Carl Meyer

The war with Iran is making oil prices fluctuate wildly. What does this all mean for Alberta, a province whose budget sinks or swims on the price of a barrel? What does it mean for Canada as a whole?

Could this fresh chaos cause countries to re-evaluate their dependence on oil?

The secretive, foreign-owned LNG export project in Quebec, explained | The Narwhal The Baie-Comeau LNG project proposed for the shores of the St. Lawrence River could be Canada’s third largest liquefied natural gas export facility

A massive LNG project proposed in Quebec is quietly advancing. A Norwegian company wants to build one of Canada’s largest LNG export terminals in Baie-Comeau. Documents show Ottawa has assembled a federal “deal team” to help, @sarahkcox.bsky.social reports: thenarwhal.ca/lng-export-p...

The Narwhal’s AI guidelines The Narwhal’s AI guidelines are rooted in principles of accuracy, verification and transparency to preserve the trust we’ve built with our audiences

Hello! Thank you for putting this resource together. Our A.I. policy prohibits the use of A.I. to write stories or create and manipulate imagery. Here's the policy if you want to dig deeper! thenarwhal.ca/ai-guidelines/

Behold: the first-ever list of news outlets that have banned generative AI in their reporting. As of today, this is literally information that you cannot find on Google.

My goal is to fill the starter pack, so please send over suggestions with supporting evidence!

go.bsky.app/8cn1XfT

Europe will give priority to clean energy, high-level EU diplomat says | The Narwhal A high-level EU diplomat says Europe is focused on nuclear and renewables, as India makes a play for Canadian oil and gas

I asked the secretary-general of European Union diplomats if Europe wants Canada's oil and gas. She said Europe will give priority to clean energy sources and expects to continue to rely on renewables and nuclear power: thenarwhal.ca/eu-canada-oi...

Saskatchewan Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison has said the province will “not comply” with the clean electricity rules. The Saskatchewan legislature passed the Saskatchewan First Act in 2023, which claims the province has “autonomy” over electricity generation and emissions

In January, a Saskatchewan court dismissed a citizen-led legal challenge against the coal-power extension plan. Peter Prebble, a board member of one of the applicants, Saskatchewan Environmental Society, told me they're going to be encouraging the minister to tell the province "you can’t do this."

Federal coal phase-out rules and Canada's clean electricity rules are both under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which regulates toxic substances. CO2, NO2, SO2, mercury from coal plants are all on the toxic substances list. Dabrusin can intervene when a party is about to violate the law

Will feds step in if Saskatchewan breaks law on phasing out coal? | The Narwhal The Canadian government requires provinces to shutter coal-fired power plants by 2030, but the Prairie province is refurbishing its fossil fuel fleet

Environment minister will work with Saskatchewan to “ensure” it follows the law, her office reiterated, as the province pushes to keep its coal plants open past Canada’s deadline. Dabrusin’s office was mum when asked if she would intervene thenarwhal.ca/saskatchewan...

Meanwhile the assessment group has itself faced difficulty moving forward, it said, due to emergency conditions faced by several communities in the Ring of Fire. First Nations have faced wildfire evacuations, some lack clean drinking water, housing, health care. "The bulk of the work lies ahead."

The report says environmental monitoring "must be community-driven and started immediately, and before any development occurs." Mushkegowuk director Lawrence Martin believes the First Nations involved are taking the issue seriously. “We have to trust that our own people are very concerned" he said

Construction is set to begin on what will eventually be three new access roads to the Ring of Fire. They were proposed by two remote First Nations that want secure all-season access to Ontario highways, driving down their cost of living. Mushkegowuk communities want to see the all-season roads too

A federal document released in January, part of a regional assessment of the consequences of industrial activity in the Ring of Fire, says too little is known about past and present environmental conditions there. Premier Ford has said the province is on track to get “shovels in the ground" in June

First Nations co-led Ring of Fire study calls for immediate environmental monitoring | The Narwhal Former Mushkegowuk Grand Chief hopes environment and health-related recommendations are met, despite Ontario’s June construction start

Mushkegowuk Council is hoping new recommendations to “immediately” enact environmental monitoring in the Ring of Fire and help communities “urgently” access health care will see the light of day — even if construction on access roads is planned to begin in four months: thenarwhal.ca/ring-of-fire...

Walking 1,300 km of Black history in Ontario | The Narwhal Ken Johnston walked from Niagara Falls to Owen Sound, following the boggy, buggy Underground Railroad path of early Black settlers in Ontario

Called by his ancestors, Ken Johnston walked 1,360 kilometres through southern Ontario to retrace parts of the Underground Railroad. Here's what he learned about Black history in Canada, including the outdoor survival skills needed to escape enslavement. thenarwhal.ca/ontario-nort...

I recently worked with the talented @writermjs.bsky.social to turn some of his reporting on LNG Canada's flaring into video.

Go check it out, and then go read his stories on www.thenarwhal.ca

The stunning photographs are by @martyclemens.bsky.social

Crawford Nickel mine’s plan to store carbon in waste rock | The Narwhal The Crawford Nickel mine outside Timmins, Ont., is receiving millions of public dollars to figure out how to lower greenhouse gas emissions

Mark Carney and Doug Ford both named this mining project as a priority. Canada's invested in its carbon storage potential. But the carbon that Crawford Nickel plans to store won't come from the mine's own emissions. It could wind up being brought by pipeline or rail: thenarwhal.ca/crawford-nic...

Reminder: journalists get arrested in Canada too.

In fact, The Narwhal is in court right now challenging the RCMP for arresting photojournalist Amber Bracken. Our editor-in-chief,Carol Linnitt, testifies today and Monday, and court is open to the public if you're in Vancouver.

Who’s lobbying the Manitoba government? | The Narwhal We dug deep into lobbying records in Manitoba, a province 'far behind’ when it comes to transparency

Lobbyists try to influence those in the halls of power. But who are they? And what are they trying to achieve? @jsrutgers.bsky.social dug deep in Manitoba to find out. thenarwhal.ca/manitoba-lob...

Equipment issue led to excessive LNG Canada flaring, docs reveal | The Narwhal LNG Canada delayed reporting ‘integrity issue’ to regulators and never fully informed the public, while locals raised concerns about noise, smoke and emissions

LNG Canada has known about an issue with its flare stack for more than a year. The BC Energy Regulator learned as early as April 2025. Until now, the public has been kept in the dark. New from me and @laurenwatsonjourno.bsky.social thenarwhal.ca/lng-canada-f...

Canada is crossing off an oil and gas wish list | The Narwhal From fast-tracking approvals to slashing a proposed emissions cap, the Carney government is working its way through requests from Canada’s fossil fuel industry

Again and again last year, oil and gas executives and lobby groups made public overtures to Carney to “unwind the past decade” of environmental policy and “unlock” fossil fuel growth. Changes under Carney will bring Canada partially in line with their list of proposals: thenarwhal.ca/build-canada...

Next year will see a bit of a showdown between Enbridge Gas and two Ontario municipalities that are trying to resist a decades-old agreement that allows the fossil fuel company to build pipelines on public land free of charge. I really want you all to read about on Christmas Eve.

Will anyone want Canada’s oil and gas? Energy regulator delays forecast | The Narwhal Canada and the U.S. have shifted energy and climate policies, making it harder to predict global demand for fossil fuels in the coming years

Canada’s national energy regulator has postponed its report outlining future demand for fossil fuels, citing an “evolving energy and policy landscape.” thenarwhal.ca/canada-energ...

Attawapiskat organizers ask to intervene in Bill 5 court challenge | The Narwhal Founders of Okiniwak Indigenous Youth Movement and Friends of the Attawapiskat River want a say in Ontario court case affecting the Ring of Fire

Ramon Kataquapit, founder of the Okiniwak youth movement, says Bill 5 threatens his way of life. “They call it the Ring of Fire, but to us, it’s the Breathing Lands. For them, they see profit. For us, we see the air of Canada, the air of Ontario, the air of ourselves." thenarwhal.ca/bill-5-lawsu...

The unpaid bills of Alberta oil and gas companies, explained | The Narwhal We break down the ways some Alberta oil and gas companies are shirking their bills, and what that means for Alberta municipalities and landowners

Oil and gas companies collectively owe hundreds of millions to Alberta citizens, municipalities and the provincial government, and making these companies pay up isn't easy. Why do they owe so much? @drewanderson.bsky.social breaks it down: thenarwhal.ca/alberta-surf...

A guide to Carney’s Alberta pipeline deal | The Narwhal Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ‘grand bargain’ isn’t just about an Alberta pipeline —it also proposes rolling back a host of climate policies

Over several years I've reported on the oil and gas industry lobbying against restrictions on methane, limits on emissions, rules for carbon pricing, rules on clean tech use, and the push for more pipelines. All of those topics and more are in the Canada-Alberta deal: thenarwhal.ca/carney-alber...

Carney’s Alberta pipeline deal weakens climate policies | The Narwhal Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ‘grand bargain’ isn’t just about an Alberta pipeline —it also proposes rolling back a host of climate policies

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith have signed an agreement to advance Alberta’s pipeline dreams — and weaken some pollution laws. Here’s what you need to know:
thenarwhal.ca/carney-alber...

The real major project is politics, not pipelines | The Narwhal Carney’s major projects push has angered many in Alberta over perceived lack of support for a pipeline project that doesn’t exist

A national project list that doesn't do anything (yet) and a pipeline that doesn't exist. It's amazing how much debate nothing can stir up. #ableg #cdnpoli thenarwhal.ca/alberta-pipe...

Canada says anti-greenwashing rules silence industry | The Narwhal Carney is moving to nix some of Canada’s rules that restrict how oil and gas companies and other industries advertise environmental claims

Carney's budget claims Canada's anti-greenwashing law led to “some parties slowing or reversing efforts to protect the environment.” The government couldn't name any examples when I asked. Experts say the risks are exaggerated and the law could be working as intended thenarwhal.ca/greenwashing...

RSVP: Unpacking Carney’s major projects push | The Narwhal Join The Narwhal for a free Zoom event on Dec. 2 to unpack the process, politics and potential impacts of Canada’s push to build major projects

Join us for a free Zoom event on Dec. 2 to unpack the process, politics and potential impacts of Canada’s push to build major projects. Get the details on that, plus more fresh reporting from The Narwhal, in our latest newsletter: thenarwhal.ca/newsletter-r...