How the Conservatives' brief love affair with environmentalism came to an ugly end

Tides Canada CEO Ross McMillan poses in Vancouver, B.C., May 31, 2012. 

McMillan was the architect of the Great Bear Rainforest agreement.

Photograph by: Arlen Redekop , PNG

How the Conservatives' brief love affair with environmentalism came to an ugly end

First in a four-part series

By Peter O'Neil, 

Vancouver Sun 

June 4, 2012

OTTAWA — When a deal to protect B.C.'s Great Bear Rainforest was brokered in January 2007, one of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's most trusted lieutenants singled out the environmental and social justice organization Tides Canada as being crucial in Ottawa's decision to contribute $30 million to the plan.

John Baird, then Harper's new environment minister and now head of foreign affairs, said the Harper government acted due to fear that the unprecedented $60-million contribution raised by Vancouver-based Tides - the vast majority from U.S. foundations - was in jeopardy of being lost to the total $120-million fund.

"I was tremendously concerned . . . that we could lose that, particularly the money coming from abroad, so we didn't want to have that happen," Baird said at a Vancouver event where he shared the stage with first nations leaders, and Tides chief executive Ross McMillan.

Baird spoke emphatically in Vancouver about the importance of habitat to 355 species in the 6.4 million-hectare rainforest. He also stressed his commitment to keep working with environmentalists and first nations.

"I hope that this is a beginning, not an end."

Flash-forward to late 2011 and the world has turned upside-down.

Harper warned last November that "significant American interests" are funnelling money through "environmental groups and others" - presumably first nations - to stop Enbridge Inc.'s $5.5 billion Northern Gateway oilsands pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast, where huge tankers will cruise the waters near the Great Bear Rainforest.

Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver followed a few weeks later with an open letter denouncing environmental groups as foreign-funded "radical" organizations determined to "hijack" Canada's need to develop natural resources.

Tides was the only organization Oliver named in interviews.

The letter was like an aerial bombardment to soften up the enemy before a ground assault - a March federal budget which gave $8 million to the Canada Revenue Agency to step up audits and enact other compliance measures targeting groups that accept foreign funding for alleged political activities.

The budget also included the promise of significant amendments to major federal environmental protection tools, notably the Fisheries Act and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

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Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

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Federal Fisheries Act amendments could spell disaster

From Trout Unlimited Canada: "This is a very short but well thought out editorial from today's Globe and Mail. It explains the point that everything is connected in the natural world. The author's states "All this does not take into account the fact that oceans, rivers and lakes are ecosystems. Species are interdependent. The bill’s creation of a class hierarchy among fish could well invite disaster.""

A fisherman hauls up the netting of a fish compound at the Goose Berry Cove Cod fish farm near Goose Berry Cove, Newfoundland. (Greg Locke/For The Globe and Mail)

Globe Editorial

Federal Fisheries Act amendments could spell disaster

The Globe and Mail

Sunday, Jun. 03 2012

Fish species do not simply live in isolation from other fish species. That is why the amendments in the federal Fisheries Act in the 452-page budget implementation bill should themselves be amended.

If these changes are enacted, fish useful in very specific ways to human beings will have a privileged status. In the bill, there recur phrases such as “the contribution of the relevant fish to the ongoing productivity of commercial, recreational or aboriginal fisheries” and “serious harm to fish that are part of a commercial, recreational or Aboriginal fisheries, or to fish that support such a fishery.” When, for example, the fisheries minister considers a new regulation, he will be required to think about whether it will benefit those categories of fish.

All this does not take into account the fact that oceans, rivers and lakes are ecosystems. Species are interdependent. The bill’s creation of a class hierarchy among fish could well invite disaster.

Among the opponents of the amendments are two former Progressive Conservative fisheries ministers, John Fraser (also a former Speaker), and Tom Siddon. Moreover, John Cummins, the decidedly conservative Leader of the reinvigorated Conservative Party of British Columbia, agrees: “There is that potential for serious damage to the fisheries resource, if we move in the way that’s prescribed.”

In a sense, the current Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Keith Ashfield, confirms that the bill would narrow the scope of fisheries policy: “We are focusing our fish and fish-habitat protection rules on Canada’s fisheries,” adding as a rhetorical flourish, “not in farmers’ ditches.”

It is true that some parts of the Fisheries Act amendments are good; some of them strengthen enforcement. But the amendments need revision – or, preferably, they should be moved into a separate bill, where they could be studied knowledgeably the Fisheries and Ocean Committee of the House of Commons – not by the Finance Committee, which the omnibus bill has desperately overburdened.

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Today along the Bow River - June 2012

An urban float this afternoon. 

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012.

Overcast, High +16 °C, Wind ENE 14 km/h.

Bow River at Calgary 108 cms, up from 100 cms over 24 hours.

A High Streamflow Advisory has been issued for the Bow River and all its tributaries, with 50-80 mm of rain expected overnight.  We are being told that flow rates will rise rapidly over the next few days.

Already, Bow River at Banff 132 cms, up from 82 cms over past 24 hours. The Highwood at Diebel's Ranch, 47 cms, up from 30 cms over 24 hours. The Sheep River is being reported as bank full, at 26 cms, up from 15 cms over past 24 hours.

'Dark' websites flay omnibus budget bill

David Suzuki, left, and former Conservative fisheries minister John Fraser at a news conference Monday in Vancouver, where they and other environmental activists spoke out against the federal budget Bill C-38.

Photo, Jonathan Hayward, Canadian Press

'Dark' websites flay omnibus budget bill

Tories sell vision of resource exploitation

Julian Beltrame, The Canadian Press;

With Files From Kelly Cryderman,

Calgary Herald.

Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Opposition to the Harper government's controversial omnibus budget bill went viral Monday as more than 500 organizations shuttered their websites to protest against measures they say will destroy the environment and silence dissent.

But there was little sign the federal Conservatives were listening.

As hundreds of websites went "dark," the government dispatched 10 of its ministers across the country from St. John's, N.L., to Surrey, B.C., to sell its vision that having fewer checks on resource exploitation isn't necessarily bad for the environment.

The battle over Bill C-38 continued throughout the day, with opposition parties taking the fight to the House of Commons. MPs wore black-over-white pins in support of the cyber "Blackout Speakout" campaign dreamed up by 11 environmental groups in May.

It has since spread to include unions, human rights advocates, churches, First Nations, ordinary citizens and celebrities such as author Margaret Atwood.

Canadians logging onto the David Suzuki Foundation website, along with many others, encountered a mostly black screen with a bilingual message expressing support for the campaign.

"We're still here, doing what we do every day," the Suzuki site declared. "But today, we're joining hundreds of organizations across the country as a single voice for Canada's nature, for human rights, and for democracy."

Gillian McEachern of Environment Defence Canada said the government hasn't listened to opposition parties, maybe they will listen to the grassroots in Canada.

The groups are opposed to changes that would speed up the approval of large resource projects, such as the Northern Gateway pipeline the government wants to build to take oil from Alberta to a B.C. port.

As well, they accuse the government of attempting to gag environ-mental groups by denying charitable status to those that get too involved in political advocacy.

The opposition has attracted the usual civil society groups, but also some strange bedfellows. Former Conservative fisheries minister John Fraser appeared with David Suzuki for a news conference in Vancouver denouncing the government as anti-democratic.

Read more here

World Environment Day - June 05

World Environment Day - Learn More Here

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - June 2012

Dashboard mascot. 

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012. 

Mostly cloudy, High +20 °C, Wind ENE 8 km/h. Bow River at Calgary steady at 100 cms after dropping from 120 cms 48 hours ago. Bow River at Banff down a little in past 24 hours, from 82 cms to 77 cms. Highwood near the mouth also down a bit, from 50 cms to 47 cms.

Noon News Hour - Blackout speakout

Noon News Hour - Blackout speakout

Mon, Jun 4: Environmental groups make their websites dark to speak out against controversial bill c-38.

Read it on Global News: Blackout speakout - Noon News Hour - Videos | Global BC

Today's the day!

Today's the day! Tens of thousands of Canadians and hundreds of businesses and organizations from across Canada are standing up for nature and democracy. Sign the petition, share this on facebook, speak out on twitter, write, call and email your Member of Parliament and party leaders and tell your family and friends. All together now...silence is NOT an option.

blackoutspeakout.ca

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

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Today along the Bow River - June 2012

The Bow River is about more than fly fishing.  

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved. 
 

Scattered Clouds, High +19 °C, Wind East 6 km/h. Bow River at Calgary flow dropped
 from 120 cms to 100 cms 24 hours ago. Most unusual pre-runoff conditions

 Conversely, upstream Bow River at Banff rose 62 cms to 82 cms over past 36 hours. Highwood rose from 38 cms to 50 cms over past 48 hours.  Visibility still excellent above the Highwood.  Highwood is now adding a wee bit of dirty water.  

  

Canadian government overhauling environmental rules to aid oil extraction

DAN RIEDLHUBER/REUTERS - New Democratic Party leader Thomas 
Mulcair, right, speaks at the Alberta Legislative Building in Edmonton
 on Thursday after an aerial tour of the Alberta oil sands.

The Washington Post takes notice of Bill C-38, the Fisheries Act and tomorrow's Black Out Speak Out demonstration. 

Canadian government overhauling environmental rules to aid oil extraction

By Juliet Eilperin,

The Washington Post

Sunday, June 3, 2012

For years, Canada has been seen as an environmental leader on the world stage, pushing other nations to tackle acid rain, save the ozone layer and sign global treaties to protect biodiversity.

Those were the old days.

The government of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is rewriting the nation’s environmental laws to speed the extraction and export of oil, minerals and other materials to a global market clamoring for Canada’s natural resources.

“The government is saying, politically, we want to hitch our wagon to an economic development strategy in which natural resource extraction plays a very large part,” said Brian Crowley, managing director of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a public policy think tank in Ottawa.

The government has added provisions to an omnibus budget bill that would revamp the way the government reviews the environmental impact of major projects, regulates threats to fisheries and scrutinizes the political activities of nonprofit groups.

Economic and political factors account for the controversial gambit. High prices for oil and minerals, along with demand from Asia, have given Canada new incentive to tap into its resources, and new technology has made extraction easier. And while Harper has been prime minister for six years, his Conservative Party won an outright majority just one year ago.

The strategy has won plaudits from energy industry officials and some economists, while sparking an outcry from environmentalists and their allies in Parliament.

“The idea is simple and straightforward: to make Canada the most attractive country in the world for resource investment and development, and to enhance our world-class protection of the environment today for future generations of Canadians,” said Christopher Plunkett, spokesman for the Canadian government in the United States.

Rick Smith, executive director of the advocacy group Environmental Defence Canada, calls it “a war on nature and democracy.” At least 500 Canadian organizations, along with several hundred in the United States, will darken their Web sites or publish notices Monday to protest the changes as part of a “Black Out, Speak Out” demonstration.

Read more here

Fish & Bird

A band named 'Fish & Bird'? You gotta know we'd check them out!

A clawhammer banjo and a mean fiddle back up this indi-folk group. You can hear them live at the Ironwood Stage & Grill in Calgary Tuesday June 05.

Fish & Bird.ca

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - June 2012

Father and daughter day. 
Overcast, rain showers early pm, then sunshine with some clouds. High +20 °C, Wind north 13 km/h. Bow River flow steady at around 120 cms until early in the day, then dropping gradually to 104 cms by 6:00 pm. That's strange! Bow River flows at Banff have increased from 61 cms to 71 cms over the past 24 hours. 
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012.

TUC Fish Habitat Photo Collection

From TUC:

"This is fish habitat (Volcanoe Creek, Sheep River country Alberta). Send us a photo of your favorite fish habitat and we will create the most beautiful album ever. Send them to jsurtees@tucanada.org. Be sure to tell us where it is. (Province and general area . . . . we don't expect you to give up your secret spots!)"

Rallies against federal Budget Bill

Leadnow.ca - Coverage on CTV of the rallies agains the federal budget bill, featuring North Vancouver, Vancouver South, Halifax, Kitchener. Across Canada Canadians rallied at over 70 locations.

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright © Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - June 2012

We came upon two baby skunks playing in the grass.  We watched them for about five minutes, but kept our distance, as we assumed their mother was in the neighbourhood. 
Partly cloudy, high +22 °C, Wind SSW 11 km/h, Bow River flow steady at 126 cms, Highwood 38 cms, up 2 cms over past 48 hrs. 
Photo, Copyright © Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Activists gear up for multi-pronged protest against Tory budget bill

Hundreds of people march through downtown Ottawa to 

protest against federal budget cuts on May 1, 2012.

Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Black Out Speak Out

Leadnow

Activists gear up for multi-pronged protest against Tory budget bill

GLORIA GALLOWAY

OTTAWA— Globe and Mail 

Posted on Friday, June 1, 2012

Opponents of the federal government’s decision to package of a broad range of controversial measures in one massive budget bill are preparing to demonstrate publicly against the legislation – both online and at the offices of Conservative MPs.

A group of young Canadians that was formed to promote democracy will hold protests outside the constituency offices of 54 Tory politicians on Saturday.

And nearly 400 charitable groups and environmental activist organizations will reroute their websites Monday to BlackOutSpeakout.ca, which tells visitors the budget bill will “weaken environmental rules and silence the voices of those who seek to defend them.”

Gillian McEachern, deputy campaign director of Environmental Defence, which is one of the organizations leading the web “black out,” said the aim is to raise public awareness.

“This is in response to the budget bill that not only guts environmental protection measures that Canadians rely on to keep them safe,” Ms. McEachern said in an interview, “but also attempts to shut civil society groups like environmental charities out of big decisions.”

Protecting Canada’s fisheries: an open letter to Stephen Harper

Photo, Jonathan Hayward/ The Canadian Press

Former federal ministers

Protecting Canada’s fisheries: an open letter to Stephen Harper

TOM SIDDON, DAVID ANDERSON, JOHN FRASER AND HERB DHALIWAL

From Friday's Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Jun. 01, 2012

Dear Prime Minister Harper:

As privy councillors from British Columbia who have served as ministers of Fisheries and Oceans in past federal governments, we wish to inform you of our serious concern regarding the content of Bill C-38 and the process being used to bring it into force.

We have had lengthy and varied political experience and collectively have served in cabinet in Progressive Conservative and Liberal governments alike. We believe we have a fair understanding of the views of Canadians. Moreover, we believe there is genuine public concern over the perceived threat this legislation poses to the health of Canada’s environment and in particular to the well-being of its fisheries resources. We are especially alarmed about any possible diminution of the statutory protection of fish habitat, which we feel could result if the provisions of Bill C-38 are brought into force. Migratory salmon and steelhead are icons of our home province. Our experience convinces us that their continued survival would be endangered without adequate federal regulation and enforcement, particularly in the area of habitat protection.

With respect to process, we find it troubling that the government is proposing to amend the Fisheries Act via omnibus budget legislation in a manner that we believe will inevitably reduce and weaken the habitat-protection provisions. Regrettably, despite the significance of the legislation, to date the responsible ministers have provided no plausible, let alone convincing, rationale for proceeding with the unusual process that has been adopted. Quite frankly, Canadians are entitled to know whether these changes were written, or insisted upon, by the Minister of Fisheries or by interest groups outside the government. If the latter is true, who are they?

This country’s fisheries are vital to our coastal communities, particularly first nations communities, and a strong and effective Fisheries Act, supported by a robust scientific research capacity and enforcement personnel, is critical to maintaining healthy fish stocks. Major changes to such critical legislation warrant extensive and factual discussion and a broad consultation process. We therefore strongly recommend a full examination of the proposed Fisheries Act amendments, and of the proposed staff reductions, by the standing committee on fisheries and oceans (not the finance committee) of the House of Commons. That examination must include appropriate testimony from industry and first nations representatives, academic experts and present and past personnel of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Furthermore, greater clarification of the purpose of the proposed changes is needed from the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Environment Minister. To date, they have provided only vague and general descriptions of the problems that they wish to address through these amendments. This lack of information has made it impossible for us to determine whether or not their concerns are well founded and whether the proposed changes will have any appreciable beneficial effect. Without such information, we can only judge from our own experience, which suggests that the shortcomings of the existing legislation have been greatly overstated and that the remedial action proposed is vastly out of proportion to the issues they have referred to, but only vaguely. In short, we have the impression that the ministers are using a sledgehammer to swat a fly.

Collectively, we have spent many years in government attempting to maintain fish stocks and protect fish habitat. A strong Fisheries Act, a competent science establishment and vigorous enforcement programs are essential to protect fish stocks and the habitat on which they depend.

The authors are former federal ministers of Fisheries and Oceans.

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Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright © Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012