Rick Harp

The extreme cost of drought for Manitoba Hydro | The Narwhal Manitoba Hydro lost a record $436 million due to drought conditions in 2003-04. The province is last in line for water sharing on the Prairies

Manitoba is the last in line for water sharing from Prairies rivers stemming from the Rockies. It’s also the province most dependent on that water for electricity generation, @drewanderson.bsky.social reports: thenarwhal.ca/prairies-dro...

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The family of late Ashlee Shingoose will finally share their grief in Manitoba court.

Hear more on APTN News Brief:
pod.fo/e/30d209

APTN News Brief: August 7, 2025—Manitoba Métis Federation rejects Bill C-5 meeting with Carney gov’t due to inclusion of Métis National Council and Métis Nation of Ontario Our lead story: upset the Métis Nation of Ontario and the Métis National Council were also invited, the Manitoba Métis Federation rejects a meeting with the Carney government about its major pro...

Manitoba Métis Federation rejects Bill C-5 meeting with Carney gov’t due to inclusion of Métis National Council and Métis Nation of Ontario.

Hear more on APTN News Brief:

It’s Time to Rethink the Assumptions That Guide the Design of Tech Platforms | TechPolicy.Press Victoria Sgarro and Madhav Tipu Ramachandran argue that the current state of platforms is a consequence of philosophical assumptions that need to be challenged.

Victoria Sgarro and Madhav Tipu Ramachandran argue that the current state of digital platforms is not only a consequence of market forces or technological limitations, but also of the philosophical assumptions that guide the design of these platforms.

Winnipeg sets another unwanted record Winnipeg has blazed its way to its smokiest year on record — and there are still nearly three months remaining in the wildfire season.

Winnipeg has blazed its way to its smokiest year on record — and there are still nearly three months remaining in the wildfire season.

www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...

Rereading, a classic. Available online here:
www.ways-of-seeing.com

Premier’s Office spent nearly $20K on PragerU fundraiser gala Disclosures show that the Premier's Office spent nearly $20,000 to support a fundraiser by far-right American organization PragerU

SCOOP: Alberta taxpayers paid almost $20K for Premier Danielle Smith to speak alongside Ben Shapiro at a PragerU fundraiser in March, according to travel expense disclosures.

www.theprogressreport.ca/premier-prag...

This piece is such a freest example of why public service should stay public goods. Running them like a business devalues their effectiveness

APTN News Brief: August 6, 2025—Cree candidate for NDP takes on federal Conservative leader in by-election for Alberta riding of Battle River–Crowfoot Our lead story: in the by-election for the federal Alberta riding of Battle River–Crowfoot—a vote set for August 18—NDP candidate Katherine Swampy of Samson Cree Nation takes on Conservative ...

Cree candidate for NDP takes on federal Conservative leader in by-election for Alberta riding of Battle River–Crowfoot.

Hear more on APTN News Brief:

Zohran Mamdani Is Proposing Green Abundance for the Many The New York City mayoral campaign of Zohran Mamdani is focused on lowering the cost of living. It can serve as a blueprint for progressives seeking to embed climate action in real improvements for…

Recommended read: The @jacobinmagazin.bsky.social examined how the focus of New York City mayor frontrunner Zohran Mamdani on lowering the cost of living can serve as a “blueprint” for embedding climate action in everyday life.

📝 @batul.bsky.social

The Growing Fight for Green Economic Populism In Chicago and across the country, unions and progressive leaders are implementing policies to address the climate crisis while improving working people’s lives.

As Dixon Romeo, executive director of Southside Together, told us, ​“The tenant organizing feeds into broader campaigns so tenants not only have a union in their building but are also fighting for better neighborhoods.”

The British media outlet ITV also went on a Jordanian airdrop and simply ignored the Israeli government’s illiberal demands:

www.itv.com/news/2025-08...

Driven by faith, frustrated by funding Care-home operators say miracles are in short supply when trying to feed residents with 2009-level resources

For Manitoba seniors living in personal-care homes, mealtime should be highlights of the day.

APTN News Brief: August 5, 2025—3,000-plus people flee northern Manitoba wildfires for second time in weeks; Na-Cho Nyak Dun, YK gov’t reach land-use deal Our lead story: for the second time in under a month, northern Manitoba wildfires prompt the weekend evacuation of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, with many of its 3,000+ evacuees relocating 660 kilom...

3,000-plus people flee northern Manitoba wildfires for second time in weeks.

Hear more on APTN News Brief:

What Are We Waiting For? – Spectre Journal This two-part essay draws upon crisis theory and the history of economic crises to reflect on the current turbulence and the next economic crisis. The first part of the essay begins by drawing on the ...

In the first part of this essay, out now, @holgersen.bsky.social argues that, capitalism actually necessitates crisis to survive. Ståle Holgersen is the author of Against the Crisis: Economy and Ecology in a Burning World from @VersoBooks.

Part two - Friday 8/8

spectrejournal.com/what-are-we-...

To Combat Climate Change, Electrification needs Compact Cities for Full Impact The research is clear: without aggressively tackling rising global temperatures, there will be catastrophic global consequences within the coming decades. This year, reports have indicated that to kee...

“Electrification has been touted as a silver bullet: an easy solution that alleviates the GHG burden from car owners worldwide. This isn’t the case. Extensive vehicle electrification only lowers emissions by a portion of what’s needed.” Via @wrirosscities.bsky.social itdp.org/2021/12/09/w...

Oil producer pressure, Trump rollbacks threaten global treaty on plastics pollution Hopes for a "last-chance" ambitious global treaty to curb plastic pollution have dimmed as delegates gather this week at the United Nations in Geneva for what was intended to be the final round of negotiations.

Without intervention, plastic production is on track to triple by 2060 www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

A journalist with Canada’s public broadcaster was not allowed on the Canadian plane air dropping aid into Gaza because of Israeli restrictions.

When she made it onto a Jordanian plane, she was not allowed to film what she saw on the ground in Gaza because Israel forbids it from being shown.

Archival research has found 171 confirmed deaths at Kuper Island residential school, 50 more than previously thought Archival research conducted on behalf of the Penelakut Tribe has found 50 more deaths at the former residential school than previous estimates

My thoughts today have been with the Penelakut Tribe, and Survivors of the Kuper Island Indian Residential School in BC, as the Nation released its interim report. Archival research alone has confirmed 50 additional deaths of children, bringing the total to 171: www.timescolonist.com/local-news/a...

All major Las Vegas Strip casinos are now unionized in historic labor victory The Culinary Workers Union representing 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada has achieved a historic victory on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Culinary Workers Union representing 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada has achieved a historic victory on the Las Vegas Strip. For the first time in its 90-year history, all major casinos on the Strip are unionized.

Did Craigslist decimate newspapers? Legend meets reality. - Poynter Craig Newmark’s simple site was hailed as a disruptor and blamed for the collapse of classifieds. But journalism’s business failures ran deeper.

From @poynterinstitute.bsky.social: Did Craigslist decimate newspapers? Legend meets reality.

www.poynter.org/business-wor...

Corporation for Public Broadcasting to close after Congress pulls funding - Poynter CPB, which helps fund NPR and PBS, will run out of money on Sept. 30, at which point it will lay off the majority of its staff

After nearly 60 years of supporting public broadcasting organizations like NPR and PBS, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced Friday that it will close operations by early next year.
www.poynter.org/business-wor...

New from @michaelfakhri.bsky.social
‘Israel has built the most efficient starvation machine you can imagine. So while it’s always shocking to see people being starved, no one should act surprised. All the information has been out in the open since early 2024.’
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

This is amongst the most impactful two minutes of broadcasting I’ve ever seen.

By Emma Murphy, International Editor, ITV News. #Gaza

Second wildfire evacuation order issued for Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation has issued a full evacuation order, its second in two months, as wildfires impact air quality and threaten the road in and out of the community.

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation has issued a full evacuation order, its second in two months, as wildfires impact air quality and threaten the road in and out of the community.

AP: “.. About half of all Americans say the cost of groceries is a ‘major’ source of stress in their life right now ..”

@apnews.com
apnews.com/article/poll...

Workers United NY/NJ celebrates the workers @bafflerunited.bsky.social
who make the amazing publication @thebaffler.com
possible!
Welcome to our union!

White Text on a red background reads: "Since its founding in 1988, The Baffler has articulated an unapologetically pro-worker and pro-union politics in the reportage and criticism it has published. In seeking to reflect those values throughout the organization, we are proud to announce that we have formed a union as part of the Workers United New York New Jersey Regional Joint Board."

We, the staff of @thebaffler.com, are proud to announce that we have formed a union with @workersunitednynj.bsky.social. Read more about why we have formed a union here:

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The AI bubble is so big it's propping up the US economy (for now) Plus how American professors are fighting back against the AI onslaught, a backlash over AI models in Vogue, and more.

Analysts show that capital expenditures on AI were so big over the last 6 months they added more to the GDP than *all consumer spending*. That growth is offsetting pain from the tariffs and slow job growth.

So the AI bubble may be propping up the whole US economy. What happens if and when it pops?