Category: RAVEN project news

Goodbye and thanks from RAVEN

Today is the final day of the RAVEN project. We thank everyone who engaged with the project since we launched in September 2018. We’ll leave the website up for at least a few years so RAVEN will survive for the next while as a digital archive. Goodbye everyone and all the best for your future activism and rabble-rousing!

The Plutonium Project

For the final activity of the RAVEN project in the winter term of 2023, the STU Environment and Society program created the Plutonium Project. Eight student research assistants have been hired to investigate the proposed development of new nuclear reactors (SMRs) and plutonium extraction at the Point Lepreau nuclear plant site on the Bay of Fundy. The Plutonium Project webpage with more information is HERE.

Exploring the natural world in the Belledune region

For the last number of months, the RAVEN project has been working with and supporting a talented young writer, Brandon Corcoran who lives in a rural area near Belledune in Northern New Brunswick. Brandon writes about the natural world surrounding him, and his talent is bringing small stories to life. Many of his stories are illustrated with his beautiful photographs.

To access Brandon’s articles, click HERE. This link will bring you to a page with three stories published in September. Scroll down for the links to more stories published since March. Thank you Brandon for bringing these stories to life!

Fredericton residents want community gardens

RAVEN students Faith Timipere Allison and Christine Jean write about community gardens in their new article in the NB Media Co-op.

“Recently moving to Fredericton, Christine arrived in 2017 from Ontario, while Faith came from Nigeria as an international student in 2021. We are both curious about the somewhat hidden world of community gardens in Fredericton.

Read the article HERE.

Elder leads medicine walk for young minds

Kirsten Leclaire-Mazerolle, from Natoaganeg First Nation, is a researcher and writer working out of the Human Environments Workshop (HEW) funded by RAVEN. Today she published “Elder leads medicine walk for young minds,” in the NB Media Co-op, about students learning about Mi’gmaq culture, traditional healing plants on cultural teaching hike.

Read Kirsten’s article HERE.

Commentary: New Brunswick’s unchecked timber industries have left our forests in ruin and our people without land

Harrison Dressler’s latest article in the NB Media Co-op tells the story of Babalu Eye Anu Shabazz and his father and their struggle to foster ecological diversity in rural New Brunswick. Here’s a quote:

“Before 2001, you could mill all your own wood and build your own house,” Baba Shabazz explained. “Now, all of a sudden, in New Brunswick, people can’t afford to stay on their own land – which is a continuation of the legacy of Canada. You see this theme being repeated. People try to steward their own land. They’re used to create resources, and later they’re pushed off so that someone else can eat off of that.”

Read the full story HERE. Harrison is a researcher and writer working out of the Human Environments Workshop (HEW) funded by RAVEN.

Fate of internationally educated nurses in post-pandemic New Brunswick uncertain

“Nurses were the arrowheads in the fight against COVID-19 in New Brunswick. They were (and are) the province’s first and most important line of defense. They were (and are) victims of the virus. The virus has taken a toll. By April 2022, nearly 700 nurses, many needing medical care, had been out of work at some point because of being infected with COVID-19.”

Read the full article HERE, in the NB Media Co-op, written by Faith Timipere Allison. Faith is a doctoral student at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of New Brunswick working out of the Human Environments Workshop (HEW) funded by RAVEN.

New Brunswick’s media coverage of small modular nuclear reactors silences Indigenous perspectives

In stories about SMRs, corporate media–reporters, journalists, and editors in New Brunswick’s mainstream English-language press–have almost totally ignored Indigenous perspectives.

Read the full article HERE in the NB Media Co-op.

Harrison Dressler is a researcher and writer working out of the Human Environments Workshop (HEW) funded by RAVEN.

Bird habitats are being destroyed. It’s time for a change

“At its best, the Acadian forest, with its mix of softwood and hardwoods, makes a home for diverse plant and wildlife communities, including lynx, moose, deer, flying squirrels, and many, many species of birds, even though only a tiny fraction of the original Acadian forest remains. As our forests have been degraded, so have the habitats for the birds that find a home there.”

Read the full article HERE by Christine Jean, working out of the Human Environments Workshop (HEW) funded by RAVEN.

Time to rethink the common burdock, a ‘nuisance’ plant that’s actually a viable food option

As food prices rise, we may need to assess the way we look at our food. This includes looking into alternative, viable food options. Burdock, normally seen as a nuisance by the common gardener or landscaper, is a surprisingly versatile plant. It’s astonishing to most that it is a completely edible plant.

By understanding the growing cycle of the plant and what parts are most choice and when, burdock can easily find its way on to your dinner table.

Read the article HERE by Dallas Tomah in the NB Media Co-op. Dallas is currently working out of the Human Environments Workshop funded by RAVEN.

Indigenous groups challenge New Brunswick’s costly radioactive waste legacy

“The recent re-licencing hearing for New Brunswick’s Point Lepreau nuclear reactor highlighted the difficulty and cost of managing the province’s long-lived legacy of radioactive waste.

“Most of the radioactive materials generated by the Lepreau nuclear facility were never found in nature before the discovery of nuclear fission 83 years ago.

“The Point Lepreau facility, however, has produced – and will continue to produce – thousands of tons of these toxic radioactive materials in the form of high, intermediate and low-level radioactive waste which must be kept isolated from all living things for a period of time that dwarfs the span of recorded human history.”

Read the full article HERE, published by the NB Media Co-op, by RAVEN’s Kim Reeder and Susan O’Donnell.

Public hearing calls attention to the threat of nuclear energy in New Brunswick. Passamaquoddy Nation responds

Harrison Dressler is a researcher and writer working out of the Human Environments Workshop (HEW) funded by RAVEN. He attended the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission hearing to review NB Power’s application to renew its licence to operate the Point Lepreau nuclear reactor.

Harrison published an article about the Passamaquoddy Nation intervention at the hearing. Read it HERE.

New Brunswick’s environmental champions recognized on Earth Day

RAVEN is an associate. member of the New Brunswick Environmental Network (NBEN). On Earth day (April 22), the NBEN celebrated key environmental champions with its annual NBEN awards. The award winners were chosen from nominations submitted by the more than 110 NBEN member and associate groups. RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell wrote the story for the NB Media Co-op. You can read it HERE.

Engaging the media to advance the rights of people with disabilities: webinar

On April 12 @5:30pm Atlantic, Kaitlyn Layden, with the New Brunswick Coalition of Persons with Disabilties, will speak about engaging the media to advance the rights of people with disabilities. Register here:  https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJErdOCpqDoqH9CYmTb7IyqXUBUK2mV7HubY

This is the final event in the Human Rights & the Media Lecture Series organized by Tracy Glynn, with partners the Atlantic Human Rights Centre, St. Thomas University’s Department of Human Rights and Department of Journalism and Communications, the NB Media Co-op and RAVEN.

RAVEN intervention for the Point Lepreau hearing

NB Power has applied for a 25-year renewal of its licence to operate the nuclear reactor at Point Lepreau. Their current 5-year licence expires in June. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) will be holding a hearing to discuss the licence application on May 10, 11, 12, currently scheduled to be in-person in Saint John.

The RAVEN project submitted an intervention to the CRTC that you can read, HERE.

Land ‘buy back’ at Whaelghinbran Farm is protecting the Acadian forest

In New Brunswick, we don’t just need access to land for today, we need access to land for future generations, writes Amy Floyd, in one of her last articles for RAVEN published in the NB Media Co-op.

The owners of Whaelghinbran Farm near Penobsquis) found a creative solution to this challenge through an arrangement with the New Brunswick Community Land Trust. Read Amy’s article HERE.

Green thumbs share harvest at urban communal garden in Moncton

Since 2020, a communal garden has been set-up in a well-established residential neighbourhood, very close to downtown in the City of Moncton. The site is easy to reach by bike or foot for folks in the area, writes Amy Floyd. Read her article HERE published by the NB Media Co-op.

New report: The future of Point Lepreau: Option B

The RAVEN project is pleased to launch its new report, The Future of Point Lepreau: Option B.

Our report considers climate justice, respecting Indigenous visions, and valuing the expertise of the environmental community. Option B is a response to the concurrent and interlinked energy, climate, social and economic equity crises we are all experiencing.

Download the report or read the NB Media Co-op story, HERE.

Webinar: More nuclear reactors for New Brunswick?

RAVEN lead investigator Susan O’Donnell has updated her award-winning presentation: More nuclear reactors for New Brunswick? and will be presenting it as part of the Tantramar Climate Change Week. Everyone welcome!

Tuesday, Feb. 8 @ 7pm. Register here for the zoom event:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtceGvqD0qHt3Et2eEGjCSQPba3lMI0EkL

There are many more free events that week. Click HERE for the full schedule and links to sign up for each event.

Point Lepreau and more nuclear reactors in the news… again

For the past two years, the RAVEN project has been tracking the nuclear developments at Point Lepreau on the Bay of Fundy, in a rural area of the province. We have two new stories on the topic:

RAVEN’s Kim Reeder writes in the NB Media Co-op about the ongoing hearings by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, following the application by NB Power to renew its licence for the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station for another 25 years, plus the hearings by the provincial legislature’s Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship Committee. Article HERE.

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell teamed up with nuclear expert Dr. Gordon Edwards to analyze the current situation of the so-called small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) for New Brunswick. Their article: “New nuclear plants (SMRs) in New Brunswick: Wild card or sure bet?” was published by the NB Media Co-op, HERE.

Constitutional right to food… in New Brunswick?

RAVEN’s Amy Floyd wrote another informative article, published by our partner the NB Media Co-op: “Maine is the first U.S state to gain a constitutional right to food – Where is New Brunswick on this issue?” You can access the article HERE.

In November, voters in Maine approved a constitutional amendment establishing Mainers’ Right to Food. In her article, Amy analyzes the situation.

Human Rights & the Media lecture series

This winter, RAVEN is co-hosting the Human Rights & the Media Lecture Series, with partners the Atlantic Human Rights Centre, St. Thomas University’s Department of Human Rights and Department of Journalism and Communications, the NB Media Co-op and RAVEN. More information on all these events will be added as available. The dates are confirmed.

January 18, 5:30pm – Webinar. Nora Loreto, writer and editor of the Canadian Association of Labour Media (CALM), will be kicking off the first lecture in the series, speaking on her new book, Spin Doctors: How Media and Politicians Misdiagnosed the COVID-19 Pandemic. Register here: 

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJErdOCpqDoqH9CYmTb7IyqXUBUK2mV7HubY

Click on the RAVEN events page for the series lineup.

Have your say about climate policy

Two opportunities to share your opinion about climate policy.

The deadline has been extended to January 21 for the federal consultation on Canada’s Climate Plan, launched in December by Environment and Climate Change Minister Guilbeault. It’s open to all Canadians. The direct link to the survey is HERE.

Online consultation on New Brunswick’s renewed climate change action plan will take place from Jan. 24 to Feb. 24. The GNB media release is HERE.

Update, Jan. 24. The link to the online consultation portal is HERE.

On Tuesday, Jan. 18, Dr. Louise Comeau from the Conservation Council of New Brunswick will be presenting CCNB’s intervention 10am. Tim Murphy will be presenting from the New Brunswick Environmental Network at 4:15pm.

Click HERE to view the Legislative calendar with links to the agenda and livestream.

Uranium and nuclear energy in New Brunswick and beyond

This post includes files related to the zoom panel event held on Dec. 10, 2021 with speakers Gordon Edwards, Lorraine Rekmans, Tracy Glynn.

The story about the event, published by the NB Media Co-op, is HERE.

Direct link to the video archive of the event on YouTube is HERE.

The original panel description is HERE

Lorraine Rekmans kindly permitted us to photocopy her co-edited book (out of print), This Is My Homeland: Stories of the effects of the nuclear industries by people of the Serpent River First Nation and the north shore of Lake Huron. You can download it HERE.

Tracy’s slides HERE.

Gordon’s slides HERE.

Gordon also supplied: an edited text based on the transcript of the presentation given on December 10, 2021. In particular, an additional paragraph has been interpolated to explain the origin of the Port Radium mine in the NWT.
Uranium the Shape Shifter, by Gordon Edwards 
www.ccnr.org/shape_shifter_2021.pdf

Questions answered in writing at the event HERE.

Eleven questions submitted by viewers were left unanswered at the end of the Uranium panel event. HERE are those questions, and Gordon Edwards’s answers, including his links to further documentation.

The file of the event chat is HERE.

More materials:

Gordon strongly recommends that everyone consult a 2014 Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) submission regarding a permanent moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Quebec, HERE.

On the CCNR website, a list of links to Indigenous declarations on nuclear issues is HERE.

Lorraine found the link to the 1989 report published by the AECB, Childhood Leukaemia Around Canadian Nuclear Facilities Phase I, HERE.

All stories published by the NB Media Co-op tagged “nuclear” are HERE. This link includes all the stories about the new nuclear reactors proposed for New Brunswick.

Mining Watch Canada has an excellent set of resources coming from its 2019 conference: Turning down the heat: Can we mine our way out of the climate crisis? HERE.

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell featured in CHCO-TV program

RAVEN’s lead investigator, Dr. Susan O’Donnell, was featured in the CHCO-TV program Southwest Magazine. Susan did the interview at the studio in St. Andrews before participating in the book launch for Letters from the future New Brunswick. The interview discusses the book, the RAVEN project, and problems related to the media here, and related issues. Watch the interview HERE.

Video critical of new nuclear reactors for New Brunswick wins environmental journalism award

RAVEN lead investigator Susan O’Donnell won the annual Beth McLaughlin Environmental Journalism award for her video “More nuclear reactors (SMRs) for New Brunswick?” – read the article published by the NB Media Co-op, HERE.

You can also read the briefing paper Susan wrote with four other academic researchers that was discussed with the provincial Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development, HERE.

RAVEN book featured on CBC radio

Letters from the Future: How New Brunswickers Confronted Climate Change and Redefined Progress was featured on the CBC radio program Shift this week. The clip includes an interview with RAVEN co-investigator and book editor Daniel Tubb. Listen HERE.

Letters from the Future New Brunswick

Our new book is published! Letters from the Future: How New Brunswickers Confronted Climate Change and Redefined Progress features 37 authors from different backgrounds with many different ideas.

There’s info in the NB Media Co-op story about the book and where to buy or order it. Help us get the word out by sharing this info with your networks, including on your social media. The awesome book launch video link is also below.

Launch story, Letters from the Future New Brunswick: https://nbmediacoop.org/2021/11/01/29241/

Launch video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSTcn_IQHes&t=3s

The book is in bookstores now. We are also having an in-person book launch and discussion with the editors and local authors at the Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre in St. Andrews on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 3 to 5pm. Everyone is welcome to join us there!

Registration open: panel and workshop on climate action

RAVEN, an associate member of the New Brunswick Environmental Network (NBEN), will be active in the NBEN Eco-Confluence and AGA on Oct. 16 (by zoom). Register or find more info for the NBEN event HERE.

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell will moderate a panel on “Collective climate organizing in NB post-pandemic.”

Susan will co-lead a panel with Louise Comeau from the Conservation Council of New Brunswick: “A holistic approach to reducing carbon emissions in New Brunswick: electrification, the Atlantic Loop, coal-phase out, and why new nuclear is not a solution.”

Hope you can join us for this engaging NBEN event!

Rally Sept. 24 – Climate Emergency: This is Not a Drill

Rally for a safe climate and equitable world! Stand in solidarity with people most affected by the climate crisis. Co-hosted by a broad coalition of groups including the RAVEN project.

Friday, September 24 @noon at the New Brunswick Legislature in Fredericton.

Optional: 10:30am meet at Conserver House, 180 St. John Street (near the Legislature) to make signs.

Hear from climate activists, Indigenous land defenders, youth, scientists, trade unionists, energy policy experts and elected representatives on what a just energy transition looks like for Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and beyond.

“Not a drill”: Fredericton rally to call for climate justice

Extinction Rebellion New Brunswick and partner organizations, including environmental groups and labour unions, invite everyone to assemble at the New Brunswick Legislature in Fredericton on unceded Wolastoqiyik territory on September 24 at noon to demand that all levels of government take immediate and effective action on the climate emergency that respects climate justice.

Participants are asked to wear masks and stand six feet apart in a visual display of safety and solidarity with everyone around the world affected by climate change and the global pandemic.  

“Our Indigenous Elders have told us for decades that humans have lost their way by neglecting to uphold the original teachings on how to respect and live in balance with Mother Earth. Hence, we are presently in a state of emergency facing global climate disasters and it will only worsen if we as humans don’t stop the greed of corporations and colonial governments,” says Wolastoqewi Grand Chief spasaqsit possesom – Ron Tremblay. 

“Climate justice goes beyond advocating for renewable energy, recognizing that injustice is linked to social, economic, and political systems and that climate change has its roots in capitalism, colonialism, the patriarchy and other systems of oppression,” says Susan O’Donnell, one of the climate rally organizers and lead researcher with the RAVEN project at the University of New Brunswick. 

With New Brunswick refusing to close the Belledune coal plant in 2030 as part of Canada’s transition off coal, advocates for a just energy transition point to the need to include all affected workers and communities in climate solutions and future economic planning. 

“Now is the time to be talking about a just energy transition for workers in the fossil fuel and nuclear sectors and their communities in New Brunswick as well as in Colombia where NB Power has been sourcing coal from the Cerrejón coal mine since the 1990s. It’s not the time to keep yesterday’s fuel sources like coal and nuclear on the table,” said Tracy Glynn, one of the rally organizers and who has worked with Colombian coal miners and affected community members to tell their stories for more than a decade. 

“The coal burned in Belledune comes from Colombia where its extraction is linked to the forced displacement and starvation of Indigenous Wayuu and Afro-Colombian farmers and children and repression of coal miners and unionists. Climate justice is migrant justice. It’s reproductive justice. It’s housing justice,” says Glynn. 

Climate activists, Indigenous land defenders, youth, scientists, trade unionists, energy policy experts, and elected representatives will share their thoughts on what a just energy transition looks like for Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada and beyond. Ron Tremblay, the Wolastoq Grand Chief, David Coon, MLA for Fredericton South, Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers, Lois Corbett, Executive Director of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, and Danny Legere, President of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour are among the speakers.

This rally is supported by Extinction Rebellion New Brunswick, Council of Canadians Fredericton Chapter, Council of Canadians Saint John Chapter, Coalition for Responsible Energy Development in New Brunswick (CRED-NB), Conservation Council of New Brunswick, CUPE NB, Fredericton Club of the Communist Party of Canada, Leap4wards Saint John, New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance (NBASGA), New Brunswick Federation of Labour, NB Media Co-op, No One Is Illegal Fredericton, RAVEN, Reproductive Justice NB and Solidarité Fredericton.

Global Launch of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2021

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 11am to 1pm Atlantic

Link to join at start time:
https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/live-event/ezzsrhaf

Here’s the link to the report:
https://www.worldnuclearreport.org/World-Nuclear-Industry-Status-Report-2021-773.html

We’re pleased to announce that RAVEN at the University of New Brunswick and the Environment & Society Program at St. Thomas University are the Canadian co-hosts of the global launch of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report! The WNISR is an independent expert assessment of nuclear industry developments globally. 

What: Global Launch of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2021

Date: Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Time:11am – 1pm Atlantic

10h–12h Washington D.C. Time (EDT)

16h–18h Paris Time (CET)

Where: Virtual https://primetime.bluejeans.com/a2m/live-event/ezzsrhaf

The event is hosted by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Washington D.C. co-hosted by the RAVEN project (Rural Action and Voices for the Environment) at the University of New Brunswick, Canada, and the Environment & Society Program at St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

We will have a diverse line-up of distinguished speakers:

• Geoffrey Fettus (Lawyer, NRDC) – Introduction/Moderation 

• Mycle Schneider (WNISR) – Global Overview

• Tatsujiro Suzuki (Nagasaki University, former Vice-Chair of Japan Atomic Energy Commission) – Fukushima+10

• Mariana Budjeryn (Harvard Kennedy School) – Chernobyl+35

• M.V. Ramana (University of British Columbia) – SMRs

• Ali Ahmad (Harvard Kennedy School) /Thibault Laconde (Consulting Engineer) – Nuclear Power and Climate Change Resilience

• Mathilde Le Moal (Master in Global Crime) – Nuclear Power and Criminal Energy

• Antony Froggatt (Chatham House) – Nuclear Power vs. Renewable Energy Deployment

In addition, we are planning an SMR-focused event hosted by the University of British Columbia in early October 2021.

Background: The annual World Nuclear Industry Status Report (WNISR) provides a comprehensive overview of nuclear power plant data, including information on operation, production and construction. The WNISR assesses the status of new-build programs in existing as well as in potential newcomer nuclear countries. The report also compares the development of nuclear power and renewable energy globally.

WNISR2021 contains several focus chapters, including a first assessment of Nuclear Power and Climate Change Resilience. A special Fukushima Status Report 10 Years After provides an overview of ongoing onsite/offsite challenges, health impacts, judicial decisions and cost estimates of the disaster. Chernobyl – 35 Years After the Disaster Began looks at advances in the cleanup and remaining challenges. For the first time, WNISR dedicates a chapter to the problem of Nuclear Power and Criminal Energy.

For more information and past reports, published annually since 2007 see: http://www.worldnuclearreport.org/

Party election platforms: Should new nuclear reactors be part of Canada’s climate action plan?

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell and collaborator Dr. Gordon Edwards in Montreal analyzed the election promises of the major parties. The parties have widely divergent plans for nuclear in climate action. Read the article here, published by RAVEN partner, the NB Media Co-op.

Rural and suburban voices to be heard in the local governance reform debate

RAVEN’s Kim Reeder writes again about the local governance reform process. This story was written after the release of a report by the New Brunswick Local Service District Association, a group Kim is supporting during the process. The Association’s report is: Blueprint for Rural and Suburban Governance. You can read Kim’s article here.

A missed opportunity for true collaboration in local governance reform

RAVEN’s Kim Reeder has been working with local advocates for rural local governance reform. She published a commentary today in the NB Media Co-op. Read it HERE.

For many New Brunswickers, local governance reform could have been an exciting and celebratory process. However, the government’s biased public surveys, multitudes of technological challenges, and mixed messaging have reinforced public distrust of the reform process.

More news about NB’s plutonium plan

An article co-written by RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell was published today by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. You can read it HERE.

The article focuses on a letter written by nine US non-proliferation experts concerned about Canada’s support for the plan by Moltex Energy to extract plutonium from the used nuclear fuel at Point Lepreau on the Bay of Fundy.

From an international perspective, the government grant to Moltex can be seen as Canada sending a signal—giving a green light to plutonium extraction and the reprocessing of used nuclear fuel.

The plans for new nuclear reactors in New Brunswick are delaying real climate action and do nothing to address the climate crisis.

Building food sovereignty in New Brunswick with a worker-owned cooperative

In June, RAVEN hosted a visit to Pleasant Ridge in unceded Mi’kma’ki territory (near the Village of Rogersville) to learn about agricultural cooperatives at la Ferme Terre Partagée Cooperative. The trip was organized by RAVEN’s Amy Floyd.

Amy’s article about the history of the farm and agricultural cooperatives is a must-read for anyone interested in food sovereignty in New Brunswick. You can read it HERE online published by our partner the NB Media Co-op.

RAVEN endorses CCNB letter opposing NB’s plan to delay ending coal power

RAVEN advocates for genuine climate action. Burning coal at Belledune to generate electricity has to stop by the federal deadline of 2030, but our provincial government is lobbying to extend that deadline. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CCNB) wrote to federal Environment Minister Wilkinson with concerns about New Brunswick’s proposed regulation Phasing Out of Coal-fired Electricity Generation – Climate Change Act. RAVEN was among the many groups endorsing the CCNB letter. Our concerns regard the use of equivalency agreements when Canada is promoting its commitment to phasing out coal-fired electricity by 2030 within the Powering Past Coal Alliance. Read the letter HERE.

Build your own rain garden

RAVEN’s Amy Floyd published her new article today in the NB Media Co-op: Build your own rain garden: Using nature’s elegant designs to clean up New Brunswick’s waterways. You can read it HERE.

Amy’s article explains why rain gardens are important and things to consider when deciding if you should build your own. Links to organizations that can provide further resources are also included. Have a look!

Winning the Race to the Bottom: New Brunswick Forestry in Historical Context

The video is now available of the Tertulia co-hosted by RAVEN featuring Bill Parenteau and Mark McLaughlin sharing their political economy and historical insights about how our forest came to be managed the way it has been in New Brunswick. You can view the video published by RAVEN partner, the NB Media Co-op, HERE.

New Brunswick Forestry in Historical Perspective

Tertulia – Winning the Race to the Bottom: New Brunswick Forestry in Historical Perspective

RAVEN is a partner on this event, organized by Tertulias.

With New Brunswick’s Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship set to discuss glyphosate spraying of the forest, record breaking timber prices and a government unwilling to increase Crown timber royalty rates, environmental historians and Bill Parenteau and Mark McLaughlin will share insights of political economy and historical context to discuss how our forest came to be managed the way it has.

Wednesday, June 9 at 7:30pm (Atlantic time) on Zoom.

Bill Parenteau is a recently retired Professor of History at the University of New Brunswick. His published research is, broadly, on the political economy and environmental history of Atlantic Canada. Additionally, he is a frequent public commentator on forest industry issues and a participant in Indigenous treaty and land rights cases.
Mark McLaughlin is an Assistant Professor of History and Canadian Studies at the University of Maine. Dr. McLaughlin’s research has focused on forestry and natural resource management, particularly the notions of forests as contested spaces and the state as mediator between various user groups competing for access to public resources.

This talk is co-presented by Tertulias Fredericton, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, RAVEN and the NB Media Co-op.

Watch on Zoom here.
Watch on Facebook live here.Stay updated/spread the word on the Facebook event page.

What is a tertulia? A tertulia can be described as a kind of philosophy café where participants talk about big thinkers, artists and ideas. This winter and spring, Tertulias Fredericton has put together a series on activists and social movements that have shaped our lives and allowed us to imagine a better future.

Tertulias Fredericton is supported by the NB Media Co-op, publisher of videos of the Tertulia talks.

For more information, visit Tertulias Fredericton on Facebook or contact: fredericton.tertulia@gmail.com.

Your Nuclear Dream May Turn Nightmare

RAVEN researcher Susan O’Donnell was interviewed recently in two articles about the plans by the nuclear industry to add more nuclear reactors on the Point Lepreau site on the Bay of Fundy.

The most recent, published by The Tyee, was prompted after nine US experts in sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau about the nuclear weapons proliferation implications of the federal government’s support for the Moltex project in New Brunswick. You can read it here.

The second article, published by the National Observer, reported on the significant opposition that exists to the nuclear infrastructure development being pushed by the industry and funded by governments. You can read it here.

The nuclear projects proposed for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action and do nothing to address the climate crisis.

Invitation to the farm: Field trip June 19

The RAVEN Project invites you to join us for an afternoon on farm and in community to learn about how Farming Co-operatives can work in New Brunswick with La coopérative Ferme Terre Partagée in Rogersville, N.B. The field trip will be on June 19 and is limited to 15 people. Free.

People are becoming more and more concerned with food sovereignty and supporting their local economy. Co-operatives are a tool that small and mid-scale farms can use to lower costs, become more efficient, expand marketing range and offer a wider range of products to customers. Co-ops can also be set-up to mirror the ethics and values of their members.

This event is organized by Amy Floyd, 
For more information and to register:https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/field-trip-farm-co-operatives-with-la-cooperative-ferme-terre-partagee-tickets-150795169411

This event is organized by Amy Floyd:

Food Security Policy Analyst
The Raven Project (Rural Action and Voices for the Environment) https://raven-research.org/

Founder and Administrator
Permaculture Atlantic Network
www.permacultureatlantic.com

Hampton High students support Wolastoq Grand Council resolution against nuclear development

The Climate Action Team at Hampton High School (HHS) are not only activists but also allies to Indigenous peoples. MLA Megan Mitton (Green Party, Memramcook-Tantramar) tabled a petition from HHS students in support of the Wolastoq Grand Council resolution against nuclear energy development and nuclear waste. Read the story in the NB Media Co-op, HERE.

The nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action because they do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

‘Not in service’ – Province of New Brunswick’s response to many residents of unincorporated areas

RAVEN’s Kim Reeder is currently working on rural governance issues. Kim’s latest article published by the NB Media Co-op highlights a challenge faced by rural residents when attempting to find information about Local Service District governance.

Kim writes: “In many areas of the Province, when LSD residents aimed to answer the call to participate in LSD Advisory Committee elections or to have questions answered, they found that the emails, and in some cases even the phone numbers provided for contact were not in service.

“Whether by design or not, conditions such as these highlight the inequity of the rural condition and do not instill confidence that the Province can reliably host LSD elections. Unfortunately, that concern is compounded by the reality of unreliable internet service throughout many rural regions in the Province.

You can read the full article here.

New Brunswick’s local governance system is not inclusive

RAVEN’s Kim Reeder continues her analysis of rural governance in New Brunswick. In her latest article, Kim reports how some Local Service Districts (LSDs) are considered by the province to be “defunct” and how this label is preventing citizen engagement in LSDs. You can read the article here.

40 ways to increase food sovereignty this season

“The simplest way to think about food sovereignty is to ask, do people have choice or control about the kind of food they eat? Having sovereignty means choosing to eat food from sources you want to support (like local farms), having access to nutrient dense food, having access to land if you want to grow your own food, and it means having food available that is culturally appropriate and honours our household food traditions.”

RAVEN’s Amy Floyd’s latest article for the NB Media Co-op is here.

Bill to ban glyphosate tabled by New Brunswick MP

This week MP Jenica Atwin (Fredericton) tabled a private members’ bill to ban the use of glyphosate in Canada.

In the video of her intervention, made from her Fredericton North constituency office, Atwin stated: “The widespread use of glyphosate over New Brunswick forests and across Canada is a menace to human health, and plant and wildlife diversity.”

Atwin’s bill builds on a growing global consensus against the use of the poisonous herbicide, following the International Agency for Research on Cancer finding that glyphosate is a probable carcinogen.

“Rather than allowing toxic chemicals to be sprayed in Canada until they are proven harmful, we should be exercising greater precaution: banning products until they can be deemed safe,” said the MP. “Canadians have the right to breathe clean air, drink safe water, and harvest healthy foods from the land.”

Read the full story in the NB Media Co-op, written by RAVEN lead investigator Susan O’Donnell.

Panel on Canada’s nuclear policy and SMRs

Fredericton MP Jenica Atwin invited RAVEN’s lead researcher Dr. Susan O’Donnell and Dr. Gordon Edwards, President of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, to a roundtable discussion by zoom on April 14. The topic was Canada’s Nuclear Policy and SMRs. You can watch the recording of the roundtable here:

https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyofCanada/videos/934857067289154/

RAVEN is engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action.

French presentation: More nuclear reactors for New Brunswick?

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell was invited by the group Imaginons la péninsule acadienne autrement to present at their Écofestival 2021 event in March. The topic was the nuclear reactor projects planned for New Brunswick. The video of her presentation and Q&A afterwards is here (French language).

The video of Susan’s English-language presentation to the New Brunswick Environmental Network in January is available here.

RAVEN is engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action. They do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

Who is minding the nuclear file?

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell continues her investigation with colleagues into the plans to develop experimental nuclear reactors beside the Bay of Fundy. In this article co-written with Gordon Edwards and published by RAVEN partner the NB Media Co-op, the lack of oversight into the proposed used fuel “recycling” plan is explored.

RAVEN is engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action. They do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

CBC radio interviews by RAVEN


The day after federal taxpayer handed a $50.5 million gift to Moltex Energy to develop their design for a nuclear reactor on the Bay of Fundy, RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell was interviewed by the CBC morning radio programs in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John. The first two were made available. Listen to the interviews below.

Fredericton – 6 minutes

Moncton – 10 minutes

RAVEN is engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action. They do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

Briefing paper: The proposed nuclear reactors (SMRs) for New Brunswick

You can read or download the briefing paper on this page.

RAVEN became engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action. They do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

Briefing paper on more nuclear reactors for New Brunswick

The RAVEN project is supporting climate action. In our ongoing efforts to share information about the proposed “small modular nuclear reactors” for New Brunswick, we teamed up with nuclear experts and produced a briefing paper for the government, discussed at a meeting with Minister Mike Holland on February 24. You can read the briefing paper here.

Video: Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Economy in New Brunswick

Chris Rouse: Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Economy in New Brunswick: Why public investments are better than incentives.

Chris Rouse, the founder of New Clear Free Solutions, developed an Integrated Resource Plan for New Brunswick that achieves a 95% Renewable energy solution through public investments. In this video presentation, Chris discusses his IRP that offers the least cost sustainable solution to our environmental problems that benefits all New Brunswicker both now and in the future. The event was organized by the Coalition for Responsible Energy Development in New Brunswick (CRED-NB), Extinction Rebellion New Brunswick, and the RAVEN project (Rural Action and Voices for the Environment) at the University of New Brunswick.

Video: A fresh food tax credit and food security for New Brunswick

A video of the presentation by University of New Brunswick and RAVEN Masters student Jessica Morehouse on her research on Fresh Food Tax Credits and Food Security in New Brunswick.

Background: Early in January 2020, the RAVEN project organized a meeting at the Greener Village food bank in Fredericton for local champions working on food security issues. The meeting ended with a request for RAVEN to support research to explore if a fresh food tax credit would work in New Brunswick. Four provinces already have a similar tax credit to support local food producers to donate to food banks. Could this work here? Watch the video:

Webinar Feb. 23: Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Economy in New Brunswick

Transitioning to a Low-Carbon Economy in New Brunswick: Why public investments are better than incentivesFree event, everyone welcome. Register to receive the event link and a reminder:

https://unbvirtualclasses.zoom.us/…/tJwpdeGqqTsuE9S63pf…

Chris Rouse is the founder of New Clear Free Solutions and has been very active in the environmental movement for over 10 years. Chris has a very extensive technical background. He has developed an Integrated Resource Plan for New Brunswick that achieves a 95% Renewable energy solution through public investments. The IRP offers the least cost sustainable solution to our environmental problems that benefits all New Brunswicker both now and in the future.

This event is organized by the Coalition for Responsible Energy Development in New Brunswick (CRED-NB), Extinction Rebellion New Brunswick, and the RAVEN project (Rural Action and Voices for the Environment) at the University of New Brunswick.

Webinar Feb 17: A Fresh Food Tax Credit and Food Security for New Brunswick

February 17 – Webinar presentation by Jess Morehouse: A Fresh Food Tax Credit and Food Security in New Brunswick.

Webinar: Fresh Food Tax Credits and Food Security in New Brunswick

University of New Brunswick and RAVEN Masters student Jessica Morehouse will present the results of her research on Fresh Food Tax Credits and Food Security in New Brunswick. The presentation is open to all. Jess will make a 15-minute presentation and then engage in discussion with participants.

Please join us! Registration is required:https://unbvirtualclasses.zoom.us/…/tJYtfu-tqzMqGtDuxc…

Background: Early in January 2020, the RAVEN project organized a meeting at the Greener Village food bank in Fredericton for local champions working on food security issues. The meeting ended with a request for RAVEN to support research to explore if a fresh food tax credit would work in New Brunswick. Four provinces already have a similar tax credit to support local food producers to donate to food banks. Could this work here?

Why was a book launch in 2018 with university partners investigated by police?

In October 2018, Joan Kuyek visited New Brunswick to launch her book on how to protect your community from the mining industry. The event was supported by the Department of Politics and International Relations at Mount Allison University, RAVEN (Rural Action and Voices for the Environment) at the University of New Brunswick, the Canada Research Chair in Global and International Studies at St. Thomas University, MiningWatch Canada, and the publisher, Between the Lines.

Prof. Dave Thomas at Mount Allison filed an information request to find out why the RCMP were present at the event. Read the story by RAVEN’s Tracy Glynn in the NB Media Co-op, here.

Video: More nuclear reactors for New Brunswick?

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell was invited by the New Brunswick Environmental Network to make a presentation about the proposed nuclear reactors for New Brunswick. The NB Media Co-op published the video, here.

RAVEN is engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action. They do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

Conversations on rural housing in New Brunswick

RAVEN’s Amy Floyd has been looking into housing options in rural New Brunswick, particularly for seniors. Read what she’s been finding out in her two stories for the NB Media Co-op:

Seniors open the door for conversations on accessible rural housing in New Brunswick

Accessible, multi-generational and intentional: Alternative housing models on the horizon in New Brunswick

More nuclear reactors for New Brunswick?

Join the webinar on Jan. 14, an online workshop: Calculating the risks and benefits of Small Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) in New Brunswick. RAVEN is co-hosting this event organized by the New Brunswick Environmental Network (NBEN). NB Media Co-op is also co-hosting.

The NBEN online risks and benefits calculator is featured in this event. Participants are invited to use it to determine for themselves about the new nuclear reactors (SMRs) proposed for the province.

RAVEN is engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action. They do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

Daniel Tubb on his book, Shifting Livelihoods: Gold Mining and Subsistence in the Chocó, Colombia [video]

RAVEN co-investigator Daniel Tubb recently published a book based on his research with subsistence gold miners in rural Columbia. In his webinar presentation, Daniel talks about his process of ethnographic research. RAVEN teamed up with the NB Media Co-op and Tertulias for this event. The video was published by the NB Media Co-op, here.

Canada’s support for nuclear reactors and opposition in New Brunswick

RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell represents the project in the Coalition for Responsible Energy Development in New Brunswick (CRED-NB). For the NB Media Co-op, Susan wrote an analysis of the federal throne speech and government support for new nuclear reactors. You can read her article here.

RAVEN is engaged in this issue because the nuclear projects planned for New Brunswick are delaying genuine climate action. They do nothing to address the climate crisis and divert resources and attention to the need to rapidly increase our reliance on renewable energy.

RAVEN video contest winners!

The RAVEN project is pleased to announce the winners of our cell phone music video contest on the theme Growing a Better Future:

Youth – $500 prize

  • Grow it Yourself – Tess Green, East Brighton, NB
  • Seeds are for Sharing – Michael Daugherty with Rosie and Arthur, Knowlesville, NB

Adult – $1,000 prize

  • Notre Jardin – Our future – Melissa LeBlanc and Anna Vienneau, Nashwaak Bridge, NB
  • Planted – Ryleigh Hatch and Erin Sawden, Harvey, NB
  • Dig a Hole – Brendan Green, East Brighton, NB
  • Standing Tall – Eric D’s Allain, Moncton, NB

Runner-up – $500 prize

  • Food Creates Community – Adam Weaver, Scotch Lake, NB

You can view the winning videos here:
https://raven-research.org/ravens-2020-cell-phone-music-video-contest-winners/

Congratulations to all our contest winners!

RAVEN students Fall 2020

RAVEN is pleased to have three new students working with the project this term:

  • Christine Jean is an Honours student in Anthropology and History at UNB. She is working with Kim Reeder and Susan O’Donnell on the sustainable energy development project.
  • Kelly Green is a STU student majoring in Environment & Society Studies and Communications & Public Policy with a minor in Sociology and Science & Technology Studies. Kelly is working with Janice Harvey and Rose He on the fossil fuel divestment project.
  • Rose He is in the first year Engineering program at UNB. Rose is working with Kelly Green and Susan O’Donnell on the fossil fuel divestment project.

RAVEN’s second academic publication!

Our second research manuscript was published this week by the Journal of Rural and Community Development. The research and writing team for “Leadership for Climate Change Adaptation in a Rural Region in New Brunswick, Canada” was Kim Reeder and Susan O’Donnell from the RAVEN project and Adrian Prado with the Northwest Regional Service Commission. You can read the abstract and publication here.

RAVEN at the Environmental Studies Association of Canada conference

Last year the RAVEN team was out in force at the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences, the biggest academic conference in Canada. This year the Congress was cancelled due to the pandemic… except that of the more than 100 academic groups and associations that meet every year at the Congress, four chose to run their conference virtually. Fortunately for us, one was the Environmental Studies Association of Canada (ESAC) which has been an early adopter of video technology to model how academic work can happen with reduced travel. RAVEN’s Susan O’Donnell was able to do her ESAC presentation today from her home in Fredericton.

New Brunswick’s tree species and climate change

RAVEN’s new Environmental Action reporter Cortney McDonnell published her first article today with our partner, the NB Media Co-op. Cortney has a background and keen interest in forestry management and for this article she interviewed scientists about the impact of climate change on our acadian forest. You can read Cortney’s article here.

RAVEN joins new CRED-NB Coalition

The RAVEN project today joined with other environmental groups in the province to announce the launch of the new Coalition for Responsible Energy Development in New Brunswick. We are excited to be part of the new Coalition to promote nuclear-free renewable energy in NB! An article about the Coalition was published today by the NB Media Co-op. You can read it here.

Greenprint update meetings

RAVEN team members participated in the second of two meetings to identify what is needed to shift to a low-carbon New Brunswick. The events, organized by the New Brunswick Environmental Network (NBEN), brought together NBEN members to discuss updating the 2010 “Greenprint” publication. In a COVID twist, the events were organized online, including breakout rooms for small-group discussion and post-meeting online surveys, to give everyone an opportunity to participate safely from across the province.

RAVEN 2020 summer students begin work

We’re excited that during this challenging time under COVID-19 we’ve been able to engage four students for the summer, some of whom have continued from the 2020 Winter term:

  • Lauren Korn will be researching and writing articles on different topics for submission to RAVEN project partner, the NB Media Co-op.
  • Hannah Moore is working at the Hayes Urban Teaching Farm in Fredericton and is our new Food Security and Regenerative Farming reporter.
  • Jessica Wall is working on her thesis research on a potential Fresh Food Tax Credit for New Brunswick that could benefit local farmers and food banks.
  • Cortney MacDonnell is our Environmental Action Reporter, working with Tracy Glynn to develop stories, starting with forestry-related themes. Cortney is hired under the UNB Arts 4000 program.

More information about the students and RAVEN team members and partners is on our People page.

RAVEN’s 2020 Cell Phone Music Video Contest

Get your cell phones out and start filming! You can enter the contest if you live in New Brunswick – even if you are not a musician. We have 4 prizes of $1000 for the winning videos plus 4 extra prizes of $500 for videos made by children and youth 15 years and under.

The contest theme is:

Growing a better future

This contest is running parallel to our project on community food security, Growing a Better Future, details here.

Here’s one definition of community food security developed through research and practice: “Community Food Security is a condition in which all community residents obtain a safe, culturally appropriate, nutritionally sound diet through an economically and environmentally sustainable food system that promotes community self-reliance and social justice.” (reference) Note that the focus is on community rather than gardens for individual households (although that’s important too).

Deadlines:

  • 10am, August 31, 2020: last date and time to download an application form. The form will be removed after this time. The form is available now from the link below.
  • midnight, August 31, 2020: last date and time to submit your completed application form with the link to your video. We will send a confirmation email when the form is received. No late applications will be considered.

RAVEN contest partners:

This page has links to all the the information you will need to enter the contest.

Important: if you are planning to enter the contest, read the contest guidelines and FAQs first!

For the contest guidelines click here. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below on this page are also part of the guidelines.

For the application form, click here. You must use the application form to enter the contest.

The link to the winning videos from the 2019 contest is here.

If you have any questions, read the FAQ below. If you have other questions, email the contest: ravenvideocontest@gmail.com

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and additional guidelines.

Here are some common questions we are expecting and our answers. These form part of the contest guidelines. Check back for more FAQs – we will add them as we receive more questions this year.

Q: I’m using YouTube and cannot make the video password-protected. What should I do? A: Make the video “unlisted” and send the link.

Q: Do I need to write the music? A: We welcome original music. Historical music / songs that are out of copyright can also be used. Sites are available online with music you can use for free without copyright restrictions. Singing songs is fine if you have written the song. Note that the application form includes a statement confirming that the music is not protected by copyright. If you are unsure, do not use it.

Q: Does the music need to have lyrics / words? A: No but words help tell a story and get your message across. A message that inspires or stimulates action is one of the judging criteria.

Q: Does the theme have to be “Growing a better future: community food security in New Brunswick?” A: Yes, it can be anything related to growing a better future and / or community food security in New Brunswick. If you are not sure what it means, google “community food security.”

Q: How are the videos judged? A: Each video will be assigned points by the judges. The information is in the guidelines document.

Q: How do I submit a video, can I email you the video file? A: No, we do not accept video files by email. You will need to put the video online somewhere. If the site you choose permits protecting it with a password, do that. YouTube does not permit password protection – make the YouTube video “unlisted” and include the link. The application form has a place for you to include the link to your video that you have uploaded, and the password if you have one.

Q: Does the person submitting need to be involved with an environmental group? A: The contest is open to all residents of New Brunswick, except members of the RAVEN team and contest partners.

Q: Can it be a video I made already or does it need to be original for the contest? A: We prefer videos that have not already been shared online. If it’s one you made already, you will likely need to edit it to meet the guidelines.

Q: Can I enter the contest more than once? A: The judges will look at only one video per name listed on the application form. If more than one form is submitted by the same person or organization, the last form received will be entered into the contest.

Q: Is it a cash prize? A: The prize will be a cheque issued to the name of the person on the application form. That person (or group) must have a bank or credit union account to cash the cheque. No substitute names will be allowed, so ensure that the correct name is on the form.

Q: Can a video be submitted by a group? A: Yes, however if successful, the cheque for the prize will be made out to the name on the application form. If your group is incorporated and has a bank or credit union account you will be able to cash the cheque. If not, one person will have their name on the application form, the person who will cash the cheque.

Q: What is the maximum length of the video? A: Two minutes, including the opening title slide and the closing credit slide (see the guidelines and judging criteria). Videos longer than two minutes will not be entered into the competition.

Q: Does the editing need to be done with a cell phone? A: The video needs to be shot using a cell phone but the editing can be done using a phone, computer or other device.

If you have any other questions, email the contest: ravenvideocontest@gmail.com

Calling new gardeners in the Nashwaak Valley

Do you want to grow a garden this year but don’t know where to start? Amy Floyd, RAVEN’s lead for the Growing a Better Future initiative is offering advice and support on how to grow your own food. Amy’s project is focused on the Nashwaak Valley.

RAVEN is offering financial support to 20 households to start a small garden. The deadline to apply is May 8, 2020. See the poster for details.

Dr. Gordon Edwards in NB to talk about nuclear energy

RAVEN is collaborating with partner groups to bring Gordon Edwards to New Brunswick. Dr. Gordon Edwards is president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility. See the RAVEN event page for more information.

He spoke in Saint John on March 12 and his Fredericton event on March 13 was changed to a webinar. The video of the webinar was published by RAVEN partner, the NB Media Co-op. It can be accessed here.

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors : not small, not green, not clean, not affordable

The government of New Brunswick is encouraging us to believe that nuclear power is safe, clean and green, even while the nuclear industry is in a state of decline.

The government is following the advice of a handful of private entrepreneurs and setting the stage for what they hope will be the big economic miracle of 2020: tens of millions in federal funding to top the $10 million already invested by the province to transform New Brunswick into a booming and prosperous Nuclear Energy powerhouse for the entire world.

What are the risks of developing Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in New Brunswick?

Gordon Edwards, Canadian scientist and nuclear consultant, co-founded the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, and has been its president since 1978. He has worked widely as a consultant on nuclear issues and has been qualified as a nuclear expert by courts in Canada and elsewhere.

Dr. Edwards has worked as consultant for governmental bodies such as the Auditor General of Canada, the Select Committee on Ontario Hydro Affairs, and the Ontario Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning. In 2006, Edwards received the Nuclear-Free Future Award. He has also been awarded the Rosalie Bertell Lifetime Achievement Award and the YMCA Peacemaker Medallion.

Sponsors: the RAVEN project at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton, Council of Canadians Fredericton, Sustainable Energy Group Carleton County, Council of Canadians Saint John, Urban and Community Studies Institute at the University of New Brunswick Saint John, Sisters of Charity Saint John, NB Media Co-op.

RAVEN at Espace Maritime Spaces

Writing this from Beresford on the Baie des Chaleurs, looking forward to tomorrow morning and the start of the Espaces Maritime Spaces event, Belledune edition, with our RAVEN partner Projet Aulnes. RAVEN’s Tracy Glynn, Susan O’Donnell and Amy Floyd will be participating. After a day of workshops, the broadcast show will be produced in the evening and feature a range of topics, including the RAVEN project.

Fossil fuel divestment booklet presented at UNB Board of Governors meeting

RAVEN’s Rachel Bensler is leading the UNB divestment campaign. She has produced a booklet “A Guide to the Orange Square” with information about fossil fuel divestment and wearing the orange square. The campaign is supported by RAVEN, the UNB Students Union and the UGSW – union of graduate student workers.

The booklet was presented at the UNB Board of Governors meeting on Feb. 20 by the Board investments committee. The committee is in ongoing dialogue with Rachel and the divestment campaign about how to engage with fossil fuel divestment while being fiscally responsible.

UNB graduate student workers support fossil-fuel divestment

The Union of Graduate Student Workers (UGSW), local 60550 of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) represents University of New Brunswick graduate students who work as teaching and research assistants at UNB. Today the UGSC confirmed it is supporting the UNB fossil-fuel divestment campaign. The UGSW logo will be included in the February information booklet. Thank you for your support!

RAVEN team meeting – February 2020

The February RAVEN meeting included a review of all the current activities we’re engaged in. Upcoming is the the Maritime Spaces / Espace Maritime production with the Belledune community in partnership with Projet Aulnes/ the Aulnes Project, the divestment campaigns at UNB and STU, academic publications, events planned for March and April, and much more. The meeting minutes are here.

Manufacturing consent for an extractive regime in rural NB

RAVEN’s first academic article was published this week, in the Journal of Rural and Community Development. The article: “Manufacturing Consent for an Extractive Regime in Rural New Brunswick, Canada” was written by RAVEN’s Mary Aspinall, Susan O’Donnell, Tracy Glynn and RAVEN friend Tom Beckley, all from the University of New Brunswick.

Stay tuned for some stories about the new article that we’ll write for RAVEN partner, the NB Media Co-op. In the meantime, you can read the abstract and article online here.

RAVEN team meeting – January 2020

The first RAVEN meeting of 2020 included several new team members. The minutes briefly outline the activities in development over the next weeks and months. These include the Maritime Spaces / Espace Maritime production with the Belledune community in partnership with Projet Aulnes/ the Aulnes Project, and a possible future production with Eel River Bar First Nation, updates on the Growing a Better Future initiative and on the expanded university divestment team including St. Thomas University, plans for another Poetry for the Climate Crisis event, and activities around Earth Day. The meeting minutes are here.

RAVEN’s Growing a Better Future initiative launched!

Today RAVEN launched its Growing a Better Future initiative with a meeting at the Greener Village in Fredericton. At the meeting, the RAVEN team was joined by representatives from more than a dozen groups and organizations involved in community and rural food security. By the end of the meeting we had consensus on a way to move forward on an initial action. RAVEN will be working with Greener Village and other collaborators on that first step. Stay tuned to the RAVEN project website and Facebook page, and the RAVEN Friends Facebook page for updates! Here’s the link to the Growing a Better Future initiative page.

New RAVEN team members

The RAVEN project (Rural Action and Voices for the Environment) is pleased to welcome new team members in January 2020.

New students:

  • Hannah Moore, fourth year Environment & Society major at St. Thomas University.
  • Jessica Wall, Candidate, UNB Masters in Applied Health Research program.
  • Lauren Korn, Masters candidate, UNB English (Creative Writing). Lauren also worked with us in the Summer 2019 term.

New staff and collaborators:

  • Amy Floyd, Senior Policy Analyst – Community Food Security, RAVEN staff and collaborator.
  • Dr. Janice Harvey, Coordinator & Assistant Professor, Environment & Society Program, St. Thomas University, RAVEN co-investigator.

New partner:

Stay tuned in January for news about what we get up to together! Visit our website for the complete RAVEN team list:

https://raven-research.org/people/

Welcome, and happy new year everyone!

RAVEN team meeting – December 2019

Our final RAVEN team meeting of the year included a round-up of activities we’re currently involved in and plans for the new year. We will have new people starting in January with the project: Amy Floyd and Jessica Wall on the new community food security project, and Janice Harvey and Hannah Moore to work on the divestment campaign and other activities. You can read the minutes here.