The short-term consequences of his inaction will become permanent
It’s now clear that the Trudeau government will never be known for its operating speed or its strategic thinking when it comes to crisis management and public policies. Right from the start of the pandemic, the federal government was odd-man-out when it tried to reach an agreement with China to develop a new vaccine. That…
Reducing speed limits outside towns of Banff and Lake Louise could mean fewer fatal collisions, study suggests
The number of mammals killed by trains in Canada’s Rocky Mountains could be slashed if the railway reduced speed limits along eight km total of track on either side of the Banff and Lake Louise townsites, according to a study by University of Alberta researchers who used the train mortality record to pinpoint the most dangerous…
The United States has been sitting on some stunning discoveries for years
No one ever took U.S. President Donald Trump for Star Trek’s Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. Nevertheless, his creation of the U.S. Space Force in December 2019 resembled the latter’s powerful command, “Engage!” The space race is on but what most people would find surprising is how far along that race is already. “The power of space…
New U of A research outlines factors that lead cougars to select habitats near roadways in Alberta
A study by University of Alberta biologists identifies three key factors for how cougars select habitats near roadways: traffic, topography and daylight. “Cougars will avoid roads if there is human activity or while there is daylight,” explained Mark Boyce, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Alberta Conservation Association chair in Fisheries and Wildlife. “However, cougars will select habitat near…
Cities are establishing taxes on electric cars and other low-emission vehicles to reduce traffic and raise infrastructure funds
The state of Oregon recently became the latest devotee of a variation of congestion fees. The system falls short, even if the goal is worthy. It’s a sort of tax on road use more commonly directed at motorists and commercial vehicle drivers who access the central area of a city. Those drivers presumably add to…
Huge financial losses, massive layoffs and stringent safety protocols for the few remaining passengers sets a dark tone
Many Canadians look forward to travelling when the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end (whenever that may be). Unfortunately, flying the friendly skies is quickly becoming far less friendly. Air Canada temporarily suspended all flights to the U.S. on April 26. Passengers are required to wear masks for the entirety of any trip, and flight…
For weeks, the government told us that we’re prepared for COVID-19. Its early actions demonstrated something entirely different
Provide a timely response. Ensure transparency. Tell the truth. These are just some of the basic tenets of crisis communications, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his crisis response team would do well to take them to heart because, so far during the COVID-19 crisis, their statements and actions have missed the mark in every…
In the wake of COVID-19, we need to reconfigure our economy and society so they are less vulnerable to external shocks
American historian Frank Snowden pulls no punches. He says the “coronavirus is emphatically a disease of globalization.” And the most severe blows strike at cities that are “densely populated and linked by rapid air travel, by movements of tourists, of refugees, all kinds of businesspeople, all kinds of interlocking networks.” In this respect, the virus…
While authorities quibble over the pros and cons of personal transportation devices, plenty of manufacturers are churning out cheap options
Despite the fact that it’s pollution free, efficient and tremendous fun to ride, the self-balancing Segway is still stuck in limbo because, says Transport Canada, personal transport devices (PTs) are not “compliant.” And while the federal government and the provinces try to make up their minds, nobody’s going anywhere on them … at least not…
The young Swedish climate activist has raised the public consciousness about our day-to-day energy consumption choices
A new term has entered our language: the Greta Effect. This refers to the impact of Greta Thunberg, the teenage Swedish climate activist who was named the 2019 Person of the Year by Time magazine. Thunberg has made it clear that we’re in a climate crisis and the time to act to avert disaster is…