NewzIntel.com

Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Use of children in armed conflict remains a disastrous trend

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    “I wish for all children to be free,” says Alfred Orono Orono, former Child Protection Adviser for the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). He understands this need more than most: at age 11, he joined the Tanzanian forces fighting to oust the dictator Idi Amin from his home country, Uganda. As an adult, he worked to prevent children from experiencing similar childhoods.

    Today, UNMISS, along with peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) are working to free children from  parties to conflict and prevent their recruitment in the face of numbers that have been on the rise.

    Armed groups have increased their recruitment and use of children in the wars they are fighting, according to 2024 recent UN reports. Children are used in multiple roles like soldiers, spies, or cooks, or for sexual purposes. This constitutes a grave violation of the children’s rights and takes a devastating toll on their childhoods and their futures.

    Children used in conflict are deprived of growing up with their families, can be injured or killed, and can be forced to watch or even participate in atrocious acts of violence. Many are subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, with dramatic consequences, and children returning to their communities often face stigmatization and rejection. Despite their experiences, these children have demonstrated resilience and often see themselves as strong and hardworking. With the right support they can live successfully and in dignity, and many become agents of peace in their communities.

    This was the case with Alfred. On leaving the army, he returned to school, eventually attending university in Canada. Later, he worked as a UN peacekeeper, protecting children in conflict-affect South Sudan. He called it his “dream job” despite the challenging and often dangerous environment he worked in.

    “I have to see how do I work together with others to ensure that the children do not get recruited into the armed forces? And if the children already in the army, how do I get them out of the army? Which commander should I talk to? How am I going to get there safely? So that my colleagues are not killed, so that they go back home to meet their children, their wives, their parents,” he said in an interview. “I work with children, who when I look at them, I know exactly what’s going on in their minds. And I know how they feel. And I’m part of the solution to their problems.”

    Through work like Alfred’s, peacekeeping missions have secured the release of over 100,000 children from armed forces and armed groups since the first Child Protection Adviser was deployed to Sierra Leone in 2001. Today, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, and UNMISS are continuing this critical work.

    Once released, the peacekeeping missions work with UNICEF and other partner organizations to ensure the children receive the support they need to rejoin their communities and thrive. Missions provide security and logistical support to allow for the verification of instances of grave violations against children to take place, a task they are uniquely positioned to perform. The data collected lays the foundation for all the UN’s interventions, from high-level political engagement and advocacy with parties to conflicts, to policy and programmatic interventions.

    Prevention is also at the heart of peacekeeping’s efforts. UNMISS, MONUSCO and MINUSCA work to address the factors that make children vulnerable to recruitment, and engage with governments, armed groups and other actors to get commitments to end the use of children by armed forces and armed groups.

    Every February 12th Red Hand Day raises awareness of the issue and call for urgent political action to end it. This call is more urgent than ever, as the recruitment and use of children has continued, and as growing global conflict places more children at risk. Member States have committed to accelerate the implementation of their commitments under the children and armed conflict agenda: in 2025, we must all ensure these commitments are met.

    Learn more about the work of peacekeeping’s Child Protection Advisers here, and about UNICEF, and the work of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict.

     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe vows to defend interests amid new US tariff threats

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Flags of the European Union fly outside the Berlaymont Building, the European Commission headquarters, in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The European Commission on Monday rejected the rationale for new U.S. tariffs on European exports, vowing to protect businesses, workers, and consumers across the bloc.

    The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25-percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, reigniting fears of a transatlantic trade war.

    European Union (EU) leaders swiftly condemned the proposed tariffs, which are expected to be formally announced later on Monday. The Commission said there is “no justification” for the U.S. measures, calling them unlawful and economically harmful, particularly given the deeply integrated EU-U.S. supply and production chains.

    With European leaders signaling their readiness to retaliate, concerns are growing that the looming trade dispute could strain economic ties and disrupt global markets.

    Tariffs could backfire

    The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, strongly criticized the proposed tariffs, warning they would ultimately hurt U.S. businesses and consumers.

    “Tariffs are essentially taxes,” it said in a statement, emphasizing that the move would increase costs for American companies, drive inflation, heighten economic uncertainty, and disrupt global market integration. Given the deep interdependence between European and American industries, the EU warned that such measures would be counterproductive, effectively imposing taxes on U.S. citizens as well.

    European officials fear a repeat of 2018, when Trump’s previous steel and aluminum tariffs triggered swift EU retaliation. At the time, Brussels imposed countermeasures on U.S. goods such as whiskey, motorcycles, and orange juice.

    With the formal announcement of the new U.S. tariffs expected later on Monday, European leaders are bracing for another escalation in trade tensions.

    EU weighs retaliation

    France was among the first to respond to Trump’s tariff threat, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warning on Monday that the EU would retaliate if the proposed tariffs take effect.

    “There is no hesitation when it comes to defending our interests,” Barrot told French television TF1, recalling how the EU countered similar tariffs in 2018 and vowing to take the same approach if necessary.

    Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is also preparing for action. A spokesperson for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action stated that while the EU and Germany are working to prevent the tariffs, they stand ready to implement countermeasures if needed.

    During a televised debate on Sunday ahead of upcoming elections, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the EU could “act within an hour” if Trump proceeds with tariffs on European goods.

    Industry leaders are also pushing for a firm response. Gunnar Groebler, president of the German Steel Association, urged the EU to react in a “united, strategic, and swift manner” to counter the tariff threat. “The U.S. is the largest buyer of European steel, importing around 1 million tonnes of mostly special steels from Germany alone each year,” he noted.

    A lose-lose scenario

    French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that tariffs on EU goods would not be in the interests of the United States.

    “If Washington imposes tariffs across multiple sectors, it will drive up the cost of goods and fuel inflation in the United States,” Macron said, pointing out that European savings play a crucial role in financing the U.S. economy.

    Economic experts share Macron’s concerns. Paul Johnson, director of the London-based Institute for Fiscal Studies, warned that Trump’s planned tariffs could push up interest rates worldwide, having ripple effects on global monetary policy.

    “It is going to create additional inflation, at the very least, in the United States, and that will have knock-on effects globally, particularly on interest rates,” Johnson explained.

    Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, a German automotive expert, argued that Trump is leveraging economic power to siphon off jobs and prosperity from other countries through his tariff policies. “He knows no friends or enemies. Even U.S. car manufacturers GM and Ford would suffer considerably from tariffs on cars from Canada and Mexico,” he said.

    Dudenhoeffer noted that U.S. net vehicle imports totaled 5.6 million units in 2024. “Trump might ask how many jobs could be created if all these vehicles were produced domestically,” he said.

    Despite the growing alarm, some analysts hold that the impact of Trump’s tariffs may be limited. Christian Helmenstein, chief economist of the Federation of Austrian Industries, described Trump’s plan as an “unfriendly pinprick” but not a severe blow.

    He told the Austrian newspaper Kurier that the U.S. imports about a quarter of its steel needs, with much of it coming from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea rather than Europe.

    But Harald Oberhofer, an economist at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, described Trump’s tariff plans as “an economically high-risk game.”

    He pointed out that the United States was Austria’s largest export growth market last year amid weak overall exports and a trade war could further weaken Austria’s already fragile economy, which is projected to grow by just 0.6 percent this year.

    As Trump moves closer to making his tariff announcement official, European leaders are making their stance clear: if the U.S. imposes new trade barriers, the EU stands ready to defend its economic interests with countermeasures.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Trump’s Latest Steel & Aluminum Tariffs: “He Wants to Double Down on Raising Costs for Americans Even More”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.10.25

    Cantwell Statement on Trump’s Latest Steel & Aluminum Tariffs: “He Wants to Double Down on Raising Costs for Americans Even More”

    In 2024, state imported $1.2B worth of steel & aluminum for aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics & more; Last week, Cantwell delivered a speech on Senate floor calling for increasing exports & voted against advancing Trump’s trade nominee

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.

    “Many of Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum have been in place since 2018. Nothing was resolved and they added costs to cars, building materials, and energy projects. Now in 2025, he wants to double down raising costs for Americans even more,” Sen. Cantwell said.

    In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. Combined, the state imported $1.21 billion worth of steel and aluminum last year – and the major industries and employers in Washington that rely on steel and aluminum include aerospace, shipbuilding, utilities, and electronics. When President Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018, our trading partners immediately responded by imposing tariffs of their own on Washington products, especially agriculture, including cherries, apples, pears, and potatoes. Nationally, across all industries, the steel and aluminum tariffs resulted in a decrease in production worth about $3.4 billion per year, according to an ITC report.  The United States imports $58.81 billion in steel and aluminum every year.

    Last week, Sen. Cantwell also delivered a major speech on the Senate floor last week, arguing that the president’s arbitrary tariffs would threaten domestic job creation and economic growth in an Information Age. She outlined a strategy focused on building coalitions, growing exports, and establishing principles to support innovation in the Information Age.

    Sen. Cantwell also voted against advancing the nomination of Howard Lutnick, President Trump’s choice to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce, citing concerns with Lutnick’s support for Trump’s proposed tariffs. More information on how President Trump’s proposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China would affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20 percent retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after then-President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe:  apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.

    In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to help U.S. potato growers finally get approval to sell fresh potatoes in Japan. In June 2023, Sen. Cantwell hosted U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), then-chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in Washington state for a forum with 30 local agricultural leaders in Wenatchee to discuss the Farm Bill.

    In 2022, Sen. Cantwell spearheaded passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a law to crack down on skyrocketing international ocean shipping costs and ease supply chain backlogs that raise prices for consumers and make it harder for U.S. farmers and exporters to get their goods to the global market.

    In August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting aid funds be distributed to wheat growers. In December 2018, Sen. Cantwell celebrated the passage of the Farm Bill, which included $500 million of assistance for farmers, including those who grow wheat.

    In 2019, Sen. Cantwell helped secure a provision in the $16 billion USDA relief package, ensuring sweet cherry growers could access emergency funding to offset the impacts of tariffs and other market disruptions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 80 Years Later: 1st Cavalry Division returns to the Philippines to Commemorate the Battle of Manila

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MANILA, Philippines  –  

    80 years ago, on Feb. 3, 1945, the battle for the capital of the Philippines began between Allied Forces and Imperial Japan. The 1st Cavalry Division was one of three divisions under the control of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. It was here that the 1st Cavalry Division earned its nickname, “America’s First Team,” by being the first U.S. Forces to re-enter Manila after its capture in 1942.

    The battle and subsequent liberation of Manila and the Philippines, in the spring of 1945, fulfilled a promise made by Gen. MacArthur in the spring of 1942: When President Theodore D. Roosevelt ordered him to Australia, he said, “I shall return.”

    On a hot Feb. morning at Adamson University in the heart of the capital, the city government of Manila held a ceremony and wreath-laying in honor of this historic event. The ceremony honored our shared history, ongoing commitment, and continued partnership with the Philippines and the Filipino people.

    The Mayor of Manila City, Honey Lacuna Pangan, presided over the ceremony. Commemorating this historical event, several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, China, and Canada, were represented on-site.

    The U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay L. Carlson, participated in the ceremony and placed a wreath in honor of those Americans and Filipinos who laid down their lives for the freedom of the Filipino people and the two countries.

    Lt. Col. John Dolan, Commander of the 1st Cavalry Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment “Garryowen,” was on hand to represent the 1st Cavalry Division at the ceremony along with representatives from 5th Security Forces Assistance Brigade and I Corps, both based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wa.

    “We’re here to honor the courage and sacrifice of so many soldiers and civilians in the liberation of Manila,” said Lt Col. Dolan, “and recognize the bond between both Americans and Filipinos share in our history and the pursuit of freedom.”

    As the number of the Greatest Generation dwindles and will soon be gone, continuing to commemorate these events ensures their efforts and history is not lost. The Liberation of Manila’s 80th anniversary honors the past generations’ sacrifices to safeguard freedom while inspiring future generations to carry the torch.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — RCMP investigate Whistle Bend incidents

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Whitehorse RCMP are investigating a number of reported thefts from vehicles in the Whistle Bend subdivision area overnight.

    During the early morning hours of February 9, a thief (or thieves) committed a spree of criminal acts in the Whistle Bend area of Whitehorse. Police have received several reports of vehicles being rifled through and items being taken.

    If you are a witness to a crime or have been a victim of theft, or attempted theft over the weekend, please call 867-667-555 and report it to the police.

    Police are also asking residents in the area to review any security camera footage for suspicious activity between the hours of 1 am and 5 am and to contact police should they locate some evidence on their footage.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Geopolitical, Environmental, Socioeconomic Crises Threatening Development Gains, Under-Secretary-General Tells Commission for Social Development

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Global solidarity is more essential than ever to address poverty, hunger, inequality and other pressing challenges facing humanity, speakers emphasized today at the opening of the 2025 annual session of the Commission for Social Development, calling for increased investment in social protection to meet these urgent needs.

    “We must step up our efforts and confront these challenges and development gaps, with determination and a collective resolve,” said Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.  He noted that geopolitical, environmental and socioeconomic crises — compounded by megatrends like digital transformation and aging populations — threaten hard-won development gains, jeopardizing solidarity, social inclusion and social cohesion.

    “We must reverse these trends,” urged Philémon Yang (Cameroon), President of the General Assembly, adding:  “When every $1 invested in social protection yields $3 of return, measured in improved health and productivity — we literally have everything to gain.  It offers our best shot to ensure we leave no one behind”.

    The Commission — established in 1946 by the Economic and Social Council as one of its functional organs — advises the United Nations on social development issues.  Its sixty-third session will run through 14 February under the priority theme:  “Strengthening solidarity, social inclusion and social cohesion to accelerate the delivery of the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development as well as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

    In his introductory remarks, Bob Rae (Canada), President of the Economic and Social Council, stressed the importance of leaving no one behind and expressed deep concern about a high level of unemployment among young people:  “If young people can’t get their foot on the ladder, it creates a huge range of social problems.”  Developing an international legal instrument on the rights of older people could strengthen efforts to shift perceptions about old people and ageism and help understand what more can be done to allow them to become and remain active participants in their societies.  Moreover, he stressed the need to address the challenges faced by people with disabilities, which “we have not made anywhere near the progress that we need to make”.

    Liana Almony, Chair of the NGO (non-governmental organization) Committee for Social Development, demanded modifying certain sociocultural patterns and norms to eliminate stigma, prejudices and stereotypes.  “Vulnerable and marginalized individuals face social injustice, discrimination and exclusion in many, if not all, aspects of their everyday lives,” she said, adding:  “Legal recognition and identity play a critical role to ensure the global community upholds its promise of leaving no one behind.”

    Judy Kipkenda, Co-Chair of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, speaking on behalf of global youth constituents, put forward several recommendations to the Commission, including empowering youth-led organizations and providing funding, technical support, and platforms for youth-led initiatives that address social and economic challenges.  “By investing in youth, promoting equity and fostering social harmony, we can create a more just, equitable and sustainable future for all,” she said.

    “The year 2025 is a crucial year,” said Guy Rider, Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, noting that the second World Summit for Social Development [to be held in Doha in November 2025] must lay the foundation in fulfilling the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration and accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  “With only five years remaining until our SDG [Sustainable Development Goal] deadline, we simply must secure progress in the social dimension of sustainable development,” he said, adding:  “We must listen more attentively to people’s voices and ensure that they can shape their own futures.”

    Commission Chair Krzysztof Maria Szczerski (Poland) emphasized that the expected outcome of this session is actionable policy recommendations to support Member States and the Economic and Social Council in implementing the outcomes of the 2023 SDG Summit and the 2024 Summit of the Future, thereby accelerating the implementation of 2030 Agenda and preparing for the second World Summit for Social Development.

    The Commission also held a high-level panel discussion to take stock of the first World Summit in 1995 and the upcoming second conference.

    In his keynote speech, Danilo Türk, President of Club de Madrid, recalled that as a former President of Slovenia, he was personally involved in the preparation for the first Copenhagen Summit 30 years ago.  He pointed out that in the current global political climate, social development and social issues are often neglected or seen as not among the main priorities.  “That’s a big problem, a problem that affects the United Nations as an organization, as a community of nations,” he said.  So, the second Summit in Doha should, most importantly, reaffirm the existence of the UN social development mandate.

    He also highlighted the need to recognize that social challenges are increasingly multidimensional, requiring integrated, synergetic approaches to policymaking.  It is also essential to develop a practical methodology to systemically assess both policy proposals and the obstacles to their implementation, ensuring that ambitious goals are not set without clear mechanisms for action. He also called for creating a dedicated institutional space for UN agencies with strong social mandates to collaborate strategically, enhancing the Economic and Social Council’s role in fostering integrated solutions.  “The 1995 Copenhagen Summit was known as the ‘People’s Summit’, and we must reignite that spirit today,” he concluded.

    Valérie Berset Bircher, Deputy Head of the International Labour Affairs Division of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, said that advances have been made since Copenhagen.  “Extreme poverty has declined, life expectancy has increased, more children are in school and the world has witnessed economic growth,” she said.  The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has slowed progress.  “We need to have policies, measures and action that ensure that we are truly leaving no one behind,” she added.  Wealth inequality in the last several years has widened, leaving many unable to benefit from economic growth.  Women, young people and informal workers often lack access to stable jobs, fair wages and social protection.  As it prepares for the upcoming Summit in Doha, Switzerland will focus on policies that strengthen labour institutions and individual capacity to take advantage of the opportunities offered by today’s changing world, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable groups.

    Mario Nava, Director-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, outlined efforts undertaken by the bloc.  Social rights are “at the centre of our action” with three headline targets that deal with employment, skill development and poverty eradication.  On the latter, the bloc will propose its first anti-poverty strategy in 2026 addressing the root causes of the scourge.  It will strengthen its child guarantee supported by the European Social Fund.  A new pact for European social dialogue has been agreed and will be signed at the beginning of March, he noted.  Looking forward, the views of social partners and civil society must be duly considered at the second Summit, where world leaders must renew the social contract, rebuild trust and embrace a comprehensive vision of human rights. International labour standards remain the basis for social development, he added.

    Anousheh Karvar, French Government representative to the International Labor Organization (ILO) and to the G-7 and G-20 for labour, employment and social protection, said that it is time to bring about social justice to as many people as possible.  There are many challenges that remain unresolved.  “As we speak, more than half of the world population does not have access to any social protections,” she stressed.  For 30 years, there has been a “certain fatigue”, she went on to say, urging the need to “breathe new life into the social agenda”.  The November 2025 Summit in Doha must not limit itself to “stock taking or goal setting”.  It must also call upon the world to come to an agreement on how to achieve development goals.  “We must fully implement the standards and norms set by the International Labour Organization (ILO) for more than 100 years,” she urged.

    Eleni Nikolaidou, Expert Minister Counsellor and Deputy Director General of Hellenic Aid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, said that the second Summit must advocate for sustained, long-term investment in social protection and employment programmes, strengthening social protection systems.  The Summit must also ensure equitable access to quality education and universal access to healthcare.  It must promote policies that support active aging by ensuring the inclusion of older persons in social, economic and cultural life, and leverage technology and digital transformation.  The Summit must also strengthen the rights of persons with disabilities by implementing comprehensive policies that promote accessibility, social inclusion and equal opportunities.  “Finally, we need a clear road map for action beyond 2025 — the Summit should not only review past commitments but set out specific, time-bound goals for implementation, with monitoring mechanisms to track progress and accountability,” she said.

    Fabio Veras, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Applied Economic Research, and Head of the International Policy Center for Inclusive Development, said that the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few continues to hinder social mobility.  Climate change, armed conflicts and economic crises amplify existing vulnerabilities, undermining progress and hindering the achievements of the SDGs.  “The lack of adequate social coverage, particularly in low-income countries, further compromises progress on the SDGs,” he said.  “Billions of people remain unprotected against life’s inherent risks perpetuating cycles of poverty and vulnerability,” he went on to say.  Further, he urged the need for a fundamental review of the international financial system to ensure that developing countries have access to affordable, long-term financing.  “Expanding universal social protection is necessary for reducing poverty, eradicating hunger and reducing inequality,” he added.

    Charles Katoanga, Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development at the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced the following four reports of the Secretary-General:  “Strengthening social cohesion through social inclusion” (document E/CN.5/2025/3); Social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (document E/CN.5/2025/2); Policies and programmes involving youth (document E/CN.5/2025/4); and Modalities for the fifth review and appraisal of the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, 2002 (document E/CN.5/2025/5).  He also introduced a note of the Secretary-General on “Social resilience and social development” (document E/CN.5/2025/7).

    In other business, the Commission elected, by acclamation, Joslyne Kwishaka (Burundi), AlMaha Mubarak Al-Thani (Qatar) and Oliver Gruenbacher (Austria) as Vice-Chairs, and designated Vice-Chair Paola Andrea Morris Garrido (Guatemala) to serve as Rapporteur.  The Commission also adopted the provisional agenda (document E/CN.5/2025/1).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Flow Capital Announces Performance Stock Unit Grant

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Flow Capital Corp. (TSXV:FW) (“Flow Capital”) has announced the issuance of 100,000 new Performance Stock Units (PSU’s) to certain officers of the Company under its omnibus long term incentive plan.  The PSU’s will vest upon the attainment of certain performance criteria including certain levels of share price and certain levels of free cash flow.

    About Flow Capital 

    Flow Capital Corp. is a publicly listed growth venture debt lender dedicated to supporting high-growth companies. Since its inception in 2018, the Company has provided financing to businesses in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada, helping them achieve accelerated growth without the dilutive impact of equity financing or the complexities of traditional bank loans. Flow Capital focuses on revenue-generating companies seeking $2 to $10 million in capital to drive their continued expansion. For more information on Flow Capital, please visit  www.flowcap.com.

    For further information, please contact:

    Flow Capital Corp.

    Alex Baluta
    ‎Chief Executive Officer
    ‎alex@flowcap.com

    47 Colborne Street, Suite 303,
    ‎Toronto, Ontario M5E 1P8

    Forward-Looking Information and Statements

    Certain statements herein may be “forward-looking” statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Flow or the industry to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to vary significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect current assumptions and expectations regarding future events and operating performance and are made as of the date hereof. Flow assumes no obligation, except as required by law, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of minimum investment amount increase for the EdgePoint Canadian Portfolio

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EdgePoint Wealth Management Inc. (“EdgePoint”) announced today that it is changing the minimum amount of an initial investment in the EdgePoint Canadian Portfolio (the “Fund”) from $20,000 (the “Previous Minimum”) to $100,000 (the “New Minimum”).

    The New Minimum investment amount must be met per account and per Fund series. The minimum initial investment is subject to change at EdgePoint’s discretion.

    Why is EdgePoint raising the Fund’s minimum initial investment amount?

    The Canadian marketplace offers compelling investment opportunities; however, its size can pose investment restrictions. EdgePoint monitors the Fund’s size and inflows to ensure the Investment Team retains the flexibility needed to capitalize on them.

    The minimum increase is not being made due to capacity constraints today, but to potentially avoid them in the future. The flexibility to look anywhere in Canada for businesses undergoing positive change unrecognized by the market will never be compromised.

    One of EdgePoint’s measures of success is working with advisors who are aligned with its long-term investment approach. It is important to avoid attracting short-term performance chasers rather than like-minded investors.

    Raising the minimum investment threshold is a way of measuring an advisor’s alignment with EdgePoint by asking them to put their money (and conviction) where their mouth is. While this change does not guarantee alignment, it reinforces EdgePoint’s goal of delivering strong long-term returns while prioritizing the best interests of its investors. A stronger, more aligned investor base will create a better experience for all.

    EdgePoint is not an asset gathering firm. Selling and promoting a fund based on performance always serves the needs of the investment firm over the investor. These are necessary steps to protect the integrity of the Fund and to allow EdgePoint to continue building wealth for their long term and very aligned Canadian investors.

    Additional information about the Fund, including the simplified prospectus and Fund Facts, can be found on the Fund’s SEDAR+ profile at www.SEDARPLUS.ca or on EdgePoint’s website at www.edgepointwealth.com.

    ABOUT EDGEPOINT WEALTH MANAGEMENT

    EdgePoint Wealth Management Inc. is an independent investment management firm based in Toronto and owned and operated by investors.

    Contact: Patrick Farmer at 416.963.9353 or farmer@edgepointwealth.com.

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

    This is not an offer to purchase. Mutual funds can only be purchased through a registered Dealer. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the simplified prospectus before investing. Copies are available from your financial advisor or at www.edgepointwealth.com. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. EdgePoint is a registered trademark of EdgePoint Investment Group Inc. EdgePoint® and Owned and Operated by Investors™ are trademarks of EdgePoint Investment Group Inc.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: PrairieSky Announces Fourth Quarter and Year-End Results for 2024, Including Record Annual Oil Royalty Production and Increased Annual Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PrairieSky Royalty Ltd. (“PrairieSky” or the “Company”) (TSX: PSK) is pleased to announce its fourth quarter and year-end operating and financial results for the period ended December 31, 2024. PrairieSky is also pleased to announce a 4% increase in its annual dividend policy to $1.04 per common share ($0.26 per common share quarterly).

    Fourth Quarter Highlights:

    • Oil royalty production volumes averaged 13,317 barrels per day, a 4% increase over Q4 2023(1), driven by strong third-party activity in the Mannville Stack(2) and Clearwater. Total royalty production averaged 24,982 BOE per day, a 2% decrease from Q4 2023 due to declines in natural gas and NGL production.
    • Royalty production revenue of $115.6 million combined with other revenue of $20.0 million to generate total revenues of $135.6 million for Q4 2024(1). Other revenue included bonus consideration of $15.8 million earned on entering into 60 new leasing arrangements focused on light and heavy oil targets across a number of different plays.
    • Funds from operations totaled $99.0 million or $0.41 per share, 11% below Q4 2023 primarily due to lower natural gas benchmark pricing.
    • Declared a fourth quarter dividend of $59.9 million ($0.25 per common share), representing a payout ratio of 61%.
    • Completed $31.5 million of both producing and non-producing royalty interest acquisitions primarily targeting light and heavy oil plays in Central Alberta and Saskatchewan. Acquisitions of producing assets (50 BOE per day) closed in late December 2024.

    Annual Highlights:

    • Record annual oil royalty production volumes averaged 13,125 barrels per day, a 6% increase over YE 2023(1). Total royalty production averaged 25,186 BOE per day, a 1% increase over YE 2023 as higher oil royalty volumes were partially offset by lower natural gas and NGL royalty volumes due to shut-ins and declines related to weak benchmark natural gas pricing.
    • Royalty production revenue of $465.8 million combined with other revenue of $43.4 million to generate total revenues of $509.2 million for YE 2024(1). Other revenue included bonus consideration of $30.8 million earned on entering into 219 new leasing arrangements focused on light and heavy oil targets across a number of different plays.
    • Funds from operations totaled $380.5 million or $1.59 per share, 1% below YE 2023.
    • Corporate proved plus probable reserves totaled 63,653 MBOE relative to 65,762 MBOE at December 31, 2023. Proved plus probable oil reserves totaled 26,620 Mbbl, a 3.5% increase over the prior year primarily due to drilling extensions in the Clearwater, Duvernay and Mannville light and heavy oil plays.
    • Declared cumulative annual dividends of $239.0 million ($1.00 per common share), representing a payout ratio of 63%.
    • Completed $57.3 million of both producing and non-producing royalty interest acquisitions primarily targeting light and heavy oil plays in Central Alberta and Saskatchewan.
    • Net debt totaled $134.9 million as at December 31, 2024, a decrease of $87.2 million or 39% since December 31, 2023.

    Dividend Increase:

    • PrairieSky is pleased to announce a 4% increase in its annual dividend policy to $1.04 per common share, to be paid on a quarterly basis ($0.26 per common share quarterly). Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, the first quarterly dividend of $0.26 per common share is expected to be effective for the March 31, 2025 record date.
    		  
       

    President’s Message

    Oil royalty production averaged 13,317 barrels per day in Q4 2024 and drove funds from operations which totaled $99.0 million ($0.41 per share). These results capped off a strong 2024 with annual funds from operations of $380.5 million ($1.59 per share) and record annual oil royalty production of 13,125 barrels per day, a 6% increase over YE 2023. The growth in oil royalty volumes is a direct result of our strategy of investing in royalties in low-cost oil plays. For 2024, oil royalty production from the Clearwater and Mannville Stack plays represented 21% of total oil royalty production, up from 17% in 2023. The momentum in these plays is expected to continue into 2025 and beyond. We have also seen strong initial results from new wells on our West Shale Duvernay acreage as well as incremental well licensing, which we expect to provide growth in high netback light oil volumes in 2025.

    Third-party operators spud 205 wells on PrairieSky’s royalty acreage during Q4 2024, an increase from 197 wells spud in Q4 2023. The average royalty rate for wells spud in the quarter was 6.2% (Q4 2023 – 7.2%). There were 46 wells spud in the Clearwater, a 5% increase over Q4 2023, with an additional 13 wells spud in the Mannville Stack in the quarter. This brought 2024 annual spuds on PrairieSky’s royalty properties to 741 wells, as compared to 805 wells in 2023, with an average royalty rate of 5.9% (2023 – 7.2%). Multi-lateral drilling continues to increase on our lands accounting for 77 of the spuds in the quarter and bringing 2024 annual multi-lateral drilling to 36% of the activity on our royalty lands versus 31% in YE 2023. Increased multi-lateral drilling activity helped drive the 3.5% increase in proved plus probable oil reserves to 26,620 Mbbl. Corporate proved plus probable reserves decreased to 63,653 MBOE primarily due to lower natural gas pricing impacting both the level of activity in 2024 and future economics.

    Strong oil royalty volumes generated royalty revenue of $100.0 million and represented 87% of total royalty production revenue of $115.6 million for Q4 2024. Natural gas royalty production of 55.1 MMcf per day and NGL royalty production of 2,482 barrels per day decreased 9% and 8% in the quarter, respectively, as compared to Q4 2023 due to lower third-party drilling activity driven by weak natural gas benchmark pricing with daily AECO index pricing averaging $1.48 per Mcf. Natural gas royalty revenue totaled $6.3 million and NGL royalty revenue totaled $9.3 million in the quarter. Total royalty production averaged 24,982 BOE per day in Q4 2024, 2% lower than Q4 2023. PrairieSky’s annual total royalty production averaged 25,186 BOE per day, 1% ahead of YE 2023, and generated annual royalty production revenue of $465.8 million, 2% behind YE 2023.

    Leasing continued to be busy across a number of oil plays including the Duvernay, Mannville and Mannville Stack. Our team issued 60 new leases to 47 separate counterparties and earned $15.8 million in lease bonus consideration in the quarter, which included non-cash consideration of $8.2 million for certain leases that were exchanged for a non-producing gross overriding royalty interest targeting Mannville heavy oil with polymer enhanced oil recovery(3) potential. For YE 2024, lease bonus consideration totaled $30.8 million from issuing 219 new leases to 101 separate counterparties, the second highest number of leases issued in a single year as third-party operators looked to build out their drilling inventories.

    In addition to active leasing in the quarter, PrairieSky acquired $31.5 million of incremental producing and non-producing royalty interests focused on heavy and light oil plays in Central Alberta and Saskatchewan. Acquisitions of producing assets, approximately 50 BOE per day, closed in late December 2024. PrairieSky also entered into an arrangement with a third-party operator to provide a letter of credit which secured their bank facility in order to provide capital to the operator to advance its Montney oil drilling program where PrairieSky has a royalty interest. The letter of credit is secured by a debenture over certain of the third-party operator’s assets. For YE 2024, acquisitions of producing and non-producing royalty properties totaled $57.3 million and were focused on heavy and light oil plays in Central Alberta and Saskatchewan. On January 10, 2025, PrairieSky completed an acquisition of fee lands, lessor interests and gross overriding royalty interests primarily in Central Alberta and Southeast Saskatchewan for cash consideration of $50 million, before customary closing adjustments. The acquisition is expected to add approximately 350 BOE per day of production (65% liquids).

    PrairieSky declared a dividend of $0.25 per share or $59.9 million in the quarter with a resulting payout ratio of 61%. Excess funds from operations, after the payment of the dividend and acquisitions, were used to reduce PrairieSky’s net debt which totaled $134.9 million at December 31, 2024, a decrease of $87.2 million from December 31, 2023. During the quarter, PrairieSky amended its credit facility, voluntarily reducing it to $350 million from $725 million. The credit facility provides for a permitted increase up to $600 million, subject to lender consent. Management believes PrairieSky’s high margin, low-cost business model is uniquely suited to provide sustainable returns to shareholders through all commodity price cycles and we are pleased to announce a 4% increase to our annual dividend policy to $1.04 per common share annually ($0.26 per share quarterly). Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, the first quarterly dividend of $0.26 per common share is expected to be effective for the March 31, 2025 record date.

    The level of activity on our land base and cash flow generation underscores the benefits of our strategy of investing in low-cost oil plays and the optionality of owning fee mineral title acreage. I am very pleased with our 2024 annual results and the trajectory of the business. I would like to thank our staff for their hard work throughout the year and our shareholders for their continued support.

    Andrew Phillips, President & CEO

    ACTIVITY ON PRAIRIESKY’S ROYALTY PROPERTIES

    Third-party operators continued to be active across PrairieSky’s land base in Q4 2024. There were 205 wells spud (97% oil wells) in the quarter which included 114 wells on GORR acreage, 80 wells on Fee Lands, and 11 unit wells. There were a total of 198 oil wells spud during the quarter which included 55 Mannville light and heavy oil wells, 46 Clearwater wells, 28 Viking wells, 22 Mississippian wells, 17 Bakken wells and 30 additional oil wells spud in the Belly River, Cardium, Charlie Lake, Devonian, Duvernay, Montney, Nisku, and Triassic formations. There were 3 Montney natural gas wells spud in Q4 2024 as well as additional gas wells in the Mannville and Viking formations. PrairieSky’s average royalty rate for wells spud in Q4 2024 was 6.2% (Q4 2023 – 7.2%). 2024 annual spuds on PrairieSky’s royalty properties totaled 741 wells, as compared to 805 wells in 2023, with an average royalty rate of 5.9% (2023 – 7.2%).

    For YE 2024, PrairieSky estimates that $1.9 billion (net – $93 million) in third-party capital was spent drilling and completing wells on PrairieSky’s royalty properties, a decrease from $2.0 billion (net capital – $112 million) in YE 2023. Activity on PrairieSky’s lands drove a 3.5% increase in proved plus probable oil reserves as discussed further below.

    ANNUAL DIVIDEND INCREASED 4% TO $1.04 PER SHARE

    PrairieSky is pleased to announce a 4% increase in its annual dividend policy to $1.04 per common share in 2025, to be paid on a quarterly basis. Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, the first quarterly dividend of $0.26 per common share is expected to be effective for the March 31, 2025 record date. In determining changes to the dividend policy, the Board of Directors considers a number of factors including current and projected activity levels on PrairieSky’s royalty lands, the current commodity price environment, the working capital and bank debt balance and net earnings of the Company.

    2024 RESERVES INFORMATION

    PrairieSky’s proved plus probable oil reserves increased 3.5% to 26,620 MBOE at December 31, 2024, as drilling extensions and improved recoveries outpaced annual production. PrairieSky’s corporate proved plus probable reserves totaled 63,653 MBOE at December 31, 2024 (December 31, 2023 – 65,762 MBOE). Proved plus probable reserves decreased from 2023, with positive year over year changes to oil reserves outpaced by declines in natural gas and NGL reserves, primarily as a result of lower natural gas pricing impacting both activity on the royalty properties in 2024 and the future economics of certain natural gas plays using the pricing assumptions at December 31, 2024. The increase in oil proved plus probable reserves drove a 5% increase in the before-tax net present value of total proved plus probable reserves, discounted at 10%, to $1.93 billion (2023 – $1.84 billion). Changes to proved plus probable reserves comprised of additions related to third-party drilling and improved recovery (7,131 MBOE), technical additions (624 MBOE) and acquisitions (205 MBOE) less 2024 royalty production volumes of 9,218 MBOE and economic factors (851 MBOE). PrairieSky’s proved plus probable reserves include only developed assets (developed producing and developed non-producing properties) and do not include any future development capital on undeveloped lands.

    PrairieSky’s YE 2024 reserves were evaluated by independent reserves evaluators GLJ Ltd. The evaluation of PrairieSky’s royalty properties was done in accordance with the definitions, standards and procedures contained in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook and National Instrument 51-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities. PrairieSky’s reserves information is included in the Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

    2025 INVESTOR DAY

    PrairieSky will be hosting an investor day on May 14, 2025, in Calgary, Alberta, where members of PrairieSky’s management team will present details on the Company’s oil and natural gas plays. The investor day will be webcast starting at 9:30 a.m. MDT (11:30 a.m. EDT). Interested parties may participate in the webcast which will be available through PrairieSky’s investor center at www.prairiesky.com. The webcast will be archived and accessible for replay after the event.

    NOTES AND REFERENCES

    (1) In this press release, the financial reporting periods are referred to as follows:  “Q4 2024” or “the quarter” refers to the three months ended December 31, 2024; “YE 2024” or “the year” refers to the year ended December 31, 2024; “Q4 2023” and “YE 2023” refer to the three months and year ended December 31, 2023, respectively.

    (2) For further details on the “Mannville Stack”, we refer you to PrairieSky’s most recent Corporate Presentation contained on PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

    (3) “enhanced oil recovery” means the extraction of additional crude oil, natural gas, and related substances from reservoirs through a production process other than natural depletion; includes both secondary and tertiary recovery processes such as pressure maintenance, cycling, waterflooding, thermal methods, chemical flooding, and using miscible and immiscible displacement fluids.
     

    Unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, terms used in this press release but not defined above are as defined in in the Company’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024 which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

    FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL INFORMATION

    The following table summarizes select operational and financial information of the Company for the periods noted. All dollar amounts are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

    A full version of PrairieSky’s management’s discussion and analysis (“MD&A”) and annual audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2024 is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

      Three months ended Year ended
      December 31 September 30 December 31 December 31 December 31
    ($ millions, except per share or as otherwise noted) 2024 2024 2023 2024 2023
    FINANCIAL          
    Revenues 135.6   117.3   136.6   509.2   513.2  
               
    Funds from operations 99.0   92.4   111.1   380.5   382.5  
    Per share – basic and diluted(1) 0.41   0.39   0.46   1.59   1.60  
               
    Net earnings 60.2   47.3   67.4   215.3   227.6  
    Per share – basic and diluted(1) 0.25   0.20   0.28   0.90   0.95  
               
    Dividends declared(2) 59.9   59.7   57.3   239.0   229.2  
    Per share 0.25   0.25   0.24   1.00   0.96  
               
    Dividend payout ratio(3) 61 % 65 % 52 % 63 % 60 %
               
    Acquisitions – including non-cash consideration(4) 31.5   4.7   22.2   57.3   58.4  
    Net debt(5) 134.9   149.6   222.1   134.9   222.1  
               
    Shares outstanding          
    Shares outstanding at period end 239.0   239.0   239.0   239.0   239.0  
    Weighted average – basic and diluted 239.0   239.0   239.0   239.0   239.0  
               
    OPERATIONAL          
    Royalty production volumes          
    Crude oil (bbls/d) 13,317   12,733   12,844   13,125   12,438  
    NGL (bbls/d) 2,482   2,189   2,697   2,378   2,502  
    Natural gas (MMcf/d) 55.1   57.0   60.4   58.1   59.5  
    Royalty Production (BOE/d)(6) 24,982   24,422   25,608   25,186   24,857  
               
    Realized pricing          
    Crude oil ($/bbl) 81.66   85.90   83.27   84.12   82.52  
    NGL ($/bbl) 40.68   41.10   46.07   43.28   47.60  
    Natural gas ($/Mcf) 1.23   0.50   2.19   1.13   2.60  
    Total ($/BOE)(6) 50.30   49.63   51.78   50.53   52.31  
               
    Operating netback per BOE(7) 45.86   46.65   48.68   45.82   46.32  
               
    Funds from operations per BOE 43.07   41.12   47.16   41.28   42.16  
               
    Oil price benchmarks          
    West Texas Intermediate (WTI) (US$/bbl) 70.27   75.10   78.32   75.72   77.62  
    Edmonton light sweet ($/bbl) 94.90   97.77   99.72   97.55   100.46  
    Western Canadian Select (WCS) crude oil differential to WTI (US$/bbl) (12.55 ) (13.55 ) (21.89 ) (14.76 ) (18.65 )
               
    Natural gas price benchmarks          
    AECO Monthly Index ($/Mcf) 1.46   0.81   2.66   1.44   2.93  
    AECO Daily Index ($/Mcf) 1.48   0.69   2.30   1.46   2.64  
               
    Foreign exchange rate (US$/CAD$) 0.7147   0.7341   0.7343   0.7299   0.7410  
    (1) Funds from operations and net earnings per share are calculated using the weighted average number of basic and diluted common shares outstanding.
    (2) A dividend of $0.25 per share was declared on December 3, 2024. The dividend was paid on January 15, 2025 to shareholders of record as at December 31, 2024.
    (3) Dividend payout ratio is defined under the “Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios” section of this press release.
    (4) Excluding right-of-use asset additions.
    (5) See Note 16 “Capital Management” in the annual audited consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 and Note 14 “Capital Management” in the interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.
    (6) See “Conversions of Natural Gas to BOE”.
    (7) Operating netback per BOE is defined under the “Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios” section of this press release.
     

    CONFERENCE CALL DETAILS

    A conference call to discuss the results will be held for the investment community on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, beginning at 6:30 a.m. MST (8:30 a.m. EST). To participate in the conference call, you are asked to register at one of the links provided below. Details regarding the call will be provided to you upon registration.

    Live call participant registration
    URL: https://register.vevent.com/register/BIec7e34fab05745059bfbdddfab97dbdb

    Live webcast participant registration (listen in only)
    URL: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/xfyj3o3u

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This press release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) which may include, but are not limited to PrairieSky’s future plans, current expectations and views of future operations and contains forward-looking statements that the Company believes allow readers to better understand the Company’s business and prospects. The use of any of the words “expect”, “expected to”, “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “objective”, “ongoing”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “should”, “believe”, “plans”, “intends”, “strategy” and similar expressions (including negative variations) are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, estimates regarding our expectations with respect to PrairieSky’s business and growth strategy and trajectory, including the benefits of the Company’s strategy of investing in low-cost oil plays and the optionality of owning fee mineral title acreage, the expectation that the production growth momentum in the Clearwater and Mannville Stack heavy oil plays will continue, the expectation that incremental well licensing in the Duvernay play will provide growth in high netback light oil volumes in 2025 and the expectation that, subject to approval of the Board of Directors, PrairieSky will declare a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per common share for shareholders of record on March 31, 2025.

    With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this press release, PrairieSky has made several assumptions including those described in detail in our MD&A and the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024. Readers and investors are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such forward-looking information and statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. PrairieSky’s actual results, performance, or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. PrairieSky can give no assurance that any of the events anticipated will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits the Company will derive from them.

    By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond PrairieSky’s control, including the impact of general economic conditions including inflation, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, lack of pipeline capacity, currency fluctuations, increasing interest rates, imprecision of reserve estimates, competitive factors impacting royalty rates, environmental risks, taxation, regulation, changes in tax or other legislation, competition from other industry participants, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility, political and geopolitical instability, the imposition of any tariffs or other restrictive trade measures or countermeasures affecting trade between Canada and the United States and the Company’s ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. In addition, PrairieSky is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties in relation to acquisitions. These risks and uncertainties include risks relating to the potential for disputes to arise with counterparties, and limited ability to recover indemnification under certain agreements. The foregoing and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions are described in more detail in PrairieSky’s MD&A, and the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the headings “Risk Management” and “Risk Factors”, respectively, each of which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com and PrairieSky’s website at www.prairiesky.com.

    Further, any forward-looking statement is made only as of the date of this press release, and PrairieSky undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable securities laws. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for PrairieSky to predict all of these factors or to assess, in advance, the impact of each such factor on PrairieSky’s business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    CONVERSIONS OF NATURAL GAS TO BOE

    To provide a single unit of production for analytical purposes, natural gas production and reserves volumes are converted mathematically to equivalent barrels of oil (BOE). PrairieSky uses the industry-accepted standard conversion of six thousand cubic feet of natural gas to one barrel of oil (6 Mcf = 1 bbl). The 6:1 BOE ratio is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip. It does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead and is not based on either energy content or current prices. While the BOE ratio is useful for comparative measures and observing trends, it does not accurately reflect individual product values and might be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. As well, given that the value ratio, based on the current price of crude oil to natural gas, is significantly different from the 6:1 energy equivalency ratio, using a 6:1 conversion ratio may be misleading as an indication of value.

    NON-GAAP MEASURES AND RATIOS

    Certain measures and ratios in this document do not have any standardized meaning as prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, are considered non-GAAP measures and ratios. These measures and ratios may not be comparable to similar measures and ratios presented by other issuers. These measures and ratios are commonly used in the oil and natural gas industry and by PrairieSky to provide potential investors with additional information regarding the Company’s liquidity and its ability to generate funds to conduct its business. Non-GAAP measures and ratios include operating netback per BOE and dividend payout ratio. Management’s use of these measures and ratios is discussed further below. Further information can be found in the Non-GAAP Measures and Ratios section of PrairieSky’s MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023.

    “Operating netback per BOE” represents the cash margin for products sold on a BOE basis. Operating netback per BOE is calculated by dividing the operating netback (royalty production revenue less production and mineral taxes and cash administrative expenses) by the average daily production volumes for the period. Operating netback per BOE is used to assess the cash generating and operating performance per unit of product sold and the comparability of the underlying performance between years. Operating netback per BOE measures are commonly used in the oil and natural gas industry to assess performance comparability. Refer to the Operating Results table on page 7 of PrairieSky’s MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 and page 7 of PrairieSky’s MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.

      Three months ended Year ended
      December 31 September 30 December 31 December 31 December 31
    ($ millions) 2024 2024 2023 2024 2023
    Cash from operating activities 91.3   109.6   128.0   379.9   318.9  
    Other revenue (20.0 ) (5.8 ) (14.6 ) (43.4 ) (38.6 )
    Other revenue – non-cash 8.2   –   –   8.2   0.5  
    Amortization of debt issuance costs (0.2 ) (0.1 ) (0.1 ) (0.5 ) (0.4 )
    Finance expense 2.3   2.7   3.9   12.2   17.5  
    Current tax expense 16.2   15.6   14.4   65.5   58.8  
    Interest on lease obligation (0.1 ) –   –   (0.1 ) –  
    Net change in non-cash working capital 7.7   (17.2 ) (16.9 ) 0.6   63.6  
    Operating netback 105.4   104.8   114.7   422.4   420.3  
                         

    “Operating Margin” represents operating netback as a percentage of royalty production revenue. Management uses this measure to demonstrate the comparability between the Company and production and exploration companies in the oil and natural gas industry as it shows net revenue generation from operations.

      Three months ended Year ended
      December 31 September 30 December 31 December 31 December 31
    ($ millions) 2024 2024 2023 2024 2023
    Royalty production revenue 115.6   111.5   122.0   465.8   474.6  
    Operating netback 105.4   104.8   114.7   422.4   420.3  
    Operating margin 91 % 94 % 94 % 91 % 89 %
                         

    “Dividend payout ratio” is calculated as dividends declared as a percentage of funds from operations. Payout ratio is used by dividend paying companies to assess dividend levels in relation to the funds generated and used in operating activities.

      Three months ended Year ended
      December 31 September 30 December 31 December 31 December 31
    ($ millions, except otherwise noted) 2024 2024 2023 2024 2023
    Funds from operations 99.0   92.4   111.1   380.5   382.5  
    Dividends declared 59.9   59.7   57.3   239.0   229.2  
    Dividend payout ratio 61 % 65 % 52 % 63 % 60 %
                         

    ABOUT PRAIRIESKY ROYALTY LTD.

    PrairieSky is a royalty company, generating royalty production revenues as oil and natural gas are produced from its properties. PrairieSky has a diverse portfolio of properties that have a long history of generating funds from operations and that represent the largest and most consolidated independently-owned fee simple mineral title position in Canada. PrairieSky’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol PSK.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

    Andrew M. Phillips
    President & Chief Executive Officer
    PrairieSky Royalty Ltd.
    (587) 293-4005

    Michael T. Murphy
    Vice-President, Geosciences & Capital Markets
    PrairieSky Royalty Ltd.
    (587) 293-4056

    Investor Relations
    (587) 293-4000
    www.prairiesky.com

    		 Pamela P. Kazeil
    Senior Vice-President, Finance & Chief Financial
    Officer
    PrairieSky Royalty Ltd.
    (587) 293-4089

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    The MIL Network –

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    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had meetings with artificial intelligence (AI) business leaders, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, the CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, Lisa Su, the founder and Chairman of OVHCloud, Octave Klaba, the co-founder and CEO of Hugging Face, Clément Delangue, and the CEO of Arm, Rene Haas.

    During these meetings, Prime Minister Trudeau positioned Canada as an ideal partner for AI innovation. He highlighted Canada’s world-class research institutions, vibrant AI ecosystem, top talent, diverse startups, and strong government support through initiatives like the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. He also emphasized Canada’s commitment to developing AI through an ethical and responsible approach.

    The Prime Minister noted how Canada is well placed to lead and power AI innovation, thanks to its abundant supply of critical minerals, clean and reliable energy, and growing semiconductor industry. He also emphasized that, as G7 President, Canada would continue to demonstrate leadership in advancing security, prosperity, and partnerships, including through AI adoption, energy, and inclusion.

    These meetings were an opportunity for the Prime Minister to hear directly from the world’s leading companies in the AI ecosystem. They also helped deepen commercial relations between Canada and our partners across the United States and the European Union.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

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    Source: NASA

    Euclid, an ESA (European Space Agency) mission with NASA contributions, has made a surprising discovery in our cosmic backyard: a phenomenon called an Einstein ring.
    An Einstein ring is light from a distant galaxy bending to form a ring that appears aligned with a foreground object. The name honors Albert Einstein, whose general theory of relativity predicts that light will bend and brighten around objects in space.
    In this way, particularly massive objects like galaxies and galaxy clusters serve as cosmic magnifying glasses, bringing even more distant objects into view. Scientists call this gravitational lensing.
    Euclid Archive Scientist Bruno Altieri noticed a hint of an Einstein ring among images from the spacecraft’s early testing phase in September 2023.
    “Even from that first observation, I could see it, but after Euclid made more observations of the area, we could see a perfect Einstein ring,” Altieri said. “For me, with a lifelong interest in gravitational lensing, that was amazing.”
    The ring appears to encircle the center of a well-studied elliptical galaxy called NGC 6505, which is around 590 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. That may sound far, but on the scale of the entire universe, NGC 6505 is close by. Thanks to Euclid’s high-resolution instruments, this is the first time that the ring of light surrounding the galaxy has been detected.  
    Light from a much more distant bright galaxy, some 4.42 billion light-years away, creates the ring in the image. Gravity distorted this light as it traveled toward us. This faraway galaxy hasn’t been observed before and doesn’t yet have a name. 
    “An Einstein ring is an example of strong gravitational lensing,” explained Conor O’Riordan, of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Germany, and lead author of the first scientific paper analyzing the ring. “All strong lenses are special, because they’re so rare, and they’re incredibly useful scientifically. This one is particularly special, because it’s so close to Earth and the alignment makes it very beautiful.” 
    Einstein rings are a rich laboratory for scientists to explore many mysteries of the universe. For example, an invisible form of matter called dark matter contributes to the bending of light into a ring, so this is an indirect way to study dark matter. Einstein rings are also relevant to the expansion of the universe because the space between us and these galaxies — both in the foreground and the background — is stretching. Scientists can also learn about the background galaxy itself.
    “I find it very intriguing that this ring was observed within a well-known galaxy, which was first discovered in 1884,” said Valeria Pettorino, ESA Euclid project scientist. “The galaxy has been known to astronomers for a very long time. And yet this ring was never observed before. This demonstrates how powerful Euclid is, finding new things even in places we thought we knew well. This discovery is very encouraging for the future of the Euclid mission and demonstrates its fantastic capabilities.” 

    By exploring how the universe has expanded and formed over its cosmic history, Euclid will reveal more about the role of gravity and the nature of dark energy and dark matter. Dark energy is the mysterious force that appears to be causing the universe’s expansion. The space telescope will map more than a third of the sky, observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light-years. It is expected to find around 100,000 strong gravitational lenses.  
    “Euclid is going to revolutionize the field with all this data we’ve never had before,” added O’Riordan.  
    Although finding this Einstein ring is an achievement, Euclid must look for a different, less visually obvious type of gravitational lensing called “weak lensing” to help fulfil its quest of understanding dark energy. In weak lensing, background galaxies appear only mildly stretched or displaced. To detect this effect, scientists will need to analyze billions of galaxies.
    Euclid launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, July 1, 2023, and began its detailed survey of the sky Feb. 14, 2024. The mission is gradually creating the most extensive 3D map of the universe yet. The Einstein ring find so early in its mission indicates Euclid is on course to uncover many more secrets of the universe. 
    More About Euclid
    Euclid is a European mission, built and operated by ESA, with contributions from NASA. The Euclid Consortium — consisting of more than 2,000 scientists from 300 institutes in 15 European countries, the United States, Canada, and Japan — is responsible for providing the scientific instruments and scientific data analysis. ESA selected Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor for the construction of the satellite and its service module, with Airbus Defence and Space chosen to develop the payload module, including the telescope. Euclid is a medium-class mission in ESA’s Cosmic Vision Programme.
    Three NASA-supported science teams contribute to the Euclid mission. In addition to designing and fabricating the sensor-chip electronics for Euclid’s Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) instrument, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory led the procurement and delivery of the NISP detectors as well. Those detectors, along with the sensor chip electronics, were tested at NASA’s Detector Characterization Lab at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Euclid NASA Science Center at IPAC (ENSCI), at Caltech in Pasadena, California, will archive the science data and support U.S.-based science investigations. JPL is a division of Caltech.
    Media Contacts
    Elizabeth LandauHeadquarters, Washington202-358-0845elandau@nasa.gov
    Calla CofieldJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-808-2469calla.e.cofield@jpl.nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mahakumbh 2025: Over 7 Lakh Pilgrims treated at Prayagraj; Experts from AIIMS and BHU join forces with Specialists from Canada, Germany, Russia

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Mahakumbh 2025: Over 7 Lakh Pilgrims treated at Prayagraj; Experts from AIIMS and BHU join forces with Specialists from Canada, Germany, Russia

    World-Class Treatment with Allopathy and AYUSH Medicine in place; 23 Allopathic and 20 AYUSH Hospitals in Operation

    3,800 Minor and 12 Major Surgeries Completed, 3.71 Lakh Pilgrims underwent Pathology Tests

    Posted On: 10 FEB 2025 7:13PM by PIB Delhi

    The health of pilgrims is being given top priority at the Mahakumbh 2025, and the Mela administration has ensured extensive medical arrangements are in place. From common ailments to specialized treatments, comprehensive healthcare facilities are available. So far, over 7 lakh pilgrims have been treated. To make the healthcare services world-class, specialists from Canada, Germany, Russia, along with doctors from AIIMS Delhi and IMS BHU, are working tirelessly on the ground.

    Dr. Gaurav Dubey, the nodal medical officer of the Kumbh Mela, shared that more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims have been treated at 23 allopathic hospitals, and over 3.71 lakh pilgrims have undergone pathology tests. Additionally, more than 3,800 minor surgeries and 12 major surgeries have been successfully completed.

    Over 2.18 Lakh Pilgrims Treated with AYUSH Medicine

    With the collaboration of the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, and Uttar Pradesh AYUSH Society, 20 AYUSH hospitals (10 Ayurveda and 10 Homeopathy) are operating 24/7 in the Kumbh Mela area. To date, over 2.18 lakh pilgrims have benefited from Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Naturopathy treatments. Specialists from AIIMS Ayurveda, Delhi, including Dr. V.K. Joshi, Dean of BHU, Dr. Thomas from Canada, and many other medical experts from around the world, are treating pilgrims at the Kumbh Mela.

    Pilgrims Benefiting from Yoga, Panchakarma, and Ayurvedic Treatments

    At the Ayurvedic hospitals in the Kumbh Mela, pilgrims are being treated with traditional methods like Panchakarma, herbal-based treatments, yoga therapy, and naturopathy. AYUSH kits, yoga kits, calendars, medicinal plants, and health awareness materials are being distributed to help pilgrims adopt a healthier lifestyle in the future. Yoga sessions are regularly conducted by teams of yoga instructors from New Delhi, and these sessions have gained significant interest, especially from foreign pilgrims.

    Special Ayurvedic ‘Swarnaprashan’ Medicine for Children

    For children aged 1 to 12 years, special Ayurvedic ‘Swarnaprashan’ medicine is being administered, distributed during the Pushya Nakshatra. This medicine is proving beneficial in enhancing children’s concentration, intelligence, immunity, and physical development.

    Multidimensional Medical Facilities Become a Major Attraction for Pilgrims

    The combined arrangement of Allopathy and AYUSH medicine at the Kumbh Mela is proving to be a great relief for pilgrims. High-quality healthcare services are being provided free of charge to sadhus, kalpavasis, and common pilgrims. The integration of Ayurveda, yoga, Panchakarma, and modern medical science has set a new standard for healthcare services at the Kumbh Mela.

    It has been ensured that the Prayagraj Mahakumbh 2025 will not only be a center for spiritual experiences but also an exemplary event in terms of health and well-being. The health services being offered to pilgrims are being appreciated both nationally and internationally, giving global recognition to the Indian medical system.

    *****

    AD/VM

    (Release ID: 2101469) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Willis Lease Finance Corporation Announces Timing of Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Earnings and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COCONUT CREEK, Fla., Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Willis Lease Finance Corporation (NASDAQ: WLFC) (“WLFC”) plans to announce its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 on Monday, March 10, 2025.

    WLFC plans to hold a conference call led by members of WLFC’s executive management team on Monday, March 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2024 results. Individuals wishing to participate in the conference call should dial: US and Canada (877) 612-6725, International +1 (646) 828-8082, wait for the conference operator and provide the operator with the Conference ID 808553. A digital replay will be available two hours after the completion of the conference call. To access the replay, please visit our website at www.wlfc.global under the Investor Relations section for details.

    A copy of this press release and an earnings supplement will be posted to the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, www.wlfc.global, prior to the call.

    Willis Lease Finance Corporation

    Willis Lease Finance Corporation leases large and regional spare commercial aircraft engines, auxiliary power units and aircraft to airlines, aircraft engine manufacturers and maintenance, repair, and overhaul providers worldwide. These leasing activities are integrated with engine and aircraft trading, engine lease pools and asset management services through Willis Asset Management Limited, as well as various end-of-life solutions for engines and aviation materials provided through Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc. Additionally, through Willis Engine Repair Center®, Jet Centre by Willis, and Willis Aviation Services Limited, the Company’s service offerings include Part 145 engine maintenance, aircraft line and base maintenance, aircraft disassembly, parking and storage, airport FBO and ground and cargo handling services.

     CONTACT: Scott B. Flaherty
      Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
      sflaherty@willislease.com 
      561.413.0112

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Peace by Chocolate: a Syrian family shows the power of compassion and community | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Peace by Chocolate creates delicious confections that are more than just sweets; they are a way for Founder and CEO Tareq Hadhad to give back to his community.

    Resettled with help from the UN refugee agency from Syria to Canada, Mr. Hadhad lives by his conviction that war cannot kill values
    or hope.

    In this spirit, he has used his company Peace by Chocolate to fund aid for those in need, including donating some $655,000 to support relief efforts across Canada and working with numerous humanitarian partners. Offering his own tip for how to prosper, Mr. Hadhad advises that kindness is the best investment.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQYu3qQtVos

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: MacPhersons Mills — Pictou County District RCMP charge New Brunswick man with attempted murder

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Pictou County District RCMP has charged a Miramichi, New Brunswick, man with a number of offences, including attempted murder.

    On February 4, at approximately 12:50 p.m., RCMP officers received information from a caller in New Brunswick that a person was struck by a vehicle, believed to be a stolen GMC Sierra from New Brunswick, in the Thorburn area. Officers immediately patrolled the community but didn’t locate a victim or a GMC.

    About an hour later, at approximately 2 p.m., Pictou County District RCMP received a call that a man had been hit by a vehicle somewhere in MacPhersons Mills, on an unknown dead-end road. Officers quickly searched dead-end roads in MacPhersons Mills and located an abandoned stolen GMC and an injured man on the roadway.

    After speaking to the man, who had suffered non-life-threatening injuries, investigators learned that he had observed someone taking his Chevrolet Silverado from his driveway. When he went outside to follow the truck’s tire tracks in the snow, he was struck twice by his stolen Silverado before the driver fled.

    Information gathered during the investigation indicated that the Chevrolet was heading towards Miramichi, New Brunswick.

    On February 5, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Miramichi Police Force located the truck and arrested the driver, 35-year-old Colin Joseph Williams. He’s been charged with:

    • Attempted Murder
    • Aggravated Assault
    • Break and Enter
    • Theft of a Motor Vehicle
    • Possession of Stolen Property
    • Driving while Prohibited
    • Failure to Comply with Court Order

    Williams was returned to Nova Scotia and has been remanded into custody. He’s due to appear in Pictou Provincial Court on February 10.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Earth is already shooting through the 1.5°C global warming limit, two major studies show

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew King, Associate Professor in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne

    Earth is crossing the threshold of 1.5°C of global warming, according to two major global studies which together suggest the planet’s climate has likely entered a frightening new phase.

    Under the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, humanity is seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep planetary heating to no more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial average. In 2024, temperatures on Earth surpassed that limit.

    This was not enough to declare the Paris threshold had been crossed, because the temperature goals under the agreement are measured over several decades, rather than short excursions over the 1.5°C mark.

    But the two papers just released use a different measure. Both examined historical climate data to determine whether very hot years in the recent past were a sign that a future, long-term warming threshold would be breached.

    The answer, alarmingly, was yes. The researchers say the record-hot 2024 indicates Earth is passing the 1.5°C limit, beyond which scientists predict catastrophic harm to the natural systems that support life on Earth.

    2024: the first year of many above 1.5°C

    Climate organisations around the world agree last year was the hottest on record. The global average temperature in 2024 was about 1.6°C above the average temperatures in the late-19th century, before humans started burning fossil fuels at large scale.

    Earth has also recently experienced individual days and months above the 1.5°C warming mark.

    But the global temperature varies from one year to the next. For example, the 2024 temperature spike, while in large part due to climate change, was also driven by a natural El Niño pattern early in the year. That pattern has dissipated for now, and 2025 is forecast to be a little cooler.

    These year-to-year fluctuations mean climate scientists don’t view a single year exceeding the 1.5°C mark as a failure to meet the Paris Agreement.

    However, the new studies published today in Nature Climate Change suggest even a single month or year at 1.5°C global warming may signify Earth is entering a long-term breach of that vital threshold.

    What the studies found

    The studies were conducted independently by researchers in Europe and Canada. They tackled the same basic question: is a year above 1.5°C global warming a warning sign that we’re already crossing the Paris Agreement threshold?

    Both studies used observations and climate model simulations to address this question, with slightly different approaches.

    In the European paper, the researchers looked at historical warming trends. They found when Earth’s average temperature reached a certain threshold, the following 20-year period also reached that threshold.

    This pattern suggests that, given Earth reached 1.5°C warming last year, we may have entered a 20-year warming period when average temperatures will also reach 1.5°C.

    The Canadian paper involved month-to-month data. June last year was the 12th consecutive month of temperatures above the 1.5°C warming level. The researcher found 12 consecutive months above a climate threshold indicates the threshold will be reached over the long term.

    Both studies also demonstrate that even if stringent emissions reduction begins now, Earth is still likely to be crossing the 1.5°C threshold.

    Heading in the wrong direction

    Given these findings, what humanity does next is crucial.

    For decades, climate scientists have warned burning fossil fuels for energy releases carbon dioxide and other gases that are warming the planet.

    But humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase. Since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its first report in 1990, the world’s annual carbon dioxide emissions have risen about 50%.

    Put simply, we are not even moving in the right direction, let alone at the required pace.

    The science shows greenhouse gas emissions must reach net-zero to end global warming. Even then, some aspects of the climate will continue to change for many centuries, because some regional warming, especially in the oceans, is already locked in and irreversible.

    If Earth has indeed already crossed the 1.5°C mark, and humanity wants to get below the threshold again, we will need to cool the planet by reaching “net-negative emissions” – removing more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than we emit. This would be a highly challenging task.

    Feeling the heat

    The damaging effects of climate change are already being felt across the globe. The harm will be even worse for future generations.

    Australia has already experienced 1.5°C of warming, on average, since 1910.

    Our unique ecosystems, such as the Great Barrier Reef, are already suffering because of this warming. Our oceans are hotter and seas are rising, hammering our coastlines and threatening marine life.

    Bushfires and extreme weather, especially heatwaves, are becoming more frequent and severe. This puts pressure on nature, society and our economy.

    But amid the gloom, there are signs of progress.

    Across the world, renewable electricity generation is growing. Fossil fuel use has dropped in many countries. Technological developments are slowing emissions growth in polluting industries such as aviation and construction.

    But clearly, there is much more work to be done.

    Humanity can turn the tide

    These studies are a sobering reminder of how far short humanity is falling in tackling climate change.

    They show we must urgently adapt to further global warming. Among the suite of changes needed, richer nations must support the poorer countries set to bear the most severe climate harms. While some progress has been made in this regard, far more is needed.

    A major shift is also needed to decarbonise our societies and economies. There is still room for hope, but we must not delay action. Otherwise, humanity will keep warming the planet and causing further damage.

    Andrew King receives funding from the ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather and the National Environmental Science Program.

    Liam Cassidy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Earth is already shooting through the 1.5°C global warming limit, two major studies show – https://theconversation.com/earth-is-already-shooting-through-the-1-5-c-global-warming-limit-two-major-studies-show-249133

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Climate impacts are forcing people from their homes. When, how and why do they have valid refugee claims?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane McAdam, Scientia Professor and ARC Laureate Fellow, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Sydney

    For a long time, it seemed refugee law had little relevance to people fleeing the impacts of climate change and disasters.

    Nearly 30 years ago, the High Court of Australia, for instance, remarked that people fleeing a “natural disaster” or “natural catastrophes” could not be refugees.

    Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Canada had said “victims of natural disasters” couldn’t be refugees “even when the home state is unable to provide assistance”.

    It was back in 2007 that I first started considering whether international refugee law could apply to people escaping the impacts of drought, floods or sea-level rise. At the time, I also thought refugee law had limited application. For a start, most people seeking to escape natural hazards move within their own country and don’t cross an international border. That fact alone makes refugee law inapplicable.

    Refugee law defines a refugee as someone with a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group.

    So one challenge was in classifying supposedly “natural” events as “persecution”, which requires an identifiable human actor.

    It was also widely thought such events were indiscriminate and couldn’t target people on account of their race, religion or one of the other five grounds. This is partly why some advocates called for an overhaul of the Refugee Convention to protect so-called “climate refugees”.

    However, we have learned a lot in the intervening years.

    A new approach

    It’s become clear the impacts of climate change and disasters interact with other social, economic and political drivers of displacement to create risks for people.

    This is what some legal experts have called the “hazard-scape”.

    And the impacts of climate change and disasters are not indiscriminate – they affect people in different ways. Factors such as age, gender, disability and health can intersect to create particular risk of persecution for particular individuals or communities.

    For example, a person who is a member of a minority may find their government is withholding disaster relief from them. Or, climate or disaster impacts may end up exacerbating inter-communal conflicts, putting certain people at heightened risk of persecution.

    Now, we have a much more nuanced understanding of things. Refugee law (and complementary protection under human rights law) do have a role to play in assessing the claims of people affected by climate change.

    No such thing as a ‘climate refugee’ under the law

    There isn’t a legal category of “climate refugee” – a popular label that has caused confusion. However, there are certainly people facing heightened risks because of the impacts of climate change or disasters. These impacts can generate or exacerbate a risk of persecution or other serious harm.

    This means that when it comes to the law, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

    Instead, by applying existing legal principles and approaches, it’s clear some people impacted by climate change already qualify for refugee status or complementary protection (under human rights law).

    One instructive case, heard in New Zealand, involved a deaf and mute man from Tuvalu who was seeking to avoid deportation on humanitarian grounds. He was found to be at heightened risk if a disaster struck because he could not hear evacuation or other warnings. He also didn’t have anyone who could sign for him or ensure his safety.

    In another case, an older couple from Eritrea were found to be especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because of “their elderly status and lack of family support”, in circumstances where they would be exposed to “conditions of abject poverty, underdevelopment and likely displacement”. This, in addition to other conditions in Eritrea, meant that there was “a real chance they would suffer cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by way of starvation and destitution”. They were granted complementary protection.

    A practical way forward

    New Zealand has led the way on showing how existing international refugee and human rights law can provide protection in the context of climate change and disasters. It’s time for the rest of the world to catch up.

    With colleagues from Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, I’ve helped create a practical toolkit on international protection for people displaced across borders in the context of climate change and disasters.

    This is a detailed resource for legal practitioners and decision-makers tasked with assessing international protection claims involving the impacts of climate change and disasters.

    It shows when, why and how existing law can apply to claims where climate change or disasters play a role.

    Inaccurate but popular labels aren’t helpful

    Inaccurate but popular labels – such as “climate refugee” – have caused confusion and arguably hampered a consistent, principled approach.

    Some judges and decision-makers assessing refugee claims may be spooked by “climate change”. They may think they need specialist scientific expertise to grapple with it.

    The new toolkit shows why international protection claims arising in the context of climate change and disasters should be assessed in the same way as all other international protection claims. That is, by applying conventional legal principles and considering the facts of each case.

    The toolkit stresses that it’s important to assess the impacts of climate change and disasters within a broader social context.

    That includes examining underlying systemic issues of discrimination or inequity that may impact on how particular people experience harm.

    The toolkit also shows why a cumulative assessment of risk is necessary, especially since risks may emerge over time, rather than as the result of a single, extreme event.

    And it emphasises the need to look at the “hazard-scape” as a whole in assessing the future risk of harm to a person.

    We hope the toolkit helps to debunk some common misunderstandings and charts a clear way forward. Our ultimate ambition is that people seeking international protection in the context of climate change and disasters will have their claims assessed in a consistent, fair and principled way.

    Jane McAdam receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is a member of the expert sub-committee of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration. She thanks the Open Society Foundations (OSF) for its generous support of this project and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for its endorsement.

    – ref. Climate impacts are forcing people from their homes. When, how and why do they have valid refugee claims? – https://theconversation.com/climate-impacts-are-forcing-people-from-their-homes-when-how-and-why-do-they-have-valid-refugee-claims-248865

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antisemitism goes beyond overt acts of hate – subtle forms of bias take their toll, too

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mareike Riedel, Senior lecturer in law, Macquarie University

    The dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents has dominated headlines in Australia in recent months, with calls for urgent action to address what many are calling a crisis.

    The Executive Council of Australian Jewry tallied more than 2,000 antisemitic incidents in 2024, including physical assaults, attacks on synagogues, vandalism and graffiti. This is a 316% increase over the previous year.

    These alarming events have sparked a heated political debate, with the opposition accusing the federal government of not taking the issue seriously enough.

    However, focusing only on overt acts of antisemitism risks seeing it as an exceptional phenomenon or a problem limited to fringe extremist groups. This can obscure the more subtle and structural forms of antisemitism that perpetuate stereotypes about Jews and entrench discrimination in society.

    How laws ingrain structural antisemitism

    In my research, I examine how certain forms of antisemitism persist in Western societies with a Christian tradition.

    While laws explicitly targeting Jews are largely a relic of the past, subtler forms of exclusion and discrimination remain. These often stem from perceptions that Jews deviate from dominant cultural norms.

    For instance, Jewish communities frequently encounter resistance to the building of an eruv. This is a symbolic demarcation of a public space that enables Jews to observe Shabbat, a day when work is prohibited. It can sometimes involve stringing a wire between poles to create a boundary where people can do things they aren’t normally able to do, such as push a pram or carry shopping bags.

    When an Orthodox Jewish community in Sydney sought permission to construct an eruv in the 2010s, local residents opposed it. Many arguments invoked stereotypes of Jews as clannish, intrusive and conspiratorial.

    There have been similar disputes over eruvs in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. In many cases, local councils have sided with opponents, meaning Orthodox Jewish communities have had to go to court to seek approval.

    In Europe, bans on religious slaughter have also singled out Jews and Muslims as cruel and fundamentalist, despite the widespread use of factory farming in Western societies.

    There have also been calls to outlaw infant male circumcision in the name of children’s rights in many European countries and parts of the US.

    These campaigns have, at times, tapped into longstanding antisemitic ideas about Jews as barbaric, bloodthirsty and backward.

    These legal conflicts or campaigns reveal the structural dimensions of antisemitism. Similar to other forms of structural racism, structural antisemitism normalises majoritarian norms, perceptions and practices.

    In turn, it marginalises and denigrates Jews as foreign, threatening and a problematic “other”.

    Institutions, including schools, workplaces and local councils, can perpetuate these biases when they legitimise such exclusionary norms without critical reflection.



    Read more:
    The long, dark history of antisemitism in Australia

    Challenging majority cultural norms

    Understanding structural antisemitism also requires examining the Christian heritage of Western societies. In particular, there is a need to reflect on the legacy of Christian anti-Judaism.

    Historically, the Christian belief in “supersessionism” referred to idea that Christianity has superseded Judaism and that Christians have replaced Jews as the people of God. Alongside the stereotype of Jews as the killers of Christ, this belief has contributed to stereotypes of Jews as inferior to Christians and being archaic, unenlightened, exclusive and ritualistic.

    As the legal conflicts over eruvs, religious slaughter and circumcision suggest, such views continue to subtly influence attitudes towards Jews, even in modern secular societies.

    For example, popular references to Judeo-Christian values signal the equality of Jews and Christians in society. However, this glosses over the fact that the acceptance of Jews can be contingent on conforming with majority norms.

    This legacy also normalises Christian privilege. While Christians may face discrimination in certain contexts, they also enjoy inherent advantages in societies shaped by Christian traditions.

    National calendars, weekly rhythms and public holidays align with Christian practices, while minorities need to seek accommodations to observe their own traditions.

    For example, Western cities are filled with Christian symbols, such as churches and annual Christmas decorations. Several Australian parliaments and local councils also still begin meetings with Christian prayers.

    What might seem like benign cultural traditions can signal exclusion to minority communities, including Jews. Implicit Christian norms can also create pressure to assimilate, especially given the long history of Christian societies’ attempts to convert or assimilate Jews.

    However, these dynamics are rarely acknowledged in public debates about the discrimination of Jews and can also fly under the radar of the law.

    In 1998, for instance, a Jewish father in New South Wales brought racial discrimination complaints against the education department over Christian activities at his children’s public school. These included nativity plays, Christmas carols and exchanging Easter eggs. The complaints were dismissed because they did not constitute discrimination on the basis of race.

    The law in NSW does not prohibit religious discrimination (although the state now has religious vilification laws).

    This gap exists in federal discrimination law, as well. It leaves minority religious groups with limited legal options to challenge the dominance of Christian norms. The NSW example demonstrates this and suggests there may be a case for a new federal religious discrimination law.

    The question of what constitutes antisemitism remains a vexed question, including among Jews. Violent antisemitic attacks demand urgent attention. Yet, public discussions of antisemitism must also address these subtler forms of exclusion and the structural dimensions of antisemitism.

    Mareike Riedel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Antisemitism goes beyond overt acts of hate – subtle forms of bias take their toll, too – https://theconversation.com/antisemitism-goes-beyond-overt-acts-of-hate-subtle-forms-of-bias-take-their-toll-too-249023

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Decentralized Search Engine Presearch Launches Powerful New Privacy-Centric AI Chatbot PreGPT 2.0

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Toronto, Canada, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Presearch (www.presearch.com), a hyper private, non-profiling meta-search engine, today announced the launch of PreGPT 2.0, an upgraded version of their innovative AI chatbot that has redefined how users interact with artificial intelligence by delivering uncensored and unbiased insights, powered by Venice.ai. 

    PreGPT 2.0 offers unbiased, unfiltered and truthful responses, fostering open conversations without hidden agendas or censorship. It delivers impartial, authentic insights across various topics, from historical events to technology, while prioritizing privacy. By leveraging Venice.ai’s infrastructure and open-sourced models, PreGPT 2.0 ensures that no chat content is stored, and responses are encrypted through decentralized GPUs. With a non-training by default policy, PreGPT 2.0 provides a secure, privacy-focused experience for users seeking autonomy in their interactions.

    Since the inception of widely available AI in 2022, consumers have had no choice but to rely on AI systems tethered to big cloud providers, often at the expense of personal privacy, unbiased content and freedom from uncensored search,” said Presearch.com CEO Tim Enneking. “We’re thrilled to offer a choice to consumers who are  concerned  that mainstream AI severely limits their options and restricts their freedoms.”

    In April 2024, Presearch made history with PreGPT, the world’s first AI chatbot powered entirely by decentralized compute. By leveraging GPU resources from Salad.com’s distributed network, it enhanced scalability, efficiency, and cost savings. Now, PreGPT 2.0 takes this further—delivering massively improved performance with hyper-unbiased, unfiltered results. Beyond breaking free from Big Cloud and corporate AI, it also establishes a sustainable revenue stream to fuel Presearch’s continued growth.

    PreGPT 2.0, consistent with the ethos Presearch, is designed to offer truthful and balanced responses across a wide range of topics. Free from corporate or governmental biases, it provides users with the freedom to explore, learn, and create without restrictions. Whether you’re exploring philosophical debates, historical context or solving complex problems, PreGPT 2.0 delivers authentic, censorship-free insights. 

    “Why am I so excited?  Because PreGPT 2.0 is so powerful and unrestrained, that it has the potential to fundamentally disrupt the echo chamber effect that has long been manipulating conventional wisdom, amplifying the herd instinct into blind conformity,” said Brenden Tacon, BD, Innovation and Operations Lead for Presearch. “With the help of Venice.ai, Presearch brings fun back to AI, giving users the freedom to explore ideas and boost their productivity without boundaries or compromising privacy.” 

    PreGPT 2.0 offers a tiered account system, payable in PRE or fiat via Stripe, to cater to different user needs:

    • Basic Account: The Basic Plan is ($2/month) for standard AI chat capabilities. The training data cutoff is roughly July 2023 with limited capabilities in languages other than English.
    • Pro Account: The Pro Plan ($5/month) runs the Venice.ai API with higher-powered uncensored models for advanced AI features, more recent training data, and multi-language support.

    To access Presearch and PreGPT 2.0 on the web, please visit www.Presearch.com. 

    About Presearch
    Presearch.com offers a privacy-focused, non-profiling search experience with results better than leading search engines. Its search-to-earn model rewards users with PRE tokens for every search, creating a unique value proposition. Powered by a decentralized node infrastructure, Presearch promotes fairness and mitigates biases in search outcomes unlike conventional platforms that may prioritize self-serving content and suppress others. With a loyal community, the platform serves over 12 million searches per month.

    MEDIA CONTACT: 
    presearch(at)transformgroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Treasurer Steiner Issues Statement On Destabilizing Financial Impact Of Trump Administration Tariffs On Oregon Households

    Source: US State of Oregon

    regon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner called on the Trump administration to take costly tariffs off the table and maintain the integrity of the federal payment system to preserve the financial stability of Oregonians and all Americans.

    In a statement Treasurer Steiner said:

    “Oregonians are doing better financially than most Americans, according to a new report just released by the Oregon State Treasury, but recent actions by the White House are threatening the financial stability and security of many Oregon households.

    The annual cost of the administration’s suddenly proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China amount to an expense that nearly half of Oregon households are not prepared to absorb. According to new data compiled for the Oregon State Treasury by Oregon State University (OSU) researchers, nearly 1 in 2 Oregonians cannot afford an emergency expense of more than $500. Yet, the cost of the proposed Trump administration tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China would increase costs to the typical American consumer by amounts ranging from $800 to $1,200 per year, according to independent economists.

    At a time when the cost of living remains a major source of worry for Oregonians, this price hike is an unnecessary expense that many Oregon families cannot afford. While the administration has paused tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Oregon consumers should not have to worry about having to pay more for groceries, gas, clothes, cars and other items they use each day.

    In addition, I am deeply concerned about other actions the White House has taken in recent days that could also harm the financial well-being of Oregonians. Last week, the administration tried to freeze more than $40 billion in funding that the federal government contributes to Oregon’s state budget (and hundreds of millions more that flow directly to universities and non-profits serving Oregon communities). The administration also has sent repeated messages to Oregon’s 17,500 civilian federal employees – who care for veterans, provide Social Security payments, operate dams, provide air traffic control, manage public lands, and provide other vital services – urging them to resign. The White House has given unvetted temporary staff at the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) access to the federal Treasury’s payment system – potentially freezing trillions of dollars in federal funds and compromising the information privacy of Americans.

    I urge the White House to abandon its costly tariff plans, maintain the integrity of the federal payment system, and ensure the uninterrupted flow of funds to Oregon and other states. Oregonians cannot afford to bear the financial cost of these fiscally reckless actions.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI dating is about data, not love: How to resist the tech takeover of romance

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Treena Orchard, Associate Professor, School of Health Studies, Western University

    If we permit AI to take over our dating and love lives too much, it risks hollowing out our relationships and connections. (Shutterstock)

    As in-person dating activities make a comeback and the allure of dating apps fade, platforms like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are becoming passé for millennials and Gen Z.

    But while the era of dating apps is on the decline, people aren’t ditching the search for love altogether. There’s enough heart-shaped chocolates, red lingerie and silicone toys to keep us going for decades. The real question is: who or what is filling the void left by the dating app industry?

    The answer is artificial intelligence.

    Tech companies have woven AI into everything from facial recognition software to voice-activated assistants and sexbots. Now, it’s being inserted into online dating. As an anthropologist who writes about sexuality, dating and technology, this generates a lot of questions for me.

    For instance, what are some of the ethical dilemmas this technology raises in terms of privacy and safety? What can we do instead of giving ourselves over to artificial intelligence when it comes to love and romance? As we navigate the complexities of love in the digital age, these questions demand thoughtful answers.

    No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying to understand childcare. No matter your current challenges, our Quarter Life series has articles to share in the group chat, or just to remind you that you’re not alone.

    Read more from Quarter Life:

    The spectrum of AI dating

    AI has been quietly reshaping the dating landscape for years. Marketed as a hyper-efficient solution to securing optimum matches in record time, it’s easy to see how AI is more appealing than traditional apps. Who wouldn’t want to avoid the monotony of endless swiping or the possibility of ghosting?

    AI tools like ChatGPT can also generate dating conversations and optimize user profiles. However, the results can be hit-or-miss. One writer said ChatGPT made her “sound like someone’s 50-year-old uncle on Facebook.”

    Then there’s Meeno, a relationship advice app founded by former Tinder CEO Renate Nyborg. It uses generative AI and is designed to address loneliness among young people, especially men, who are statistically less likely to access help-seeking resources.

    AI tools like ChatGPT can help users write dating profiles.
    (Shutterstock)

    The most popular AI dating assistant at the moment is Rizz, an app that had more than 20,000 daily downloads in 2024. Rizz analyzes screenshots of conversations on other platforms and crafts reply suggestions.

    AI’s role in the dating world extends far beyond tools designed to help people connect — some users are forging actual relationships with AI chatbots.



    Read more:
    Sex bots, virtual friends, VR lovers: tech is changing the way we interact, and not always for the better

    Interestingly, men are twice as likely as women to consider an AI partner. This trend may be driven by differences in how men and women engage with technology, differences in societal expectations or a greater curiosity among men about combining AI with relationships.

    Introduced in 2017, Replika was one of the first generative AI dating chatbots. Marketed as “an AI companion who is eager to learn and would love to see the world through your eyes,” Replika quickly gained a reputation for its explicit content.

    When the company removed its adult content in 2023, users revolted so vehemently the functions were partially reinstated.

    AI dating research

    Security issues and data privacy are common concerns when it comes to AI, including romance scams and the sharing or selling of personal information. Equally scary is the prospect of queer folks being criminalized for using these dating tools in countries where being gay is illegal.

    In terms of gender, the trends in this domain mirror those on dating apps — men are the prime users and designers of these platforms.



    Read more:
    Dating apps: Lack of regulation, oversight and competition affects quality, and millions stand to lose

    Given the pronounced gender inequities already present in our society and the rise in sexual violence perpetrated by men against women through technology, AI dating platforms risk deepening these systemic inequities.

    AI’s impact on how young people learn about sex and dating is another important topic. A recent scoping review highlighted the dangers of AI resources that reflect conservative and unscientific worldviews about sex and romance. When exposed to such views, youth become at risk of developing internalized shame for being curious about sex, dating and cybersexual activities.

    Another troubling aspect of AI in dating is the proliferation of fraudulent dating apps that employ chatbots. These apps lure users into installing a dating app and paying subscription fees to chat with existing users. However, the sole purpose of these apps is to cheat new users into paying money to fake accounts that are managed by chatbots.

    Getting more groove in our hearts

    More technology doesn’t necessarily mean better lives. If anything, it can actually contribute to the current “loneliness pandemic” that’s caused, in part, by our over-reliance on devices.

    Selective doses of AI can be helpful to bounce ideas off of, or to help work through an unrequited crush, but if we permit AI to take over this vital aspect of life, our hearts could become lined with hollow connections. That’s the last thing we all need.

    Dating app platforms like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge are becoming passe for millennials and Gen Z.
    (Shutterstock)

    The good news is that young people are hungry for more in-person experiences and they’re leading the resistance against the dating app industry. Nostalgia for previous eras, especially the 1990s and early 2000s, reflects a desire to experience a time when life was less stressful and more carefree. Analogue technology and other forms of physical media are coming back in a big way.

    Vintage thrifting, cooking, game nights and do-it-yourself art projects are effective and fun ways to resist the AI creep, whether in dating or in daily life.

    However, creating these options isn’t something you should have to do alone. Community organizers, cultural leaders and thoughtful influencers also have roles to play in AI-free activities and opportunities that foster connection. Think old school cultural events tailored towards niche demographic groups, like queer, gender-diverse and women-only spaces.

    By creating and participating in these kinds of activities, you can cultivate experiences that help you make decisions about love and life on your own terms, versus being directed by what aggressive capitalist corporations want you to do.

    Treena Orchard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. AI dating is about data, not love: How to resist the tech takeover of romance – https://theconversation.com/ai-dating-is-about-data-not-love-how-to-resist-the-tech-takeover-of-romance-247090

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Prioritizing nuclear power and natural gas over renewable energy is a risky move for Ontario’s energy future

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Norman W. Park, Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, York University, Canada

    The demand for electricity is growing rapidly as the world transitions from fossil fuels to low carbon-emitting forms of energy. However, making this transition will be difficult.

    Ontario is projected to require 75 per cent more electricity by 2050, spurred by increasing demand from the industrial sector, data centres, electric vehicle (EV) adoption and households, according to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO).

    To meet this demand, Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce has proposed transforming the province into an “energy superpower” by aggressively expanding nuclear energy and natural gas while cutting support for wind and solar renewable energy.

    This plan was spelled out in a policy directive from Lecce instructing the IESO to consider bids from all energy sources, opening the door to allow bids from natural gas and nuclear energy.

    This is a departure from previous policies. Previously, under former Energy Minister Todd Smith, the IESO had stipulated bids for the electrical grid should only be from wind, solar, hydro or biomass.

    The Ontario government should reconsider these plans. Non-renewable energy sources are costly, rely on new, expensive technologies, ignore the harm to human health and ignore the consequences for global warming.

    Expanding nuclear

    A central pillar of the Ontario government’s energy plan is the aggressive expansion of nuclear power. The province has committed to refurbishing 14 CANDU reactors at Bruce, Darlington and Pickering, and has proposed constructing new reactors at Bruce.

    Ontario is also the first jurisdiction in the world to contractually build a BWRX–300 small modular reactor project at Darlington, despite not knowing its projected cost.

    The cost of this small modular reactor may be much higher than similarly sized solar, wind and natural gas projects. This is unsurprising, given that the costs of nuclear projects are often much higher than projected.

    Ontario encountered a similar issue when the Darlington nuclear generating station was constructed. The actual costs of nuclear projects were more than double projected costs and took almost six years longer to complete than projected.

    Given these historical challenges and uncertainties, the province’s push for nuclear expansion is a cause for concern.

    Opposition to wind and solar

    Despite significant cost reductions in utility-scale wind and solar farms, which makes them less expensive than nuclear and fossil fuels in many parts of the world, Ontario’s recent policy directive reduced support for these non-emitting renewable energy sources.

    The directive is a continuation of the government’s antipathy to wind and solar energy. Shortly after winning its first election in 2018, the Doug Ford government cancelled 750 renewable energy contracts at a cost of $230 million to Ontario residents. Ford defended this decision by saying it saved taxpayers $790 million and that wind turbines had “destroyed” Ontario’s energy file.

    Unsurprisingly, growth of wind and solar energy in Ontario has stalled since the Ford government gained power. This slowdown has put it at odds with international trends. Between 2018 and 2023, the global growth of solar and wind energy nearly doubled and is projected to continue growing.

    By curtailing support for renewable energy, Ontario risks missing out on the economic, environmental and technological benefits these energy sources offer. In other words, it may hinder the province’s ability to transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

    Support for natural gas

    Instead of investing in wind and solar to power Ontario’s electrical grid, the province has increased its reliance on natural gas. This expansion has tripled the percentage of energy provided by gas-fired turbines from four per cent in 2017 to 12.8 per cent in 2023. It’s projected to grow to 25 per cent by 2030.

    Burning more natural gas increases the risk of premature death and emits more greenhouse gas compared to wind and solar energy.

    According to Health Canada, outdoor air pollution has a total economic cost in Canada of $120 billion per year, and it resulted in 6,000 premature deaths per year in Ontario and 15,300 deaths in Canada. That’s about eight times higher than the annual number of motor vehicle fatalities in Canada.

    Shifting focus from natural gas to cleaner energy sources like wind and solar could reduce these environmental and health impacts in Ontario.

    Reconsidering Ontario’s energy transition

    Ontario’s energy transition must involve supplying more energy to an expanding electrical grid while ensuring it remains reliable and resilient. The current government’s plans to turn the province into an “energy superpower” will commit Ontario to decades of costly expenditures and relies on unproven new technologies.

    The government’s proposal to increase natural gas to supply the electricity grid and new buildings will increase the risk of premature death and serious illness to Ontarians and will increase greenhouse gas emission, undermining efforts to combat global warming.

    Lecce should reconsider his current policy directive to the IESO. Future bids for the electrical grid should instead be evaluated for their impacts on the health of Ontario residents and climate change.

    Ontario’s energy policies should also be guided by knowledgeable experts outside of government, rather than solely by politicians. Establishing a blue-ribbon committee comprising energy scientists and environmental specialists would provide needed oversight and ensure the province’s energy strategy is cost-effective, technologically sound and aligned with climate goals.

    Ontario has an opportunity to lead by example in balancing energy needs with environmental and health priorities.

    Norman W. Park receives no funding from any organization that would benefit from this article. He is affiliated with Seniors for Climate Action Now.

    – ref. Prioritizing nuclear power and natural gas over renewable energy is a risky move for Ontario’s energy future – https://theconversation.com/prioritizing-nuclear-power-and-natural-gas-over-renewable-energy-is-a-risky-move-for-ontarios-energy-future-246289

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Online algorithms could help save the planet with just a few small tweaks

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Martin Gibert, Chercheur en éthique de l’intelligence artificielle, Université de Montréal

    YouTube’s algorithm is extremely powerful. If the company were to direct some of its users’s attention to pro-climate content, this would likely have positive consequences on a large scale. (Shutterstock)

    Have we tried everything to tackle the climate crisis? At least one simple idea has hardly been explored: prioritizing climate content on social media.

    The climate crisis is seriously aggravated by a lack of attention, including in the recent United States presidential election campaign. But algorithmic recommenders could help, as they are responsible for a significant proportion of how human attention online is allocated. Algorithmic recommenders are artificial intelligence systems that suggest content, such as news feeds, music or videos, to people based on their behaviour and preferences.

    Take YouTube, where hundreds of millions of users watch billions of hours of content each day. That’s a huge amount of brain time. But how do these users select the handful of videos they watch, out of the billions of uploaded content online? Well, in 70 per cent of cases, they merely follow YouTube’s automated recommendations. This system determines a massive proportion of human attention.

    Effectively leveraging this attention could help achieve vital advances in climate action across the political spectrum.

    Two per cent for the climate

    In a recent article published in Ethics and Information Technology, we argue that YouTube — the world’s biggest online video library — should tune its recommendation algorithm in a way that favours the mitigation of the climate crisis. We even propose a precise figure: two per cent of recommendations should be selected for their climate content.

    This goal raises a number of critical questions.

    What kind of videos could be recommended? Educational videos on climate change are clear candidates, but so are conferences by climate activists, as well as content that encourages viewers to mobilize or change their behaviour, for example by promoting public transport, plant-based cooking or climate demonstrations. The two per cent figure is a proposal, not a dogma. It’s far from invasive, but it’s still significant.

    Another fundamental question is: who decides which videos are good for the climate? From the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to relevant non-governmental organizations to video hosting platforms themselves, there are potential avenues for determining climate-positive content. In any of these cases, transparency will be key to effectiveness.

    Algorithmic recommenders are responsible for a significant proportion of how human attention online is allocated.
    (Shutterstock)

    Ethical analysis of YouTube recommendations

    Firstly, as American researcher Tarleton Gillespie explains in his book Custodians of the Internet, YouTube is already doing moderation, which is a central part of its business. For example, it removes pornographic, violent or illegal content in the name of user safety and well-being, and in accordance to copyright or local laws. Our proposal is merely an extension of these efforts.

    Currently, YouTube’s algorithmic system appears not to be programmed to push relevant content for the climate, which is endangering the viability of climate content creators. Its own researchers report that it instead maximizes user engagement.

    YouTube’s algorithm is extremely powerful. If the platform were to direct some of its users’ attention to pro-climate action content, it would likely go a long way toward boosting awareness and encouraging action on climate change. There is a strong argument to be made for programming the algorithm along these lines. Simply put, a significant potential benefit for us all is possible at relatively little cost.

    Research has also found that YouTube has, in the past, contributed to spreading false information about the climate crisis. A 2024 report found that YouTube earned millions of dollars a year from content that promoted climate denial.

    YouTube says that it won’t show ads on “content that crosses the line to climate change denial.” However, video-sharing platforms have a moral responsibility to also promote information that is factual. This could be done by amplifying climate videos as we propose.

    YouTube’s algorithm may be likened to a librarian who is tasked with deciding how the library’s books are displayed. In the context of the climate crisis, a wise and informed librarian should put forward at least some books on this issue. Online algorithms should be designed less like an attention-grabbing machine and more like a responsible librarian.

    Recommendation algorithms as part of the solution

    Our proposal would likely not be without detractors. For example, would it amount to manipulating users? Our proposal is overtly about influencing people’s attitudes in favour of tackling the climate crisis. But it’s not about imposing specific content on the user, who remains free to choose whether to watch the content. The nudge is very gentle — and hardly all that different from the algorithmic nudges taking place all across the internet.

    Our proposed intervention merely acts on a small fraction of recommendations. No one will force viewers to watch videos with Greta Thunberg, David Suzuki or Michael Mann. On the other hand, if successful, our proposal could help avoid the serious problems that would result from climate inaction.

    In the face of the growing environmental crisis, recommendation algorithms like YouTube’s could help us build climate bridges across political divides, promote action and raise awareness — all essential tools to building a more just future.

    Lê Nguyên Hoang is the President of the nonprofit Tournesol Association, which is mentioned in the paper.
    He is also the YouTube content creator of the Science4All channel, which sometimes produce climate-related videos.
    He was previously a researcher at EPFL, with a salary derived from an AI Safety research grant.

    Martin Gibert and Maxime Lambrecht do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Online algorithms could help save the planet with just a few small tweaks – https://theconversation.com/online-algorithms-could-help-save-the-planet-with-just-a-few-small-tweaks-240183

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Continuing Alberta’s advocacy efforts to U.S. officials

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Cabrach Trust challenges Canadian power giant over Scottish windfarm plan raised in Scottish Parliament

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • The Cabrach Trust writes to Quebec-based Boralex
    • Canadian firm cited in parliamentary debate on energy projects
    • Plans attract widespread UK national media attention

    MORAY, Scotland, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A letter from The Cabrach Trust, a community led project, in the Scottish Highlands to Canadian energy giant Boralex about its plans for a new windfarm have been raised in a Scottish Parliament debate about the impact of energy projects.

    The debate last month (January 22) was led by Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden who mentioned the Boralex project after stories appeared in major UK newspapers the previous weekend about a letter sent to company bosses from the local regeneration trust.

    Quebec-based Boralex hopes to develop the Clashindarroch Extension scheme in The Cabrach area of the Scottish Highlands to build 22 wind turbines and a battery energy storage facility. The area already has 78 turbines operational within a six miles radius, and a further 21 consented.

    Boralex, which last year posted revenues of CA$1.02bn (£580m) but has recently announced quarterly losses of CA$14 million (£7.9 million), took over the project when it acquired the UK interests of European energy company Infinergy in July 2022. It has now formed a joint venture with site owner Dr Christopher Moran, the London-based businessman and Conservative Party donor.

    Last year, The Cabrach Trust, the charity established in 2013 to safeguard the fragile community and preserve its cultural heritage, wrote to Boralex Chief Executive Patrick Decostre, and has now written to Boralex’s UK Country Director, Esbjorn Wilmar, to seek further clarification about the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and community engagement.

    In his letter to Mr Wilmar, Cabrach Trust Chief Executive Jonathan Christie wrote: “We feel strongly there is acute over-provision of wind turbines around our remote and fragile community, and further expansion, such as planned by Boralex, is at odds with our ambitions to regenerate the area in a way which is sensitive and in harmony with its landscape, community, and history.”

    The company’s environmental mission statement promises to “foster an open dialogue with our host communities, listen to their concerns and take them into account in our environmental response.”

    In October, Scotland’s Deputy First Minster, Kate Forbes, inaugurated the The Cabrach Trust’s £5m Cabrach Distillery & Heritage Centre, part a wider programme of community regeneration initiatives.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: February Programming at The Royal Saskatchewan Museum

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on February 10, 2025

    The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is celebrating the February Family Week break with several activities for visitors.

    Whether you are checking out the new “T. Rex Talk” to ask Scotty, the worlds’ largest T. Rex, a burning question or celebrating Indigenous Storytelling Month by listening to talented storytellers, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum has something for everyone!

    “The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is home to many amazing exhibits that explore our province’s identity, both in past and present,” Parks, Culture, and Sport Minister Alana Ross said. “With fun-filled activities and programs for guests of all ages, there is always something new and exciting to see at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum”

    School’s Out Drop-in Activities

    February 17-21 – Afternoons from 1-4pm  

    Visit the SaskTel Be Kind Online Learning Lab and Field Station spaces for hands-on activities for the whole family.  

    Grab a scavenger hunt and attend a T. Rex Talk to ask Scotty your burning dinosaur questions!  

    Storytelling with Skylar Anderson and Teddy Bison  

    Friday, February 21 – 1-2pm

    Celebrate Indigenous Storytelling Month with artists Skylar Anderson and Teddy Bison. Include this family friendly performance in your plans for the Family Week break.  

    Seating is first-come, first-served in the auditorium.

    Storytime with Elder Hazel

    Monday, February 24 – 10-11am

    In celebration of Indigenous Storytelling Month, listen to stories with Elder Hazel Dixon. This drop-in storytelling session in the Buffalo Room (First Nations Gallery) is for children ages 3 to 6 years with their parent or caregiver.  

    Space is limited. Seating is first-come, first-served in the Buffalo Room. Elder Hazel is known and loved by many teachers and students through her continued work in the Regina school system and is a YouTube star on the RSM YouTube channel!

    Daycares and other groups must pre-book, contact education@royalsaskmuseum.ca for availability.

    To learn more about the Royal Saskatchewan Museum’s exhibits, events, programming and world class research, visit royalsaskmuseum.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: While the world is distracted by Trump, here’s how Putin and Musk are weakening European democracies

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    In an unprecedented decision on December 6 2024, the Romanian constitutional court annulled the November 25 presidential elections after it received credible intelligence of large-scale external interference rigging the results of the first round in favour of a hardly-known far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu.

    Georgescu’s massive last-minute surge was largely blamed on the creation of thousands of paid-for Russian-controlled bots on TikTok and illegal campaign financing.

    This may seem like last year’s news, but with elections coming up in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and possibly even Ukraine, there’s plenty to worry about – apart from a new US president who is disrupting Washington (and the world) with a flurry of executive orders and foreign policy initiatives that feel more like real estate sales pitches.

    Concerns about Russian election interference are nothing new, but so far the picture of Moscow’s success is rather mixed.

    Back in January 2017, the US intelligence community was confident that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential elections to get Donald Trump elected. The following year, similar accusations arose in the context of presidential elections in France. But in France, the Kremlin failed to prevent the victory of Emmanuel Macron.

    More recently, in Georgia, the incumbent government of the Georgian Dream party won the parliamentary elections in October 2024 after alleged Russian interference. This sparked widespread protests and a government crackdown on media and civil society.

    By contrast, despite alleged Russian interference in Moldova, the country’s pro-western president won a second term in November 2024. A referendum on a constitutional commitment to EU membership was supported by a razor-thin majority of voters.



    Read more:
    Maia Sandu’s victory in second round of Moldovan election show’s limits to Moscow’s meddling

    Opinion polls on perceptions of Russia and Vladimir Putin across western democracies also offer some solace. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center in 2024, positive views of Russia and its leader remain very low across EU and Nato member countries. At the same time, approval ratings of the EU and Nato remained high among member countries’ citizens.

    But these relatively comforting headline figures mask important, and somewhat worrying, trends. In Germany, which holds early parliamentary elections on February 23, positive views of Putin more than doubled from 8% in 2023 to 17% in 2024. This is still a far cry from the 76% who approved of Putin in 2003 or even the 36% who did so in 2019, according to the same survey. The German increase is an outlier among the 13 EU members, but in only one of them – Italy – did support for Putin drop, compared with the previous year.



    Read more:
    Why Romania’s election was annulled – and what happens next?

    The same goes for support for the EU and Nato. The median level of support for the EU across nine member states surveyed stands at 63%, with 36% of participants holding unfavourable views. Germany, with 63% favourable views, however, recorded the second consecutive decline, down from 78% in 2022 and 71% in 2023. And Germany is less of an outlier here – favourable views of the EU among member states have generally declined somewhat over the past two years.

    Musk speaks at an AfD rally.

    When it comes to Nato, 63% of survey participants in 13 member countries thought more positively of the alliance, while 33% had more negative views. But again, with the exception of Hungary and Canada (where favourability went up), the share of those with favourable views had declined by between two and eight percentage points since last year.

    Does this mean that Putin is winning? No, at least not yet. Attitude surveys are less important than election results.

    Russia appears to have had some recent success in changing election outcomes, for instance in Romania where Romanian intelligance services discovered evidence of voter manipulation. But the Romanian example (in annulling the election) is also illustrative of how important it is for democracies to fight back – and even more importantly to take preventive action.

    And this is a lesson that seems to have sunk in. On January 30, the foreign ministers of 12 EU member states sent a joint letter to Brussels urging the European Commission to make more aggressive use of its powers under the Digital Services Act to protect the integrity of democratic elections in the bloc. Article 25 of that act, crucially, establishes an obligation on online platforms to design their services free from deception and manipulation and ensure that users can make informed decisions.

    While the commission has yet to demonstrate its resolve under the Digital Services Act, a Berlin court on February 7 2025, ordered that X must hand over data needed to track disinformation to two civil society groups who had requested it.

    Musk and Putin: shared values?

    If Putin is winning, he is not winning on his own. Democracies are not only under threat from Russia. Musk – an unelected billionaire wielding unprecedented influence under Donald Trump – has repeatedly been accused of interfering in European debates and election campaigns. Of his comments on the German election, Musk has argued that as he has significant investments in Germany he has the right to comment on its politics and that the AfD “resonates with many Germans who feel their concerns are ignored by the establishment”.

    What Musk and Putin have in common is their deep dislike of open liberal democracies and a cunning ability to employ technology to further their goals by promoting political parties and movements that share their illiberal views.

    Where they differ is that Musk focuses on the far right – Germany’s AfD or the UK’s Tommy Robinson. But Putin tends to back whoever he sees as serving Russian interests in weakening western unity and influence. This leads to the Kremlin lending support to leaders on both the far right and far left.

    But often Putin’s and Musk’s proteges are the same. In the case of the German AfD, it was no accident that Putin echoed comments from a speech Musk gave at an AfD election rally, saying that Germans should move beyond their war guilt. Both were keen to remove the stain of being too close to Germany’s Nazi past from the AfD and make it not just electable but also respectable enough to bring into a coalition, much like Austria’s far-right Freedom Party which has a long history of friendly relations with Putin.

    And what Musk can do openly on X, Putin tries to achieve with a campaign of his bot army on the platform.

    Perhaps the most significant similarity between Musk and Putin – and others who have been accused of election interference – is that they tap into a growing reservoir of discontent with liberal democracy.

    According to a 2024 survey of 31 democracies worldwide, 54% of participants were dissatisfied with how they saw democracy working. In 12 high-income countries – Canada, US, and 10 EU member states – dissatisfaction was even higher with 64% and has been increasing for the fourth consecutive year.

    Pushing back against the kind of blatant election interference by the likes of Putin and Musk is clearly important. But it will not be enough to reverse persistent trends of decline in the support for democracy and its standard bearers including the EU and Nato. It is right to resist and prosecute election rigging. But it is also crucial to ask why people are dissatisfied with democracy – and to do something about it.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. While the world is distracted by Trump, here’s how Putin and Musk are weakening European democracies – https://theconversation.com/while-the-world-is-distracted-by-trump-heres-how-putin-and-musk-are-weakening-european-democracies-249400

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Discusses Harmful Impact of Trump’s Tariffs On Local Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 10, 2025
    CHICAGO—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined local small business owners at Hop Butcher For The World to discuss the potential impact of President Trump’s proposed tariffs on imports and exports from Mexico and Canada. In 2023, Illinois, which ranks first among the 50 states in imports from Canada, exported a total of $20.55 billion in products to Canada. Additionally, Illinois exports to Mexico in 2023 totaled $12.93 billion.
    “The tariffs proposed by President Trump would drive up costs for manufacturers, disrupt our supply chains, and they already have inspired retaliatory tariffs, which will hurt small businesses and consumers even more,” said Durbin. “Illinois is a top trading partner of both Canada and Mexico, and our local businesses that rely on importing and exporting goods will face the brunt of this harmful proposal’s impact.”
    “The IRA supports getting the best deal possible for American workers and great restaurants across the state purchase food locally whenever possible, yet our produce and food supply is purchased from our trade partners in Canada and Mexico due to seasonality and necessity. Broad based tariffs on food will actually hurt the American worker and their families by making household and restaurant staples unaffordable and often unavailable. We ask that the Trump Administration works with Senator Durbin and Congress to tailor tariffs in a manner that allows the restaurant industry to stay approachable and affordable,” said Scott Weiner, Chair of the Illinois Restaurant Association Board.
    “What tariffs have created is uncertainty, and when there’s uncertainty, there’s risk. And risk in construction means money and delays in projects. Higher prices create real questions whether a project will be built, and whether that skilled union worker has a job to report to next week. Our hope is that these tariffs are short-lived. The impacts will be felt in construction and many other industries — and by the average consumer. Whether you’re buying a house or avocados, tariffs will affect how you spend your money,” said Tom Cuculich, Executive Director of the Chicagoland Associated General Contractors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Continues Taking Action to Address Breast Cancer Diagnostic Waitlists

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on February 10, 2025

    Out-of-Province Initiative Extended to Increase Patient Access to Urgent Diagnostics

    The Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) are taking continued action to improve breast health services for Saskatchewan patients through a short-term extension to an initiative that allows patients to receive diagnostics at a medical facility in Calgary.

    Established in November 2023, this agreement has been extended to March 2026 as a temporary measure to accelerate urgent diagnostic procedures until these services are fully stabilized in the province. The implementation of the Out-of-Province Program has significantly reduced wait times for urgent breast biopsies from November 2023 to date, bringing them in line with the clinically recommended target of three weeks or less. 

    “We are committed to ensuring Saskatchewan residents have access to safe, high quality, and timely breast health care services as we advance several measures to expand in-province capacity, implement new technologies and complete construction on the new Breast Health Centre in Regina,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “We appreciate the dedication from our health care teams to accelerate urgent diagnostic breast cancer procedures and treatments following a diagnosis.”

    Eligible Saskatchewan patients who are waiting for urgent diagnostic breast procedures, such as breast biopsies, will be triaged by health care providers, who will contact them to ensure thorough screening and determine their interest in participating in the program.

    Patients identified as eligible and willing to travel to Calgary will receive diagnostic services based on their urgency, as determined by clinical evaluation. Those requiring urgent care will receive priority access, either within Saskatchewan or at the Calgary facility, depending on availability.

    “The Out-of-Province Breast Assessment Program helps provide Saskatchewan residents at risk of breast cancer with timely access to urgent diagnostic services,” Saskatchewan Health Authority Medical Imaging Executive Director Richard Dagenais said. “By extending this initiative, we can continue to address the immediate needs of patients while actively building capacity within the province to deliver high-quality breast health services closer to home.”

    To support patients accessing out-of-province services, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health will reimburse travel and accommodation expenses for the patient and one support person, to a maximum of $1,500. All medical expenses related to the diagnostic procedures will be fully covered by the Ministry of Health.

    As of January 17, 2025, approximately 472 patients have had their diagnostic procedures completed in Calgary.

    A number of proactive initiatives in Saskatchewan are either underway or in planning stages to enhance care and ensure it is provided in a timely manner, including:

    • Construction of a new Breast Health Centre in Regina that will provide a co-location of services, such as diagnostic imaging, consultation with specialists and surgeons, patient education, support and navigation. The Centre will also offer on-site access to post-treatment care, such as therapies and rehabilitation; 
    • Phased expansion of breast screening eligibility to those aged 40 to 49, beginning in January 2025;
    • Additional capacity in Saskatoon and Moose Jaw, offered to long-waiting and urgent patients from Regina and southern Saskatchewan, which has provided an additional 150 patients with timely access to breast diagnostic procedures since November 2023;
    • Centralized booking for breast cancer screening, providing seamless care and quicker access for all patients;
    • Implementation of 3D breast imaging (tomosynthesis), which will increase cancer detection, reduce the need for additional imaging views and tests, and reduce both false positive and false negative mammogram results;
    • Implementation of new breast tumour localization “seed” technology, which results in fewer delays and cancellations, as well as less discomfort for the patient; and
    • Ongoing work with the Ministry of Health to train and recruit medical radiation technologists, sonographers (ultrasound technologists), and radiologists specializing in breast imaging as part of its ongoing Health Human Resources Action Plan, including two local radiologists in Regina who recently completed their breast radiology fellowships.

    To learn more about the out-of-province breast cancer diagnostic initiative, please visit: saskatchewan.ca/medical-imaging.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta calls for tough-on-crime approach from feds

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –