Advocates call for new powers for green whistleblowers: rebuild trust through accountability and access
| Mike De Souza |
| Canwest News Service |
 |
Thursday, June 05, 2008
OTTAWA- A newly proposed charter of green rights would empower whistleblowers and average citizens by forcing the government to be more vigilant about environmental crimes and negligence, said a coalition of advocates on Parliament Hill on Thursday.
Representatives from three environmental groups unveiled their proposal to mark the United Nations' World Environment Day, explaining that the bill of environmental rights could ensure more accountability from the government on environmental issues.
"This is nothing radical and this is not a new concept," said Will Amos, a staff lawyer at Ecojustice, an environmental law organization that is proposing the legislation along with the Sierra Club of Canada and the Friends of the Earth.
"This is about trust and accountability and the federal government has to re-establish Canadians' trust in terms of their efforts to protect the environment."
While four of the five federal parties have expressed interest in the proposal, Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada, said that officials from Prime Minister Stephen Harper's office have not yet agreed to discuss the issue with them.
However, a spokesman for Environment Minister John Baird said the Conservative government was interested in finding ways to strengthen environmental protection for Canadians.
"We have met a number of these environmental groups in the past and would be pleased to take a look at their proposals for such legislation," said Baird's director of communications Garry Keller. "It is important to note that the environment is a shared jurisdiction between federal and provincial governments, so any such legislation or bill of rights would have to respect and be consistent with the constitution."
Amos noted that four Canadian jurisdictions, including Ontario and Quebec, as well as more than 100 countries already have similar legislation in place, and he explained that the proposal would cover environmental issues within federal jurisdictions. He said it would make it easier for citizens to question whether new development was trampling on their environmental rights and ask for reviews of potentially harmful activities.
Under existing federal environmental protection legislation, Amos said it is difficult and costly for average citizens to defend their rights because of complicated procedures that must often go through the courts. But the new charter would allow for investigations and reviews without having to go through litigation or a court case.
"An environmental charter is something that we support," said Liberal Leader Stephane Dion. "We have to give ourselves new tools."
The environment critics from the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois, Nathan Cullen and Bernard Bigras, also expressed their support for the green bill of rights, describing it as "innovative and long-overdue."
"We hope to submit the bill before... Parliament rises for the summer, and I think we would get widespread support across the country," said Cullen.
Green party Leader Elizabeth May said the bill of environmental rights is a very important and useful tool that would give people better access to information and protection.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=87cfe465-0c2d-447b-927e-fd147276d825
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