Latest news with #Marsden
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Prince Rupert gas pipeline cleared to keep environmental permit indefinitely
Prince Rupert gas pipeline cleared to keep environmental permit indefinitely The Prince Rupert gas pipeline project is 'substantially started' and will keep its valid environmental certificate for the life of the pipeline, the BC Environmental Assessment Office has ruled. The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline is jointly owned by the Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG, but other First Nations and environmentalists say the decision favours corporate interests over climate commitments and Indigenous rights. Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, said the decision was not unexpected, but still 'damaging and daunting.' She said the province frequently bends or breaks its own laws and regulations to accommodate PRGT, undermining the integrity of the environmental review process. 'This is absolutely not in the interests of Gitanyow and many other nations who have expressed concern,' Marsden said. 'It's going to be a significant reversal of the climate policy of this government.' The BC government has legislated targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But according to critics, pursuing additional LNG and pipeline projects will undercut any progress made by adding significant new emissions that were not considered in the province's climate plans. Marsden said the government is acting without responsibility, forcing First Nations to fight in court because it doesn't respect consultation, Indigenous rights, UNDRIP or true consent — and the decision was politically and economically driven, not based on policy, law or sound science. 'This government can now do whatever it pleases with no accountability,' Marsden said. 'First Nations are left to fight for these things on the ground and in the courts.' She said the report by the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) — the agency tasked with technical review — was 'very slim,' noting that Gitanyow's own submission was likely twice as long. Janelle Lapointe, senior advisor at the David Suzuki Foundation and member of Stellat'en First Nation, said the approval casts significant doubt on the province's willingness to meet its climate targets, respect Indigenous rights and title, and even follow its own policy on determining whether a project has had a 'substantial start.' The keyword — substantial start — is critical because under BC's Environmental Assessment Act, a project's environmental certificate will expire unless enough real, physical work has been completed on the ground before a set deadline — in this case, November 25, 2024. According to the EAO report , the PRGT pipeline was considered 'substantially started' because the company cleared 42 km of pipeline route, built nine permanent bridges, upgraded or built 47 km of access roads, and set up work areas before the deadline. The company also spent about $584 million on the project since 2013. The concerns related to greenhouse gas emissions and incomplete permits were not part of the decision and was mainly based on the physical work completed on the ground. 'If PRGT was really a good project, it wouldn't need a decade-old permit, quiet approvals, and a government bending the rules to push it through,' Lapointe said. She said since the original environmental assessment certificate was issued in 2014, lands, waterways, and ecology have only become more vulnerable due to continued extraction, corporate greed, and the accelerating effects of climate change. Lapointe said the project will cross hundreds of fish-bearing streams and rivers in a watershed that her community depends on. The government is again refusing to ensure the project won't harm their ecosystems, especially salmon — a key species important to their culture and vital to the local economy, she said. 'The province has failed to address the concerns of the Indigenous nations asserting their rights to protect our territory. It sets a very dangerous precedent,' Lapointe said. She pointed out that newly passed Bill 15 and the PRGT approval highlight a troubling trend — the provincial government is making it easier for corporations to move projects forward, while making it difficult for Indigenous nations to exercise their rights and oppose developments that threaten their territories. 'Are they going to allow outdated permits from 2014 to be treated as more legitimate than the rights of sovereign nations? I am left wondering, why is our province bending over backwards to hand over critical energy infrastructure to American billionaires?' Lapointe said. Christina Smethurst, communications head at Dogwood BC, a Victoria-based non-profit, non-partisan citizen action group, said while the EAO issued the approval, there has been no clear public statement or ownership from elected government officials about the decision, with significant environmental, Indigenous rights and economic implications. 'The BC NDP have abandoned any semblance of caring about climate change,' Smethurst said. 'Where is the government on this? Who of our elected officials will take responsibility for making this decision?' Marsden said Gitanyow is preparing legal and other actions, and the fight to protect their lands will continue. Lapointe said they would follow Gitanyow's lead in the ongoing opposition to the pipeline. Marsden also challenged the narrative that this project would help Canada's energy independence. 'This isn't about getting out from under the thumb of Americans. It's actually about enriching people who are in Trump's inner circle,' Marsden said. Sonal Gupta / Local Journalism Initiative / Canada's National Observer Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
National Observer
3 days ago
- Politics
- National Observer
Prince Rupert gas pipeline cleared to keep environmental permit indefinitely
The Prince Rupert gas pipeline project is 'substantially started' and will keep its valid environmental certificate for the life of the pipeline, the BC Environmental Assessment Office has ruled. The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline is jointly owned by the Nisga'a Nation and Western LNG, but other First Nations and environmentalists say the decision favours corporate interests over climate commitments and Indigenous rights. Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs, said the decision was not unexpected, but still 'damaging and daunting.' She said the province frequently bends or breaks its own laws and regulations to accommodate PRGT, undermining the integrity of the environmental review process. 'This is absolutely not in the interests of Gitanyow and many other nations who have expressed concern,' Marsden said. 'It's going to be a significant reversal of the climate policy of this government." The BC government has legislated targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But according to critics, pursuing additional LNG and pipeline projects will undercut any progress made by adding significant new emissions that were not considered in the province's climate plans. Marsden said the government is acting without responsibility, forcing First Nations to fight in court because it doesn't respect consultation, Indigenous rights, UNDRIP or true consent — and the decision was politically and economically driven, not based on policy, law or sound science. 'This is absolutely not in the interests of Gitanyow and many other nations who have expressed concern,' Tara Marsden, sustainability director for the Gitanyow hereditary chiefs. 'It's going to be a significant reversal of the climate policy." 'This government can now do whatever it pleases with no accountability,' Marsden said. 'First Nations are left to fight for these things on the ground and in the courts.' She said the report by the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) — the agency tasked with technical review — was 'very slim,' noting that Gitanyow's own submission was likely twice as long. Janelle Lapointe, senior advisor at the David Suzuki Foundation and member of Stellat'en First Nation, said the approval casts significant doubt on the province's willingness to meet its climate targets, respect Indigenous rights and title, and even follow its own policy on determining whether a project has had a 'substantial start.' The keyword — substantial start — is critical because under BC's Environmental Assessment Act, a project's environmental certificate will expire unless enough real, physical work has been completed on the ground before a set deadline — in this case, November 25, 2024. According to the EAO report, the PRGT pipeline was considered 'substantially started' because the company cleared 42 km of pipeline route, built nine permanent bridges, upgraded or built 47 km of access roads, and set up work areas before the deadline. The company also spent about $584 million on the project since 2013. The concerns related to greenhouse gas emissions and incomplete permits were not part of the decision and was mainly based on the physical work completed on the ground. 'If PRGT was really a good project, it wouldn't need a decade-old permit, quiet approvals, and a government bending the rules to push it through,' Lapointe said. She said since the original environmental assessment certificate was issued in 2014, lands, waterways, and ecology have only become more vulnerable due to continued extraction, corporate greed, and the accelerating effects of climate change. Lapointe said the project will cross hundreds of fish-bearing streams and rivers in a watershed that her community depends on. The government is again refusing to ensure the project won't harm their ecosystems, especially salmon — a key species important to their culture and vital to the local economy, she said. 'The province has failed to address the concerns of the Indigenous nations asserting their rights to protect our territory. It sets a very dangerous precedent,' Lapointe said. She pointed out that newly passed Bill 15 and the PRGT approval highlight a troubling trend — the provincial government is making it easier for corporations to move projects forward, while making it difficult for Indigenous nations to exercise their rights and oppose developments that threaten their territories. 'Are they going to allow outdated permits from 2014 to be treated as more legitimate than the rights of sovereign nations? I am left wondering, why is our province bending over backwards to hand over critical energy infrastructure to American billionaires?' Lapointe said. Christina Smethurst, communications head at Dogwood BC, a Victoria-based non-profit, non-partisan citizen action group, said while the EAO issued the approval, there has been no clear public statement or ownership from elected government officials about the decision, with significant environmental, Indigenous rights and economic implications. "The BC NDP have abandoned any semblance of caring about climate change,' Smethurst said. "Where is the government on this? Who of our elected officials will take responsibility for making this decision?' Marsden said Gitanyow is preparing legal and other actions, and the fight to protect their lands will continue. Lapointe said they would follow Gitanyow's lead in the ongoing opposition to the pipeline. Marsden also challenged the narrative that this project would help Canada's energy independence. 'This isn't about getting out from under the thumb of Americans. It's actually about enriching people who are in Trump's inner circle,' Marsden said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rom-Com Hunk, 51, Turns Heads in Rare Public Appearance With 26-Year-Old Girlfriend
Rom-Com Hunk, 51, Turns Heads in Rare Public Appearance With 26-Year-Old Girlfriend originally appeared on Parade. James Marsden, 51, and his girlfriend, Dutch model Frederique Brons, 26, who are not often seen together in public, were recently spotted enjoying each other's company. The couple, who began spending time together in 2023, were photographed together at the 2025 French Open, held on June 1, as reported by Town & Country. For the event, Marsden, who has been in rom-coms, like 27 Dresses and The Best of Me, wore a white shirt underneath a casual blue suit. He accessorized his look with white sneakers and sunglasses. Brons opted for a striped polo shirt, white pants, a white baseball hat, and a pair of sunglasses. Town & Country reported that Marsden and his ex-wife, Lisa Linde, were married for 11 years until 2011. The former couple are parents to two adult children, Jack, 23, and Mary, 20. The actor and his ex-girlfriend, Rose Costa, also share an 11-year-old son, William. During a February 2025 interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, hosted by Kelly Clarkson, Marsden spoke about his dynamic with his children. He said that his sons and daughter are not overly impressed with his acting career. "They are very proud of me. They like what I do, but they also love for me to be dad. They are enjoying the ride but for the longest time, they were sort of wonderfully underwhelmed by what I do. They're like, 'You're not that great,'" said Marsden during the interview. He then clarified that Mary has been helping him prepare for certain roles. He said, however, that she isn't afraid to give him her honest opinion when they are practicing his lines. "My daughter has now gotten into it. She reads lines with me. But she's also just brutally honest. Like, 'Don't do that thing with your eyebrow. That was fake. Do it again. Do it again!'" said Marsden while speaking to Clarkson. Clarkson then interjected that Marsden's daughter was acting like a director. The actor agreed with the talk show host's assessment. Rom-Com Hunk, 51, Turns Heads in Rare Public Appearance With 26-Year-Old Girlfriend first appeared on Parade on Jun 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Sydney Morning Herald
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Books brought John Marsden fame, but he'll be remembered for his belief in kids
Australian author John Marsden was much more than an award-winning writer – he was 'an exemplary educational entrepreneur, a lover of literature and linguistics, a wilderness warrior, and a Coke Zero connoisseur'. Comedian, former ABC radio host and Marsden's 'resident stalker' Sammy J made the comment as he paid tribute to the late novelist at a memorial service at Melbourne Town Hall on Monday following Marsden's death in December aged 74. At least the first four rows were occupied by school students and teachers – evidence of Marsden's lasting impact as an educator and mentor. The rest were filled by friends, family, fellow authors, and a countless number of fans, some of whom wiped away tears as they reflected on the author's legacy. Marsden sold more than 5 million books, including the seven-book young adult fiction Tomorrow series, which was adapted into a film and a TV show. Loading But on listening to each person pay tribute to him on-stage – from his stepsons to other authors – his true life's work quickly became apparent: lifting young people to their full potential. 'His great skill was talking to young people, no matter what age, as if they were equals,' former student Charlotte Austin, who inspired the protagonist of the Tomorrow series, told this masthead. 'He had a huge belief in them. When everyone else in society was decrying teenagers as being hopeless, he gave them positions of responsibility in his books, positions of power. He gave them autonomy because he believed that we could do it.' He similarly advocated for young, new authors. Speaking before the memorial, award-winning author Alice Pung said she met Marsden at a writers' festival, where he immediately took her under his wing. 'He would collect friends along the way at writers' festivals through being kind – Jackie French, myself, Isobelle Carmody,' said Pung, who wrote a book about Marsden in 2017.
The Age
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Books brought John Marsden fame, but he'll be remembered for his belief in kids
Australian author John Marsden was much more than an award-winning writer – he was 'an exemplary educational entrepreneur, a lover of literature and linguistics, a wilderness warrior, and a Coke Zero connoisseur'. Comedian, former ABC radio host and Marsden's 'resident stalker' Sammy J made the comment as he paid tribute to the late novelist at a memorial service at Melbourne Town Hall on Monday following Marsden's death in December aged 74. At least the first four rows were occupied by school students and teachers – evidence of Marsden's lasting impact as an educator and mentor. The rest were filled by friends, family, fellow authors, and a countless number of fans, some of whom wiped away tears as they reflected on the author's legacy. Marsden sold more than 5 million books, including the seven-book young adult fiction Tomorrow series, which was adapted into a film and a TV show. Loading But on listening to each person pay tribute to him on-stage – from his stepsons to other authors – his true life's work quickly became apparent: lifting young people to their full potential. 'His great skill was talking to young people, no matter what age, as if they were equals,' former student Charlotte Austin, who inspired the protagonist of the Tomorrow series, told this masthead. 'He had a huge belief in them. When everyone else in society was decrying teenagers as being hopeless, he gave them positions of responsibility in his books, positions of power. He gave them autonomy because he believed that we could do it.' He similarly advocated for young, new authors. Speaking before the memorial, award-winning author Alice Pung said she met Marsden at a writers' festival, where he immediately took her under his wing. 'He would collect friends along the way at writers' festivals through being kind – Jackie French, myself, Isobelle Carmody,' said Pung, who wrote a book about Marsden in 2017.
