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Canadian corporate-owned newspapers and private TV networks are doing very little to inform Canadians of the dramatic changes in climate that are beginning to alter life in the country.

The country is becoming a land of climate-change extremes. Some parts of the country are starting to heat up beyond normal temperatures, while others are starting to experience longer wet periods.

A massive, uncontrollable wildfire – the worst in the country’s history – recently destroyed part of the city of Fort McMurray, the hub for the production of oil sands crude.

In the Canadian North, the melting of permafrost is destroying vital roads and, as a result, native people are experiencing depression, with some committing suicide. Rainfall across the Prairies is so erratic that farmers are losing parts of the crops. Farmers are suffering psychological problems. Some are committing suicide.

Despite these serious occurrences, and predictions that the impact of climate change will be severe within 50 years, Canadian corporate media is treating the growing threat as just another story.

Obviously, they are committed to capitalism over the threat to the public, continuing to run stories that promote business growth, the oil industry, and luxury car sales.

The failure of corporate media to defend the interests of the communities they serve is a national disgrace bordering on a crime against the people of Canada.

A survey of the country's papers shows that, while a few have run excellent, one-time features on climate change, only the Winnipeg Free Press has a dedicated environment page -- and even it consists of random environmental stories from around the globe.

The Vancouver Sun appears to have published one major article in recent months that provided details of what Canada will be like by 2050 if no major action is taken on climate change – extreme heat in some parts of the country, more rain, and worse wildfires. The Sun has also published editorials and opinion pieces urging action on climate change.

Meanwhile, in Alberta, Canada’s home of Big Oil, The Calgary Herald has done a lot to encourage people to oppose the NDP government’s environmental plans.

The Herald recently published a piece by Ted Morton of the Manning Foundation for Building Democracy, in which he wrote that the government’s actions planned to take on climate change were no more reliable than going and betting in Los Vegas.

Another Herald piece was entitled: “Climate change plan is causing worry.” It was written by Robin Campbell, president of the Coal Association of Canada.

In the East, The Globe and Mail, the country's most influential national paper, has a habit of running stories that tend to scare people about how hard it will be to overcome climate change. But, at the same time, the paper neglects to point out what will be the consequences of climate disaster if we don't act.

Here are two examples of the Globe’s biased approach to supporting economic development vs the threat of climate change:

The paper ran a scare-tactic front-page banner headline story “Ontario to spend $7-billion on sweeping climate change plan.” But it provided no information on why the Ontario government feels the plan is necessary.

The following day the Globe managed the news by reporting negative reaction to the government’s plan: “Energy, auto sectors raise red flags over Ontario climate plan.”

The Globe side-steps the threat of climate change and has published the views of so-called scientists who say climate change is not caused by humans. Disgraced plagiarizing columnist Margaret Wente has been the main offender, first denying that climate change was happening, and more recently saying the changes are not caused by human activity.

While The Toronto Star does not have a regular section devoted to climate change, it reports on the need for action more than any other paper in the country.

Mass media is the main place where people should be learning of the threat ahead. Daily newspapers by now should have created special sections that give as much attention to climate change as their special sections that promote business.

Largely because of inadequate reporting by mass media, most Canadians are not well enough informed or angry enough to demand action by government and non-renewable corporations.

A study co-authored by University of Montreal researchers suggests that, while 79 per cent of Canadians do not doubt the reality of climate change, 39 per cent don't believe it is caused by human activity. – This is a huge, very discouraging percentage.