Project no. 1 BRITISH COLUMBIA (Environment)

A court in the United States has jailed a Canadian Indian for two years for selling feathers and other parts of bald eagles. The man, from British Columbia, said he'd been acting as a medicine man by transporting dead bald eagles across the American border and bartering with Indian tribes that use feathers or other parts of the bird for religious ceremonies. The court in Seattle also ordered the man to pay $147,000 restitution. American law specifies that only religious practitioners in recognised tribes are allowed to make ceremonial use of parts from eagles found dead in the wild. The convicted man reportedly faces similar charges in Canada.

Project no 2 SASKATCHEWAN (Environment)

A lawsuit has been filed in Canada by two organic farmers against two companies which produce genetically engineered seeds. The farmers claim their crops of Canola are being contaminated by GM pollen from nearby farms destroying their organic status. They claim that GM Canola pollen has spread across the prairies making it imposible to grow the crop organically. They say the GM companies, Monsanto and Aventis should have known about the consequences when they introduced the seeds and they want the court in Saskatchewan to make the lawsuit a class action which would allow multiple claims by other affected parties. This would make it the biggest lawsuit ever against GM companies.