iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I am so incredibly tired of these constant provincial preemptions of municipal issues.

Reposted by Christina H-M

James Bullock @jmbecologist.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The big lie peddled by developers about ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’ is that that they can destroy natural places & somehow make it good by habitat creation elsewhere Ecological restoration is about reversing historical damage to nature It is not about justifying further destruction

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This thread just made something click in my brain - thank you!

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Unfortunately, my submission was only an hour after the recent Cycle Toronto appeal decision was released. I didn't have time to do a full analysis, but I did have time to make some small adjustments to my paper. I guess this means I have a future research direction to continue down.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I submitted my final legal paper, marking an official end to my master's program. Final title: Constitutional clash or swept away in the storm? How provincial paramountcy, non-constitutional status of cities and the removal of municipal powers transfers the ultimate climate risk to the taxpayer.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Very grateful that my supervisor doesn't care about paper length as long as I was concise. Final count 32,843, with footnotes.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

I'm neither surprised that the government of Alberta is all in on hyperscale AI data centres to enrich a small group of investors or that their concerns about protecting 'pristine viewscapes' that derailed the renewables industry conveniently does not apply to these projects.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Officially finished the first draft of my major paper. 27,248 words is definitely more than either I or my supervising professor expected, but I had a lot to say about provincial interference with municipal climate action.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Crossing my fingers this funding happens 🤞

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Of course! It was full of useful information and I'm grateful for the reframing and tips. Thanks for writing it!

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Loved this article by Jon about how necessary it is to personalize climate in our communication. "The most effective climate message is not “the planet is dying.” It is “I am thinking about the future my kids are going to inherit, and I want it to be different than what I am seeing.”"

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Related to my previous post on "energy choice". If you're beholden to a supplier, are you really free?

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Housing affordability is NOT affordability for the home owner if the operational and maintenance costs are higher overall. Instead, the developers are just selling you a pretty new lemon and you are going to be the one on the hook to fix it.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

You can start to see the patterns when you hear phrases like "energy choice/freedom", or "affordability" that only really affects the developers pockets. For someone who disliked business finance, the amount of times I'm whispering 'follow the money' to myself is getting concerning.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Also, related, it's been rather shocking to see how blatant the bias is in these decisions. I'm racking up examples of government actors blatantly choosing the side of industry over constituents saying they don't want these changes and scientists with data showing the changes don't make sense.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

When I started my research on municipal climate action barriers in Canada, I really didn't think I needed to worry about Vancouver. Do I really need to add a section about municipalities shooting themselves in the foot instead of just talking about provincial preemption? www.biv.com/news/economy...

biv.com

Vancouver mayor moves to roll back major climate bylaws, sparking clash with province

Ken Sim’s motion to roll back gas heating bans sparks a provincial clash and claims from city staff that the housing cost savings are unrealistic

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Update: the seedlings are thriving. So is my spring mood.

The picture shows numerous growing tomato seedlings in recycled yogurt containers under a grow light.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

I am concerned that this Task Force will simply double down on economic assumptions and myths instead of critically assessing what can be changed. This represents a huge opportunity for beneficial systemic change in this country, and a re-centering of nature, and I would hate to see it wasted.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

I am still watching what will happen with the proposed Expert Taskforce on Natural Capital Accounting and Nature Financing. In theory, I think it's critical we accept and socialize how the degradation of nature leads to serious economic effects, but I see risks if the focus is built too narrowly.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

In particular: 1) Commitment to the 30% protection target for lands and waters. 2) Recognition that nature is a core foundation of the health and wellbeing of this country and its people. 3) New funding and expansion of the Indigenous Guardians Program.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Canada just released its new Nature Strategy. I will be watching the development of this work with some remaining questions, but I also am also really glad to see some of the areas of focus in this strategy. www.canada.ca/en/services/...

canada.ca

A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature - Canada.ca

Canada’s plan to protect and value nature - a foundation of our economy, sovereignty, and well-being.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

It does not help that my entire reading list for the month has been dystopic. "Dark Money" by Jane Mayer, "The Petroleum Papers" by Geoff Dembickie, "The Annual Migration of Clouds" by Premee Mohamed. I recommend them all, but maybe not back to back like I did.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

My February mood every year revolves solely around "is it March yet so I start my tomato seedlings?". I've been hoarding empty yogurt containers all year for this moment. I am barely contained. Every day feels like groundhog day.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

One week into this program, and I'm grateful I've taken this time to dive back into school and focused learning. I've already been exposed to some incredible readings that have changed my understanding of Canada, like this blog post from OKT Law. www.oktlaw.com/tsilhqotin-d...

oktlaw.com

The Tsilhqot'in Decisions and Indigenous Law on Sacred Spaces - OKT | Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP

Why are there so many conflicts between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians about sacred spaces and sites? What are the differences in how Indigenous la

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

I'll be digging into this more as I go from a Canadian perspective - this question is, at least in part, the intended culmination of my work over the next year.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Successful regulation needs community buy in or it never really becomes part of the fabric of the society. Some municipalities have hit the sweet spot, and have the tools needed to do so. While others (like my own) have hit huge barriers as powers are either specifically removed, or never given.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Currently reading @iamdavidmiller.bsky.social "Solved" to kick off research for my LLM. I'm struck by the challenge (& opportunity) of aligning municipal authorities in a particular jurisdiction with the social values of the population they serve.

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Reposted by Christina H-M

Dr Charlie Gardner @charliejgardner.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Nature and atmospheric carbon are both parts of the same global carbon cycle Therefore any 'climate solution' that destroys nature is not, in fact, a climate solution

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

I loved the points at the end about the climate translator role, and how it's necessary in the legal role. It validates how I feel about my own work. I've shared the link with a number of my colleagues and clients - this was such a great read. Thank you!

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Reposted by Christina H-M

Kevin J. Kircher @kevinjkircher.com · 06/07/2025

Also, we can do lots of JAM: Joint Adaptation and Mitigation. Stuff that reduces both emissions and vulnerability to climate impacts. - Air-sealing buildings (and adding intentional filtration/ventilation) reduces heat/cooling demand, hence emissions, as well as health impacts from wildfire smoke.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

I didn't start as the municipality's Environmental lawyer (even though I wanted to). But you can bet I brought a climate and equity lens to each of the other portfolios I handled until I got to move into this role. And now I also work on training my colleagues to bring it to their roles too.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

There's something to be said for engaging a climate lens in broader decision making. We're working on rolling this out across the Corp right now, but it's easier when our people already start with a baseline knowledge and care for climate in their work building solutions to everyday problems.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

I love seeing adaptation and resilience action like this in other municipalities! The more local action we see, the better we will all be prepared. More than half of the world's population already lives in urban centres, and we also serve as emergency response hubs for rural climate disasters.

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Reposted by Christina H-M

Ed Hawkins @edhawkins.org · 21/06/2025

Every country is warming. Every country is experiencing more extreme weather events because of climate change, mainly caused by burning fossil fuels. www.ShowYourStripes.info Time to #ShowYourStripes and start climate conversations to prompt actions to reduce emissions, personally & collectively.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

I've been thinking of what a hypothetical climate-change propaganda campaign would even look like, and I haven't managed to come up with anything that would be as successful as the right-leaning campaigns we're dealing with. So what would be "good propaganda"?

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

Because propaganda uses feelings to be successful? Most of the propaganda we're seeing uses a concrete fear and identifies an easy enemy. Climate change has neither of those things. The early effects were harder to pin down even if someone wants to talk about them, and the 'enemy' is well resourced.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

However, I was extremely heartened with the exceptional conversations I had yesterday with some key decision makers about systems thinking, collaboration across the organization, and reassignment of budget to make smarter and more creative climate decisions, so it is possible.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Being in some of these conversations it often feels like trying to convince people who are playing the biggest game of chicken that we shouldn't be playing chicken at all. That the game of chicken itself is a problem.

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Reposted by Christina H-M

Calgary Climate Hub @calgaryclimatehub.ca · 21/05/2025

Cities are where it's at for seeing real #ClimateAction happen. It's why we do what we do. With a municipal election coming in the fall we checked in with @realityclimatique.bsky.social to see which cities are scoring BIG on the #NationalClimateLeague! www.podcastics.com/episode/3620... #yyc #yyccc

podcastics.com

National Climate League: Canada’s Cities Go Head-to-Head

National City Rankings Meet Local Action in Calgary’s Election Year

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

As the smallest level of government, we are closest to your neighbourhoods, communities, daily services, emergency services, and infrastructure. Adaptation and resilience is exactly where we fit. I'm heartened every time I see municipalities assess these risks and produce concrete action plans 4/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Action on mitigation at the municipal level should not stop until we've done everything we can within the limits we have. However, I see a huge need for municipalities to focus more resources on climate adaptation and resilience action, weaving this lens into the way they work. 3/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Tools involving regulation through bylaw, higher building code requirements, 'punitive taxation' and other powerful enforcement options are out of the question, either due to statutory limits, or practical ones. We've looked into each of them and identified the barriers in our way 2/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Although municipalities have critical place in climate mitigation action, many (including the one I work in) are left without the legal tools to do anything other than reduce their own emissions, provide financial incentives for community emission reduction, and affect land use through zoning 1/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

An exceptional poem of provocation by Ashanti Kunene - grateful to poets who paint the truth so vividly with their words. "you are experiencing the karma of riches built on suffering... what ghosts live in the wealth you hold?" youtu.be/IQ6KCLfQ6Os?...

youtu.be

Name me. A poetic provocation by Ashanti Kunene for the Systemic Investing Summit 2025

YouTube video by TransCap Initiative

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Reposted by Christina H-M

James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Also, spare me the views on how net zero is impossible from the same people who insisted Brexit would be easy.

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

The internationally recognized testing and verification requirements are quite valuable for municipalities to consider taking on voluntarily, for consistency and further public transparency. But the Competition Act is the wrong place to regulate municipal climate action and communications. 4/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

You would think that municipalities, as public bodies who already have requirements for public disclosure, would be exempt from an Act dealing with consumers and businesses - but it's actually not clear. We're currently waiting for some clarity from the Bureau. 3/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

If these changes are applicable to municipalities, they may stifle or delay municipal climate action for fear of legal risk. They could provide an opening for malicious claims and tie municipalities up in litigation whenever they attempt a new climate program. 2/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

My biggest concerns with the Canadian Bill C-59 Competition Act amendments is the combination of 1) the lack of clarity when it comes to "business activity" and whether that applies to municipalities, and 2) the new ability for any person to pursue civil relief for greenwashing claims. 1/4

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Christina H-M @c-h-m.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Thank you for adding me, and putting these together! Lots of new names for me to follow too.

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