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Matin Sarfraz

@matinsarfraz.bsky.social

Independent journalist Reporter| Alumni @HKuniversity| @JMSCHKU| Previously for @NatObserver @NYTIMES @DPA @Reuters & @Pajhwok

111 Posts154 Follower193 Folgt
Justin Crann@jcrann.bsky.social · 4d ago

Yesterday — a Friday before a long weekend — the Carney Liberals quietly approved the Crawford nickel mine they added to the major projects list in November, despite concerns raised about it. @matinsarfraz.bsky.social's detailed some of those concerns here: www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/14/n...

Ontario nickel mine lands on major projects list despite major environmental and market red flags

The federal government’s decision to place Ontario’s Crawford Nickel Project on its new list of “nation-building” projects is raising concerns from experts who say Ottawa is moving ahead while serious...

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · last mo.

According to the strategy, construction of up to 10 new nuclear reactors could occur over the next 15 years with estimated costs exceeding $100 billion. for @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/06/23/n...

Feds bet big on nuclear with 10 new reactors on the table — not everyone is convinced

The Carney government is accelerating development of nuclear power, with plans to build new large-scale reactors, expand uranium production and streamline approvals for future projects that could cost...

nationalobserver.com

Cloe Logan@cloelogan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

This story I wrote for @nationalobserver.com won gold at the Atlantic Journalism Awards last night :,) I'm proud of this one, it was the last story I wrote in Atlantic Canada before moving to Toronto. Thank you to @jameswsthomson.com for editing it, and to the Isthmus for being beautiful. ✨

Planned New Brunswick gas plant could threaten vital migratory bird corridor

As the province moves ahead with plans for a new gas plant, experts and residents warn it could endanger one of Canada’s most fragile and important ecological corridors.

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · last mo.

Burning garbage could soon count as renewable energy in Ontario under a Ford government proposal that some observers warn will fuel more harmful waste incineration, while others suggest it’s a viable solution. for @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/06/22/n...

Ontario moves to brand waste incineration as renewable energy

Some observers warn the Ford government's proposal will fuel more harmful waste incineration, while others suggest it’s a viable solution.

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Premier Doug Ford is criticizing the federal government for not funding his government's controversial fast-tracked development in Ontario's Ring of Fire region. For @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/06/18/n...

Ford demands federal cash for Ring of Fire

The premier is criticizing the federal government for not yet contributing to his government's controversial fast-tracked development of Ontario's Ring of Fire region.

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Battery projects beat gas plants in Ontario's latest power auction as the province secured 640 megawatts (MW) of new storage capacity to help meet growing electricity demand. Via @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/06/12/n...

Batteries beat gas in Ontario's latest electricity auction

Battery projects beat gas plants in Ontario's latest power auction as the province secured 640 megawatts (MW) of new storage capacity to help meet growing electricity demand.

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Experts say Premier Ford's "Captain Canada" approach to the Canada-US trade dispute has created headaches for Ottawa, as several of his interventions have backfired in Washington. for @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/06/12/a...

Ford’s 'Captain Canada' pitch faces growing doubts

For more than a year, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has promised to protect Ontario's economy and strengthen Canada's hand in its trade dispute with the United States. But with tariffs still in place and ...

nationalobserver.com

Natasha Bulowski@natashabulowski.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Some smart analysis from @matinsarfraz.bsky.social on Ontario Premier Doug Ford's “Captain Canada” approach and whether it has actually delivered tangible results. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/06/12/a...

Ford’s 'Captain Canada' pitch faces growing doubts

For more than a year, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has promised to protect Ontario's economy and strengthen Canada's hand in its trade dispute with the United States. But with tariffs still in place and ...

nationalobserver.com

Cloe Logan@cloelogan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Slate is pushing to build the country’s first “publicly owned AI Factory" in Hamilton on the former Stelco lands. At least 1,200 public comments have been submitted ahead of a city meeting taking place today, mostly expressing opposition and concern.

Data centre proposal on former steelmaking site sparks public backlash in Hamilton

Stelco says it wants to build the country’s first “publicly owned AI Factory” in the city.

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 2mo ago

A single box in the 49-page document is dedicated to the environmental impacts of AI. It acknowledges that AI data centres require a lot of energy and increase water usage, but does not propose any new actions to curtail this.

Canada’s AI strategy includes no new protections for water or climate

A single box in the 49-page document is dedicated to the environmental impacts of AI. It acknowledges that AI data centres require a lot of energy and increase water usage, but does not propose any ne...

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Opposition parties have joined environmental advocates in calling for an independent financial review of Hwy 413, arguing the project could cost taxpayers up to $18 billion while failing to reduce traffic and damaging the environment @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/06/03/n...

Stop Highway 413 until someone does the math, Ontario's opposition say

Ontario's opposition parties have joined environmental advocates in calling for an independent financial review of Highway 413, arguing the project could cost taxpayers up to $18 billion while failing...

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

While some experts say the plan could strengthen Canada's economic and geopolitical independence, critics warn a larger defence industry could increase pressure to export weapons to human rights abusers. for @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/05/29/n...

Ford bets on defence boom to fuel Ontario's economy but some warn of human rights risks

The Ontario government has unveiled a new defence strategy, aiming to tap into the global surge on military spending to create thousands of jobs and add billions to the provincial economy. Critics war...

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Pickering council has approved a plan to develop about 1,600 hectares of prime Ontario farmland even though key environmental studies, cost analyses and Indigenous consultation remain incomplete. for @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/05/27/n...

Pickering approves development of prime Ontario farmland before completing major studies

Pickering council has approved a plan to develop about 1,600 hectares of prime Ontario farmland even though key environmental studies, cost analyses and Indigenous consultation remain incomplete.

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Ports, mines, industrial corridors and Toronto’s international airport are lining up for designation as Special Economic Zones, even as the Ford government’s legislation faces a constitutional challenge and growing backlash. For @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/05/25/n...

Ontario’s biggest projects line up for Ford’s Special Economic Zones despite legal challenge

Ports, mines, industrial corridors and Toronto’s international airport are lining up for designation as Special Economic Zones, even as the Ford government’s legislation faces a constitutional challen...

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Testing government claims against reality: What we found in Pickering. for @nationalobserver.com support the climate solutions reporting project. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/05/25/o...

Testing government claims against reality: What we found in Pickering

Over the past year, while Premier Doug Ford and his government were busy making major decisions at Queen's Park for communities hundreds of kilometres away — and claiming those decisions were supporte...

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 3mo ago

BREAKING: Alberta voter data has appeared on the website of a US company named repeatedly by separatist David Parker. After @rorywh.bsky.social discovered the breach, the website was taken down amid questions from Elections Alberta.

Alberta voter data found on website of US company linked to Centurion Project

Elections Alberta is already investigating a breach of voter data obtained by separatist David Parker. The US company, 10XVotes, has been repeatedly mentioned by Parker as having been involved in the ...

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 3mo ago

The $20 billion-plus project, being developed north of Edmonton by the Oil Sands (formerly Pathways) Alliance, will be a sprawling network of oil field CO2 capture plants, with the emissions pumped along a series of pipelines for injection deep underground.

World's largest carbon capture complex gets go-ahead in Ottawa's oilsands 'grand bargain'

Memorandum of understanding between federal government and Alberta also includes a new long-distance oil pipeline to the West coast and carbon price rising to $130/tonne by 2030.

nationalobserver.com

Jimmy Thomson@jameswsthomson.com · 3mo ago

It should go without saying that diversifying Alberta’s exports would mean supporting any export besides oil and gas — and reducing emissions requires emitting less of them. My column on today's announcement for @nationalobserver.com

War is peace. Emissions are emission reductions. Ignorance is strength.

Mark Carney's announcement of a deal with Alberta to build a new pipeline is bad enough. The language with which it was announced is somehow even worse.

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 3mo ago

Politicians in at least 15 Ontario municipalities seem to have forgotten who they serve. CNO's @matinsarfraz.bsky.social has discovered more than a dozen towns have recently passed resolutions in favour of natural gas expansion — written by Enbridge itself.

Corporations should never be our politicians' masters. So what happened in Ontario?

You have to wonder why so many small town Ontario councils are siding with Big Gas at a time when so many others are moving to ban gas heating in new residential construction.

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 3mo ago

The Tokyo-headquartered company’s confirmation of its widely reported plan to “indefinitely suspend” investment in Canada should be seen as part of a “company-specific strategy, not evidence of weakening electric vehicle demand,” said a spokesperson for EV advocacy group Electric Mobility Canada.

Honda putting $15B Canada EV plan up on blocks 'not evidence of weakening demand'

The Japanese automaker's decision to "indefinitely suspend" flagship EV supply chain investment in Canada is more a fallout of company restructuring decisions than Canadian market struggles, say indus...

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 3mo ago

Canada is not on track to meet any of its climate targets — not even the long-term goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 — thanks to “the removal or weakening of climate policies” over the last year, according to a February report by the Canadian Climate Institute.

Feds plan to weaken clean electricity regulations

Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is taking aim at another Trudeau-era climate policy — this time, to give natural gas power plants more flexibility to operate as Canada expands its electricity ...

nationalobserver.com

Matin Sarfraz@matinsarfraz.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Canada’s largest gold mining company is investing $14 billion in Ontario over the next five years to expand its existing operations and advance two major development projects in northeastern Ontario. for @nationalobserver.com www.nationalobserver.com/2026/05/14/n...

Ontario lands $14-billion mining investment as Ford pushes to streamline approvals

Canada’s largest gold mining company will make the investment over the next five years to expand its existing operations and advance two major development projects in northeastern Ontario.

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 3mo ago

“The issue for Canada isn’t sovereignty at all costs, or for the sake of sovereignty. ... The problem is, we have the United States as a neighbour that we can’t trust anymore.”

BC's new data centre cluster sparks new discussion of 'sovereign' AI push

Putting a data centre in Canada does not automatically mean Canada controls it. The servers may be inside Canada but the technology, software, customers or parent companies behind the project could st...

nationalobserver.com

Canada's National Observer@nationalobserver.com · 3mo ago

The Ford government allowed public employees to upload people’s personal data, including credit cards and driver’s licences, to unsecured AI sites and used medical software that recorded wrong medications and missed mental health details, says Ontario's auditor general.

Thousands of Ontario government staff using unsecured AI, watchdog finds

Ontario's auditor general says the Ford government allowed public employees to upload people’s personal data, including credit cards and driver’s licences, to unsecured AI sites and used medical softw...

nationalobserver.com