This news is not as far north as usual, but extremely disturbing: a pair of teenagers in Didsbury, Alberta have been charged with animal cruelty after torturing their family dog and dragging it behind the car. The RCMP officer involved stated it was "definitely... most horrendous act I've seen against an animal".

If this horrifies you as much as it does us, sign this petition urging that the teens be punished to the maximum extent possible. It's too late to save the dog, but it's the best way we have of saying that this type of violence must not be tolerated.

From the Center for Biological Diversity:
A US federal court has denied the Interior Department's leasing plan for 400,000 acres of land at Teshekpuk Lake in Alaska. Leases to the environmentally sensitive area were to be sold on September 27, but the ruling stated that the plan did not consider the cumulative impact of oil and gas drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska (NPRA).

For more good news on protected lands, visit The Nature Conservancy, whose mission to preserve ecosystems often includes purchasing of key areas of land and water.

• This Thursday, October 5 at 2:30 pm PST, Marcus will play an ARCTIC solo set on Radio Bandcouver with Mark Bignell. Listen at 102.7 FM (CFRO), Starchoice channel 845, or online at http://www.coopradio.org/listen/.
• Then on Friday, October 6, ARCTIC will play a full band show at The Lamplighter (210 Abbott Street). The bill also features The Rain and the Sidewalk (CD release), AU4 and Interior Design. Doors open at 8 pm; cover is $10.

There's been a lot of debate lately on protecting Canada's sovereignty in the North. But for many interested in protecting the waters, the issue isn't about territorial rights - it's about the water itself.

• As climate change begins to affect the water supply, some politicians expect that the United States will begin to pressure Canada to share or sell fresh water. Currently, bulk export of fresh water is not allowed for environmental reasons. Entrepreneurs have attempted to bypass these rules before, but concerns over the repercussions under NAFTA have blocked actual development. The issue is unlikely to go away any time soon, and the scenarios for the future aren't pretty.
• ExxonMobil has been asked to pay another $92 million to clean residual damage from the 1989 Exxon Valdex oil spill. The oil has not broken down as originally expected, and some of it is believed to still be toxic. The company plans to review the request, but does not feel the request is justified.
• Lessons learned from the Valdez disaster help to fuel concerns over increased boat traffic in the Arctic. Inuit groups are concerned that between research vessels, tourism and mining, oil and gas companies, the amount of boat traffic may endanger the already fragile ecosystem in the Northern waters.

What can you do?

• Learn more about protecting Canada's drinking waters here.
• Keep an eye on ExxonMobil and let them know you want them to clean up their mess.