Canada | Good News For Humankind

British Columbia agrees to hand title of a million acres of land back to the Haida Nation

Peter Schulte / April 16, 2024

For centuries, the Haida people have known that the impenetrable forests and bountiful waters of Haida Gwaii – “the islands at the boundary of the world” – were both a life-giving force and their rightful home. Now, after decades of negotiation, the province of British Columbia has come to the same conclusion: the title over more than 200 islands off Canada’s west coast should rightfully be held by the Haida Nation.

Canada to make contraception for women free

Peter Schulte / March 31, 2024

The government will pay for the most widely used methods to avoid pregnancy, such as IUDs, contraceptive pills, hormonal implants or the day after pill, for the nine million Canadian women of reproductive age, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said at a press conference. “Women should be free to choose the contraceptives they need without cost getting in the way. So, we’re making contraceptives free,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

Health Canada to completely ban use of strychnine poison

Peter Schulte / March 8, 2024

Strychnine has been used for decades to control animal pests, especially predators such as coyotes and wolves. Although it is highly effective, many consider it cruel. Strychnine kills by causing muscle cramps that eventually strangle the animal. A veterinary professor has called it “one of the worst ways to die.” The agency has declared a six-month phaseout period. That means all uses of strychnine will be illegal on September 7, 2024.

Canada to end sales of gas-powered cars by 2035

Peter Schulte / December 18, 2023

Under the new rules, electric or hydrogen-powered cars will account for 20% of new sales by 2026, 60% by 2030, and 100% by 2035. The rules mirror similar 2035 phase-out mandates in China, South Korea, the U.K. and several U.S. states, including California, New York, and Massachusetts.

Psilocybin analog leads to 79% of remission in mid-stage depression trial

Peter Schulte / November 30, 2023

After only two doses, nearly eight out of ten participants in a phase 2 trial by Toronto-based pharmaceutical company Cybin experienced remission from major depressive disorder at six weeks. The company has a planned phase 3 study slated to commence by the end of Q1 2024.

Canada launches new 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline

Peter Schulte / November 30, 2023

This three-digit hotline, similar to 911 for emergencies, connects individuals to critical suicide prevention services, giving instant assistance 24/7, free of charge. According to Statistics Canada, 4,500 individuals across the nation die by suicide every year.

Canada bans import, export of elephant ivory and rhino horns including hunting trophies

Peter Schulte / November 20, 2023

According to HSI, the African elephant population has declined by 96% over the last century, and poachers in Africa kill as many as 25,000 elephants and 1,300 rhinos every year. Poaching is the most significant threat to these species, experts say.

View of mountains and water in British Columbia

British Columbia, Canadian government, and First Nations announce $1 billion conservation agreement

Peter Schulte / November 3, 2023

The Canadian federal government has signed its first major nature agreement with a province and First Nations to mutually support protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030. The agreement is meant to protect old growth forests in the B.C., support the recovery of at-risk species, and restore ecosystems.

Canada’s first First Nations provincial premier elected in Manitoba

Peter Schulte / October 4, 2023

Wab Kinew, the 41-year-old head of the leftwing New Democratic party (NDP), has led the province’s party since 2017. A former rapper, broadcast journalist and university administrator, Kinew said his newly elected government will focus on reopening three emergency rooms shuttered in recent years.

National Museum of Scotland returns stolen totem pole to Nisga’a people after 100 years

Peter Schulte / October 2, 2023

It was a historic “rematriation” for the Indigenous nation of around 600 people in what is now known to many as Canada’s British Columbia. The return of the Ni’isjoohl pole could also set a precedent in a broader repatriation movement gaining steam around the world.