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32 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 02:03 AM
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See below and link provided.
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Letter from Otto Langer..
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen in the Media, Elected Offices, ENGOs, First Nations, Fishery Groups:
Attached is a PRESS RELEASE on a very urgent matter. I have received a leaked document originating from the political level in the Harper government that indicates that Cabinet is planning to water down the habitat protection provisions of the Canada Fisheries Act by deleting habitat from Section 35(1) of the Act i.e. the section dedicated to protect fish habitat across Canada.
I believe this is of worthy your interest in that it has comes from a reliable source in Ottawa and it fits into the Harper government agenda of watering down our overall approach to protect our environment at a time in human history that we should be doing a better job in protecting our environment for future generations in the face of ongoing and relentless industrial and human pressures on our ecosystems that make life possible on this planet.
To make matters worse, I am informed that this amendment to the Fisheries Act will not be made available for consultation and it is to be slipped through Parliament by tagging it onto the Budget Omnibus Bill that is due by the end of the month.
I have added a short bibliography of my qualification so that you can see that I have some expertise in this area and I should not be labeled an ‘eco-terrorist’ or something else of this sort as as been the pattern over recent weeks when you challenge the Harper government’s undermining of the health of our environment.
Otto E. Langer
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You can download the press release pdf from the following website:
http://occupywildsalmon.com/2012/03/13/does-the-government-care-about-salmon-anymore/ |
Edited by - SlamminMC on 03/13/2012 02:04 AM
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Whistler, BC
Canada
54 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 04:13 AM
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I think I'll wait until the budget bill is tabled before freaking out on this one rather than go on some anonymous leak... ;)
Isn't this the same government that deep-sixed the Fish Lake (Prosperity Mine) project because it was destined to become a enviromental disaster? Thier direction on energy (oil) matters is clear I'll agree, but I don't think they want to see people lining up to dump toxic sludge into our waters. |
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32 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 08:10 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Good News Bear
I think I'll wait until the budget bill is tabled before freaking out on this one rather than go on some anonymous leak... ;)
Isn't this the same government that deep-sixed the Fish Lake (Prosperity Mine) project because it was destined to become a enviromental disaster? Thier direction on energy (oil) matters is clear I'll agree, but I don't think they want to see people lining up to dump toxic sludge into our waters.
Ever the optimist, the Good News Bear! I hope for the sake of the fishies your suspicions are confirmed!! |
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100 Mile House, BC
Canada
178 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 09:27 AM
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"Section 35(1) of the (Canada) Fisheries Act now states:
35(1) No person shall carry on any work or undertaking that results in the harmful
alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat.
(2) No person contravenes subsection (1) by causing the alteration, disruption or destruction
of fish habitat by an means or under any conditions authorized by the Minister or under the
regulations made by the Governor in Counsel under this Act.
The proposed new subsection 35(1) of the Fisheries Act is as follows:
35(1) No person shall carry on any work, undertaking or activity, other than fishing, that
results in an adverse effect on a fish of economic, cultural or ecological value.
(2) No person contravenes subsection (1) if
(a) the adverse effect is authorized by the Minister and is produced in accordance with the
conditions established by the Minister;(b) the adverse effect is authorized by a person prescribed by the regulations and is
produced in accordance with the conditions prescribed by the regulations;(c) the work, undertaking or activity is carried on in accordance with the conditions set out
in the regulations or with any other authorization issued under this Act;
(d) the work, undertaking or activity is carried on in, on, over, under, through or across any
Canadian fisheries waters, and
(i) the work, undertaking or activity falls within a class of works, undertakings or activities,
or the Canadian fisheries waters fall within a class of Canadian fisheries waters, established
by regulation, and
(ii) the work, undertaking or activity is carried on in accordance with the conditions
prescribed by the regulations."
Above is the leaked proposed changes to the Fisheries Act, from the link provided.
Thanks Slammin. |
Edited by - HT on 03/13/2012 1:53 PM |
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Newton, bc
Canada
284 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 09:27 AM
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| I think Harper might be trying to help out the "ruin of the river" people. |
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2421 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 10:44 AM
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So what it says is that the Minister can override the clear intent of the Act.
Without oversight, without answering to anyone, without asking for public input beforehand...
So he can play God all he wants.
Welcome to a Conservative Canada. |
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Kamloops, British Columbia
Canada
155 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 11:45 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by peter1955
So what it says is that the Minister can override the clear intent of the Act.
Without oversight, without answering to anyone, without asking for public input beforehand...
So he can play God all he wants.
Welcome to a Conservative Canada.
Reminds me a lot of the language used in Bill C-30 where the minister can appoint "investigators" of his/her designation to enter ISPs and examine/remove/copy any data they see fit...related to a criminal investigation or no...
Scary stuff...
<sarcasm>...but I trust the minister, don't I?</sarcasm> |
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3022 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 11:55 AM
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An aside to this, a recent reallocation of the halibut catch quotas this year favoring slightly the Sports sector of 300,000 tidal fisherman[not every one fishes halibut, remember] was met by a tirade of abusive behaviour from the Commercial sector that still enjoys 85 % of the catch.
They even blocked at least one public launch access with concrete.
copy/paste from BCWF release...
The BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) is appalled at the recent bullying tactics against MP James Lunney for his courage in representing his constituents in support of the recent announcement of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Minister Keith Ashfield, which increased the public fishery quota for halibut by 3%.
“Obstructing access to Lunney’s office and a public boat launching ramp with large concrete blocks because MP Lunney publicly expressed his support for the increase is a childish action that deserves condemnation,” said BCWF President Rod Wiebe. “It is all too seldom that an elected representative will take a stand publicly on a controversial matter, and the BCWF praises Mr Lunney for his candor.”
BCWF Tidal Fisheries Committee member, Wayne Harling, says “A 3% increase in the public fisheries quota, while welcomed by anglers, will still leave 85% of the total Pacific Coast catch with the commercial sector. Allocating 15% of the total quota to as many as 300,000 tidal water anglers and 85% to 436 quota holders, more than half of which no longer fish, is hardly an equitable distribution of the resource.”
... so the moral of the story is "they who lobbies the loudest wins the spoils of nature!" |
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Newton, bc
Canada
284 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2012 : 2:23 PM
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They are trying to privitize the whole fishery here on the west coast. If it does not succeed then these bullies (who contribute hard cash to the conservitives, like a bribe) will ask for compensation from the general public through our taxes. On of the worst decisions on the fish resource is this Halibut crapola. Coastal communities will lose the economic beneefit of the sportfishing charter business.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThY8-X-rfHU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7NTDk2Eegk&feature=related |
Edited by - troutbreath on 03/13/2012 2:27 PM |
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3022 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 10:52 AM
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Some more info being circulated by the Globe&Mail four days ago:
quoted..."A former federal scientist has obtained internal documents that show the government is trying to get out of the business of regulating fishing habitats, which would allow for speedier approval of megaprojects like the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.
Meanwhile, the Conservative-dominated Commons environment committee on Tuesday recommended downloading much of the job of environmental assessment to the provinces and imposing timelines so the development of big projects won’t be delayed.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-wants-to-bow-out-of-regulating-fish-habitat-documents-show/article2368513/
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Port Moody, BC
169 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2012 : 9:41 PM
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| The weakening of the Fisheries Act, this country's strongest environmental legislation will be another major blow to environmental protection by the Harper government. With Harpers's vision it's carte blanche as far as it goes with natural resource development in Canada and then send it all to China. |
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A Noteworthy Concern for All Canadians
