EDITOR,
Canada - one of the world's leading environmentalist countries - is no more, thanks to the Harper government's Bill C-38 which, without democratic public consultation and adequate parliamentary debate, is gutting Canada's forward-thinking environmental protection laws. Among others: Canadian Environmental Assessment Act; Species at Risk Act; Water Protection; Kyoto Protocol implementation (re. climate change); abolition of the effective National Roundtable on Environment and Economy (this brought together corporations and environmental groups). The impacts on the future will be enormously deleterious. As other countries (even including China) move forward with progressive policies and laws, Canada is moving backwards.
Sadly the anti-enviromental stance set by senior (federal) government is being copied by lower levels. In B.C., the Liberals (a.k.a. neo-Cons) are supporting the devastation of Fish Lake, against aboriginals' recommendations. In Squamish, the district's council has given the go-ahead for a gondola up to Mt. Habrich between beautiful Shannon Falls and iconic Stawamus Chief, contrary to a past covenant and without wildlife inventories or independent environmental impact assessments. The fallout from Bill C-38 is beginning, and will continue unimpeded unless Canadians speak out. A multi-pronged campaign in Canada has started: "Silence is not an option." Join in, be heard.
T. Carroll
Squamish
