Sierra Rayne

Moving the Snowbirds into the Modern Era

After news broke in mid-2012 that a Canadian Forces report from late 2011 suggested the military was planning to spend $755 million on replacement aircraft for the Snowbirds aerobatics team, little more information on this much-needed national defense upgrade has trickled out.

Valid Concerns Over Russia's Increasing Military Presence in the Arctic

The recent statements by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Russia's increasing military presence and capabilities in the Arctic are a promising step towards geopolitical realism, and an acknowledgment that the international naivety expressed by those on the political left in Canada is misguided and dangerous.

Stephen Harper is Winning the War on Crime

With the release of the latest suite of police-reported crime statistics for 2013, it is clear that the Conservative Party of Canada's tough stance on crime is starting to produce real rewards, particularly towards youth crime.

River Flows Not Generally Declining in Canada

Several months ago, Mark Hume at the Globe and Mail published an article with a title sure to catch the public's attention: "Climate change and health: drinking water in decline."

Loss of Stored Carbon from Albertan Oil Sands Development is Irrelevant

The recent release of a study on the "Impact of the Keystone XL pipeline on global oil markets and greenhouse gas emissions" in the journal Nature Climate Change has refocused media attention on GHG emissions from Alberta's oil sands development. Pipeline proponents argue emissions will be very low; pipeline opponents contend emissions will be very high.

Flow Trend Realism in British Columbia's Kettle River

The Kettle River system in south-central British Columbia appears to be another epicenter for environmental activism, requiring an antidote of reality. There certainly are good reasons to care for our aquatic systems, but solid public policy requires an accurate understanding of what the scientific data is telling us.

Forest Fires Not Increasing in Number or Area Burned in Canada

Over the past couple months, academic and government scientists in Canada -- as well as a provincial premier -- have raised the alarm over how climate change is leading to increasing threats from forest fires.

Predicting Future Levels of the Great Lakes Has High Uncertainty

In a recent opinion piece from the Montreal Gazette, F. Pierre Gingras -- a retired Hydro-Quebec planning executive -- discusses the potential impacts of climate change on water levels in the St. Lawrence River Basin. Gingras notes that "climate change experts predict that water volumes and levels in the St. Lawrence River Basin will continue to dwindle over time, falling by 20 per cent to 30 per cent from existing levels over this 21st century."

Drier Springs in British Columbia? Not According to the Data

While some members of the academic establishment argue that Canadians deserve an honest discussion on climate change, the same media outlets fail to provide one. Want an honest climate change discussion? Fine, let us have one.

Problems With Climate Change Concerns in the Okanagan

Over the past decade, the increasing march of climate activism has become clearly evident throughout the Okanagan Valley in south-central British Columbia. It permeates all, and demands an all-subservient obedience to its religious tenor. But, as in so many other regions, the claims either do not match with reality or cannot be verified.

No Chance Global Warming Can Be Blamed For Detroit's Flooding

According to the news, "Detroit is drowning ... and global warming's to blame." The former may be true, but the latter isn't. It is trivial to dismiss any causative linkage between global warming and the large amount of rain that fell in the Motor City last week. The following three plots will suffice.

Clarifying the Changing Climate in Kamloops

There is a lot of confusion as to how, and in many cases -- if, the climate across Canada is changing. Unfortunately, many of the public discussions by the academic and government communities are confusing or even incorrect.

Extreme Rainfall and Toxic Algae Blooms Near Toledo

Even more climate hysteria, and still no evidence

On Great Plains Droughts and the Climate in Michigan

Once again, the historical data simply doesn't support the alarmist narratives in the mainstream media

The Ongoing Debate Over Climate Change in Idaho

Claims in the media do not seem to match up with the scientific datasets

Toledo Water Pollution Not Due to Climate Change

There are a range of valid causal factors behind the current harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. Climate change is not one of them

Colorado's 2013 Floods Not Due to Climate Change

Despite claims to the contrary, there is no evidence linking anthropogenic activities to the deluge last year

Climate Science Journalism Problems in the Southwest

The hyperbole masquerading as objective and rigorous climate science journalism rolls on. As part of a three part series on "How climate change is altering the deserts of the southwest," Ian James states the following:

More Climate Hysteria Down Under

Since 1900, annual rainfall in almost all of southern Australia has increased, not decreased

Climate Change and Corn in North Dakota

The mainstream media uses climate change to explain almost everything, but the data doesn't support their default position