In April, Calgary-based pipeline company TransCanada 鈥 the same company behind the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline 鈥 formally proposed and launched an open season for a monumental new project: the Energy East tar sands pipeline, a C$12 billion, 4400 kilometer long pipeline connecting Hardisty, Alberta to dedicated export terminals at ports in Quebec City and Saint John, New Brunswick.
The project could carry up to 1.1 million barrels per day of crude oil including a substantial amount of diluted bitumen tar sands crude.
985
Thousands of high school students have confronted authorities in Paris after several asylum seekers were deported by the French government.
Protests broke out on October 17 with students building barricades in the streets and occupied their schools, as well as engaging in clashes with riot police. The students were opposing the deportation of several of their peers who had been stolen away by the racist French government.
Socialist Alliance WA co-convenor Sam Wainwright was re-elected to the Fremantle council on October 19. In the other wards, progressive councillors defeated conservative opponents, and Mayor Brad Pettitt was also returned.
First Nations people have blockaded motorways on October 17 in Rexton, New Brunswick in Canada's west in protest against the violation of their traditional homelands by colonist mining companies seeking to commence fracking for shale gas.
Protsters from the Elsipogtog First Nation were joined by other local residents to stop shale gas exploration over fears it would lead to environmentally damaging fracking processes.
A group of Iranians were on hunger strike outside the immigration department in Melbourne on October 19. Local Australian-Iranian man Jahangir Hosseini has been on hunger strike for more than 30 days. Another four women and one man have joined him on hunger strike.
The hunger strikers plan to continue their hunger strike until seven hostages abducted by Iraqi forces are released.
Hosseini called on the Australian government to intervene to secure the immediate release of the seven hostages, six of who are women.
A bill to recognise crime or harm against a foetus was debated a second time in NSW parliament on October 17. About 100 protesters rallied outside before filling the public gallery to witness the debate.
Liberal MP Chris Spence's bill, the Crimes Amendment (Zoe鈥檚 Law) Bill 2013 No. 2, also known as 鈥淶oe's law鈥, aims to amend the NSW Crimes Act.
It would give rights and personhood to foetuses of more than 20 weeks (or weighing more than 400 grams), which has troubling implications for women鈥檚 reproductive control.
More than 100 residents of Sydney's inner western suburbs attended a public meeting at Leichhardt Town Hall on October 10 to oppose the NSW Liberal government's plan to build the WestConnex toll road.
The road would link the M4 motorway to Sydney Airport. The $10-15 billion project would involve a 33-kilometre toll road to extend the M4 from Strathfield to Mascot Airport and Port Botany, and duplicate the M5 East and M6 tollways.
Call me old-fashioned, but as far as celebrity outlaws go, I鈥檒l take Ned Kelly over Chopper Read any day. The rise to fame of recently deceased Mark 鈥淐hopper鈥 Read symbolised the emptiness of our celebrity culture.
I recently had the misfortune of being granted an audience with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and was unlucky enough to conduct an interview with him. I include the transcript below.
* * *
Well, thank you very much, prime minister, for agreeing to this interview.
Well, I am always very happy to be interviewed by my good friends at the Daily Telegraph.
Yes...
You鈥檝e moved offices I see. Nice Che Guevara poster!
Yes... Can I get you something to drink? I鈥檓 having a beer.
You don鈥檛 have any Bollinger do you?
International students and supporters rallied on October 17 to oppose international students being exploited, bullied and pushed into poverty in Melbourne鈥檚 office cleaning industry.
The rally was called by cleaners鈥 union United Voice as part of anti-poverty week.
United Voice Victoria secretary Jess Walsh said: "International students are a very important part of our community. A quarter of the international students we surveyed received less than $10 an hour at work, and 60% received less than the minimum wage and many reported experiencing racism and sexual harassment.
PRIVATISE HECS
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is considering a plan to sell off Australia鈥檚 $23 billion Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) debt, said on October 16.
The debt, owed by university students, could be privatised and sold to investors.
Refugee advocates in Australia reported that 15 pregnant women would be sent to the Nauru detention camp on October 18, as the Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) released alarming information about conditions in the camp.
Immigration minister Scott Morrison had earlier overseen the transfer to Nauru of two pregnant women 鈥 one seven months pregnant with twins. He said Nauru鈥檚 hospital had two delivery beds, six post-natal beds and a 鈥渟pecial-care baby unit鈥.
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