UN’s Guterres on Wrong Track with Message to Students

BY CODY BATTERSHILL

Since the 1945 founding of the United Nations, Canada has played a key role in helping shape UN policy. Canadians have generally seen our longterm UN involvement as a smart way to advance our own strong commitments to multilateralism and international cooperation.

For the most part, it’s been a good forum for Canada because it’s provided us with some outsized influence beyond our middle-power status. The theory is that we’ll see benefits as we help advance other less advantaged nations.

But the theory breaks down when the UN decides to push a flawed narrative through its communications channels. Take, for example, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ recent speech to Seton Hall University’s commencement ceremonies in New Jersey.

During the speech, Guterres said that “investing in fossil fuels is a dead end, economically and environmentally… My message to you is simple: Don’t work for climate-wreckers. Use your talents to drive us toward a renewable future.”

Could the Secretary-General have gotten it more wrong? I doubt it. Young people want a secure future for themselves and for their eventual families, communities and the global environment. Why wouldn’t they work in an industry that is the largest Canadian spender on environmental protection, clean tech and climate-related research and development?

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) executive director Fatih Birol wrote recently that “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought major disruptions to the global energy system (so) it’s clear to us that any immediate shortfalls in fossil fuel production from Russia will need to be replaced by production elsewhere – even in a world working towards net zero emissions by 2050.”

The IEA chief added that, on the production side, “the most suitable options for this are projects with short lead times and quick payback periods,” including “shale oil and gas which can be brought to market quickly, extending production from existing (oil and gas) fields, and making use of natural gas that is currently flared and vented.”

Similarly, the UK government has been warned of potential power cuts to as many as six million households this winter after models of a “reasonable” worst-case scenario predicted major gas shortages if Russia cuts off more supplies to the EU, according to The Times.

Allowing the Guterres point of view to win the day means the West, including Canada, will lose its future pool of energy workers within 20 or 30 years. Who does that help? It helps other, less-regulated regimes that will inevitably step in and fill the energy supply gap.

If Russia’s illegal conflict in Ukraine has taught us anything, it’s that the world needs a broad, pragmatic, environmental and human rights-focussed approach to filling the energy shortfall.

And that means more Canadian oil and gas, not less.

Meeting a Growing Need

The Salvation Army Plans New Community Resource Centre in Forest Lawn

For over 20 years, The Salvation Army has served the residents of SE Calgary from its storefront location in Forest Lawn. While the facility has served the organization and community well, it is now time to expand because of increased demand upon The Salvation Army programs and services in recent years.

More storage capacity is needed for emergency food hampers and supplies for families in need. Meeting rooms for resource specialists and referral services are in demand, and the current space is too small as staff work diligently to meet with people in a timely manner. There simply isn’t enough space to meet the growing needs of the community. All this is about to change.

The Salvation Army is now developing a 50,000-squarefoot community resource centre in the vacant Target store on International Avenue and 52nd Street SE. The centre will become a focal point providing new and expanded services to the community.

“This allows us to expand our services in Forest Lawn by being able to increase the capacity of our current programs as well as add new programs to meet the everchanging needs of the community,” says Cliff Wiebe, executive director, Community Service in Calgary for The Salvation Army.

Wiebe says that the centre will also provide space and opportunities to partner with other community agencies. “Our overall focus is to connect with families who are barely getting by and walk alongside them to provide the supports they require to move to a place of health and stability.”

The resource centre will support the growing list of clients by providing them with essentials like food hampers, accessing government assistance programs, spiritual care and more. “We will also focus on helping people gain more independence through a host of literacy programs, such as language learning, financial literacy, system navigation literacy, technology literacy for increased computer skills, cultural literacy for being able to connect and better understand the cultures around us,” says Wiebe. The Salvation Army adds that there is strong community support for the facility and that the new centre will be a welcoming and safe place for people to come to connect and get the support they are looking for.

Fundraising is underway, kicked off by a $1 million donation from long time The Salvation Army Calgary Advisory Board member Gerry Wood and his family.

“It’s our family priority to give back and support the community,” says Wood. “The Salvation Army is on the front line of providing services to those in need, and we know how hard they work to deliver programs and services in the most cost effective and efficient way. Every dollar goes right into programs and services.”

The community resource centre is set to open in the fall of 2022. To learn more about The Salvation Army please visit Salvationarmy.ca.

Did you accept Visa or Mastercard credit cards between March 23, 2001 and September 2, 2021? If so, apply now to receive money from class action settlements

Questions? Visit www.creditcardsettlements.ca, Email info@CreditCardSettlements.ca or call 1 (877) 283-6548

WHAT IS A CLASS ACTION?

A class action is a lawsuit filed by one person on behalf of a large group of people with the same legal claims.

WHAT IS THIS CLASS ACTION ABOUT?

Class actions were started in Canada claiming certain banks and Visa and Mastercard conspired to set higher interchange fees and to impose rules restricting merchants’ ability to surcharge or refuse higher cost Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Interchange fees are charges that merchants have to pay in order to accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards. Settlements totaling CDN$131 million in net compensation were reached with Capital One, Citigroup, Bank of America, Desjardins, National Bank, Visa, Mastercard, CIBC, Royal Bank, Bank of Montreal, TD Bank, and Bank of Nova Scotia. The settlements have received court approval. The settlements are a compromise of disputed claims and are not admissions of liability.

CAN I RECEIVE MONEY?

You are eligible to receive money if you accepted Visa or Mastercard credit cards between March 23, 2001 and September 2, 2021.

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I GET?

The settlement funds (plus any costs awards and accrued interest and less approved fees and expenses) are available for distribution to eligible claimants. Subject to further orders from the courts: If you are a small merchant (your average yearly revenue is under $5 million), you are eligible to receive $30 for each year that you accepted Visa or Mastercard credit cards. Small merchants do not need to provide any documents proving payment of interchange fees. If you are a medium merchant (your average yearly revenue is $5 million to $20 million), you are eligible to receive $250 for each year that you accepted Visa or Mastercard credit cards. Medium merchants must provide proof that they had at least one agreement with an acquirer (also known as a payment processor) since March 23, 2001. If you are a large merchant (your average yearly revenue is over $20 million), you are eligible to receive $250 for each year that you accepted Visa or Mastercard credit cards. Large merchants must provide proof that they had at least one agreement with an acquirer (also known as a payment processor) since March 23, 2001. To be eligible to receive more than $250 per year, large merchants must provide documents showing credit card sales volume or payment of interchange fees. Large merchant claims made with documentary proof will be paid proportionally relative to the value of all approved large merchant claims. Visit www.creditcardsettlements.ca for more information.

HOW DO I MAKE A CLAIM TO GET A PAYMENT?

Claims can be submitted online at www.creditcardsettlements.ca. If you do not have internet access, call the Claims Administrator at 1 (877) 283-6548.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO MAKE A CLAIM?

Claims must be made no later than September 30, 2022.

WHEN WILL I GET MY MONEY?

Accurate processing takes time. Depending on the number of claims filed, it could be up to one year before you receive compensation. Please check www.creditcardsettlements.ca for regular updates.

CAN I APPLY A SURCHARGE?

In addition to money, the class actions also secured the ability for merchants to apply a surcharge when accepting credit cards. The rules affecting surcharging are set to change in October 2022. You cannot impose surcharges before October 2022. For details of how and when you can implement surcharges, check for updates on www.creditcardsettlements.ca.

WHO ARE THE LAWYERS?

You are represented by: Camp Fiorante Matthews Mogerman LLP (Vancouver, BC), Branch MacMaster LLP (Vancouver, BC) and Consumer Law Group (Montréal, QC).