Wait a minute! Hang on! Didn't we celebrate that President Obama announced that the Keystone XL permit decision (whether or not approve TransCanada's application to build a mega pipeline to transport dirty tar sands oil from northern Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico) was off the agenda until 2013? Yes, we did. BUT then the payroll tax cut extension came up for consideration in Congress and outraged Republicans decided to attach legislation forcing President Obama to approve or deny Keystone XL in 60 days. This happened on December 23.

The title steals the last line from Tar Sands Action's morning blog ("It's going to be very good day for the 99% of us who aren't an executive at TransCanada.") with the update that it WAS a great day. By official count 12,000 of us participated in the Day of Action to surround the White House. Some called it a "giant hug," some said we'd "encircle the White House to show President Obama that he has the support he needs to say NO to the Keystone XL pipeline" and at last night's meet up and strategy session Canadian author and activist Naomi Klein said that some could also call it "a house arrest."

The first day of the People’s Summit included over 50 workshops covering a huge range of social justice issues. The Council of Canadians’ campaigners, organizers and Toronto chapter members hosted, facilitated and participated in 5 workshops in addition to talking to hundreds of people at the table in the Community Commons.

On April 25, the eve of the G8 development ministers meeting in Halifax, at least 400 people gathered in Halifax and marched to Cornwallis Park, in front of the hotel where most of the development ministers are rumoured to be staying. Members of Atlantic chapters of the Council of Canadians, including two national board members, Angela Giles and Adrienne Silnicki from the regional office, and myself, joined members from FLAP (Feminist League for Agitation and Propaganda), the Halifax-Dartmouth & District Regional Council, Amnesty International, Canadian Youth Climate Change Coalition, Oxfam, the comedy troupe Picnicface and many others to march through the streets of Halifax.

On Wednesday April 21, 25 Council of Canadians chapter activists joined Maude Barlow and climate justice campaigner Andrea Harden-Donahue on a conference call from Cochabamba, Bolivia and heard first-hand stories about the World People's Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth.

Andrea and Maude gave an overview of the Conference, including panel and stadium talks, the work being done to produce the final declaration, spoke to the sense of excitement on the ground and personal observations and then took questions from chapter activists across the country.

Happy World Water Day!

World Water Day celebrations kicked off on Sunday in Vancouver with an award ceremony organized by CUPE and the local Vancouver/Burnaby Council of Canadians chapter for water heroes and rogues. The New Westminster School Board received a "Tappie" award for its recent ban on bottled water which includes an educational component to teach children about public water. Trustee Laurie Watt, who received the award on behalf of the board praised Council of Canadians chapter activist Andrew Murray and the local chapters whose efforts led to the victory.