastern mountain avens, yellow rail and Blanding’s turtle. 

Canadians need wetlands now, more than ever. Our northern peatlands are global giants when it comes to storing carbon. Wetlands around our cities and farms are one of our best natural defenses to buffer communities from extreme weather events and our rapidly changing climate. They are the Swiss Army Knife of ecosystems. The wetlands around us store carbon, hold flood water, recharge creeks during drought, stop storm surges and provide fire breaks. We can’t afford to lose them. The best use of wetlands is to have them remain as wetlands.

Celebrating World Wetland Day every Feb. 2 may not seem ideal. Many are frozen and quiet. Blanketed with snow that covers trees and turtles. But they are waiting for spring when their most important work will begin. As ice cracks and snow melts, they will fill with the spring runoff. Like giant sponges on the land, they will turn unwanted floodwaters into much-needed summer flows to our rivers and streams.

The next 10 years mark our decision decade for nature. We need forward thinking wetland policies and plans that consider how this critical element of our infrastructure can be strengthened. Donations to support wetland conservation by Nature Conservancy of Canada can be matched through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

We can choose to be the new generation that values, conserves and creates wetlands, or continue to pass on an ecological deficit to our children. Fifty years ago, there was a commitment made to future generations to stop the loss of wetlands. We need to fulfill that promise.

Dan Kraus is senior conservation biologist with the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Verdi’s Il Trovatore, today until 6:30PM tonight
Starring Anna Netrebko, Dolora Zajick, Yonghoon Lee, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Sir David McVicar. From October 3, 2015.

Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, tonight 7:30PM until 6:30PM Tuesday
From January 11, 1979. "This John Dexter production, designed by Desmond Heeley, was a parting gift to the great American soprano Beverly Sills, who bid farewell to the Met as Norina, the smart young widow at the center of Donizetti’s comedy. The sensational Alfredo Kraus sings her beloved Ernesto. Håkan Hagegård, in his Met debut role and season, is Dr. Malatesta, the man who helps the young couple trick the crusty old bachelor of the title (Gabriel Bacquier at his comical best) into a fake marriage. This being a Donizetti comedy, it all turns out perfectly well at the end—and getting there is pure operatic fun."  Yes, it's all yellow chiffon and slender cigarette holder elegance with Beverly Sills, a great way to start a week honouring female opera stars.

"Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What's important is the action.  You don't have to wait to be confident.  Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow."

   ---Carrie Fisher (1956-2016), actor

Notes:
Posted Saturday night, here is a link to the latest COVID exposures and notifications from the P.E.I. Government:
https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/circuit-breaker-announced-pei-new-cases-covid-19-announced

Page with updated exposures date and locations, in Summerside (a lot) and Montague and Charlottetown (a few).
https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/health-and-wellness/potential-covid-19-exposures

A reminder to consider keeping a log of when and where you are, basically, when you're outside your home.

-------
Basically, "Circuit-breaker" measures of no indoor dining (but you can order take-out and delivery), some gathering limits reinforced, etc.  The PEI Symphony has cancelled the concert with soprano Tracy Cantin scheduled for today.

------------------------
On Friday, after the Legislative Assembly finished sitting for the week, the Standing Committee on Health and Social Development met at 2:30PM to discuss the IRAC report on the Brendel/Red Fox/Irving land transfer.  Here is from an on-line article from The Guardian, which summarizes it well:

P.E.I. standing committee to subpoena Brendel report - The Guardian article by Stu Neatby

Published ONLINE on Saturday, February 27th, 2021 (probable PRINT date Monday, March 1st, 2021), in The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/pei-standing-committee-to-subpoena-brendel-report-557492/

A Legislative standing committee has passed a motion to require the Province’s Minister of Agriculture and Land to release an investigative report into the Brendel land sale, a land transaction that allegedly went afoul of the Lands Protection Act.

The Brendel report was completed by the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC) but has been a carefully guarded secret since last fall. Agriculture Minister Bloyce Thompson has said the report must go through the Freedom of Information process; some information may be redacted under this process as it would be considered personal information. 

However, standing committees have the ability to compel the production of documents without going through the Freedom of Information process. 

The investigation concerned a transfer of 2,200 acres of land between a family farming operation and Red Fox Acres Ltd., a company which lists a member of the Irving family as a director. 

Friday’s motion called for the committee to subpoena the report along with “any other associated documents necessary to interpret and understand the report and its findings.” The motion also called for the subpoena to be issued no later than 11:59 p.m. on March 2.

But the motion, passed by the standing committee on health and social development, also calls for the documents to be produced at an in-camera meeting, in physical form only. This means the standing committee will not release the report publicly. The motion stated that this would balance the need to respect privacy concerns of the parties involved with the duty of the committee to hold government to account.

While committee members cannot release details contained in the Brendel report, they can make recommendations based on these details.

The motion was introduced by Green MLA Trish Altass. 

"Islanders really want to ensure that the spirit and intent of the Lands Protection Act is being upheld. And there are a lot of questions about what happened with this particular situation,” Altass told The Guardian on Friday.

“It's unfortunate that it got to that stage. It's very unfortunate that the Minister did not choose to simply table the report in the legislative assembly."

Thompson had turned down an earlier request from the committee to provide the Brendel report. He said this was done in order to avoid compromising the legal position of the Province. 

Legal counsel representing Red Fox Acres Ltd. and Rebecca Irving have filed for a judicial review of a Ministerial decision by Thompson ordering divestiture of land, due to the findings of the Brendel report"I've followed the letter of the law all the way through this,” Thompson said in an interview. 

"One misstep and the investigation could be thrown out. I have to take this seriously and follow every legal procedure.”

Nevertheless, Thompson said he would comply with a subpoena of the committee.

"I will hand-deliver the report. I'll carry it in myself," he said.

The Brendel investigation could have implications for a planned overhaul of the Lands Protection Act, as well as the Planning Act. A land matters committee is expected to make recommendations to update and change these laws in the spring. Agricultural groups have suggested loopholes in the Act allows certain actors to circumvent its limits on landholdings.

During Question Period on Friday, Green agriculture critic Michele Beaton suggested the juggling process over the release of the Brendel report could compromise the work of the land matters committee.

“What answers can they give you if they haven’t seen what’s in the report?” Beaton asked, referring to the Brendel investigation.

“I will follow that letter of the law. And I guarantee you, every Islander will see this report, Mr. Speaker, in whole,” Thompson responded.

In an interview, Thompson said the Land Matters committee has not yet seen the report but “will definitely see the report” before they present their recommendations in June.

-30-

Catch-up on anything from the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly this week (Question Period Friday should be available in written format, and videos) on their
website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

and some other clips and notices:
P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

Sunday Breakfast Butter:

Paul MacNeill, published of the The Graphic publications and commentator on many things, tweeted off-the-cuff a couple of days ago:

"As wave 3 rolls around the world, the lead story on PEI is whether butter creams like it did years ago #pei #bubble #CovidWhat" and I was glad people pointed out that this *is* actually a bit of deal, environmentally, ethically for the cows, and certainly about public trust in an industry that promotes its wholesomeness in golden advertisements.

Sylvain Charlebois, who really is our local expert on food policy and distribution (he's at Dalhousie University, and writes op-ed pieces prolifically) wrote this column published in some Saltwire publications in the region earlier this month and just this Friday in print in The Guardian. 

It's worth a careful read:

Hard truth about butter - The Guardian article by Sylvain Charlebois

Published IN PRINT on Friday, February 26th, 2021, in The Guardian

ONLINE link: https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/business/local-business/sylvain-charlebois-the-hard-truth-about-butter-in-canada-555678/

For months now, thousands of Canadians have taken to social media, saying they’ve noticed that butter is harder and does not get softer at room temperature. Not all butter is harder. Some people blame winter and the colder weather, but the truth is more troubling than that. Disturbing reports are now pointing at some practices on the farm that may have altered the quality of the butter we buy.

Since last summer, thousands of dairy farmers have been giving more energy supplements to their herd — palm oil. Sources suggest it has been going on for more than a decade, but the problem has become more apparent since August, when butter demand went up suddenly, forcing the dairy industry to produce more dairy fat.

To explain it simply, palm oil given to dairy cows increases the proportion of saturated fat in milk compared to unsaturated fat, thus increasing the melting point of butter. This explains why butter made from cows fed with palm oil remains difficult to spread at room temperature.

Due to our supply management regime, farmers are under tremendous pressure to meet their quotas so they can get paid. What is also making the use of palm oil on supply-managed farms the most probable cause is that many specialty products, like organic butter and butter made from grass fed cows, don’t appear to have been affected at all. The use of palm oil in dairy has been going on for at least a decade without consumers knowing about it, but since last summer, the practice suddenly expanded to hundreds of farms, if not thousands.

Demand for butter in 2020 was up 12.4 per cent in Canada. Having more Canadians at home cooking up a storm has added more stress on dairy production, and more specifically, on the production of butter fat. Hard butter is now more noticeable because so many farms are participating in the practice. It is believed about 30-35 per cent of Canadian dairy farmers are doing this to meet their lucrative production quotas, but nobody knows for sure, not even the Dairy Farmers of Canada or the Canadian Dairy Commission.

In fact, the Dairy Farmers of Canada are still turning a blind eye and denying everything even though suppliers, farmers and processors have now come forward admitting the problem.

Canadians may wonder why a dairy farmer would ever use palm oil to increase fat production. Even though palmitic acids come at a cost, it is less expensive than adding cows to their herds, which would substantially increase the cost of production. There is nothing illegal about giving palm oil to dairy cows, and nothing prevents dairy farmers from following this practice.

However, little research has been conducted on how giving palmitic acids to dairy cows could compromise the health of both animals and humans. What we do know is that palm oil may increase certain heart disease risk factors in some people. The effects of palm oil production on the environment, health and lives of Indigenous people in different parts of the world are well documented and deeply concerning. So, given the dairy farmers' Blue Cow campaign, which is constantly reminding us that dairy products in Canada are among the best in the world, such practice is ethically questionable.

Complaints have been filed with processors, which then get filed with the dairy boards. The number of complaints is making this situation tricky and dairy boards have been unbelievably quiet on the hard butter issue on social media and elsewhere.

This subject is obviously taboo in the industry, and many dairy farmers with a high sense of integrity are seemingly upset and want this practice to cease immediately. Nobody in the industry wants to openly address the issue, at least not within media.

The presence of palm oil in dairy fat can be detected but does require time and effort. Some firms are apparently trying to develop a technology that will allow dairy manufacturers to detect palmitic acids in the product they receive. Sources are suggesting that dairy boards want to use this technology to discipline farmers, allowing manufacturers to reject sub-par butter fat in the interest of the industry and the public.

The dairy industry is quite concerned about its angelic image and does not want this story to come out in the open, but now it has.

Unlike other countries, in Canada milk is essentially a public good. Not only do dairy farmers have exclusive government-sanctioned quotas, which make it a privilege for the few to produce milk, but Canadians taxpayers have also given $1.75-billion to the industry to assure us continued access to wholesome dairy products.

Dairy Farmers of Canada has only itself to blame. Despite its dismal transparency track record, it should have asked Ottawa to ban these products from the market, or at least openly condemned the practice. A step in the right direction would be to see supply-managed dairy farmers including Canadian grown oils in their feed additives over imported palm oil. However, they chose not to, simply to uphold the image they desperately try to protect, at any cost.

So disappointing.

Sylvain Charlebois is professor in food distribution and policy and senior director of the AgriFood Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University.
 sylvain.charlebois@dal.ca @scharleb

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, today until 6:30PM
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Kathleen Kim, Stephanie Blythe, Marcelo Álvarez, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by David Alden. From December 8, 2012.  2 hours 40 minutes

Verdi’s Il Trovatore, tonight 7:30PM until Monday about 6:30PM
Starring Anna Netrebko, Dolora Zajick, Yonghoon Lee, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Sir David McVicar. From October 3, 2015.   

Two Verdi operas, both with Dmitri Hvorostovsky as the conflicted (but in the end) bad guy, ending a week of tribute to the beloved brilliant baritone, who died too soon in 2017.  Article on him

Events:
Farmers' Markets and local stores open today:
Charlottetown (9AM-2PM),
Summerside* (9AM-1PM),
Heartbeet Organics Farmacy (9AM-6PM, with local food out until 1PM),
and Riverview Country Market, etc.

*Note on the Summerside Farmers' Market Facebook page from last night:

"The Summerside Farmer’s Market will be open tomorrow, February 27th, 9-1.

Some vendors have decided not to attend, given the current circumstances so perhaps it is best to contact your favourites directly before venturing in.

Stay safe."

--------------------------
"Watering the Grassroots" conference online continues today and tomorrow, details here.
--------------------
Tonight:
Rainforest Lounge, with Todd MacLean, in conversation with potter Robert McMillan, 7PM.
Instagram Live, here:
https://www.instagram.com/toddpei/

----------------------------
To catch up with the two days of the Legislature, see the following sites, below. 

(To recap: the Speech from the Throne Thursday, and Welcomes, Question Period, and beginnings of response to Speech from the Throne Friday.  New PC MLA Zack Bell moved the Throne Speech motion, Cory Deagle spoke about his own mental health struggles in his seconding of the motion, and Peter Bevan-Baker started a lively Official Opposition Leader comment on it, with the hour ending before he was finished.)

The Legislature resumes sitting Tuesday at 1PM.

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

------------------------------
Over the weekend:
Covid-19 News Updates may be found here: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/search-covid19

In addition to the P.E.I. Government's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/govpe 

LETTER OF THE WEEK: Lack of political will continues to plague land policy in P.E.I. - The Guardian Letter of the Week by Joan Diamond

Published on Wednesday, February 24th, 2021

https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/letter-of-the-week-lack-of-political-will-continues-to-plague-land-policy-in-pei-556100/

The coalition for the Protection of P.E.I. Lands was recently invited to make a presentation to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability. 

We welcomed this opportunity to present our concerns and make recommendations. We were surprised that one committee member seemed intent on using this precious time to ask irrelevant questions and was given an inordinate amount of time for this. He obviously did not agree with our presentation. Rather than use the time for a discussion of our differences, he appeared to want to focus on whether we had watched him proposing an amendment to the Lands Protection Act in the Legislature. He might be surprised to know that we have more substantial things to research. The whole thing was a moot point since the amendment proposed by this member of the Third Party, was defeated in the Legislature. 

Our coalition is made up of volunteers who stay on top of all things concerning land on P.E.I. We do this on our own dime, spending much of our precious spare time working together to change P.E.I. for the better. Unlike the MLA in question, Minister of Agriculture in a former government, this is not our job. He is well paid to do what he does. He could afford to better prepare himself so that he would at least attempt to understand different perspectives submitted by concerned citizens. The problem is not a lack of solid, well-researched input from the community.

The problem is a serious lack of political will to legislate in favour of what is best for Islanders and the land rather than supporting the interests of large corporations and their shareholders.

Thankfully, other members of the Standing Committee asked thoughtful questions and made insightful comments.

During our presentation, one of our Coalition’s founding members shared with the committee that she took part in her first presentation on P.E.I. land protection over 40 years ago. Sadly, the recommendations all those years ago were much the same as the ones we made to this 2021 standing committee. Over the years, there have been countless committees struck, studies done, presentations written and submissions made. After all this exhausting work, the same problems continue and many new ones plague our fragile P.E.I. lands. While we go on with endless studies and consultations, suspicious land transactions are happening at an alarming rate around us.

Our committee appreciates being given the chance to share our research with any and all committees working towards improving our relationship with P.E.I. lands. We feel we have much to share and remain hopeful that the government will soon commit to making at least some of our recommendations become reality. In future, we hope that all government-appointed committee members take their task up with enthusiasm and an honest will to learn from citizen volunteers, rather than pushing their own agenda.

Joan Diamond, on behalf of the Coalition for the Protection of P.E.I. Lands

-30-

The Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability's page is here on the Legislative Assembly's website:
https://www.assembly.pe.ca/index.php/committees/current-committees/natural-resources-and-environmental-sustainability
 
And the transcript for the February 4th, 2021, meeting (when the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Lands presented) can be found on this page.

Video and such can be found by searching for Year 2021, and the date was February 4th meeting, from the Committee's page.

Opera-tic Saturday

Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, recorded Met Opera performances on Radio, 2PM, 104.7FM
Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier
With Renée Fleming (Marschallin), Elīna Garanča  (Octavian), Erin Morley (Sophie), Matthew Polenzani (A Singer), Günther Groissböck (Baron Ochs)
Performance from May 13, 2017.  An excellent cast, even Polenzani's tiny bit in the first Act. 

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Verdi’s La Traviata. until noon today
Starring Natalie Dessay, Matthew Polenzani, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by Willy Decker. From April 14, 2012.

Met Stars Live, 2PM,
Sonya Yoncheva in Germany, ticketed, details here
Available on-demand for the next two weeks

Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, 7:30PM tonight until 6:30PM Sunday
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Kathleen Kim, Stephanie Blythe, Marcelo Álvarez, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by David Alden. From December 8, 2012.  "David Alden’s elegant 2012 production moves Verdi’s thrilling drama to a timeless setting inspired by film noir."  Pretty cool.

"If you do not pick a day to relax, your body will pick it for you."

         --- Neal Owusu

and parts of today look pretty nice for a bit of relaxing time outside, and parts of tomorrow inside!

Events:

The P.E.I. Legislature sits from 10AM-2PM

Standing Committee on Health and Social Development, 2:30PM, online.

Topic: Consideration of the committee's work plan regarding request for Brendel-Red Fox Acres land sale report

Both sitting and meeting will be live-streamed here:

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

Fridays4Future, **12noon**, **Coles Building**, off Richmond Street.
Note the time to be outside the buiding while the Legislature is in session.
Facebook event details

A multi-day workshop of interest:
February 26th-February 28th:
Watering the Grassroots: Applied Activism Virtual Conference, various times, online

“Watering the Grassroots” is a free 3-day (approx 3 hours each day) virtual conference that aims to bring together environmental clubs and grassroots organizations to work on developing important skills and knowledge bases to improve their organization’s function and impact. Envisioned by University of Toronto Environmental Action (UTEA) and Queen’s Backing Action on Climate Change (QBACC), WTG attempts a nation-wide approach to delving into pressing, intersectional, and important issues related to the environment and climate change by bringing together workshop leaders and panelists spanning from Newfoundland to British Columbia.
Each day of the conference lasts from 2.5 to 3 hours, and the themes follow an intuitive order that builds upon the previous day’s learning and skills-building.

<<snip>>
more at:
Facebook event details

The Speech from the Throne's complete text is found at the end of this newsletter, from: https://www.assembly.pe.ca/legislative-business/speech-from-the-throne

Reading it from the bottom up provides some perspective on the closing part as you read through the sections.

News article on Speech from the Throne: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/updated-clean-tech-nursing-initiatives-key-themes-of-pei-throne-speech-556803/

Collaborative health care, mental health, green jobs, childcare spaces emphasized for coming year

Published on Friday, February 26th, 2021

Two years into his mandate, Premier Dennis King has chosen to emphasize a commitment to collaborative health care and the development of a clean tech sector in P.E.I. as key initiatives for the coming year.

The throne speech, a prelude to the province’s operating budget, was read to P.E.I. MLAs by Lt.-Gov. Antoinette Perry on Thursday, opening the winter sitting of the legislature. The speech emphasized planned initiatives in health care, mental health and addictions, education, childcare and sustainability. The economic recovery of the province in the post-COVID-19 period was mentioned but was not a dominant theme of the speech.

A key focus of the health-care commitments announced in the throne speech were aimed at both attracting nurses and establishing collaboration healthcare centres. King had signalled this earlier in the week during a state of the province speech, in which he said that providing all Islanders with a family doctors was not a realistic possibility.

“Despite the efforts and intentions of our health-care professionals, many of us remain frustrated with our health-care system,” Perry told the legislature. “My government has adopted a model of health care which will move the primary focus from acute and long-term care toward community-based care.”

This will mean the creation of a program called "medical homes and medical neighbourhoods". This will initially involve the establishment of three new “primary care homes”, which will have a collaborative team of health professionals. It is not clear where these new homes will be located.

"The doctor will be at the centre of that delivery for sure but there will be other professionals, whether they be nurse practitioners, RNs, LPNs, social workers," King said in an interview.

The speech also pledged to expand post-secondary programs for registered nurses at UPEI and licensed practical nurses for Holland College.

A planned $5 million dollar fund for recruitment of nurses and nurse practitioners will also be established, to provide student debt forgiveness for those working in P.E.I.

On mental health and addictions programming, the government pledged to establish a $10-million mental health and addictions fund for new programming. In addition, a new P.E.I. Centre for Mental Well-being will be established, which would be composed of non-profit partners.

A new 24-hour mental health phone line is planned.

A new seniors' health strategy was also mentioned in the speech but few details were offered. The speech noted the province will be piloting a new at-home respite program as well as a so-called multi-disciplinary dementia team.

The speech also said nurse practitioners would be introduced into the care teams for private long-term care facilities.

Perhaps the most ambitious effort involves a $50 million pot of seed funding for clean tech initiatives in P.E.I. King has pledged to create 2,000 jobs in the sector.

The speech said the funding would assist enterprises focused on climate change, clean air, clean water and soil health.

In addition, the speech pledged the creation of three “tax-free development zones” for clean tech businesses, as well as a $10 million research and development fund.

A P.E.I. energy academy will be established, involving Holland College and UPEI.

The throne speech also pledged to create 300 new childcare spaces on P.E.I. this year. A plan to establish universal half-day pre-kindergarten for four year olds, initially planned to be in place last fall, is planned for this fall.

The province is also pledging to provide micro-loans for under-represented populations such as Black, Indigenous, people of colour, women, LGBTQ+ individuals and youth to establish businesses.

Finally, the throne speech said a report from the Premier’s Council for Recovery and Growth, a body established to chart the course for P.E.I.’s post-COVID recovery, would be tabled in the legislature this session.

The speech also pledged $1 million to help the Charlottetown Airport Authority to develop an air travel recovery strategy.

Green Opposition Leader Peter Bevan-Baker painted the throne speech as a “tepid, trite and timid” vision for P.E.I.’s future.

He said he was disappointed the speech did not provide more substantial investments in mental health and addictions, or for addressing poverty. He noted the speech did not heavily emphasize the new mental health campus on the grounds of Hillsborough Hospital.

"We've gone in two years of this administration from shovels in the ground on day one to 'here's a phone line,'" Bevan-Baker said.

"I heard nothing about wages, nothing about minimum wage, nothing really about the elimination of poverty."

Interim Liberal Leader Sonny Gallant said his caucus was dismayed that there was not more of a long-term economic vision for the province. He also said there was not enough focus on seniors. The Liberals plan to introduce a bill that would see the creation of a seniors' advocate on P.E.I.

"There's a lot of different seniors that can't navigate the system, they don't have family members here," Gallant said.

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Verdi’s Ernani, today until 6:30PM
Starring Angela Meade, Marcello Giordani, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and Ferruccio Furlanetto, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Pier Luigi Samaritani. From February 25, 2012.

Verdi’s La Traviata, tonight 7:30PM until noon tomorrow (special concert tomorrow afternoon)
Starring Natalie Dessay, Matthew Polenzani, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Fabio Luisi. Production by Willy Decker. From April 14, 2012.  A startlingly refreshing production and performances by Dessay, with the stern but compassionate Hvorostovsky as the father of the always lyrical and sympathetic Polenzani.

"We live in a society, not an economy."
     -- Islander Jonathan Greenan, on social media, February 19th, 2021
---------------------

Events:
Dr. Heather Morrison will give her Tuesday COVID update at 11:30AM, unless she doesn't because other stuff comes up. 
https://www.facebook.com/govpe
Also CBCPEI's Facebook page and Island Q93 FM Radio

Tonight:

Tuesday, February 23rd:
ECO-PEI AGM, Meeting: 6:30PM, Presentation panel discussion on "Creating an Environmental Bill of Rights", 7PM, online. 
Facebook event details

-------------
Tomorrow,
Wednesday, February 24th:
West Royalty Active Transportation Trail Public Meeting, 7PM, in-person (limited) and online.

from the event notice:
You're invited to a Public Meeting on the proposed West Royalty Active Transportation Trail!

We want to hear your thoughts, ideas, and concerns so we can prepare a plan that meets the needs of all residents. Specifically, with this project, we aim to connect both ends of the community, provide a space for all Islanders to enjoy nature sustainably, and fostering an active and healthy lifestyle among our neighbours.

To learn more about the proposed trail system, watch this video: https://youtu.be/92wLiWPRRLA

Please note, due to Public Health restrictions, this event is limited to 50 in-person participants. Pre-registration required, visit
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeuaFZxUr8Q2eC0S2uzx8c4NM37z66GAcbk_gJhoSzAiVomjQ/viewform

(I had a little trouble getting the in-person meeting registration link to work, so apologies if this doesn't work after being sent out.  I am not sure if Facebook live or Zoom will be the online platform.  Also, the video is almost a year old now, and pretty, but could use some more maps, and there are likely to be areas that need clarity to discuss.  I know people who exercise their dogs in the Upton Park area are concerned and should be addressed.)
---------------------------
Thursday, February 25th:
Speech from the Throne, 2PM, PEI Legislature.
That's usually that's the main work of that day.

Friday's sitting time is now an hour longer -- 10AM-2PM, and next week begins the regular Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday hours of 1-5PM.

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

The State of the Province video from Premier Dennis King is on the Government's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/govpe

CBC Online article summarizing speech-- link only: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-dennis-king-state-of-province-1.5923796

I am all for levity in the news, but not at a confused wild animal's expense, with the element of (the) police force:

CBC online article headline

Surly seal spotted on Charlottetown sidewalk apprehended by police

Atlantic Skies For February 22nd - February 28th, 2021 - by Glenn K. Roberts

Planet X and Great-Uncle George


Planet X artistic rendition credit : Wikimedia Commons                                                                                                          

Silhouette credit : Ruth Monsell, Silhouettist

Planet X and Great-Uncle George have something in common - both are thought to exist, but no one has actually seen either of them. I know, I know...who the heck is Great-Uncle George, and what does he have to do with Planet X?

Most (well, many anyway!) families have a Great-Uncle George - that family member who is listed in the family registry, but who no one has ever seen, though he is reputed to periodically send postcards to faroff, distant family members (none of whom you've ever personally met, and only have blurry, faded pictures of) when he happens to be in their neighbourhood. He is believed to be an extreme recluse, living at the very edge of civilization (perhaps in the wilds of the Amazon jungle), and like all elusive, shadowy individuals, is attributed larger-than-life qualities.

Like Great-Uncle George, Planet X is an enigma. It is theorized to be a super-sized planet that orbits well beyond the orbit of Neptune. Its existence (like that of Great-Uncle George) is surmised, not by direct visual observation (at least not to date), but, rather, by its influence on a number of trans-Neptunian (meaning "outside the orbit of Neptune") objects in the Kuiper Belt, a doughnut-shaped ring of icy objects beyond Neptune. Over the past two decades, a number of large Kuiper Belt objects have been discovered, including the dwarf planets Sedna (2003) and Eris (2005), as well as smaller objects such as VP 113 ("Biden") in 2012, TG387 ("The Goblin") in 2015, and  VG18 ("Farout") and  AG37 ("Farfarout") in 2018; the latter object now designated, to date, the farthest orbiting object in our solar system.

Except for the orbits of Sedna and "Biden" (which do not approach Neptune), the orbits of the other distant objects all swing out in one direction from the Sun (something that should not normally occur). Astronomers surmise that this is due to the gravitational influence of a massive, as yet undiscovered, object (labelled Planet X) somewhere in the neighbourhood. It is now believed that this hypothetical Planet X has an orbit 20x that of Neptune. At such a distance, Planet X, if it exists, would take approximately 1,000 years to complete one full orbit around the Sun. Preliminary calculations put its size at 4x that of Earth, with a mass about 10x that of our planet (somewhat less that the mass of Neptune).

Each time astronomers locate another far-flung object at the extreme edge of our solar system (such as recently found "Farout" and "Farfarout"), and indications show that their orbits are shaped by the gravitational influence of a massive celestial object in their neighbourhood, the case for the existence of Planet X is strengthened. It is only a matter of time, as larger telescopes are developed and trained skyward, and as the potential location of the elusive planet is narrowed down, that Planet X will be found, or some other explanation put forth. If Planet X is discovered, it will become the ninth planet of our solar system, replacing once-noble Pluto, now sadly demoted to dwarf planet status.

Now, about Great-Uncle George. Do we really want to find him? Wouldn't it be more fun to keep him as one of those elusive, colourful, eccentric family members who everyone talks about at the annual family gathering, and who just might appear completely out of the blue one day? Wait a minute, was that the doorbell?

It will be very challenging to view Mercury (mag. +0.5, in Capricornus - the Sea Goat) this coming week. It makes its highest appearance (its greatest elongation west of the Sun) in the pre-dawn, southeast sky on the 24th, reaching an altitude of approximately10 degrees above the horizon, though it may be difficult to spot in the pre-dawn glow. Likewise, Jupiter (mag. -1.9, in Capricornus), though bright, will be difficult to spot, barely reaching 2 degrees above the east-southeast horizon at dawn. Saturn (mag. +0.7, in Capricornus) rises no higher than 9 degrees above the northwest horizon at dusk. Mars (mag. +0.9, in Taurus - the Bull) is visible 61 degrees above the southwest horizon by about 6:30 p.m., remaining observable until it sets shortly after 1 a.m. Look for Mars to the lower left of the Pleiades ("Seven Sisters") star cluster on the 28th, about halfway up the southern sky as the sky darkens. Compare the reddish colour of Mars with that of the reddish star Aldebaran, the "eye" of the bull, Taurus. Venus, close to the Sun, is not observable this week.

The Full Moon on Feb. 27 was referred to by the indigenous tribes of North America as the "Snow Moon", as February was often the month of winter's heaviest snowfalls.

Until next week, clear skies.

Events:

Feb. 27 - Full ("Snow") Moon

        28 -  Mars to lower left of Pleiades star cluster

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Verdi’s Il Trovatore, until 6:30PM tonight
Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick, Marcelo Álvarez, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Sir David McVicar. From April 30, 2011. 2 hours 30 minutes

Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, tonight 7:30PM until Wednesday about 6:30PM
From April 15, 1999. Elijah Moshinsky’s atmospheric production, designed by Mark Thompson, sets the stage for this gripping performance of Tchaikovsky’s passionate setting of Pushkin’s classic novel. Valery Gergiev’s idiomatic and authoritative conducting inspires a superb cast, headed by Plácido Domingo (Ghermann), breathtaking in his portrayal of a man unraveling toward suicide. Galina Gorchakova is Lisa, the woman he loves and destroys, Dmitri Hvorostovsky lends a superb voice and regal bearing to Prince Yeletsky; and Elisabeth Söderström is hair-raising as the old Countess. Olga Borodina is Paulina and Nikolai Putilin is Count Tomsky.   2 hours 51 minutes

Events:
This year, and let's hope it becomes standard, the annual speech can be broadcast to all Islanders (with OK internet).

Tonight:
State of the Province Address by Premier Dennis King, 7PM, Government website.

"The Rotary Clubs of Prince Edward Island will host the annual state of the province address with Premier Dennis King on Monday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m.

The annual address is an opportunity for the premier to reflect on the past year and provide Rotarians and their guests with an outlook on the year ahead. The event is typically held in person and includes a number of presentations and updates from local Rotary clubs.

This year, because of the current public health restrictions, the event will be virtual and open to all Islanders to watch. The address will be available on the Government of Prince Edward Island Facebook page and YouTube channel."

excerpt from: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/pei-premier-to-give-state-of-province-address-to-rotaries-feb-22-554618/

P.E.I. Government Facebook page and YouTube Channel links:
https://www.facebook.com/govpe

P.E.I. Government YouTube channel
----------------------
Local Food:
Charlottetown Farmers' Market 2Go, order by TUESDAY NOON, for Thursday pick-up/delivery,
https://cfm2go.localfoodmarketplace.com/

EatLocalPEI --
Order by Wednesday night
for pickup/delivery Saturday/Sunday
https://www.localline.ca/eatlocalpei

Zinging viewpoint #1, from F. Ben Rodgers: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/letter-we-have-more-gambling-options-than-pei-needs-554059/

LETTER: We have more gambling options than P.E.I. needs - The Guardian Letter to the Editor

Published on Thursday, February 18th, 2021

Online gambling needs to be regulated according to Darlene Compton, minister of Finance, in order to protect Islanders.

Well yes, I’m sure it does. However, illegal land purchases need to be regulated, digging huge holding ponds need to be regulated, our ground water needs to be regulated, clear cutting needs to be regulated, and the list goes on.

Of course, there is a big difference between the other issues and gambling. The government is quick to move to regulate online gambling as it represents taxable income for them.

All this nonsense about protecting Islanders is insulting. It has nothing to do with Islanders, it's all about money. If the government really cared about its citizens, they would be moving to stop online gambling. It's a huge drain on family incomes of those who can ill afford to gamble. It's an addiction that destroys lives and families causing loss of homes and everything else. Often leading to mental health problems.

Mental health problems, oh yeah, I almost forgot, we don’t have a treatment clinic or staff for people suffering and in need of help. But online gambling goes ahead.

This government needs to get its priorities right. We have much greater issues than online gambling.

We already have more than this tiny island needs. Lotto machines in legions and Lions clubs, bars and private clubs. We have instant lotto tickets sold at every corner shop and service centre. People spend thousands hoping to hit the jackpot. A jackpot that for the masses never happens. Remember the two politicians on the milk carton — they wanted to make the Island an internet gambling centre. We all know how that turned out.

F. Ben Rodgers, Abram-Village

---------------------
Zinging Viewpoint #2 from Ranald MacFarlane in Fernwood: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/letter-angus-maclean-had-it-right-554432/

LETTER: Angus MacLean had it right - The Guardian Letter to the Editor

Published on Thursday, February 18th, 2021

Here and globally when farm land is owned in large measure by the filthy rich, young people don’t get to farm. It’s too expensive to start and they don’t want to be a tenant farmer all their lives.

Without new farmers coming on, it stifles adaption and we as a culture lose knack and knowledge.

The political paralysis we have experienced since Angus Maclean was premier has set us on a very unsustainable course. Eventually we will have to look at amending the 1,000-acre limit. I’m sure it needs to go down to accommodate more sustainable numbers.

For now, Premier King, please fire up the enforcement of the LPA as is.

Ranald MacFarlane, Fernwood

And thanks to the sharp-eyed reader for pointing out that I predated Marie Burge's letter printed in yesterday's newsletter as "February 29th" which was a bit of a leap.

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Puccini’s Turandot, tonight until 6:30PM
Starring Maria Guleghina, Marina Poplavskaya, Marcello Giordani, and Samuel Ramey, conducted by Andris Nelsons. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From November 7, 2009.

This week begins:

Dmitri Hvorostovsky Week

This week of free streams pays tribute to Dmitri Hvorostovsky, the beloved Russian baritone who passed away in 2017. Celebrate his extraordinary career with some of his most riveting Met appearances, and explore the articles and resources (at this LINK) to expand your knowledge and enhance your experience as you enjoy the screenings.

Verdi’s Il Trovatore, tonight 7:30PM until Tuesday about 6:30PM

Starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Dolora Zajick, Marcelo Álvarez, and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Production by Sir David McVicar. From April 30, 2011.

Events:

When she's not keeping track of the Water Act with the Coalition for the Protection of PEI Water, Catherine O'Brien will be the guest with fellow Fascinating Lady Kelley Mooney at the King's Playhouse, 2PM, today. Pay what you wish.
Of course seats are limited due to physical distancing restrictions, but you can check here for details or how to see if there still is space in this lovely Georgetown space:
Facebook event details

Another Citizens' Alliance Board member, Don Mazer, has been busy with his work on ECO-PEI's board and putting together their usual informative,timely and clock-work-precise AGM with feature presentation.

Tuesday, February 23rd:
ECO-PEI AGM, 6:30PM, online.  Presentation will start about 7PM.
This year its about "Creating an Environmental Bill of Rights", with special guest Tina Northrup from East Coast Environmental Law Association, and Dr. Nino Antadze from UPEI's Environmental Studies.
Facebook event details
with a quick registration link, and you will be sent a Zoom link a day or so before the meeting


Thursday, February 25th:
Throne Speech Thursday, 2PM!
P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

Getting caught up with an excellent opinion piece this week: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/letter-government-media-are-silent-on-proportional-representation-553482/ 

Government, media are silent on proportional representation - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Marie Burge

Published on Thursday, February 29th, 2021

It must be a mystery to all Islanders why proportional representation (PR) has practically disappeared from the communications of all four political parties.

Just two short years ago PR was a real possibility and a well-founded hope for many P.E.I. residents in most sections of the province. It was top of mind for the majority of the voting population across 23 of the 27 electoral districts. Do politicians feel that the people of P.E.I. are tired of democratic reform or that they are not interested?

It is hard to believe that the Island population would so easily give up after such a long history of fighting for democracy and for needed changes to the electoral system. If our ancestors had listened to twisted and false advertising, we still would not have the secret vote, women’s vote, or Indigenous vote. In no other stage of P.E.I.’s democratic reforms would Islanders have given up. So why would we give up now when we are so close to reaching our goal of proportional representation?

The organization Islanders for Proportional Representation (IPR) notes that with the exception of a sentence or two in an op-ed or a letter to the editor, PR is “dead in the water” for the media. Who or what is influencing the media’s silence on this crucial issue?

Islanders for Proportional Representation has expected that at least the P.E.I. government would keep democratic renewal and electoral reform as a high priority. In reviewing the mandates of the various cabinet ministers we are struck by the shocking reality that no department is responsible for democratic renewal. It appears, therefore, that having no other ministerial home, this responsibility, by default, falls back on the premier. 

We remind the current government, including the official opposition and the third party, that they are dishonouring almost 50 per cent of Island voters by not keeping proportional representation in the limelight. It is the hope of Islanders for Proportional Representation that it will show up in the speech from the throne on Feb. 25.

In particular, it is important to remember that many more Islanders voted “yes” for PR than the number who voted for the Progressive Conservatives, the party brought to power in the 2019 election. Where are their voices heard?

Marie Burge,
Islanders for Proportional Representation

-----------------------------

Paul MacNeill's publisher's column in The Graphic publications this week, with good insights: https://www.peicanada.com/eastern_graphic/will-new-ministers-lead-or-parrot-bureaucracy-silos/article_ba80e05e-704b-11eb-8723-fb1d79fbcc61.html

Against the tide

Will new ministers lead or parrot bureaucracy silos?  - The Eastern Graphic article by Paul MacNeill

Published on Wednesday, February 18th, 2021, in The Graphics

A cabinet shuffle is the art of making one domino fall gently onto another. And while Premier Dennis King’s shuffling of chairs was billed as a tweak it turned into much more, with half of cabinet finding new roles.

The impetus came on two fronts: the perception that James Aylward’s performance was not up to snuff in health and wellness and a desire to centralize government’s ambitious Net Zero initiative in the hands of Steven Myers. The timing does raise eyebrows, less than three weeks before start of the spring session of the legislature. Normally, shuffles occur months before, allowing ministers the time to get up to speed on new responsibilities. It means some King cabinet members will be walking a high wire when Question Period opens on the 25th.

When you have two big needs, shuffles very quickly become more than a tweak. And so it was that Myers moved from transportation to the newly-coined Environment, Energy and Climate Action. It rewards Myers for effectively managing transportation, albeit with criticism for prioritizing paving over other frontline services, while moving big ticket initiatives like Net Zero forward. It removes questions of departmental jurisdiction.

There was never a question of dropping Aylward from cabinet. He represents Stratford and is owed a massive IOU from the party for his surprising decision to quit as leader, allowing Dennis King to vault onto the provincial stage. Aylward struggled to find his footing in health, most notably on the mental health and addiction files, areas of pressing need that he represented strongly in opposition. Transportation, while a significant drop in the cabinet pecking order, offers Aylward an opportunity to rebound and refresh the trajectory of his political career.

Replacing Aylward in government’s largest department is Ernie Hudson, who is already sending out worrisome statements of support for questionable policy decisions by Health PEI, an organization riven by professional jealousy, silos and pet projects. Only a partisan would look at its health and addiction efforts and say it’s been effective. Bureaucrats at a legislative committee last week showed just how out of step they are with leading thinkers on mental health by promoting a mobile mental health unit that includes an armed police officer on every call. The bureaucrats bragged about how they worked to obtain lived experience via surveys and consultations.

What they don’t realize, because of institutional bias, is this is not lived experience. Lived experience is having a knowing voice at the decision making table. This does not exist for any Health PEI file on mental health, addictions or transmittable disease. And the proof in the pudding came when the officials explained away why the model was selected over the advice of an expert panel that specifically recommended against it. The decision to ignore advice was made in the executive suite - effectively saying to hell with input, we’ll do whatever we want.

If Hudson wants to be something more than a name added to the long list of ministerial public apologists for Health PEI’s narrow, siloed decision making, he needs to push back and demand better, more responsive programming.

Natalie Jameson’s switch from environment to education is the surprise of the shuffle. While Jameson has significant upward potential, there were too many days in the legislature when she appeared caught off guard by opposition questions. Even Tories were quietly grumbling she wasn’t doing the necessary homework. If this trend continues, education will only make the issue worse. It is a department always high on the opposition’s radar. Like health, education is driven by talking points and pet projects. Mediocrity is accepted, when our goal as a province should be to create the best education system in the world. Rural areas of small jurisdiction, like Finland, have changed perceptions and their economy by setting the bar very high. We need to get past gobbledygook and start delivering for our children and province.

Paul MacNeill is Publisher of Island Press Limited. He can be contacted at paul@peicanada.com

-30-

News Article and note about in-depth reporting features starting tomorrow: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/irac-ceo-questioned-about-buddhist-landholdings-on-pei-554819/

IRAC CEO questioned about Buddhist landholdings on P.E.I. - The Guardian article by Stu Neatby

Published on Saturday, February 21st, 2021

Editor's Note:

The Guardian has spent months interviewing members of Buddhist organizations and residents of Kings County about the hundreds of Buddhist nuns and monks who now live P.E.I. The story that has emerged, which will be published in two parts this coming week, is one that involves land holdings, immigration, housing, government transparency, religious freedom and geopolitics in Asia. Watch for the first part on Monday.

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. —  (The) subject of land holdings of two Kings county Buddhist organizations was briefly raised during a standing committee meeting on Thursday.

During a meeting of the standing committee on natural resources and environmental sustainability, Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission CEO Scott MacKenzie was asked if the commission would consider a public land audit of two Buddhist organizations.

Green MLA Michele Beaton said the public lacks clarity about the issue.  “There is concerns over land holdings down in the eastern end of the province,” Beaton said.  "From the side of the individuals with the land holdings, they're also concerned and it's kind of a 'he-said-she-said.'”

Suggestions have been circulating online for years that two Buddhist organizations – the Great Wisdom Buddhist Institute (GWBI) and the Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society (GEBIS) – have accumulated more land holdings than they are permitted under the Lands Protection Act.

There is no clear evidence this has happened. Both groups own significantly less than 1,000 acres, which is far below the land size limits under the act.

But some of these concerns played into a decision made by Three Rivers Council in September to deny a permit for a proposed dormitory and campus proposed for GWBI. The organization of Buddhist nuns says it needs to construct the campus due to a lack of housing for hundreds of its members.

Buddhist nuns are currently scattered between a monastery farmhouse in Uigg, a dormitory in Brudenell, a converted lobster shanty in Montague and several individual homes.

“At what point in time does IRAC make a decision to help out individuals in a situation where the public believes that they are doing something — whether they are or not — but have an arms-length body like yourself do an investigation or an audit of some sort?" Beaton asked.

"I don't think we've ever done that. I think anyone who knows what their landholdings (are), can disclose what their landholdings are," MacKenzie said.

Three Rivers' denial of the building permit has had real consequences for GWBI.

In an interview last weekend, three board members of GWBI confirmed that about 30 students aged 14-17, enrolled at a private school run by the monastic organization, left P.E.I. in January, in part, due to the lack of housing.

“They need space," Venerable Sabrina Chiang, a GWBI board member told The Guardian.  “They're lively. They need to run around and to play.”

"I think it's the best decision for everyone," Venerable Yvonne Tsai, another GWBI board member, told The Guardian.  "Everyone wants everyone to live better. So that's why they made that decision."

Both Tsai and Chiang said they hope to work directly with IRAC to address land concerns that have been raised in the community.

MacKenzie did not directly say whether IRAC has looked into land holdings related to the Buddhist organizations.

“Have you ever done an investigation on, for instance, GEBIS or GWBI, on their landholdings?" Beaton asked MacKenzie.

"I can neither confirm nor deny. We will not talk about any possible investigations that may have or may not have happened,” MacKenzie said.

Stu Neatby is The Guardian's political reporter.
stu.neatby@theguardian.pe.ca

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

The last days of the week highlighting productions of Franco Zeffirelli, with amazing casting:

Bizet’s Carmen, until 6:30PM tonight
Starring Angela Gheorghiu, Waltraud Meier, Plácido Domingo, and Sergei Leiferkus. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From March 25, 1997.  Smoking hot.

Puccini’s Turandot, tonight 7:30PM until Monday about 6:30PM
Starring Maria Guleghina, Marina Poplavskaya, Marcello Giordani, and Samuel Ramey, conducted by Andris Nelsons. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From November 7, 2009.  Icy cold.

"A river is more than an amenity, it is a treasure."
      --- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Read more https://www.yourfates.com/water-quotes-save-water-slogans/

Some local food places:

Farmers' Markets in Summerside (9AM-1PM) and Charlottetown (9AM-2PM)

Heart Beet Organics Farmacy and Fermentary, store with local fresh vegetables and ferments; restaurant, too. 152 Great George Street, Charlottetown.

Riverview County Market, Riverside Drive,  local food.

-----------------------
Catch-up on anything political from:
P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

Whatever, it's Friday afternoon...wait! Water Act!!
Water Act enactment announcement: from: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/water-act-protects-drinking-water-and-environment-supports-research

Water Act protects drinking water and the environment, supports research - PEI Government

Prince Edward Island will bring the Water Act into effect June 16, 2021, ensuring government is able to manage and protect water resources for the common good, including humans and the environment now and into the future.

“Islanders want and deserve strong regulations, evidence-based decisions and healthy rivers and streams. Bringing the Water Act and water withdrawal regulations into effect will allow us to manage and track who is using what amounts of water, provide government experts with additional data and increase public transparency on water use.”

- Environment, Energy and Climate Action Minister Steven Myers

The Water Act is supported by four sets of regulations including updated Water Withdrawal regulations, which were the subject of public consultation in the fall of 2019. Under these regulations all water wells drawing above the level of domestic household consumption will require a permit.  
Following public and community feedback, government is strengthening the water withdrawal regulations.  Changes include:

• conservation of water resources is explicitly noted as a policy objective of the minister;

• government’s water withdrawal policy for healthy stream flow and aquatic environments is included defining acceptable levels needed to allow or prohibit extraction;

• the minister can require a drought contingency plan for selected, large water withdrawal programs;

• a provision is being made for construction of high capacity wells for research in agricultural irrigation and there is a policy  to guide government’s decisions on research projects; and,

• a provision is being made to grandfather existing clusters of low capacity wells used for agricultural irrigation (e.g. holding ponds); however, no new clusters that have the same impact as a high-capacity well will be permitted. 

As required under the Water Act, government will provide the regulations to the Standing Committee of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability for 90 days, at which point they will take effect. The regulations continue to be available online for public comment.

Under the provision for research, the Province will be permitting the proposal by the Canadian Rivers Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) into the impacts of high capacity wells in agricultural irrigation and the environment. The Province will invest in the project, removing the need for financial contributions from industry. The research program is also being expanded to consider soil health and the relationship between soil health, nutrient management, and supplemental irrigation. Maintaining soil health and organic matter levels is important for soil productivity and for maximizing the benefits of supplemental water use. 

Farms participating in the irrigation study will be asked to develop a Soil Health Improvement Plan. Producers will create individual plans for each farm property that outlines the management practices in place to support soil health; including the monitoring of soil health over time with soil health testing.

Additional enhancements are planned to support soil health through Department of Agriculture and Land including a merit-based program for the construction of erosion control structures, an incentive for soil building rotational crops, an increase in support for spring tillage and winter cover crops, and the addition of the soil health testing package to the long term Soil Quality Monitoring Project. 

“Our goal at the Department of Agriculture and Land, is for a progressive, dynamic, agriculture industry that is both financially sound and environmentally responsible. I support decisions about water being informed by science and this research will provide valuable information on supplemental irrigation as part of a sustainable approach to farming,” added Bloyce Thompson, Minister of Agriculture and Land.
-30-

SO holding ponds will be grandfathered in (allowed to be kept) which could mean a rush on new construction, so the Minister enacting the moratorium on those the previous Minister said she would would be great.  Are there reasons the King government isn't following through on this -- murmurs of legal challenges?

Also, the rather skimpy-on-details research proposal from the Canadian Rivers Institute/UPEI has been seasoned a bit to make it more palatable, removing the direct industry funding and tying in soil health; but it's still wells being punched in fairly vulnerable areas, which is worrisome. It's tough, tough situation but if we were really adhering to the precautionary principle, we probably wouldn't drill the wells....even to find out if we could drill wells without causing harm.  It's a bit of a catch-22.

The water extraction regulations can be found here: https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/information/environment-energy-and-climate-action/proposed-water-withdrawal-regulations

Some good things:  Steven Myers is stressing water protection.  And he certainly has a "let's get this done" attitude and gets his team to do just that.  It will be good to see that verve focused on climate *action*, also.

CBC Article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-water-act-proclaimed-law-1.5920308

P.E.I. Water Act comes into force June 16, with allowance for high-capacity well research - CBC online article by Sara Fraser

Published on Friday, February 19th, 2021

Environment minister insists: 'We're not anti-agriculture ... This isn't an attack on farming'

Regulations attached to a new Water Act on Prince Edward Island will not allow any new high-capacity irrigation wells, except for a new agricultural research project the University of Prince Edward Island is conducting. 

That news came as the province announced Friday that it intends to bring the long-awaited Water Act into effect on June 16, 2021.

"This has been the most consulted-on bill probably in the history of the P.E.I. government," Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action Steven Myers told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin in an interview Friday afternoon.
(see link for interview tape)

Myers, formerly P.E.I.'s transportation minister, took over the Environment portfolio just two weeks ago, after a cabinet shuffle. "When I got in the chair here, I said, 'It's time that this gets moved into the final stage.'"

Designed to manage and safeguard the province's water supply, the Water Act was passed by the P.E.I. legislature in 2017 but never enacted.

One of its key roles: Regulating how water is extracted for use on the Island, including water farmers get from irrigation wells.

The government placed a moratorium on any new high-capacity wells back in 2002, and it has been hotly debated ever since. Some farmers, especially potato growers, have for years lobbied passionately in favour of more access to irrigation, as hot, dry summers shrink their yields. 

Since January 2020, P.E.I.'s Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action has been working on a second draft of the regulations to be attached to the Water Act, following public consultations during the summer of 2019. Consultations on the Water Act itself took place in 2015 and again in 2017.

'Moratorium will stay in place' 

The act is underpinned by four sets of regulations — including updated water withdrawal regulations, which say all water wells drawing above the level of domestic household consumption will require a permit.  

"The moratorium will stay in place," Myers said. "It's pretty exciting what we're doing here; it's the first time ever we've protected water on Prince Edward Island from a holistic viewpoint." 

He added: "We're not anti-agriculture. This isn't an attack on farming ... we have to protect drinking water on Prince Edward Island."

There is, however, a provision to grandfather existing clusters of low-capacity wells such as holding ponds used for agricultural irrigation, and a provision for new high-capacity wells for agricultural irrigation research.

That's where things get interesting. 

UPEI study to measure high-capacity well impact

Under the provision for research, the province has given the go-ahead to a proposal by the Canadian Rivers Institute at UPEI that will study the impacts of high-capacity wells in agricultural irrigation. 

Michael van den Heuvel, the Canada Research Chair in Watershed Ecological Integrity at UPEI, proposed the study, and suggested it be jointly financed by government and the private sector.

As CBC News reported in September 2020, the study would involve installing new high-capacity irrigation wells on four P.E.I. farms and measuring the impact their use has on the local watershed. Van den Heuvel said the data would take four years to collect.

However, Myers said on Friday that the government alone will invest in the project to remove the need for financial contributions from industry. He also said the research would be expanded to consider soil health and the relationship between soil health, nutrient management and supplemental irrigation. 

More help to develop better soil

According to a written news release, farms participating in the irrigation study must develop a soil health improvement plan. Producers will create plans for each farm property that outlines management practices to support soil health, including monitoring and testing soil health over time. 

The Department of Agriculture and Land plans to help farmers manage soil health through new incentives including a merit-based program for building erosion control structures, an incentive for soil-building rotational crops, an increase in support for spring tillage and winter cover crops (to prevent winter soil erosion), and more. 

"I support decisions about water being informed by science and this research will provide valuable information on supplemental irrigation as part of a sustainable approach to farming," Bloyce Thompson, minister of agriculture and land, was quoted as saying in the government news release.

As required under the Water Act, the regulations will take effect after they've been in front of the standing committee of natural resources and environmental sustainability for 90 days. The regulations continue to be available online for public comment, the release said.

Regulations can be changed much more easily than legislation can, Myers noted. 

Does that mean the results of the research could eventually allow the moratorium to be lifted? 

"I'm going to let the scientists take it and do their piece," Myers said. "If the time comes where there's a requirement for more water, it's not going to be something that's handed over easily." 

At the same time, he noted that climate change is an extenuating factor in agricultural water use, "so we have to be open to change." 

-30-

Related article on holding ponds, from CBC News, yesterday (link only):
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-water-act-reaction-wells-holding-ponds-1.5920774

Radio
Puccini’s La Rondine, 2PM, CBC Music Radio, 104.7FM
Performance from January 10, 2009
Marco Armiliato; Angela Gheorghiu (Magda), Lisette Oropesa (Lisette), Roberto Alagna (Ruggero), Marius Brenciu (Prunier), Samuel Ramey (Rambaldo)   So sweet, Gheorghui is like the Swallow of title, this fragile but strong little bird.

Video:
Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Mozart’s Don Giovanni, today until 6:30PM
Starring Carol Vaness, Karita Mattila, Dawn Upshaw, Jerry Hadley, Samuel Ramey, Ferrucio Furlanetto, and Kurt Moll, conducted by James Levine. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From April 5, 1990.

Bizet’s Carmen, tonight 7:30PM until Sunday about 6:30PM
Starring Angela Gheorghiu, Waltraud Meier, Plácido Domingo, and Sergei Leiferkus. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From March 25, 1997.  Sure to be a fiery Carmen, with the same La Rondine Angela Gheorghiu as the cast-aside Micheala (she has some beautiful arias in a opera with so much for the Carmen to sing).

"We have to wake up to the fierce urgency of the now"
        --Jim Yong Kim, physician, anthropologist, former president of the World Bank,         on Climate Change
-----------------------------

Events:

Fridays4Future, 3:30PM, outside Province House.
It's the last one before the Legislature resumes late next week, reminding politicians and people about the need for Climate Action.
More details here at Facebook event link

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

-----------------------------
Rainforest Lounge with Todd MacLean and special guest, Hailey MacIsaac, 7PM, Instagram Live.
LINK:
https://www.instagram.com/toddpei/

Article:

from:
The Smog -- Need-to-know basis
Published on Thursday, February 18th, 2021

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the independent government agency that regulates the United States’ energy landscape, warned Texas that its grid was unprepared for cold conditions a decade ago. But it’s unclear what, if anything, the state did to prepare for extreme weather — and four days after winter storms began pummeling the Lone Star State, hundreds of thousands remain without power, and millions more are experiencing water disruptions.
------------------------------

Blaming the Wind for the Mess in Texas Is Painfully Absurd - The New Yorker article by Bill McKibben

Published on Thursday, February 18th, 2021

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/blaming-the-wind-for-the-mess-in-texas-is-ridiculous

Sometimes, all you need is a map. In the wake of this week’s power failures in Texas, which have left millions without heat in subfreezing conditions, right-wing politicians and news networks decided that the emergency was down to “frozen wind turbines,” a phrase that has now been repeated ad infinitum on all the various ganglia that make up the conservative “information” network. The editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, which has managed to be wrong about energy and climate for more than four decades, put it like this: “Gas and power prices have spiked across the central U.S. while Texas regulators ordered rolling blackouts Monday as an Arctic blast has frozen wind turbines.” Governor Greg Abbott took time out from failing to deal with the emergency that had imperilled many in his state to tell Fox News that “this shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal for the United States of America.” Not to be outdone, on Tuesday afternoon, Representative Dan Crenshaw, a Republican who represents Texas’s second congressional district, including parts of Houston, tweeted that “this is what happens when you force the grid to rely in part on wind as a power source.” The Agriculture Commissioner, Sid Miller, who is “known for his right-wing Facebook posts that have, in the past, spread misinformation and amplified conspiracy theories,” the Texas Tribune reported, “also posted an unvarnished view of wind energy on Facebook: ‘We should never build another wind turbine in Texas.’ ”

The usual responsible voices eventually responded with a large amount of data showing that Abbott, Fox, and the rest were completely wrong. Failures in renewable-energy generation accounted for a small percentage of the outages. The biggest problems were in “thermal”—which is to say fossil-fuel—generating plants and systems; simply put, natural-gas pipelines froze in the cold, as even Governor Abbott admitted. His own energy regulators at the ill-named Electric Reliability Council of Texas explained that “it appears that a lot of the generation that has gone offline today has been primarily due to issues on the natural-gas system.” Or, as Michael Webber, an energy-resources professor at the University of Texas at Austin, put it, “gas is failing in the most spectacular fashion right now.” (A nuclear power plant also went down, likely as a result of freezing temperatures shutting down cooling systems or sensors.)

I’m glad that there were plenty of authorities to try to set the record straight, but, of course, the truth was still searching for the winter boots in the back of the garage by the time the falsehoods had spread across the Internet. It’s particularly annoying because the bad-faith nature of the whole idea should have been obvious to anyone with an iota of geographical knowledge. Besides Texas, the biggest producers of wind power in the country are Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon, Illinois, Kansas, North Dakota, and California. Except for California, all these places are situated to the north of Texas, and deal with much harsher winters. The idea that wind turbines cannot deal with cold weather is, prima facie, ridiculous: countries with huge wind-power installations include Germany, France, and Italy, all of which have managed in the past to host the Winter Olympics—and Italy is planning to host them again, in 2026. People have developed plans for building giant wind farms in Greenland to feed the European Union and the United States. If cold weather somehow made it impossible for wind turbines to operate, you would think someone would have noticed by now.

Cold weather can, however, make it hard to operate wind turbines if you don’t plan for it—installations of “cold-weather kits” prevent icing and freezing—and it appears that the Texas authorities didn’t plan for much. State officials, it turns out, had been gleefully tweeting at California authorities for months, making fun of them for not planning well enough to prevent brownouts when heat waves struck the West Coast. But tweeting—and a deep and abiding faith in markets to solve all problems—seems not to have been a good strategy when faced with a severe cold snap.

A cold snap that, by the way, seems likely to be linked to the jet-stream collapse that comes when you warm the Arctic, as we have been doing by burning large quantities of fossil fuel. If you wanted to do something about that, you’d need more wind turbines. Funny about that.

Bill McKibben is a founder of the grassroots climate campaign 350.org and a contributing writer to The New Yorker. He writes The Climate Crisis, The New Yorker’s newsletter on the environment.

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Puccini’s Tosca, until 6:30PM tonight
Starring Hildegard Behrens, Plácido Domingo, and Cornell MacNeil, conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From March 27, 1985.

Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Friday 7:30PM until 6:30PM Saturday
Starring Carol Vaness, Karita Mattila, Dawn Upshaw, Jerry Hadley, Samuel Ramey, Ferrucio Furlanetto, and Kurt Moll.  Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From April 5, 1990.

Two classics!

Events:

Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, 10AM, online. 

Topic: Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission's process of investigating land sales

The committee will meet with representatives from the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission for a briefing on how land sale investigations are conducted.

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

----------
 

Bill Gates: Interviewed by Anderson Cooper, Online, pay what you can, 7:30PM PST, (11:30PM here) and available for two weeks afterwards

Various payment options, which include a copy of Gates' book on Climate Change.  Bill's getting a tremendous amount of media attention for his ideas, so if you've felt out of the loop, here is a chance to see what all the fuss is about.
https://lectures.org/event/bill-gates/


---------------------------

Tuesday, February 23rd:
ECO-PEI AGM, meeting 6:30PM and Panel Discussion on Creating an Environmental Bill of Rights, starting about 7PM, online

The theme of our annual meeting this year is environmental rights - exploring the concept and the idea of creating legislation.

We'll start with a short business meeting at 6:30 pm, which will be followed by a panel discussion at 7, with guest speakers Tina Northrup, Staff Lawyer with East Coast Environmental Law Association and DR. Nino Antadze, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, UPEI.

Register for the meeting at https://tinyurl.com/44ww84pv - a link to the zoom meeting will be sent to you one or two days before the event.

Facebook event details
 

News:
When The Guardian writes that the Minister of Finance and Manager of Policy, Planning and Regulatory Affairs faced "harsh" questions, I can only be glad that committee members and other MLAs asked such questions.  Might it not be "harsh" for a government to aid in addicting more people to gambling saying it's no different than buying scratch tickets at a local convenience store?

Online casinos could ‘repatriate’ P.E.I. gamers from offshore sites: Compton

by Stu Neatby
published on Thursday, February 18th, 2021, in The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/online-casinos-could-repatriate-pei-gamers-from-offshore-sites-compton-553654/

Allowing the Atlantic Lottery Corporation to establish an online casino for P.E.I. gamblers will create an alternative to illegal, unregulated offshore sites, while contributing to provincial tax coffers, P.E.I.’s minister of finance told a standing committee on Wednesday.

Darlene Compton faced harsh questions from MLAs during an appearance before the standing committee on health and social development. The minister spoke about cabinet’s decision to allow the Atlantic Lottery Corporation to establish an online casino for P.E.I. gamblers. 

The ALC established an online casino site in New Brunswick over the summer. This gaming site is currently geofenced, meaning P.E.I. residents cannot access it. 

But P.E.I.’s cabinet has authorized the P.E.I. Lotteries Commission to develop “an enhanced digital platform” that would allow a similar site to be set up for P.E.I. gamblers.

"The intention of the platform is not to create new players. It is to repatriate play from illegal, for-profit entities in other countries back to ALC's responsible and regulated platform," Compton told the committee.  “We will be having discussions with health and wellness on possible harm mitigation measures and responsible gambling education campaign."

Compton said P.E.I. is “early in the process” of developing the online gaming platform.  Gambling in Canada is regulated and run by provincial gaming authorities. But online gaming has been eating away at bricks and mortar gaming revenues for years. The ALC estimates $100 million of revenue leaves Atlantic Canada each year due to offshore online gaming sites. 

Compton also said an online casino for P.E.I. gamblers is estimated to turn a $750,000 profit in its first year alone. Forecasts estimate net profit would reach $985,000 in the second year and $1.2 million in year three.

But several opposition MLAs argued allowing a provincially sanctioned online gambling platform could boost gambling addiction in P.E.I. The same standing committee heard earlier this month that about 950 people in P.E.I. are considered to have some form of gambling problem.

“Somebody has to lose in order for P.E.I. to make money. And all of the studies show that that person is more likely to be a low-income Islander," Opposition Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker said.   "Do you still feel that this is a responsible way for Prince Edward Island to generate revenues?"

"It's no different than going to the corner store and purchasing lottery tickets," Compton said in response.  "People are going to gamble. And the percentage that have a problem are going to have supports here on P.E.I. to help them."

So far, regulations governing advertising for the new online casino have not been created.

“We’re not interested in creating brand new players. Our focus is on repatriating play,” said Jennifer MacDonald-Donovan, manager of policy, planning and regulatory affairs with the department of finance

But at least one ALC promotion has been pulled in P.E.I.   Green MLA Michele Beaton revealed that one promotion involved an email sent out recently by ALC to an unknown number of individuals with dormant accounts, advertising a $20 credit to reactivate their accounts. The promotion was also advertized on Facebook. 

“We have no idea how many of those people were recovering addicts. We see (ALC) advertising on Compass,” Green MLA Michele Beaton said of the ad campaign.   “That doesn’t sound responsible to me,” she said.

MacDonald-Donovan did not disagree with Beaton.   "We saw that ad, and the minister sent notice to Atlantic Lottery that that's not to happen again," MacDonald-Donovan said.  “They are not to try to incentivize with a cash bonus or credits to non-players."

However, as of late Wednesday afternoon, an ad offering the $20 "bonus" for individuals setting up a new online account was still up on the Atlantic Lottery mobile website.

In an interview, MacDonald-Donovan and Compton both said part of the marketing of the P.E.I. online casino would involve communicating that it is a trusted option for gamers. Players can limit their bets and place time limits on access to the site.

“If someone is going to go play online, they're probably going to take a site and stick to it,” MacDonald-Donovan said.  “If that site is a regulated site versus a non-regulated site … that's probably a better alternative.”

-30-

Checking in on Nova Scotia:

Opinion piece published on Monday, February 8th, 2021, in The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/regional-perspectives/jim-vibert-rankin-brings-ambitious-plan-to-build-back-better-549794/

Nova Scotia Liberals looked past the pandemic and picked as their new leader, and Nova Scotia’s next premier, the candidate who offered the most ambitious plan to build back better.

When he and his new Liberal government are sworn in sometime in the next two weeks, Iain Rankin will become the province’s first millennial premier — he was born in 1983 — and he’ll arrive in office with an aggressive social and economic agenda that is, above all else, inclusive and green.

Rankin won the three-way leadership race Saturday night, edging out Labi Kousoulis on the second ballot by 265 points out of a total of 5,500. Former health minister Randy Delorey, who’d campaigned as the best choice to lead the province through the pandemic, finished third on the first ballot and was eliminated.

Rankin succeeds Premier Stephen McNeil, who is leaving him a province that’s become almost a sanctuary amid a sea of COVID, and the new premier’s immediate political prospects hang on maintaining that enviable position.

Formidable task

He also takes over a province that, prior to the pandemic, was on an economic upswing, with record immigration, thriving exports, a growing population and the highest employment levels ever.

Rankin now faces the formidable task of assembling a cabinet and a staff, putting together a throne speech and a budget and meeting the legislature for the first time as premier on March 9 — just one day shy of a full year after the House last met.

He also takes over a government with a one-seat majority and that’s just three months away from entering the fifth and final year of its mandate.

So, right out of the gate, he’ll have to try to put his stamp on the government, even as he and his team look for the right window of opportunity to ask Nova Scotians to elect a third successive Liberal government.

But first, Rankin will be seized with the immediate demands of cabinet-making from among the other 25 Liberals in the current 51-seat assembly. (Redistribution will increase the legislature to 55 seats at the next election.)

That cabinet will, in essence, be the government Rankin leads into the next election, and conventional wisdom says it will consist of Liberals who will reoffer in that election.

Weighing options

If Rankin follows that convention, current ministers Leo Glavine (health); Karen Casey (finance); Geoff MacLellan (business) and Gordon Wilson (environment) in addition to McNeil, wouldn’t be included, so Rankin needs to find talent on the Liberal backbench to fill those sizable holes.

Suburban Halifax MLAs Brendan McGuire and Ben Jessome along with Kings South’s Keith Irving — three Liberal backbenchers who backed Rankin — are first in line for those cabinet vacancies.

The premier-designate said he’s weighing his cabinet options, that it will include new faces but that he will also make use of the experience that’s available to him.

Rankin will also need to be mindful of the divisions a leadership race can leave in the party, and his cabinet choices can go a long way to healing those rifts.

He’s already said his leadership opponents, Kousoulis and Delorey, have places in his cabinet and, given the rather shallow talent pool he has to draw from, so too will ministers from McNeil’s government who backed Rankin’s opponents.

He will also need to quickly assemble a staff of trusted political and policy advisers, people who, past experience shows, can gum up the works of government in a hurry if they exert their influence before they figure out how to use the levers of power.

Fiscal footing

But the first real tests for Rankin will come in about a month, when his government brings first a throne speech and soon after a budget to the legislature.

That’s when Nova Scotians will discover how, and if, the youthful premier’s bold and idealistic vision can mesh with the stark realities of a province trying to keep the pandemic at bay while struggling to regain the economic footing that eroded under the virus.

Rankin believes that the solid fiscal footing McNeil had the province on before the pandemic hit provides some flexibility to meet the demands of the moment, while advancing his broader agenda.

“This is our moment to activate an economic plan that ensures no Nova Scotians are left behind, a plan that is low-carbon, and that is climate-resilient,” Rankin promised during the campaign. Those twin themes of environmental responsibility, and social and economic inclusion and justice, permeated almost everything he said during the leadership race.

Whether Rankin leans into his brand as a new generation of leader, flush with the aspirations of that generation, or whether the hard realities of the moment will temper or delay his ambitious plans will become clearer as we move into the spring.

Protecting parks

Rankin has early opportunities, particularly on environmental files, to burnish his bona fides.

He’s committed to protecting the 100-plus places in the Parks and Protected Areas plan that have yet to be designated for protection. Early action to move those sites along in the process would help cement his environmental credentials.

And, if he includes the controversial Owl’s Head land, which the McNeil government surreptitiously removed from the list to make way for a proposed golf resort, among the areas for protection, he’ll send a loud message that when he balances potential economic activity and the environment, the environment stands a fighting chance. That hasn’t been common in these parts.

Others will be watching to see how Rankin’s government advances its other key priority, building a more economically and socially inclusive province.

“If our province is to truly build back better, we must confront our past and learn from our mistakes, in particular those that continue to harm and hold back African Nova Scotians and Mi’kmaq Peoples,” he said. “We must include marginalized groups in all of government’s decision-making, with honest deference to their lived experience — and then we must act.”

Nova Scotia’s new, millennial premier arrives in office amid the worst health crisis in a century and the economic ruin it is has wrought. He brings an ambitious agenda of progressive social, economic and environmental action, and he faces an election within 15 months at the absolute outside, likely much sooner.

It’s at this point where I suppose we should wish him luck.

Journalist and writer Jim Vibert has worked as a communications adviser to five Nova Scotia governments.

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/
 

Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, today until 6:30PM
Starring Tatiana Troyanos, Jean Kraft, Plácido Domingo, and Vern Shinall; Teresa Stratas, Plácido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, and Allan Monk. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From April 5, 1978.

Puccini’s Tosca, tonight 7:30PM until 6:30PM Friday.
Starring Hildegard Behrens, Plácido Domingo, and Cornell MacNeil, conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli. Production by Franco Zeffirelli. From March 27, 1985.

 

Astronomy note:
Mars Rover Perseverance is set to land today about 3PM. 
NASA TV
https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public
and others, including this Facebook Live event from the Yorkshire Dales Astronomy Club, will have some sort of coverage.  NASA TV is pretty much about the rover the whole day!  TV schedule here -- scroll down to Thursday.

 

"A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows."

        --Francis of Assisi (1181-1182)

"One way to open your eyes to unnoticed beauty is to ask yourself, 'What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?' "
   ---Rachel Carson (1907-1964), American biologist, writer, and pioneer environmentalist

maybe we can look that way at glorious icy structures all over the place today....
-------------------------------

Events:

Standing Committee meetings --
**note these may be delayed or rescheduled due to road conditions**

Health and Social Development Standing Committee Meeting, 9AM, online
Topic: The committee will meet to receive two briefings:
1. Briefing on challenges and areas of opportunity with respect to information and protection of privacy, and other matters, with Information and Privacy Commissioner, Denise Doiron
2. Briefing on the processing and completion of information requests, and other matters, with Acting Director of Privacy Services, Justice and Public Safety, Clare Henderson. 

Health and Social Development Standing Committee Meeting, 1:30PM, online

Topic: Expansion of online gambling services

The committee will meet to receive a briefing on the decision to expand access to online gambling, with Minister of Finance, Hon. Darlene Compton and Department of Finance Manager of Policy, Planning and Regulatory Affairs, Jennifer MacDonald-Donovan

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

--------------------
EatLocalPEI food ordering deadline today for Friday/weekend delivery/pickup -- more details here:
https://www.localline.ca/eatlocalpei

Podcast with background, from The Guardian (U.K.), about something far away yet very familiar: 

Why are Indian farmers protesting against the government? - The Guardian (UK) podcast

The Guardian’s south Asia correspondent and the founder of a sustainable farming movement explain why farmers are so angry
from Tuesday, February 16th, 2021: 25 minutes long: https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2021/feb/16/why-are-indian-farmers-protesting-against-the-government

Rachel Humphreys talks to the Guardian’s south Asia correspondent, Hannah Ellis-Petersen, about the farmers’ protests taking place in India. The farmers object vociferously to new laws that constitute the most sweeping reform to agriculture for decades. The government of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, says the laws will bring necessary modernisation and private competition to an ailing sector that has left millions of farmers destitute. Farmers say the laws were passed without consultation and will allow private corporations to control the prices of crops, crush their livelihoods and take away their land.

Rachel also talks to Umendra Dutt who runs the Kheti Virasat mission, a people’s movement for sustainable farming and food safety in the state of Punjab. Umendra feels optimistic about the protests – he believes the government will no longer be able to ignore the issues facing farmers.

--------------------
Unfortunately, the police are presumably being instructed to be rather forceful...article from the newsletter The Beacon at Grist:

A 22-year-old Indian climate activist, Disha Ravi, was arrested over the weekend for editing and distributing an online “toolkit” for helping Indian farmers who are protesting agricultural reforms that could hurt their livelihoods. The toolkit had been shared on Twitter by Greta Thunberg, the founder of the Fridays for Future youth climate movement which Ravi helps lead in India.
from February 15th, 2021
Original News Article
-------
the article is from the Thompson Reuters Foundation:
"We are the corporate foundation of Thomson Reuters, the global news and information services company. We work to advance media freedom, foster more inclusive economies, and promote human rights."
-------------------------------------------
Some P.E.I. webpages from organizations promoting local farming, local care of land:
National Farmers Union -- PEI
https://nfu-pei.ca/

Coalition for the Protection of PEI Lands Facebook page

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Gorgeous Productions by Franco Zeffirelli Highlighted This Week continue with:

Verdi’s Falstaff, today until 6:30PM
Starring Mirella Freni, Barbara Bonney, Marilyn Horne, Bruno Pola, and Paul Plishka. From October 10, 1992.   Just over 2 hours.

Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, tonight 7:30PM until Thursday about 6:30PM
From April 5, 1978. "This video captures a real rarity: one of the very few times the brilliant Plácido Domingo performed both of the great tenors roles during the same evening at the Met. Domingo singing either Turiddu (in Cavalleria) or Canio (in Pagliacci) would be remarkable, but to get both in the same incandescent performance is to see history...(with) the sensational singing actors Tatiana Troyanos (Santuzza), Teresa Stratas (Nedda), and Sherrill Milnes (Tonio), these searing one-act operas blaze."
2 hours 30 minutes

Happy Islander Day!  And lucky Islanders we are.  We just need to protect this little Island as best we can.

Events:

Snowshoeing -- South Shore (Crapaud area), 1:30-3:30PM, meeting at Crapaud Public Library parking lot (that's down and behind the firehall/ the old pharmacy location), TCH, Crapaud.
Bring your own snowshoes, but a limited number will be on hand.  Hot chocolate afterwards.  Hosted by the South Shore Citizens Group and South Shore Pharmacy (the spiffy new building further west and across the highway)

more details: https://www.facebook.com/SouthShoreCitizensGroup/
------------------
Many other events listed here on the Government's website Islander Day page; note that some may be sold out or at capacity, so check first:
https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/event/islander-day

Islander Day is a provincial holiday (no schools, post-secondary or provincial services) and a "civil observance" of National Flag of Canada Day, but not a federal or postal holiday. 
Most grocery stores, malls, libraries are closed, no bus service, but federal government offices are open, apparently. more at this: CBC article link

--------------------
And when you get hungry and plan food for the rest of the week:

Organic Veggie Delivery week, order by Monday PM for delivery Friday.  Next order week of March 1st
https://www.organicveggiedelivery.com/

Charlottetown Farmers' Market 2Go, order by TUESDAY NOON, for Thursday pick-up/delivery,
https://cfm2go.localfoodmarketplace.com/

EatLocalPEI --
Order by Wednesday night
for pickup/delivery Saturday/Sunday
https://www.localline.ca/eatlocalpei

 ----------------------
Today is (was?) the deadline for the Animal Welfare Survey from the P.E.I. Government. 
However, the survey software the Department of Agriculture used for the survey literally meant February 15th as midnight this morning, so it's saying it's closed. You can also write to the Department's Media Contact Ron Ryder to mention that it really should be extended as the deadline was perhaps unintentionally misleading.
rrryder@gov.pe.ca

We'll let you know if we hear it's been opened back up again, if you didn't get a chance to participate already.

Diana Lariviere, animal welfare advocate who resides in the South Shore, posted some notes on social media several weeks ago, which I am reprinting with her permission (from December 15th, 2020):

Have your say on animal welfare legislation in PEI >> BUT >> A few points of possible interest before completing the survey:

1) very near the end, there is a problem with the question … “who should be responsible for animal welfare” … in that the options do not include “other”. This might have been an inadvertent error of omission, BUT it is also a tactic often used by governments to support what that government has already decided (for example, so that they can state >> 80% of respondents stated that organization “x” should have responsibility for…). On the positive side and as an alternative, there is a “comment” block just below that particular question in which you may use to offer an alternative.

2) Throughout the survey, there is no acknowledgment of the EIGHTEEN (18) animal rescue groups that exist within PEI. The only one that is highlighted is the Humane Society.

3) PEI Wildlife Legislation does not allow for “rescue / rehabilitation” of wildlife -- >> similar to “Hope for Wildlife” in Nova Scotia and similar to what exists in other Canadian jurisdictions. Yet…PEI legislation DOES allow for “farming” of select wildlife. The message? …profit is ok but not rescue??

https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/islanders-opinions-wanted-animal-welfare

Diana also requested from the Department, and passed along to me, a printable PDF of the survey and $20 Tim Horton's gift card participant incentive draw ballot, to print out and mail in or scan/fax; if you wish to email me, I can forward those forms to you.

It's all about Mars this week!

Atlantic Skies for February 15th-22nd, 2021 - by Glenn K. Roberts

Touchdown Mars - 'Perseverance' and 'Ingenuity' Arrive

On Thursday Feb. 18, after a voyage of 203 days, NASA's  'Perseverance' rover (part of the Mars 2020 mission), and its sidekick 'Ingenuity' helicopter-drone are scheduled to touch down in the Jezero Crater, just north of the Martian equator.  Launched on July 30, 2020, as part of  NASA's Mars Exploration Program, 'Perseverance' will be only the fifth rover to land on the Red Planet. It is also the first artificial object to land on Mars since 'Insight Mars' in 2018, and the first rover to land on the planet since 'Curiosity' in 2012. Its primary mission will be to roam the Martian landscape, exploring and investigating the planet's ancient surface geological formations, while assessing the possibility of past habitability by seeking evidence of water and any biosignatures of past microbial life that might be preserved within accessible geological materials.

Another important rover objective will be to scoop up surface material samples as it traverses the Martian surface, and cache them in containers for potential retrieval by a future Mars sample-return mission, possibly in 2031. Other duties relate to the assessment of new technologies (including precise landing technologies), as well as the planet's environmental conditions, both critical to future manned and robotic expeditions to Mars. 'Perseverance' has a planned surface mission timeframe of at least one Mars year (687 Earth days). It will be the first rover to utilize all five "senses" - "sight" (it has 16 cameras); "touch" (its robotic arm has a "hand" with a drill and ground contact sensor); "taste" (its spectrometer uses chemistry instruments to analyze rocks); "smell" (its SuperCam's infrared laser beam vaporises samples to analyze mineral composition); and "hearing "(its two microphones will record and transmit to Earth actual audio recordings of sounds on Mars).

'Perseverance's' robotic 'Ingenuity' helicopter-drone is a small (1.8 kg) autonomous aircraft, which will operate independently of the rover. Its sole purpose is experimental - to test the potential of powered flight on Mars. The Martian atmosphere is 1% as thick as that of Earth, and its gravity 1/3 that of our planet's. 'Ingenuity' will operate on rechargeable, solar- powered batteries, and has internal heaters to maintain operational temperatures during the long, cold Martian nights. It will make one or more test flights within its first 30 days on the planet, guided by Earth-generated commands relayed through the rover. It has two cameras - one black and white, one colour.

NASA's Mars 2020 mission was one of three space missions launched to the Red Planet during the July 2020 Mars launch window. The other two missions were the United Arab Emirates' 'Hope' orbiter (which arrived and successfully entered orbit on Feb. 9) and China's Tianwen-1 mission (with an orbiter, lander, and rover, expected to enter orbit on Feb. 10). For more information about the 'Perseverance' landing, go to education@jpl.nasa.gov, or simply Google 'NASA's Mars 2020 mission'.

The dearth of bright planets in the night sky continues this coming week, with Mercury (just past inferior solar conjunction on the 8th), Venus, Jupiter and Saturn all unobservable. The lone planet visible throughout the night is Mars (mag. +0.6, in Aries - the Ram). Visible around 6:20 p.m., 61 degrees above the southern horizon as dusk gives way to darkness, Mars, despite its historic noteority on the 18th, quietly sets in the southwest around 1:10 a.m. Look for Mars to the upper right of the waxing Moon on the evening of the 18th.

Until next week, clear skies.

Events:

Feb. 18 - Mars 2020 mission lands

             - Mars to upper right of Moon

        19 - First Quarter Moon; Pleiades ("Seven Sisters") star cluster to the right

-30-

On the Chinese Mars Mission:
excepts from Space.com:
https://www.space.com/tianwen-1.html

Update: As of Feb. 10, 2021, Tianwen-1 (China's first independent interplanetary mission), has arrived on time and successfully into orbit around Mars...coverage of the arrival here: China has joined the ranks of the Mars-exploring nations.

The probe, a combination orbiter, lander and rover, launched from Earth aboard a Long March 5 rocket on July 23, 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having traveled 292 million miles (470 million kilometers) from Earth, Tianwen-1 will enter orbit around the Red Planet on Feb. 10. The Tianwen-1 rover will attempt to land on the Red Planet in May or June of 2021.

(more details in the article, and a mention of the United Arab Emirates orbiter that was launched in that same advantageous time in 2020.)

<<<
Like many explorations of space, Tianwen-1 has a philosophical side. According to the team that built the probe, "Tianwen" means 'questions to heaven,' a phrase taken from the name of a famous poem by one of the greatest poets of ancient China, Qu Yuan. Future interplanetary missions from China are expected to share the "Tianwen" moniker.  >>

And maybe I'll figure out how to spell perseverance right! (murmuring to self "per...sever...ANCE!")
-------
Speaking of subtle misspellings and word choice, someone pointed out the "saintly" setting of the proposed idea to put a bandstand, firepits and more seating in the Green Space in front of Founders' Food Hall (...and were local residents asked of their opinion of this?)

Published on Saturday, February 13th, 2021, in

Founders Food Hall & Market is adding additional outdoor seating, fire pits and a bandstand in front of the building.

Charlottetown council approved the additions during a regular meeting Feb. 8. The additions will go on the section of green space that Founders owns off of Water Street.

"It certainly will be a nice improvement and a great way to attract some people down there," Coun. Alanna Jankov said.

The space will also include a landscaped area for beatification, and Jankov noted the existing trees will not be affected. As well, music or events would end whenever the facility closes each evening.

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Wagner’s Die Walküre, until 6:30PM tonight
Starring Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Gary Lakes, James Morris, and Kurt Moll.  Production by Otto Schenk. From April 8, 1989.  Great "old-fashioned" staging, super singing, riveting, action-packed story.

February 15th-22nd, 2021
Franco Zeffirelli Week!

This week of free streams celebrates Franco Zeffirelli, the Italian director and designer whose grand, historically informed, and intricately detailed productions have delighted generations of operagoers.

Puccini’s La Bohème, 7:30PM tonight until Tuesday 6:30PM
From April 5, 2008. " Puccini’s evergreen paean to young love and the bohemian life has captivated generations of Met-goers through Franco Zeffirelli’s iconic production. Movie theater audiences for the high-definition transmission of this staging got to see it with fresh eyes in a touching performance starring Angela Gheorghiu and Ramón Vargas as the frail seamstress and her poetic lover."  2 hours 16 minutes.

A little more difficult that chocolates or flowers today, but could make plans for spring...

"He that plants trees loves others beside himself."
        --Thomas Fuller (1608-1661), English writer
--------------

Event:
Tomorrow, Monday, February 15th, is the last day this survey will be open:
Animal Welfare Act review:
https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/news/islanders-opinions-wanted-animal-welfare

Here is the link to an opinion piece (the entire piece was printed here recently) by animal law expert Elizabeth Schoales about it, for some perspective:
https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/guest-opinion-the-other-side-of-ag-gag-545659/

There is plenty to criticize about each political party, but it's interesting that the Island's current and former Progressive Conservative governments, which sometimes project themselves the party of family values and such, plunge ahead with increased access to gambling venues, however the platforms change with the times.

Peter McKenna wrote an Opinion piece published in The Globe and Mail on May 9th, 2004, sections below, entire piece here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/peter-mckenna/article24357830/

The Conservative government of Pat Binns is currently debating whether to bring the province of Prince Edward Island further along the road of gambling addiction. Or, more correctly, its own addiction to the revenues flowing from gambling-related activities.

No matter how I look at it, I can't for the life of me wrap my mind around the thought that politicians on PEI would welcome such a development. Most people who seek public office do so because they genuinely believe that they can make a difference. That is, if they continue to work tirelessly (and often thanklessly), they can improve the lives of ordinary islanders, and especially the life chances of our young adults....
<<<<

As an instructor of political science, I have to believe that this is still the case when I stand before my students. But I must confess that when I hear media reports about hundreds of VLTs for the driving park, I do begin to wonder.

I keep asking myself: How can a provincial cabinet and caucus honestly believe that it is helping young islanders by knowingly getting them hooked on VLTs? If even one person goes on to commit suicide, as has happened in far too many other provinces, it will be on the hands of the Binns government. What will the Premier say to the parents of that lost soul? Will he argue that the provincial deficit made him do it? That rationalization, I'm sure, would offer little comfort.

Perhaps a deluge of costly gambling-related lawsuits, which have become all the rage in other parts of Canada, would get the government's attention? Do we really want to go down this mindless path?

Peter McKenna is an assistant professor in the department of political studies at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown.
------------------------------
And now, another Peter writes: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/peter-bevan-baker-government-is-playing-a-high-stakes-game-with-islanders-lives-551479/ 

PETER BEVAN-BAKER: Government is playing a high stakes game with Islanders' lives - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Peter Bevan-Baker

Published on Friday, February 12th, 2021

Governments operate on income that, in large part, comes from taxes. It is used to carry out two of their core functions: to provide services, and to redistribute wealth in our society.

I have always subscribed to the view that people are fine paying taxes if they know two things: taxes are being collected in an equitable and ethical way, and those monies are being spent thoughtfully and productively to enhance the common good.

Recently, the P.E.I. government approved a new online casino initiative to be operated by the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC). There was no debate on the decision in the house and no consultation with Islanders on how they might feel about it. In fact, government has never mentioned the project, and most Islanders heard about it first in the news, weeks after the final decision had already been made behind closed doors.

ALC is a government Crown corporation that manages gambling activities in the Atlantic region and distributes revenues from these activities to four provinces. The most recent figures available show that ALC generates about $1.2 billion annually in gambling revenue. Revenues come from the sale of ticket lotteries, video lottery terminals (VLTs) and casinos like Red Shores here on Prince Edward Island. VLTs are both the most profitable and the most addictive of these revenue streams, contributing over half of the net income to ALC.

Many have referred to gambling as a “voluntary tax”, recognizing that more money is taken in than goes out in prizes. That money, like income and sales taxes, goes straight into general government revenues. 

Equitable and ethical tax policy is progressive, meaning those who are most able to pay shoulder the greatest burden. This is why we have stepped income taxes, it is how sales taxes work, and how a well-crafted carbon tax would work. However, if we look more closely at where revenues for gambling come from, it is clear that the greatest burden falls on those least able to afford it.

The new online casino is different from the VLTs that Islanders are used to playing at their local legions. The limits are way higher and government is actively encouraging Islanders to try it out with $20 starter gifts to set up an account, including placing ads on CBC Compass.

It is estimated that gambling addiction is the primary reason for nearly 400 Canadians a year dying by suicide. That translates to two Islanders every year.

Addiction is a terrible thing, and governments have formed an alarming habit of relying on the revenues it receives from gambling. P.E.I. receives about $18 million annually from gambling, $11 million of that through VLTs. The government spends about $200,000 on problem gambling services and none of the revenue is targeted to support those with lower incomes who contribute disproportionately to it.

Last week, in a meeting of the standing committee on health and social development, we heard from experts that governments should spend 30-40 per cent of gambling revenues on supports. On P.E.I., that would equal over $3 million. The P.E.I. government is underspending by 90 per cent, and yet it sees no problem with targeting Islanders with dreams of paying off debt or purchasing the home they always wanted, knowing full well that the group most susceptible to that form of advertising are those for which these things are by and large out of reach.

More needs to be spent on helping those with gambling problems. We have a crisis on Prince Edward Island in the area of mental health and addictions. So far, government has not begun to properly manage that crisis. Creating new avenues in which addictions may be worsened is both unethical and callous.

Government should treat gambling the same as other addictive things like alcohol, cannabis and tobacco. It should limit its advertising and make the provision of gambling services revenue neutral. Any and all revenues generated should be redistributed back to those who need it.There is still time for Premier King to recognise the numerous issues with this decision and to reverse it. Government is gambling with Islander’s lives, and the cost is far too high.

Peter Bevan-Baker is the MLA for New Haven-Rocky Point and leader of the Official Opposition.

-30-

Several years ago, blythely walking around "The Vatican" (one of the nicknames for the Charlottetown complex of buildings of Province House, Coles Building, J. Angus MacLean, and the little house by St. Paul's Church that's the Clerk's office), seeing an old friend and her partner, who looked embarrassed when I said something like "I am going to watch the Legislature.  What are you doing here?" , I later realized they were seeking help for his serious gambling problem.  And of course this was around the time the cash-cow of VLTs was being milked.

[Just to give lumps all around, it's not like the Liberals under Robert Ghiz eschewed pursuing gambling revenues, as the e-gaming debacle shows, but somehow perhaps there was some justification in that they were trying to milk GFAs (Gamblers From Away).]
---------------------

So opening up more opportunities for gambling need way more thought and public consultation.

Standing Committee meeting on this issue:

Friday, February 5th, 2021
Health and Social Development
the search is clunky but the date and committee should help you find transcripts or video archives:
https://www.assembly.pe.ca/committee-archive

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Berlioz’s Les Troyens, until 6:30PM today
Starring Tatiana Troyanos, Jessye Norman, Plácido Domingo, and Allan Monk. Production by Fabrizio Melano. From October 8, 1983. Placido as Aeneas!

Wagner’s Die Walküre, today 7:30PM until 6:30PM Monday
Starring Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman, Christa Ludwig, Gary Lakes, James Morris. Production by Otto Schenk. From April 8, 1989.  Just under four hours but all riveting!

"Hope" is the thing with feathers--
That perches in the soul--
And sings the tune without the words--
And never stops--at all.
   ---Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet

Events:

Heart Beet Organics Farmacy and Fermentary, store and order pickup 9AM-1PM, store with many fresh vegetables and ferments; and restaurant open until 6PM. 152 Great George Street, Charlottetown.

Starts today!

Great Backyard Bird Count begins today, February 12-15th, anywhere, details here
https://www.birdcount.org/
(and someone from P.E.I."s extensive bird watching community can tell me if this is "worth it" or if there are other opportunities for backyard birding.

And Phillips Feed, Exhibition Drive, is open until 12noon with sale on birdfood and feeders this week.
----------------------------
Tonight:
Rainforest Lounge with Todd MacLean and special guest Logan Richard, 7PM, Instagram Live.
Also:
Valentines Eve Concert at The Haviland, 7:30PM, The Haviland Club, Charlottetown, email for reservations, proceeds to help local and international charities.
Contact David MacKay at <mackaypei@gmail.com>
to see if they are still accepting reservations or donations.

Consultation and stewardship -- town...

Is Charlottetown a Community OR a Commodity? - by the Future of Charlottetown, on their Facebook Group

Posted on Tuesday, February 9th, 2021
https://www.facebook.com/FutureOfCharlottetown
In the past two years, almost every Charlottetown neighbourhood has encountered unfortunate decisions by city hall. The list includes Simmons rink/pool closure, 15 Haviland urban design disaster, asphalt plant, original Trainor Street decision, funding of developer infrastructure, questionable tendering practices, and on and on.

We’re not alone.

Vancouver recently encountered a city hall that was losing touch with residents. Excerpts from the following article explain what they have done about it and why.

"Residents of Vancouver believe that their views on planning and development are being ignored. Vancouver’s communities have united to propose a different approach. Working together as the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods we aim to restore neighbourhood-based planning while strengthening community involvement and influence in decision making.

If Vancouver is to remain an inclusive, liveable and healthy city, we must have a City Council that will respect our diverse neighbourhoods as the fundamental building blocks of our city.

Community consultation means more than making planning and development decisions in private, then informing residents... The City must work collaboratively with residents, neighbourhood associations and community organizations throughout the planning process. The decision-making process must be transparent and accountable to ensure that planning reflects the needs, aspirations, and local knowledge of residents.

The interests of communities and residents must come before private profits. Housing and developments should be consistent with established neighbourhood character."

Sound familiar? In the Charlottetown case, our community seems to have become a commodity in which our neighbourhood facilities are traded off, our waterfront and green areas are turned over to developers with little or no thought, and our citizens are treated like they don't matter.

Future of Charlottetown is trying to assist our neighbourhoods in being heard by city hall and in encouraging our provincial officials to recognize their oversight responsibilities.

Please help get the message out and let us know your thoughts, concerns and ideas.
-30-

---------------------------------------
Consultation and stewardship -- country...

I Dissent - by Sally Bernard, Barnyard Organics Farm

Published on Wednesday, February 10th, 2021, on her blog,
http://barnyardorganics.blogspot.com/

What does Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the late and celebrated American Supreme Court Justice have to do with agriculture on PEI? Perhaps not much, but her famous dissentions have inspired this letter. Because like Ruth was, I am a member of a collective in which I am often the minority opinion, and likewise, my opinion is rarely represented or supported by the collective, in this case the PEI Federation of Agriculture. I am a farmer and I support other farmers, which is why I continue to support farm organizations and hold membership with them, expecting them to represent my voice and values to higher authorities. 

Sadly, I’ve watched my representative organization continue to rally around decisions that support economy over environment, corporations over small farms and commodities over communities. The most recent push to remove the moratorium over high capacity wells and increase the capacity for irrigation has me feeling like a very small voice in a large room. 

I receive newsletters encouraging me to contact my MLA regarding “the water issue”, assuming I will rally support for increased irrigation and water usage. But as I work in the buckle of the potato belt, waking to the whine of sprayers most mornings, watching soil wash into our deteriorating waterways, washing blowing red dirt off my siding, I struggle to get behind the chorus for measures that would facilitate even more industrialized exploitation of our resources.
Three new ‘ponds’ have been constructed within 5km of our farm in the last few weeks and while I of course do not support the use of high capacity wells for golf courses or leisure activities either, I cannot allow those objections to prevent me from acknowledging the short-sightedness of further loosening of regulations around our water. And while I abhor the pressure that farmers feel to take perfectly arable land out of production to build huge well-water-fed ponds, I again cannot let my empathy for their position overshadow my concerns for the water the future farmers and generations will be able to access.

So while my farming organization calls on politicians to consider the plight of drought-affected producers, with irrigation as the solution, I dissent.

Escarpment Blues by Sarah Harmer
If they blow a hole in my backyard
Everyone is gonna run away
The creeks won't flow to the Great Lake below
Will the water in the wells still be okay?

We'll keep driving on the Blind Line
If we don't know where we want to go
Even knowledge that's sound can get watered down
Truth can get sucked out the car window

We're two thirds water
What do we really need?
But sun, showers
Soil and seed

We're two thirds water

If they blow a hole in the backbone
The one that runs across the muscles of the land
We might get a load of stone for the road
But I don't know how much longer we can stand

-30-

____________________________________________________

Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, 2PM, CBC Music, 104.7FM,
Massenet’s Cendrillon
Performance from April 28, 2018
Conducted by Bertrand de Billy; Kathleen Kim (La Fée), Joyce DiDonato (Cendrillon), Alice Coote (Le Prince Charmant), Stephanie Blythe (Madame de la Haltière), Laurent Naouri (Pandolfe)  Sweet version of Cinderella

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming: Serious history stuff!
https://www.metopera.org/

Philip Glass’s Akhnaten, today until 6:30PM
Starring Dísella Lárusdóttir, J’Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Aaron Blake, Will Liverman, Richard Bernstein, and Zachary James, conducted by Karen Kamensek. Production by Phelim McDermott. From November 23, 2019.

Berlioz’s Les Troyens, 7:30PM until 6:30PM Sunday
Starring Tatiana Troyanos, Jessye Norman, Plácido Domingo, and Allan Monk. Production by Fabrizio Melano. From October 8, 1983.

"How paramount the future is to the present when one is surrounded by children."

        --Charles Darwin, (1809-1882) British naturalist

(whose birthday is today)
-----------------------------------------

Events:
Fridays4Future, 3:30PM, near Province House.
Facebook event details

Great Backyard Bird Count begins today, February 12-15th, anywhere, details here
https://www.birdcount.org/
(and someone from P.E.I."s extensive bird watching community can tell me if this is "worth it" or if there are other opportunities for backyard birding.

Today: Deadline for Public Comments:
Proposed Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act
More details:
https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/proposed-temporary-foreign-worker-protection-act

Tomorrow, Saturday, February 13th:
a bit on Darwin and all:
Webinar: "A Most Interesting Problem -- What Darwin Got Right and Wrong about Human Evolution in The Descent of Man", Darwin Week Event," 3-5PM, free, online.

"Join The Leakey Foundation for a celebration of Darwin’s birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Descent of Man.

This event brings together seven world-class scholars and science communicators to explore what Darwin got right and what he got wrong about the origin, history, and biological variation of humans."

Facebook event link for more details
Event link to register

Which MLA represents where, and what?  Who is in what cabinet seat?  Constituency and roles are listed for each of the Members of the Legislative Assembly on this page, here, but you have to click on each one:
https://www.assembly.pe.ca/members

The LEAP folks have also been promoting a better role for Postal Services in connecting the country in a green way.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/letter-to-the-editor-canada-post-has-the-ability-to-change-the-country-for-the-better-548818/

Canada Post has the ability to change the country for the better - The Guardian Letter to the Editor

Published on Thursday, February 11th, 2021

What if Canada Post was part of the post-COVID recovery? Last year was a record year for parcel delivery. Parcel delivery at CPC has been growing exponentially for the past five years, and it shows no sign of slowing down. With this kind of growth, a corporation like Canada Post must roll up its sleeves and review its values, its commitment, and the service portfolio it offers to the population. 

Canada Post already has the infrastructure and the network to be an integral part of the post-COVID recovery and development. In doing so, it would create jobs across the country and be part of the government’s environmental plan, while also respecting its mandate to be financially self-sustaining. 

To achieve this, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has launched a bold campaign called “Delivering Community Power.” Post offices are everywhere throughout Canada. CPC has more than 6,400 outlets, the largest retail network in the country. CUPW proposes to accelerate the electrification of Canada Post’s vehicle fleet. CPC operates more than 20,000 vehicles, generating 65 kilotons of CO2 every year. 

The acquisition of electric vehicles would benefit the environment, stimulate the automotive sector and create decent jobs. Now, imagine if Canada Post installed charging stations at its facilities and made them available to all, creating the largest network of charging stations in Canada. 

COVID has brought to light the problem of high-speed Internet access in hundreds of communities. With its extensive presence in those communities, Canada Post could play a central role perfectly in line with the government’s commitment to bring high-speed Internet access to all communities. This also fits with Canada Post’s mission, because it supports online shopping and online shopping fuels parcel delivery. In 62 countries, the post office also provides banking services. Canada’s extensive postal network could also provide crucial banking services, especially in remote, rural and Indigenous communities, which have been abandoned by major banks.

Finally, imagine letter carriers knocking at the door of someone who lives alone. They could offer this check-in service at the request of a family member who could receive a notification saying that everything is fine, or that help is needed. 

My 56,000 brothers and sister from CUPW will not accept that Canada Post is sitting idly, refusing to change its old values and habits. I urge you to contact your Member of Parliament to demand a strong postal service for the future. 

Scott Gaudet, postal worker, Summerside

And let's start with resuming door-to-door delivery.

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Rather different experiences as rulers, with Luciano Pavarotti as a King of Sweden and his awful fate in Verdi's A Masked Ball, and Anthony Ross Costanzo as Ahknaten and his awful fate in a Philip Glass opera of the same name. But both mesmerizing in their own way.

Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, until 6:30PM tonight
Starring Aprile Millo, Harolyn Blackwell, Florence Quivar, Luciano Pavarotti, and Leo Nucci. Production by Piero Faggioni. From January 26, 1991.

Philip Glass’s Akhnaten, 7:30PM Friday until 6:30PM Saturday

Starring Dísella Lárusdóttir, J’Nai Bridges, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Aaron Blake, Will Liverman, Richard Bernstein, and Zachary James, conducted by Karen Kamensek. Production by Phelim McDermott. From November 23, 2019

requiescat in pace, Daryl, and condolences to your family and friends, and the many students and Islanders whose lives you graced

Daryl Guignion remembered for passion for conservation - The Guardian article

Published on Thursday, February 11th, 2021


from a celebration of his retirement, on the West River, in 2008. 
Photo by Diane Griffin

“I believe that Daryl is an example to us all by what he did in a positive way to maintain our natural world, perhaps more than any other individual in the province.” Sen. Diane Griffin

With the passing of Daryl Guignion on Feb. 8, 2021, Prince Edward Island has lost one of the greatest advocates for environmental conservation in the province, say those who knew him.

“As a university professor, he educated many about the importance of our environment. Because of his influence, teachers and other professionals brought environmental concerns to younger generations and to Islanders at large," said Rosemary Curley of Nature P.E.I. His students went on to positions of influence in university faculties, environment departments and nongovernmental organizations throughout Canada.

“A strong advocate for Atlantic salmon conservation, erosion control, and natural areas, Daryl mentored many Islander," said Dan McAskill, president of Hillsborough River Association. “He was one of our foremost spokespersons for watershed conservation on P.E.I. and media sought his comments on the prevention of watershed problems.”

Guignon understood that conservation meant wise use of our environment and he constantly spoke and acted for the province's natural resources. His free time was often spent helping organizations committed to river restoration, and he assisted hunters and trappers with problems. He was a founder and the second president of the Island Nature Trust, set up to protect habitat on the Island through land acquisition. He was also a founder of the Morell River Management Cooperative. As a former president of the P.E.I. Wildlife Federation and a board member of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, his advocacy and influence was felt beyond the university and immediate community. He operated at the policy level as well as the practical “hands on” level to get things done. For his efforts he received many awards including the Hon. J. Angus MacLean Natural Areas Award, National Recreational Fisheries Award and the Prince Edward Island Environmental Award.

A UPEI professor, Guignion retired in 2008 from his faculty position at the biology department, but still taught sessional courses and led workshops. At the University of Prince Edward for 41 years, he served on many committees, the university senate, and was chair of the biology department.

Sen. Diane Griffin, who was a student in the first class taught by Guignion said, “I believe that Daryl is an example to us all by what he did in a positive way to maintain our natural world, perhaps more than any other individual in the province.”

He was an inspirational teacher, and UPEI students awarded him as Faculty Member of the Year. With his tremendous knowledge, pleasant, easy-going manner, and sense of humour, he was always in demand as a popular speaker.

In honour of Guignon and his colleague, Dr. Ian MacQuarrie, former students established the Daryl Guignion and Ian MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship in Science at UPEI to assist students in ecological and wildlife studies. While donations are still being sought, several students have received scholarships to date.

-30-

"The best way to remember Daryl is to plant a red oak tree."

     --- from the full obituary, sweetly detailed and poignantly personal, below 

Events:

Tonight:
Outside the Rails -- Better Health Care Governance for PEI, with MLA Trish Altass, 7PM, Zoom

Green MLA and Health Critic Trish Altass presents a bill she's working on to restore Health PEI's ability to carry out its strategic plan and operations without undue political interference, reversing controversial changes made by the Liberal government in 2018.

Zoom registration link   If that doesn't work, more details and another link here: https://www.greenparty.pe.ca/event_calendar

------------------------------
Saturday, February 13th:
Valentines Eve Concert at The Haviland, 7:30PM, The Haviland Club, Charlottetown, email for reservations, proceeds to help local and international charities.
Love songs define Valentines and there will be a variety of love songs at the Valentines Eve concert on Saturday, February 13^th, 7:30 at the Haviland Club, in Charlottetown.

Part of the net proceeds from the concert will go to support a local international development organization ISCA (isca-aidc.ca) which is beginning a new agriculture initiative in Legane, Haiti. Proceeds will also be shared with Lennon House P.E.I (lennonhouse.ca).

Admission is by donation and reservations are available by emailing mackaypei@gmail.com

if confirmations are NOT received within 12 hours seating may be at capacity, due to Covid restrictions ( 4 and 10 persons person tables available).

Haiti project online donations are being accepted at isca-aidc.ca or by contacting: 902-940-5864.

The event is being is being organized under guidelines provided by Health PEI.

Now until 12noon, Saturday, Feburary 20th:
Bird Food and Feeders sale at Phillips Feed Store,
Exhibition Drive, Charlottetown
Some percentage off for the buyer, and Phillips donates to Island Nature Trust, from the sale, too.

It you want to catch up on any P.E.I. Provincial Legislature Standing Committee meetings or other business, here are two ways:

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, tonight until 6:30PM
Starring Kathleen Battle, Rockwell Blake, Leo Nucci, Enzo Dara, and Ferruccio Furlanetto, conducted by Ralf Weikert. Production by John Cox. From December 3, 1988.  It's just Madcap.

Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, 7:30PM until 6:30PM Friday
Starring Aprile Millo, Harolyn Blackwell, Florence Quivar, Luciano Pavarotti, and Leo Nucci. Production by Piero Faggioni. From January 26, 1991.  Although another opera featuring the  "brooding power and elegance of Verdi’s drama of love and politics", it's really gripping!  And the costumes are delightful.

(The United States and the Soviet Union) "...tend to speak of national security as though it were still capable of being dissociated from the universal well-being; in fact, sometimes in these political addresses it sounds as though this nation, or any nation, through force of character or force of arms, could damn well rise above planetary considerations, as though we were greater than our environment, as though the national verve somehow transcended the natural world."
        -- E.B. White (1899-1985), American essayist

...an amazing quote from decades ago, from the author of many essays, and Charlotte's Web

Events:
Eat Local PEI local markets order today for delivery/pickup later this week/weekend.  Details here:
https://www.localline.ca/eatlocalpei

--------------------------
Standing Committee meetings today:

Health and Social Development, 9AM, online

Topics:
1. Treatments options for Cystic Fibrosis

The committee will meet to receive a briefing on treatment options for Cystic Fibrosis from Advocacy Director for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Hunter Guindon.

2. Technology for Type 1 Diabetes

The committee will meet to receive a briefing from Brooks Roche on the technologies available to manage Type 1 Diabetes.

Health and Social Development, 1:30PM, online

Topics:

1. Supervised consumption sites

The committee will meet to receive a briefing on supervised consumption sites and harm reduction.

• Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison

• Senior Public Health Policy and Planning Officer, Erin Bentley

2. Mobile mental health crisis units

• Chief Administrative Officer of Health PEI - Mental Health and Addictions, Lisa Thibeau

• Manager of Community Mental Health and Addictions (West), Lorna Hutt

• Director of Mental Health and Addictions Research, Dr. Amanda Hudson

This last topic was rescheduled from a week ago.

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

--------------------------
Tonight:
Outside the Rails -- Modernizing Electricity on PEI, with Steve Howard, 7PM, webinar

Modernizing Electricity Background reading blog by Steve Howard:
https://peigreencaucus.ca/2021/01/modernizing-electricity-on-pei/

(even though the date listed on this article has passed, I think they still want feedback)

I can't find a link to register for tonight's webinar, which should be all over the place -- we can share it on the Citizens' Alliance Facebook group page, which you can go to and join.
----------------------------------
Also tonight:
Webinar: Why We Organize, by the David Suzuki Foundation, 8PM, online

from the event description:
Future Ground Network is a new David Suzuki Foundation initiative designed to support your grassroots groups and initiatives by providing training, resources and connections to help you strengthen your impact. Whether it’s creating urban agriculture projects, campaigning for climate justice or advancing sustainable transportation, Future Ground Network allows groups to collaborate to bring about the social and ecological transitions we and the planet so badly need. Learn more: https://futuregroundnetwork.org/

Do you want to help transform your neighbourhood or municipality? Are you already part of a community group and want to register your group to take advantage of the network? On February 10 at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET, for the length of a Netflix show or two, you can join us for our Future Ground Network launch webinar!

The webinar will feature guests from the Future Ground Network community, along with David Suzuki, to talk about what it takes to inspire collective action. Join us to learn more about what the network has to offer and help us answer the question: Why do we organize?

Facebook event link for more details

Registration Link: https://actionnetwork.org/events/why-we-organize-future-ground-network-launch-webinar?

Charlottetown News:

New hope for Simmons Arena as 3rd ice service at UPEI deemed not feasible

CBC article -- link only: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-no-third-ice-surface-upei-1.5907010?
---------------------------------

Op-Ed: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/local-perspectives/peter-mckenna-whats-wrong-with-allowing-16-year-olds-to-vote-550156/

PETER McKENNA: What’s wrong with allowing 16-year-olds to vote? - The Guardian Guest Opinion by Peter McKenna

Published on Tuesday, February 9th, 2021

When my UPEI political science class on parties and elections tackled the thorny question of whether 16- and 17-year-olds should be able to vote in elections, there was no shortage of opinions. I started off by asking two pertinent questions: What problem is lowering the voting age trying to fix and, secondly, what harm would it do?

There were, of course, many other queries and plenty of thoughtful comments and lively discussion. Alas, there was no real consensus for or against changing the voting age. In fact, the students had more questions than answers.

I essentially identified the problem at hand as a disturbingly low voter turnout rate in Canada. And that participation rate has been declining sharply since 1988 (when it stood at 75 per cent). It barely broke 61 per cent in the 2011 federal election (and the provincial numbers for voter turnout are shockingly worse, with the exception of P.E.I.).

There are a handful of arguments against allowing 16-year-olds to vote for legal, educational and political reasons. One of the central objections is that 16-year-olds lack the requisite civic or political maturity to vote — that is, they don’t have sufficient knowledge of Canadian politics, policy issues and party platforms and leaders.

Not surprisingly, there are an equal number of arguments in favour of lowering the voting age. Many of them revolve around boosting voter turnout, ensuring that politicians pay attention to the issues (like the climate emergency) of younger Canadians and instilling in youth a habit of early voting to sustain our democracy over the long term. 

It is worth pointing out here that political parties in Canada, at both the federal and provincial level, have their own electoral agendas when it comes to lowering the voting age. Indeed, parties on the political left tend to embrace the idea because they surmise that younger voters will naturally gravitate toward their progressive policy platforms. Those on the right, however, tend to oppose the change so as to block the left-leaning parties from benefitting from such a measure.

Call me a cynical political scientist, but I’m just not convinced that those advocating for or against lowering the age of voting are doing so in the absence of electoral motives.

Now, does the general public itself support lowering the voting age? According to a 2016 Angus Reid poll, the answer is a resounding no (not even among younger voters). In fact, 75 per cent of respondents overall were strongly opposed to lowering the voting age to 16.

But what was really interesting was that 66 per cent of those in the 18-34 age range also objected to such a move. It was less surprising that those 55 and older rejected the idea by a whopping 82 per cent.

The fact of the matter is that we really don’t have a lot of solid data to bolster either side’s arguments. There has been some statistical evidence from Germany, which does allow voting at 16, showing that turnout numbers have increased by 5 to 8 per cent. But then there is a drop-off in turnout in subsequent elections for those in the 21-30 age range.

Obviously, the dismal 32 per cent turnout for those aged 16 and 17 in P.E.I.’s fall 2016 electoral reform plebiscite is not encouraging. There is just no way to sugar-coat that awful participation rate. And that figure is even more problematic when you recall that Elections P.E.I. undertook a youth mobilization campaign, made it easier to vote online and by phone and allowed for a week-long advance poll.

I’ll be honest with you, I’m not exactly sure where I stand on lowering the voting age. When I listen to young people speak on matters of a political nature, I’m often impressed with their knowledge and level of understanding. But then I think about the fact that so many voters in the 18-25-year-old range have completely tuned out of politics altogether and just can’t be bothered. 

Yet, if there was data from those countries permitting voting at 16 confirming a trend toward higher voter turnout and youth engagement in politics in general, then I would certainly lean toward supporting the idea. But given the historically low turnout rates by that 18-25 age cohort in Canada, I’d like to see the data first.

Along with the statistical voting info, I would also make two other suggestions. First, any move to implement voting at 16 should be accompanied by a mandatory civics education course (with a passing grade) at the high school level. Secondly, it wouldn’t hurt to first test the waters of youth voting at the municipal level to gauge the interest and turnout of 16- and 17-year-olds.

I realize that these recommendations are not a perfect solution. But at least we would have some hard data to work with going forward.

Peter McKenna is professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.

-30-

Energy News (LINK only) from The (U.K.) Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/10/why-oil-giants-are-swapping-oil-rigs-for-offshore-windfarms?

Why oil giants are swapping oil rigs for offshore windfarms

The fossil fuel giants need to find new ways to reduce emissions, generate growth and maintain their share price

finally, but still some issues regarding renewables....

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:  two legendary performances available, honouring Black History Month.  More details:
https://www.metopera.org/

Verdi’s Ernani, until 6:30PM
Starring Leona Mitchell, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, and Ruggero Raimondi. Production by Pier Luigi Samaritani. From December 17, 1983.

Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, 7:30PM until Thursday about 6:30PM
Starring Kathleen Battle, Rockwell Blake, Leo Nucci, Enzo Dara, and Ferruccio Furlanetto, conducted by Ralf Weikert. Production by John Cox. From December 3, 1988.  A fun classic performance.

"Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books."
  
      --- Sir John Lubbock (1834-1913) ,Vice chancellor, University of London
-----------------------------------

Today:
Charlottetown Farmers' Market 2GO order deadline noon today for Thursday pickup:
https://cfm2go.localfoodmarketplace.com/

Standing Committees Today:
Public Accounts, 9:30AM

Topic: Briefing on Procurement of Goods Act

The committee will receive a briefing on the Procurement of Goods Act and its regulations by Lori Richard, Acting Manager of Procurement Services, Department of Finance; and Kal Whitnell, Executive Director of Economic and Population Growth, Department of Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture. 

Education and Economic Growth, 1:30PM

Topic: Briefing on PEI's economic recovery

The committee will meet for a briefing on plans for PEI's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for women.

• Minister of Economic Growth,Tourism and Culture, Hon. Matthew MacKay

• Deputy Minister of Economic Growth,Tourism and Culture, Erin McGrath-Gaudet

Please note: A meeting with Hon. Minister Jameson and the Director of the Interministerial Women's Secretatiat will be rescheduled for a later date. 

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

On Modernizing legislation on Electricity on P.E.I:
a reminder from Tony Reddin, who among many things also serves at the Energy Coordinator for ECO-PEI:

Here is an "invitation for feedback on this initiative for important legislation...comments can still be sent to officialopposition@assembly.pe.ca See also Wednesday, February 10th presentation and feedback notice at https://www.greenparty.pe.ca/event_calendar

https://peigreencaucus.ca/2021/01/modernizing-electricity-on-pei/

Action to Consider-- Federal Aquaculture Act

from the David Suzuki Foundation

Share your thoughts in the federal consultation to shape Canada’s first-ever Aquaculture Act!

Canada is creating its first-ever federal Aquaculture Act. We’re concerned that this legislation could undermine existing environmental protections for the sake of economic growth.

Now is our chance to ask Canada to put nature first in the Aquaculture Act.

Don’t let the industry off the hook! Demand that the new Aquaculture Act will not exempt industry from environmental protection standards and will provide a clear framework for enforcement.

You can help ensure that the aquaculture industry remains bound by strong environmental protection standards. Many regulations that help protect aquatic environments from the harmful impacts of aquaculture already exist. The new act must not water them down.

We don’t need a new law that exempts the aquaculture industry from these regulations, but we do need one that builds on existing standards and focuses on protecting the environment.

Speak up now for Canada’s aquatic environments. Tell Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Minister Bernadette Jordan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to put nature first in the Aquaculture Act.

Read the very well-put-together letter here and consider signing: https://davidsuzuki.org/action/put-nature-first-in-the-aquaculture-act/

Interesting to read analysis of land protection in our neighbouring province: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/opinion/regional-perspectives/jim-vibert-finally-nova-scotia-hits-land-protection-landmark-barely-549485/  

JIM VIBERT: Finally, Nova Scotia hits land protection landmark, barely - The Guardian article by Jim Vibert

Published around Saturday, February 6th, 2021, in Saltwire publications
(before Iain Rankin's win as Nova Scotia Liberal leader and next Premier)

It’s a classic case of better late than never.

This week the provincial government announced 20 sites for designation as parks or protected natural areas, bringing the province – barely – to its long-held goal of protecting 13 per cent of the province’s land for nature, and for people to connect with and enjoy nature, respectfully.

It’s late because Stephen McNeil promised that the goal would be achieved during his first term in office, which ended some 45 months ago.

The announcement, coming in the dying days of McNeil’s Liberal government, gives his successor a little breathing room, at least on this file.

Liberals pick a new leader today, and he will be installed as Nova Scotia’s 29th premier sometime in the next week or two.

Each of the three leadership contenders – Labi Kousoulis, Iain Rankin and Randy Delorey – pledged to hit the 13-per cent target post haste, so the winner can strike that promise from the daunting to-do list that already awaits him.

Rankin went a step further, promising to protect all of the remaining sites – more than 100 still remain unprotected – on the eight-year old Parks and Protected Areas plan that McNeil’s government inherited.

While this week’s announcement bought the next premier a little time, the reprieve will be short-lived. As the McNeil Liberals dithered, balked and winced all the way to the modest – if not timid – 13 per cent, the world passed us by.

In 2010, the UN adopted a new goal to protect 17 per cent of the world’s land. Canada signed on to that goal and Bill Lahey included it in his seminal 2018 study and report recommending the province move to ecologically sound forestry practices. The province accepted Lahey’s report and is implementing it at a lazy snail’s pace.

More recently, the 30-by-30 movement has taken hold and much of the world – including Canada and, since the election of President Joe Biden, the United States – has pledged to protect 30 per cent of its land by 2030.

That’s an ambitious – even audacious – goal, but scientists say 30 per cent is both essential and minimal to combat the Earth’s twin environmental crises – global warming and mass extinction.

Post-pandemic, when the world turns its attention back to, well, saving the world, the 30 per cent target is likely to become the standard and Nova Scotia’s 13 per cent will be seen for what it is – wholly inadequate.

Many Nova Scotians won’t be happy with a government that’s making them laggards in the global effort to make peace with nature. There will be political pressure to protect more of Nova Scotia, and their will be opponents to the protection of one more hectare of “usable” land.

Word seeping out of the provincial government is that there are voices in McNeil’s cabinet opposed to protecting any new land and who consider every acre placed under protection another acre lost to economic exploitation. That’s the same mindset that brought the world to the brink of environmental ruin, climate catastrophe and the mass extinction of thousands of plant and animal species – where we are today.

The provincial Lands and Forestry Department confirmed this week that when – and if – the 20 new sites are protected the province will have about 720,000 hectares of land under protection. This includes wilderness areas, provincial parks, nature reserves, private conservation lands (land protected by organizations like the Nova Scotia Nature Trust and Nature Conservancy of Canada), and federal lands such as National Parks and National Wildlife Areas.

Even with of all that, the province barely breaks the 13 per cent barrier.

Nova Scotia’s landmass is roughly 5.5 million hectares so, when the proposed sites are added, the province will have protected 13.09 per cent of its land. It will have cleared the 13 per cent bar by a mere five hectares. By comparison, New York’s Central Park is about 340 hectares and Truro’s Victoria Park is over 1,200 hectares.

Nova Scotia attainment of the 13 per cent goal is still only notionally, because a dozen of the named sites will undergo a period of public comment before they are officially designated, but that’s considered largely a pro forma exercise.

All the sites in the Parks and Protected Areas plan – including the 20 announced this week – got there after extensive consultation, so the places in question have already cleared that hurdle once.

Plus, most folks living near those sites will likely be surprised to learn that they aren’t already protected, just as folks on the Eastern Shore were shocked to learn that Owl’s Head provincial park wasn’t a park at all, but prime real estate for a golf resort.

The Liberal government surreptitiously removed Owl’s Head from the Parks and Protected Areas list a couple of years back to clear the way for a golf development, unleashing a firestorm of protest that still rages on.

The next premier, like the departing premier, will have to find his own “balance” between often competing interests to preserve the land or to exploit the land.

For generations, politicians have been claiming to balance environmental and economic considerations and for generations economic considerations carried more weight and, almost invariably, the day.

That’s changing in more enlightened jurisdictions, where the existential threat from continued environmental degradation has sunk in, and where they’ve discovered that there are new economic opportunities to be found in protecting the planet.

-30-

Metropolitan Opera video performance streaming:
https://www.metopera.org/

Wagner’s Das Rheingold, until 6:30PM Tuesday
Starring Wendy Bryn Harmer, Stephanie Blythe, Patricia Bardon, Richard Croft, Gerhard Siegel, Dwayne Croft, Bryn Terfel, Eric Owens, Franz-Josef Selig, and Hans-Peter König, conducted by James Levine. Production by Robert Lepage. From October 9, 2010.

Verdi’s Ernani, 7:30PM until 6:30PM Wednesday
From December 17, 1983. "Pier Luigi Samaritani’s romantic production beautifully captures the sweep and passion of Verdi’s music. ...The great Luciano Pavarotti is at his stunning best in the title role as the wronged nobleman turned bandit. A beautiful and heartbreaking Leona Mitchell is Elvira, the woman he loves. But she is also pursued by two other men: King Don Carlo (Sherrill Milnes in one of his greatest roles) and her aged guardian, Don Ruy Gomez de Silva (a superb Ruggero Raimondi)." This is the one where the sound of the hunting horn messes up the couple's happiness.

"No matter how dark the cloud, there is always a thin, silver lining, and that is what we must look for.  The silver lining will be come, if not to us then to next generation or the generation after that.  And maybe with that generation the lining will no longer be thin."
        --Wangari Maathai (1940-2011), Kenyan environmental political activist, Nobel Laureate

Events:
Local food ordering this week:

Charlottetown Farmers' Market 2Go, order by TUESDAY NOON, for Thursday pick-up/delivery,
https://cfm2go.localfoodmarketplace.com/

EatLocalPEI --
Order by Wednesday night
for pickup/delivery Saturday/Sunday
https://www.localline.ca/eatlocalpei

--------------------
"Outside the Rails" Series, from the Official Opposition, continues, via Zoom, with three MLAs sharing what they are working on for this next sitting of the Legislature, with discussion:

Wednesday, February 10th:
Green MLA and Energy Critic Steve Howard, 7PM, has two pieces of draft legislation he is working on to modernize electricity on PEI and pave the way for a renewable future, and invites your input. 

Thursday, February 11th:
Green MLA and Health Critic Trish Altass, 7PM,  presents two bills she's working on to create an accountability framework between the Minister of Health and the Health PEI board and Clarifying the grounds for the disclosure of health information.

Wednesday, February 17th:
Green MLA and Net Zero Critic Ole Hammarlund, 7PM.  The green architect by profession - will present the promise and potential of net-zero buildings, which means buildings that produce the same amount of energy as they use.

LINK to register for any of the "Outside the Rail" events:
https://www.greenparty.pe.ca/event_calendar

----------------------------
Friday, February 12th:
Deadline for public input on
Temporary Foreign Worker Proposed Legislation

https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/proposed-temporary-foreign-worker-protection-act

An aside:
Let's put in protections for these workers;  we need to look at why there are these labour shortages and could wages, length of shifts and working conditions be improved.
-------------------------
Standing Committees this week:

Tuesday, February 9th:
Public Accounts, 9:30AM

Topic: Briefing on Procurement of Goods Act

The committee will receive a briefing on the Procurement of Goods Act and its regulations by Lori Richard, Acting Manager of Procurement Services, Department of Finance; and Kal Whitnell, Executive Director of Economic and Population Growth, Department of Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture. 

Education and Economic Growth, 1:30PM

Topic: Briefing on PEI's economic recovery

The committee will meet for a briefing on plans for PEI's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for women.

• Minister of Economic Growth,Tourism and Culture, Hon. Matthew MacKay

• Deputy Minister of Economic Growth,Tourism and Culture, Erin McGrath-Gaudet

• Minister of (Education and Early Learning) and Responsible for the Status of Women, Hon. Natalie Jameson

• Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Change, Brad Colwill**

• Director of the Interministerial Women's Secretariat, Michelle Harris-Genge

Wednesday, February 10th:
Health and Social Development, 9AM

Topic 1. Treatments options for Cystic Fibrosis

The committee will meet to receive a briefing on treatment options for Cystic Fibrosis from Advocacy Director for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Hunter Guindon.

Topic 2. Technology for Type 1 Diabetes

The committee will meet to receive a briefing from Brooks Roche on the technologies available to manage Type 1 Diabetes.

Heath and Social Development, 1:30PM
Topic: Supervised consumption sites

The committee will meet to receive a briefing on supervised consumption sites and harm reduction.

• Hon. Minister of Health and Wellness, James Aylward**

• Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Heather Morrison

• Senior Public Health Policy and Planning Officer, Erin Bentley

**Minister/Deputy Minister at the time the meeting was posted, so subject to change**

--------
Watch online:
P.E.I. Legislative Assembly website https://www.assembly.pe.ca/

P.E.I. Legislative Assembly Facebook page link
https://www.facebook.com/peileg

Atlantic Skies for February 8th - 14th, 2021 - by Glenn K. Roberts

The Dogs of Winter

As anyone interested in observing the night sky knows, Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Located in the constellation of Canis Major - the Big Dog, situated to the lower left of the constellation of Orion - the Hunter, Sirius is often referred to as "the Dog Star". Canis Major, along with Canis Minor - the Little Dog, are Orion's four-legged hunting companions. From the ancient Greek seirios, meaning "glowing" or "scorching", Sirius was considered a bad omen by the ancient Romans, who were said to sacrifice dogs to protect their crops from disease, which they associated with the presence of the star in the night sky. The ancient Greeks believed Sirius affected the behaviors of dogs during the hottest part of the summer, what they called the "dog days"; from which we inherited the phrase "the dog days of summer" to denote abnormally warm weather during the summer months.

Sirius is actually a binary star system, consisting of a hot, white primary star (Sirius A), and a tiny "pup", white dwarf star (Sirius B). Interestingly, the Sirius binary system is thought to have originally consisted of two large, bright, bluish stars, with one of them eventually evolving into a red giant, shedding its stellar atmosphere, and collapsing into a white dwarf (Sirius B). Sirius A is twice as massive as our Sun, and 25x brighter. At mag. -1.46, Sirius is located 8.6 light years (lys) from Earth, making it one of our nearest stellar neighbours; actually the fifth closest star to Earth. For the next 60,000 years, Sirius will slowly move closer to our planet, gradually brightening as it does; it will then begin to move away from Earth, but will remain our brightest star in the night sky for approximately the next 210,000 years.

Although it was important to numerous ancient cultures, Sirius was particularly important to the ancient Egyptians. Due to its heliacal rising (when a star, after being behind the Sun, and thus unobservable, for a season, appears above the eastern horizon just before sunrise), Sirius marked the pending annual flooding of the Nile River.Its appearance afforded the Egyptian farmers time to move their livestock and temporary buildings from the river's delta area.

The other "dog star" in the night sky is Procyon, the brightest star in the constellation of Canis Minor - the Little Dog, to the upper left of Orion. At mag. +0.34, Procyon is the eighth brightest star in the night sky, situated  a mere 11.46 lys from Earth. It, too, is a binary star system, consisting of a hot, white, primary (Procyon A) and a small companion, white dwarf star (Procyon B). The name Procyon comes from the ancient Greek Prokyoh, meaning "before the dog", in reference to the fact that Procyon precedes Sirius ("the Dog Star") across the night sky, due to Earth's rotation. Orion, Canis Major (with Sirius) and Canis Minor (with Procyon) are all prominent in the mid-evening, winter night sky, about 1/3 the way up the sky above the southern horizon. On a clear, crisp winter's evening, away from city lights, these three constellations and their bright stars (especially Sirius) are breath-taking. If you have your binoculars with you, or are using a telescope, have a look at the magnificent Orion Nebula hanging below the middle star of Orion's belt. As well, have a look at Betelgeuse (a large, red, variable star, mag. +0.6- +1.6) in Orion's upper left- hand corner, and Rigel  (a variable, blue supergiant, mag. +0.05 - +0.18) in the lower right-hand corner.

Mars (mag. +0.6, in Aries - the Ram) remains the only planet visible again his coming week. The other bright planets - Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn - are too close to the Sun to be readily observable; Mercury achieves inferior solar conjunction (passing between Earth and the Sun) on Feb. 8. Visible around 6:10 p.m., 61 degrees above the southern horizon as the dusk sky darkens, Mars remains observable until it sets in the southwest around 1:20 a.m. Next week, we'll look at NASA's Mars 2020 landing on the Red Planet on the 18th.

Until next week, clear skies. 

Events:

 Feb.   8 - Mercury at inferior solar conjunction

          11 - New Moon

  -30-

The Guardian (U.K.) has a feature interview with Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara in their paper today:
Schitt’s Creek, the story of a family holed up together against their will, is one of the biggest television hits of the pandemic. The show’s star, Catherine O’Hara, tells Hadley Freeman about her long working relationship with co-star Eugene Levy, starring In Home Alone and why she loves playing Moira Rose.
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/feb/08/catherine-ohara-on-the-joy-of-schitts-creek-eugene-levy-is-the-sweetest-man?