B.C. rejects Northern Gateway pipeline proposal

The province officially rejected the Northern Gateway pipeline proposal because it fails to address the province’s environmental concerns. SFU assistant professor Jonn Axsen says the announcement is a victory of sort for B.C. residents since a recent survey of over 2,000 Canadians show that B.C. is the only province to have more residents reject rather than support the pipeline. “The sad part is that the provincial government is neglecting the real, global impact of the pipeline, which is increasing climate change risks by facilitating further oil sands development,” Axsen says.

Jonn Axsen, 778.782.9365, jaxsen@sfu.ca

World No Tobacco Day theme: ban advertising

This year’s World No Tobacco Day (May 31) theme is “Ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.” Since marketing remains seminal to the tobacco industry’s continued prosperity, SFU health science professor Kelley Lee says companies are finding creative ways of circumventing restrictions and fighting the adoption of stronger regulation. However, Lee says, “there is clear evidence that a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship leads to reductions in people starting and continuing smoking.”

Kelley Lee, 778.782.9039, kelley_lee@sfu.ca