I still can't figure out why this thing won't let me post links, but here's the URL to the Globe and Mail article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ottawa-could-waive-thousands-more-environmental-assessments/article1197879/#page
The Harper government has been acting incredibly short-sightedly and ignorantly when it comes to the environment. Ever since he was first elected. Now, while we definitely need economic action and new infrastructure, no environmental assessments means the probability of serious environmental damage. It is a well known fact that infrastructure seriously disrupts wildlife and impacts habitats, but the real issue is this lack of concern in our government and in its policies towards environmental impacts and the fact that our needs and our economy are both dependent on the health of our environment.
In the Globe and Mail's article, they mention that the environment minister was speaking in Alberta. Now, Albertans often seem to have a tremendous pride in their province, and are very attached to their economy and are critical of environmental concerns. Just look at the positive and negative publicity surrounding the Oil Sands. But most people don't realize the current and growing problem of Environmental Refugees. In the Maldives, for example. These little islands in the Pacific are disappearing under the ocean. In the coming years the number of Environmental Refugees is going to swell IMMENSELY. But most Canadians, especially those who are ignorant or dismissive of our country's lack of environmental friendliness, concern, and reponsibility, are not aware that we have citizens in our country who are Envirnmental Refugees in their own land. Particularly due to oil development in Alberta. Alberta farmers are being displaced from their own land due to toxic contaminants. This should be outraging everyone in the country, yet people go on believing that our country has high environmental standards, as it should. We have about 50% of our Boreal Forest left, far too little wetlands left, and it's all still disappearing at an unacceptable rate. And now the Government wants to build sewage treatment plants without environmental assessments.
People just don't seem to realize that this is becoming almost criminally irresponsible, and that we should be conscious of what is going on in our country and actively trying to change things for the better.
Is it really so hard to assess environmental impacts and take some responsible measures to protect the ecosystems we depend on? Because we literally do depend on them.
