John O'Connor repeatedly called on the Government of Alberta to conduct health study into high rates of bile duct cancer found in oil sands that would not be overseen by industry.

Thirty years ago, the federal McDonald Commission faced terrorist threats— but fiercely defended "public trust" and civil rights. Now Harper's Bill C-51 is grinding both under the Conservative boot.

Now that we and the rest of Earth’s human population are faced with an utterly explicit planetary crisis, our politicians and the system they work in are mostly shying away from positive change.