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Birch Island Park Reserve, located in natural region 5a & b in Lake Winnipegosis was protected in 2000 based on a First Nation community nomination. The interim regulation to protect the island, surrounding waters, plus several small islands, reefs, and shoals for nesting birds, was among the first set of protected areas announcements made by Manitoba's NDP government.

In September 2010 Conservation Minister Blaikie said, "We want to protect the Birch Island area for future generations to enjoy as great example of Manitoba’s varied landscapes." Public comments were requested and regulations signed in November 2010.

The Birch Island park reserve connects to Chitek Lake Park Reserve, which was also First Nation nominated, though only one third of the lands nominated and approved for protection by Manitoba's mining sector, was protected.

The audit shows Manitoba needs to update its current climate change plan, Beyond Kyoto, Manitoba's Green Future, Next Steps: 2008, as Manitoba will not meet it's Kyoto emission reduction targets of a 6% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 1990 as required under the Kyoto Protocol. Even accepting Manitoba's GHG emission reduction projections for 2012 shows Manitoba emission will be 12% higher than in 1990. Manitoba's 2008 emissions were 17% above 1990 levels according to Environment Canada's National Inventory Report released April 2010.

Bellringer highlighted Manitoba's lack of emission targets beyond 2012, and lack of a government-wide tracking system for actual emission reductions, and climate change spending and related economic and social outcomes.

In June 2008 Manitoba enacted the Climate Change and Emissions Reduction Act, which enshrined Manitoba's 6% emission reduction by 1990 target into law. The act does not provide any punishment provisions for failure to meet the target, but former Premier Gary Doer suggested: "If we don't achieve it, the ultimate penalty in 2011 will be defeating the government."

The motion called for a legislated ban on bulk oil tanker traffic on the sensitive northern coast of British Columbia (BC). "For those who have not been to B.C.'s coast, it is stunning geography with mountains rising to the sky, deep waters and narrow channels... This part of the ocean experiences some of the strongest waves, biggest winds and biggest storms in the world. There have been two major accidents within the last five years alone." said moving NDP Member of Parliament Nathen Cullen.

The motion comes as Calgary-based Enbridge Inc. has proposed to send up to 225 oil tankers every year out of Kitimat to carry crude oil to Asia and the western United States. The Enbridge Northern Gateway project also includes a proposed pipeline from Alberta to Kitimat.

A coalition of First Nations, commercial fisheries and environmental groups from the Pacific Northwest Coast called for a ban on oil tankers in the region.

The proposed 1,200-kilometere Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline would move about 1.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day from gas fields in the Mackenzie Delta on the Beaufort Sea coast to Alberta to power oilsands production.

Canada and Northwest Territories governments issued a formal reply to the 176 recommendations of a panel that studied the proposed C$16.2 billion pipeline to take gas from Canada's Arctic to southern markets November 15, 2010.

"The governments have rejected key recommendations from the joint review panel that were carefully designed to control cumulative impacts from induced development, ensure wise end-use of the delivered gas, and would have required independent reporting on government implementation," said Keith Ferguson, Ecojustice staff lawyer.

"The Mackenzie Gas Project is economically, socially and environmentally unsustainable," said Sheila Muxlow, director of Sierra Club Prairie.

"If Canada matched the U.S. approach, all new oilsands facilities that hadn't begun construction by January 2011 would be subject to federal greenhouse gas regulations. The regulatory route the U.S. is following isn't perfect, but there is no excuse for Stephen Harper's government to continue failing to regulate industrial emissions four years after it first promised to do so," noted P.J. Partington lead author of Pembina's analysis.

The briefing paper follows on the heels of the release of freedom of information requests showing that the Canadian Government has been systematically trying to kill clean energy and climate change policies in other countries, including in the U.S.

"I appreciate being recognized by Newsweek and only hope that their series on women leaders will inspire other women worldwide to speak out and become leaders in their own communities. Young women in particular need to be encouraged to speak up and defend their rights, their communities, and the planet. Women are very powerful and, working together, can be effective initiators of much needed change," said May.

"She [Elizabeth] walks the walk and she really does care about saving the world," said long-time friend Sherry Blinkhorn. "When you are one-on-one with her, people will see that she genuinely believes what she says. She is one of the most intelligent people I've ever met."

The short list also includes: U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Australia's first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and founder of the Kenyan Green Party Wangari Maathai, and German Green Party Chairwoman Renate Künast -- who according to Newsweek may very well become the first Green to head a state.

The correspondence shows Washington based Canadian diplomats describing recommendations from Environment Canada to clean up the oilsands as "simply nutty," proposing instead to "kill any interpretation" of U.S. energy legislation that would apply to Canadian oilsands "to ensure that the oil keeps a-flowing." The correspondence also shows that Canadian diplomats had contacted officials from the American Petroleum Institute as well as Exxon-Mobil Corp., BP, Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips, Encana Corp., and Marathon Oil Corp. "to point out the potential implication to their imports from Canada."

"We have proof that the Harper government is aggressively intervening in Europe and the United States to kill clean energy policies in the name of promoting the tar sands. Canada is not just exporting dirty oil anymore - we're also exporting dirty policies." said Graham Saul of Climate Action Network Canada.

"A responsible government would see clean energy policies outside our borders as an opportunity to do better, not as a threat," said Clare Demerse, the Pembina Institute's Associate Director of Climate Change.

"We are calling on the governments of Canada and Alberta to stop all efforts to kill clean energy and climate policy in other countries," said Steven Guilbeault of Équiterre.

Climate Action Network Canada board member Gaile Whelan-Enns noted the consultation were inadequate, "it appears there's no public meetings, no presentations, nor is there a public registry."

Cap-and-trade analyst Matt Horne of the Pembina Institute agreed that thorough consultation on the topic is vital, "there's a bunch of nuts and bolt issues that really do matter. The devil is in the details."

Cap-and-trade is a market-based approach to cutting greenhouse gases that uses economic incentives to force industrial polluters to meet an overall emissions reduction target. Polluters get emission allowances equal to government pollution cap. If a plant's pollution exceeds the target or cap, it must purchase emission allowances from facilities that have reduced more than their share or pay fines.

Manitoba's system would integrate with the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), a regional cap-and-trade program. Current WCI members include B.C., Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, California and six other western U.S. states. No government press release has been issued.

The GBC document highlights a suite of subsidy reform measures for oil, mining, nuclear power, and chrysotile asbestos promotion, which could save Canadian taxpayers $800 million per year. These savings could fund most of the GBC's three priority recommendations: (1) a conservation plan for Canada, (2) an energy efficiency program which would put money back into Canadians pockets, and (3) investments in Canada's freshwater resources.

"We are heeding widespread desires for fiscal constraint and for integrating the government's economic, energy, and environmental strategies," said Barry Turner, chair of the Green Budget Coalition, and Director of Government Relations, Ducks Unlimited Canada. "This is a prime time to end expensive subsidy programs which act contrary to the government's sustainability objectives."

"At the same time, it is crucial that the federal government preserves its existing capacity to protect the environment, nature and Canadians' health from pollution. The oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico has highlighted the extensive costs that can occur when environmental protection is sacrificed for short-term financial savings," added Turner.

A Gift to the Earth is a public celebration from WWF of a significant conservation action by a government, company or other organization. In recognizing an action as a Gift to the Earth, WWF highlights both environmental leadership and inspiring conservation achievement, which contributes to the protection of the living world.

In the first hundred years of its National Parks system, Canada set aside about 277,000 km2 of lands and waters. In the past four years, the government has taken steps that will add nearly 90,000 km2 to the lands and waters administered by Parks Canada once regulations are in place. Included is the six-times expansion of Nahanni national park, as well as the creation of the Lake Superior and Gwaii Haanas national marine conservation areas.

"As WWF's highest accolade, this recognizes Parks Canada's many significant conservation achievements, including its globally significant track record in creating protected areas and reintroducing endangered species. We are proud to work with Parks Canada and look forward to the next 100 years of Parks Canada conservation efforts," said Gerald Butts, President and CEO of WWF-Canada.

The Throne Speech claimed that the Manitoba government has protected one million hectares of land and waters in the last year. In the period between October 2009, and January 2010 the regulatory steps were taken to protect: Kaskatamagan and Kaskatamagan Sipi wildlife management areas (WMA). These were reported in the Manitoba Wildlands protected areas grade for 2009. (Of the 558,810 ha Kaskatamagan WMA 259,530 ha are protected, in Kaskatamagan Sipi WMA the entire 133,820 ha are protected)

As of November 30, 2010 regulatory steps to protect the two new parks are not complete, and surveys of the designations are not available. Lack of surveys and online mapping data leaves the size of these new parks unknown, as boundaries were adjusted a few times. No government press release, or website content exists for the parks announced November 16, 2010.

"We are pleased to see the Selinger government taking steps to catch up on protected areas establishment in our boreal regions. It should be noted, though, these four new protected areas are all above the tree line. Commitments to establish new protected areas in boreal regions includes where there are forests! Action for an advisory committee regarding protection of northern peatlands and their carbon reservoirs is lagging. Information that used to be transparent regarding consultations before new protected areas are announced, is not available." commented Gaile Whelan Enns, director of Manitoba Wildlands.

Manitoba Wildlands issues an annual protected areas audit and grade for government actions in our province, based on the calendar year. The same grading criteria and technical standards have been used for the Manitoba protected areas grade over the last two decades.

In the exploratory phase (2008-09), the creative team traveled the boreal forest, encountered nature and learned from the people who live in boreal forest communities.

Immediately following this Katherine Bitney, Prairie Fire Press's first writer-in-residence, began work on a special issue of Prairie Fire, to be released in 2012, featuring a long poem/libretto written by Bitney, along with work on the boreal theme by writers and artists from across Manitoba and Canada.

Winnipeg composer Sid Robinovitch then uses Ms. Bitney's poem as a libretto in order to create a 25-minute work for chamber orchestra and 24-person choir. Ken Gregory will produce a soundscape for the piece, using recorded sound from the boreal forest.

The resulting work will be performed April 11, 2011 in the schools of Hollow Water (also known as Wanipigo) and Falcon Beach, two remote communities on the east shore of Lake Winnipeg.

The performance will feature fiddle students from the two communities in a full orchestral performance. A Winnipeg performance will follow on April 13, 2011 at the Westminster Church (745 Westminster Avenue).