Or at least that's what several recreation and boating groups told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance tonight.
The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, CanoeKayak Canada, academic experts and others are exercised about this paragraph, on page 144 of Budget 2009:
Efficiencies will be introduced through legislative amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act, which has not been substantially amended since 1886. The proposed amendments reflect the recommendations that were made in June 2008 by the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities after an exhaustive review of the Act.
Almost all the witnesses said there was hardly “an exhaustive review” for many had no chance to speak to the committee last spring and then, lo and behold, we were into an election in the fall.
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, a charity devoted to the health of the water in the Great Lakes Basin, told MPs the proposed changes are terrible news for Canadian. They say:
1. The new Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) eliminates environmental assessments for development projects on Canadian waterways, with very few exceptions.
2. The new NWPA means decisions about Canada’s waterways will be based on politics and financial clout rather than science or long-term socio-economic needs.
3. The new NWPA divides Canada’s rivers into those worth protecting and those not worth protecting.
4. The “class” lists may be drafted by the Cabinet in secrecy, with no public consultation, scientific basis, or opportunity for appeal.
Krystyn Tully, vice-president of Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, told MPs on the committee that, “To date no Western democracy has taken this right away from its people.”
Transport Canada official, though, says changes are not taking away anyone's rights and that environmental assessments will still be done on major projects. More on this in a bit …
David – I'm glad that you are paying attention to this issue, and that your colleague Juliet O'Neill saw fit to write an article in last week's CanWest publications. This is one of the “poison pills” that the Government has placed into the Budget, and they are making it very difficult for the Liberal Party to accept the budget without compromising their support from paddling, ecotourism, environmental and fishing communities.