The LINK Online Sat. Aug 27, 2016

Your hosts, Lynn and Marc

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Almost all the world’s species-rich regions like this natural forest in Borneo have been ‘seriously altered’ by human activity. © Oscar Venter

Many reports and research studies have pointed out that species are going extinct around the world at an alarming rate.

Also through human activities such as logging, and mining, the changes to environments are so great in some cases, they are permanent.

Now Canadian scientists have teamed up with other international researchers to exchange information

Together they have created a map of the areas most affected by human activities.

Lynn spoke with Canadian Oscar Venter. He is an associate professor at the University of Northern British Columbia

Nestle and other bottling companies make huge profits on water extracted from rivers and wells in Canada,
Nestle and other bottling companies make huge profits on water extracted from rivers and wells in Canada, Many citizens want the practice stopped, or at least face far greater restrictions © Associate Press via CBC

Canada’s large central province of Ontario has gone through another unusually hot and very dry summer.

That has put enormous strains on water supplies and restrictions on citizen’s use of water.

At the same time, multinational corporations are extracting millions of litres of ground water every day, bottling them in plastic containers and exporting them, all while paying a pittance to the province

One of the giant Nestle corporation’s permits has expired and they are applying for renewal along with a new third permit in a nearby location.

Local citizens groups say, it’s time to stop, or at least greatly reduce foreign extraction of vital fresh water.

Marc spoke with  Wellington County resident Mike Nagy is a volunteer with the non-profit citizen groups Save Our Water, and Wellington Water Watchers where he is the current chair.

CANADIAN SONG- barbershop quartet singing- the award winning Vancouver quartet Real Time (now evolved into “viaVoice”)- “One Note Samba”.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shakes hands with China’s Ambassador to Canada Luo Zhaohui (right) after being presented a photo of his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, meeting Chairman Mao Zedong, during a celebration of 45 years of Canada-China diplomatic relations, in Ottawa on Jan. 27, 2016.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shakes hands with China’s Ambassador to Canada Luo Zhaohui (right) after being presented a photo of his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, meeting Chairman Mao Zedong, during a celebration of 45 years of Canada-China diplomatic relations, in Ottawa on Jan. 27, 2016. © Canadian Press-Justin Tang

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau goes to China on August 30th for an official visit until September 6.

After talks with Chinese officials he will take part in the G20 leaders’ summit in Hangzhou, China on September 4th and 5th, 2016.

China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea, will be of concern but trade will be a big issue during the bi-lateral talks, the issue of Canadian canola exports will likely come up, and possibly discussions on Chinese activities and claims to the South china Sea. rejected by an international court of arbitration.

Carmel spoke with Professor Charles Burton  of Brock University He is a former counsellor at the Canadian embassy in Beijing.

He says the dispute over canola exports will be “a major issue in all of the Prime Minister’s discussions.” He points out that Canada already has a three to one trade deficit with China, and that in this particular dispute, 53,000 Canadian farmers will be negatively affected.

This week’s stories in images

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