GEOG 203/4 CANADIAN ENVIRONNEMENTAL ISSUES

Winter 2021
Prof. Pierre Deslauriers
Assignment - Topic choice Worth 2.5%
NEEDS BE COMPLETED, AT LATEST : February 9th

VERSION FOR STUDENTS USING Edition 5

of Dearden and Mitchell Environmental Change and Challenge

This assignment is the first step in a process that will require two other
papers (see course syllabus), and which gets you to explore a Canadian
environmental issue covered in the GEOG 203 course textbook.
The list of possible topics and associated textbook pages is provided
further in this doc.
NOTE that the textbook pages indicated cannot be your only source of
info on what you will eventually work on. They intend to serve as ‘’eye
opener’’, a broad intro to the topic, to help orient you in making your
choice.

This assignment, and the final research paper (20%) may be done
individually OR with a partner ( team of 2)

IMPORTANT
IF you will be working as a team, ONLY ONE team member should sign up
on Moodle (this is IMPORTANT as it is the frequency of topic choice that
counts – there is a ‘’cap’’).
YOU MUST THEN inform me SEPARATELY, by sending me an e-mail of
your team formation/composition

You are to choose one among the topics listed below.

YOU MUST sign up your choice in the electronic sign-up list on Moodle =
link on the course Moodle page

Sign ups are LIMITED to 15 (MAX) per topic among the identified below.
When the number 15 has been reached for one topic, it will be ‘’closed’’ =
the class will be notified that it will have become unavailable
THEREFORE, there is an advantage in signing up EARLY to secure the
topic that you wish to work on (it is first come, first served)

FOR NOW, all that you are required to do is to sign up your topic.
IF you do not meet the Feb. 9th deadline, you CANNOT obtain the 2.5 (NO
reason will be accepted)
Guidelines for the second step of the process will follow/be posted
January 28th (Date identified on course syllabus for Short Background
paper START)
 SEE NEXT PAGE for Topic options/List
Topics :

1. PIPELINES
- Trans Mountain (SEE Edition 6 pages available in Course Reserves) 10
- (failed) Northern Gateway project (Textbook Chap 1, pp 9-12) 10
- Keystone XL 5 students
2. Impact of climate change the Canadian North (Textbook Chap 7,
pp. 210-217)
3. Canadian government policy towards climate change (Textbook
Chap7, pp 223-231 + what are more recent developments ? …)
4. Canadian environmental policy (needs be on any policy other than
related to climate change)
Examples of discussion such policies SEE pp 28-29 ; 162-163 ; 180 (EIA)
5. Canada’s East Coast fisheries … the collapse of cod, and associated
matters, recent adaptation, developments …
(Textbook Chap 8, pp. 264-270)
6. Aquaculture (for ex. B.C. salmon farms) Textbook Chap 8, pp. 277-280)
7. Forest industry practices and forest management in one specific
area of Canada USE/CHECK Dearden and Mitchell Chap 9
8. Environmental challenges for Canadian agriculture (Textbook
Chap 10 pp. 343-358)
9. Northwest Territories diamond mine(s) (Chap 12, pp. 412-419)
10. Alberta Oil sands (Chap 12, pp. 430-436)
11. Hydro-electricity mega-projects in Québec
Not limited to James Bay
- IF on James Bay projects, paper will have to provide for more recent
developments
Basic bckgd. In Textbook Chap 11, pp 370-375 … does not provide
thorough (enough), up to date, coverage/account
12. Great Lakes water issues Textbook Chap 11, pp. 375-377 ; 401-402
13. Water as hazard – floods ; drought (Textbook Chap 11 pp. 393-398)
14. Canada and alternative energy sources (Textbook Chap 12 pp 422-427)
15. Conserving biodiversity and species – protection of natural areas
(use chap 14, mostly 505-518 AND ALSO Chap 8 pp 262-263 and 275-277
… more specifically Marine Protected Areas)
16. Environmental issue(s) involving a (or some) Canadian First Nations
group - MUST be OTHER than James Bay Québec case
- Scan different themes covered in Textbook, check/scan Index at end of
Textbook
Examples of relevant pages : 186-190 ; 270-273 (fisheries) ; 386-388
(water security ; 517-520 (protecting natural areas)
Makes reference, for ex., to situations which may involve protection of
land and resources (ex. creation of a new National park on Aboriginal
land) ; resource exploitation projects on Native territory ; First Nations
initiatives, actions … ref. to traditional lifestyles, knowledge (TEK) etc
… for ex. Application to First Nations forestry