Fisheries Committee to issue final report on invasive species in the Great Lakes this fall
Conservative members of the House Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans are satisfied with their government’s efforts to address invasive species in the Great Lakes, but the Commissioner of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission warned the committee in June that the lakes now contain 185 non-native species. The committee began its study of invasive […]
House Environment Committee report calls for a national conservation plan
The House of Commons Committee on Environment and Sustainability is recommending the creation of a national conservation strategy following its latest study, but opposition committee members say that the report is another example of the Conservative government’s disregard for environmental law and scientific evidence. On June 28, the committee published a report entitled, “Study […]
Senate Energy, Environment Committee to release major report on Canada’s energy future this week
The Senate’s Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Committee will release a major report this week on Canada’s energy future, after three years of study, some 100 committee meetings and after hearing from more than 250 witnesses. The study will be released on July 19 in Ottawa. The report is the committee’s first substantial report […]
Climate change is acidifying oceans
OTTAWA—Last month, the House Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development released its report on developing a national conservation plan. Among its observations was that “Canada has the responsibility to be a world leader in developing and implementing the best practices in conservation and stewardship” of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Canada’s efforts […]
Canada still has no plan to address climate change
SAANICH GULF ISLANDS, B.C.—There is no shortage of compelling issues to discuss in a Hill Times Environmental Policy Briefing. Even listing, without describing, the catalogue of assaults on environmental law and policy by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in the last 12 months is enough to occupy the whole issue. Canada undermined global climate negotiations […]
Tories earn failing grade on environment, they threaten our environment today, in the future
Repeatedly, the Conservatives have earned a failing grade on the environment: for example, the Climate Change Performance Index ranked Canada 56th of 57 countries in tackling emissions in 2008; the Conference Board of Canada ranked Canada 15th of 17 wealthy industrialized nations on environmental performance in 2009; and Simon Fraser University and the David […]
Feds are doing a lot to protect Canada’s environment
CALGARY—One of my most vivid memories of moving to Alberta involves a hike up Johnston Canyon to the Ink Pots, a series of colourful spring fed pools. Standing in the meadow of Johnston Valley, surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, I fell in love with Canada all over again. This wasn’t the first time I […]
Feds set to release CEAA 2012 regulations
Environment Minister Peter Kent is promising “rigorous” new regulations to accompany sweeping changes to environmental law contained in Bill C-38, but draft regulations recently posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s website are raising more questions among environmental groups. “This new legislation does look at what negative environmental impacts may occur with a project’s […]
New Democrats disagree with Tories’ short-sighted approach
HALIFAX, N.S.—Since coming to power in 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has certainly made an impact on Canada’s environment. Unfortunately, it has not been a positive one. Originally, the environment was lauded as one of the “pillars” for “Canada’s New Government.” Since then, Conservatives have kicked the environmental pillar out from under […]
Carbon pricing ‘off the table,’ says Kent
Since taking over the environment file in January, 2011, Environment Minister Peter Kent has had to relentlessly defend the Conservative federal government’s response to climate change and sell the Canadian public on the sweeping changes to environmental legislation included in the 2012 budget bill. Mr. Kent (Thornhill, Ont.) took over as Environment Minister from […]
