John Woodside
@woodsideful.bsky.social
5K followers 540 following 510 posts
Ottawa Bureau Chief with @nationalobserver.com. Covering the money and politics fuelling the climate crisis.
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woodsideful.bsky.social
This is also a great way to use our new Civic Searchlight tool (currently free for journalists and researchers). Set the search field to Ontario, type in "Enbridge", and poof a record of every time a municipality has publicly discussed the company. Revolutionary way to keep tabs on gas expansion.
Canada’s National Observer unveils a powerful tool for fighting disinformation
Civic Searchlight brings together municipal meeting transcripts from across Canada into a searchable database for the first time. It has already been used to fight disinformation, report on impact, di...
www.nationalobserver.com
woodsideful.bsky.social
These obscene profits are thanks to governments' pro-fossil fuel agenda, and in Ontario, supported by rate hikes Enbridge secured after Ford kneecapped the regulator.

But its gas expansion is helped along by towns being suckered by marketing tricks about gas being cheap compared to alternatives.
woodsideful.bsky.social
“I'm really pleased with both the premier of Ontario, Premier Ford; and the minister of energy … about their commitment to gas... The government's policy is to provide access to gas, to the maximum possibility." - Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel.
woodsideful.bsky.social
Enbridge execs have been boasting to shareholders they plan to return $40-$45 billion to them over the next five years supported by gas expansions across the continent. Ontario in particular is a cash cow where they have an opportunity to "over earn."
www.nationalobserver.com/2025/10/09/a...
Enbridge investors to get billions as gas giant expands into small-town Ontario
Enbridge executives know Ontario ratepayers are a cash cow for its gas business, and in recent calls with investors they said they plan to milk it for all its worth.
www.nationalobserver.com
woodsideful.bsky.social
Beyond uncovering the spread of targeted, AI-powered climate disinformation used to pressure local governments, the tool has also unearthed backlash from municipalities against Ford’s Bill 5, and assisted with reporting on topics ranging from AI to hail to oil giants.
woodsideful.bsky.social
Today we're launching a new, powerful tool for public accountability created by @rorywh.bsky.social.

Civic Searchlight compiles hundreds of municipalities' public meetings and makes them searchable for the first time. It's free to use and we hope you journalists and researchers put it to work.
Canada’s National Observer unveils a powerful tool for fighting disinformation
Civic Searchlight brings together municipal meeting transcripts from across Canada into a searchable database for the first time. It has already been used to fight disinformation, report on impact, di...
www.nationalobserver.com
woodsideful.bsky.social
NWT Premier RJ Simpson came to Ottawa with a crystal clear message for the Carney government: “The North is ready. Indigenous governments are ready. Our projects are ready. We've talked about the North long enough; it's time to start building it." via @natashabulowski.bsky.social
Leaders urge Ottawa to build the North with next major projects
A delegation of Indigenous leaders and politicians from the Northwest Territories are in Ottawa this week, lobbying the federal government for consideration in its next tranche of major projects — and...
www.nationalobserver.com
Reposted by John Woodside
nationalobserver.com
David Suzuki counts Jane Goodall among his top inspirations, but he isn't grieving her death.

He’s grieving she never got to see the big changes to the political, economic and legal systems that destroy nature and must be reformed.
Jane Goodall died before the world caught up, Suzuki says
David Suzuki counts Jane Goodall among his top inspirations, and said he isn't grieving her death — he's grieving the political, economic and legal systems that destroy nature have not been changed th...
www.nationalobserver.com
Reposted by John Woodside
influencemap.bsky.social
"InfluenceMap found Canada’s big five banks (RBC, TD, BMO, CIBC and Scotiabank) provided US$131 bn to fossil fuel companies in 2024, on average representing 18% of their entire financing portfolios. That’s more than twice than the top US banks, & more than three times their top European peers." 👀👇
woodsideful.bsky.social
Mark Carney's 'Tragedy of the Horizons' speech was a landmark moment for the financial sector to recognize climate change was a severe threat, but a decade later he's flouting his own prophetic warning as climate breakdown rapidly approaches.
A decade later, Carney's climate wake-up call to financiers still falls on deaf ears
Mark Carney's 'Tragedy of the Horizons' speech was a landmark moment for the financial sector to recognize climate breakdown was a severe threat, but a decade later he's flouting his own prophetic war...
www.nationalobserver.com
woodsideful.bsky.social
Her proposal is built off disinformation. Lies about oil demand growing when it is in fact peaking before the pipeline would be built, lies about Feds blocking oil after nationalizing an oil pipeline to export more, lies about the emissions cap lowering production when forecasts show oil would grow.
woodsideful.bsky.social
"If we can't build with the collaboration of the federal government and between provinces, and everybody gets to have their products going to market except Alberta, than it's not a country." - Danielle Smith, after the feds built TMX to the tune of $34 billion to get oil to market.
Danielle Smith announces Alberta will be the proponent in a new pipeline application
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a new proposed pipeline on Wednesday to carry oil from Alberta to the West Coast. The province itself will be the proponent applying to the federal Major Proje...
www.nationalobserver.com
woodsideful.bsky.social
With today’s news from Smith that she frames as part of a grand bargain (we’ll do pathways ccus if you give us a new pipeline) let’s not forget @cathmckenna.bsky.social ’s key point
woodsideful.bsky.social
"Pouring billions more of Canadian taxpayers' dollars into a new tar sands pipeline when Europe and China are leading a global charge away from fossil fuels would be about as smart as investing in Blockbuster video stores when Netflix was on the rise.” - @climatekeith.bsky.social
woodsideful.bsky.social
She accused Smith of moving “way outside of jurisdiction” using “backdoor methods” that disrespect Indigenous peoples and British Columbia.

“This behaviour will only divide us ... and it really sets a dangerous precedent for future relationships.”
woodsideful.bsky.social
Marilyn Slett, President of Coastal First Nations-Great Bear Initiative and chief councillor of the Heiltsuk Nation said the nations remain firm that their people do not support any new pipeline.
woodsideful.bsky.social
It "is not a real project and is incredibly alarming to British Columbians including First Nations along the coast."

"We won’t let this proposal, with no backer and no money, threaten real jobs for BC’s families." - BC Premier David Eby
woodsideful.bsky.social
"This is a test of whether Canada works as a country, because if we can't build with the collaboration of the federal government and between provinces, and everybody gets to have their products going to market except Alberta, than it's not a country," Smith said.