,

The Tyee just published a three part exposé on the influence of the pro-oil & gas & big tech group Build Canada and it could not be more timely. The Federal Government seems to have unlimited resources when it comes to backing oil and gas projects, but when it comes to supporting electrification and renewables that backing ends up being hollow or a means to funnel money to oil and gas, AI, and nuclear with ties to U.S. interests. The latest example of this is the announcement of electric interties - just ahead of a pipeline proposal - which seems like a positive announcement until one realizes two things:

• Firstly, as CBC notes: "no new dollar figure will be attached to the [electric interties] announcement... Policy experts have called for building interties across the nation capable of transmitting more than 2,000 megawatts of power.... None of the projects announced on Friday approaches that scale [and, on a more personal note, Newfoundland and Labrador is once again absent according to CBC].
• As John Woodside points out on Bluesky: "Nothing against power grid interties, in fact they're needed, but with the Alberta west coast pipeline deal coming soon it's fair to say we're seeing a pattern of the Carney gov timing electricity updates with pipeline updates - presumably flooding the zone to mitigate blow back." (The PM has directly referenced the value of flooding the zone as Ecojustice notes).

Again, according to polling Canadians - including Albertans - are against public financing for a new oil pipeline. One thing is very important to note here: This pattern is NOT just the Federal Government letting the market address climate change - as lazy a strategy as that would be. This trend is also seeing the Federal Government interfering in the market: not to speed up the adoption of renewables (as would be a good public investment), but to try to manufacture demand for - and support via taxpayer dollars - oil and gas projects against renewable options.

If you're wondering why this is happening, then I do really recommend reading that three part series in the Tyee on the billionaire-backed plans of 'Build Canada' - which range from privatizing airports, to climate policy erosion, to Canadian digital passports integrated with U.S. tech giants.

It's another symptom of a larger problem we are facing and one we must address. As we wrote about in last week's newsletter (which you can read in full here): "Rising extreme wealth inequality and global warming are alike.

• "The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it has received all federal permits to allow for the dredging of Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet, making room for larger oil tankers loading up from the Trans Mountain pipeline." - APTN
• 'PIPSC is sounding the alarm over another round of cuts at the DFO, warning that the federal government is cutting the experts responsible for delivering the species recovery and marine conservation efforts it recently pledged to strengthen [government is cutting another $100 million]." - PIPSC.
• "New camera footage from Canada’s first LNG export terminal is raising concerns about invisible pollution and whether current monitoring adequately detects what reaches nearby communities.' - National Observer.
• Carney government passes law allowing authorization of banned pesticides: "The pesticide industry has previously praised Canada's health minister for her "bold action" it says will modernize pesticide rules.... Michel's office, however, declined a request for an interview. Michel also refused to answer questions from CBC News outside of the House of Commons Thursday." - CBC.
• Clean-water legislation gets lukewarm reception from Indigenous leaders - IndigiNews.
• Canada 'turning its back' on holding companies accountable for rights violations, advocates say - CBC.
• How the Government of Canada is (Or is Not [amid the unknown impact of public service cuts]) Monitoring Our Homegrown Hantavirus Strain - PressProgress.
• Canada rejected more than half of all World Cup visitor applications - CTV News.
• Fortress North America would imprison Canada [but] "an increasing number of our political and business leaders [including the PM] advocate for the creation of a new “Fortress North America.” - The Globe and Mail.

Tune in somewhere from 2:15 - 2:30 PM ET for the start of our segment. This broadcast is also being organized by Unrigged.ca - a coalition of 31 local, regional and national outlets from across Canada.

Read more about Sierra Club Prairie Chapter here.

Also check out the Instagram account of our Wild Child Edmonton program for the most recent updates.

Sovereignty Saturdays podcasts: a sub-series from 2025 to early 2026

Send us your questions for the podcast and this newsletter at communications@sierraclub.ca an we will try to get back with answers in future editions.

More newsletter content below! But first, please consider a donation to help us continue to run projects like youth chapter events. Even five dollars a month, or as a one time donation, makes a huge difference.

• Ontario First Nations Invest $715M in Nuclear Project as Critics Warn of Financial Risk (pictured) by Mitchell Beer: 

"...the transfer of federal and provincial funds will leave the seven First Nations “very much as minority investors” in the project “with little actual say” about how it unfolds, a veteran observer told The Energy Mix. While details of the deal are still emerging, even a “symbolic” ownership stake in the range of about 5% could leave the communities with major financial liabilities if anything goes wrong with the first-if-its-kind project."

Related: Read our explainer on why nuclear is not a climate solution but a way to prolong dependence on oil and gas and waste funds - especially since battery storage removes the need for base load power.

• EVs to Displace Fossil Fuels as Primary Road Transport Choice by 2030: BloombergNEF by Chris Bonasia:

"Global electric vehicle sales are set to reach 23 million in 2026, an increase of 11% from last year, accounting for just over a quarter of passenger car sales overall, BloombergNEF predicts. Just over half of all car sales will be EVs by 2035, BNEF says, with growth sustained by falling battery prices and more affordable EVs going on the market."

• France Records Its Hottest Day Ever as Europe Withers in Early Heat Wave by Samuel Petrequin:

"Punishing temperatures extended to the United Kingdom and Spain, where weather agencies issued red alerts—like France—about the risks of extreme heat for tens of millions of people."

Talking with others is the biggest impact you can have but be sure to prioritize talking to those on the fence about the seriousness of the climate crisis (unfortunately not everyone is open to listening). Call out oil and gas CEOs in the process!

We're stronger together. Go cause trouble.

Conor