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New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Amazon, the river of burning dreams
'I went on the river for money, I sold my rotten shack / For a rusty tanker leaking oil, and the burning sun was on my back / Travelled up the ragin' river, I watched the jungle burn... I'm ridin' on a river of dreams / Amazon, is it heaven or hell?' — Amazon (River of Dreams), a 1993 song by jazz guitarist Artie Traum emblematic of the iconic river basin's dire straits three decades later Climate impact on the Amazon rainforest and the issue of fossil fuels brought together the heads of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela—eight members of Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO)—after 14 years in August 2023 at Belem, Brazil. Home to more than 1.5 million indigenous people representing over 385 ethnic groups and a verdantly diverse biome, the enigmatic Amazonia seeks inclusive social support, besides an environmental look. Holding a fifth of all newly-identified global oil reserves, the region is currently witness to a frenzy as oil majors and nouveau rentiers capitalise on the opportunity. However, the well-documented history of 'experimental exploration' in the Amazon basin reflects failed projects and environmental delinquency. Recurrent mechanical failures, sabotage, corrosion and natural disasters on ageing and 'strategically misplaced' pipelines have resulted in thousands of oil spills over the last 50 years. River pollution and destruction of planet's largest rainforest remains a politically sensitive issue for Latin American oil producers, as they rely on exports to usher social and economic welfare. With rampant hydrocarbon contamination of numerous waterways and Amazon tributaries, infrastructural compatibility and logistics management is essential for ethical production practices. The catastrophic March 2025 spill in coastal Esmeraldas from a ruptured trans-Ecuadorian pipeline, the worst in 30 years, is such a tragedy. The historic referendum of August 2023 precluded exploration in the country's Yasuní National Park, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve. Ceasing further operations in the area, Petroecuador was directed to 'revive the ecosystems and dismantle any infrastructure within a year'. However, 'stranded assets' and debris continue to besmear the pristine environs.
Calgary Herald
27-06-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Competition Bureau warns Canadian landlords and property managers about illegal discussions on rents
The Competition Bureau issued a warning to Canadian property managers and landlords on Wednesday about engaging in illegal agreements with competitors. Article content The Bureau said it is aware that some landlords and property managers may be engaging with competitors, and while some of these discussions may be justified, others could be illegal. Article content Article content 'Agreements between landlords to 'make the most of the booming rental housing market' or 'find ways to ensure that all players benefit from the strong demand equally' raise concerns under the law and could be illegal,' the Bureau said in a press release. Article content The Bureau warned that engaging in illegal agreements with competitors, 'such as price-fixing, market allocation, restricting supply, or wage-fixing and no-poaching agreements,' is a criminal offence under the Competition Act, with potential prison sentences of up to 14 years and hefty fines. Article content It also noted that some landlords and property managers may be engaging with competitors through discussion groups on social media. Article content Geneviève Chassé, a Bureau spokesperson, told Financial Post in an email that the Bureau would not speculate on the prevalence of the social media groups but added that it wanted to send 'a clear message to the industry' that certain topics cannot be discussed between competitors. Article content Article content Dania Majid, a staff lawyer at the Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario (ACTO), said ACTO first became aware of such groups on platforms such as Reddit and Facebook during the COVID-19 pandemic when tenants raised concerns about potential discussions concerning bad faith evictions amid eviction moratoriums. Article content Article content Majid said ACTO had come across chatter among landlords regarding lease terms and how to evict tenants during that time but added that she had not been active on these forums in a couple of years. Article content 'If you're on a forum, and everyone's saying they're pushing out their sitting tenants and this is how they do it … then that illegal activity … seems like standard business practice.'
