GOVERNMENT’S BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION ACT

ERASES THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF NAVIGATION IN CANADA

On Friday February 6, 2009, the federal Conservative government

introduced its Budget Implementation Act (BI Act).

This Act is in fact an omnibus bill that introduces a series of sweeping

legislation changes, including amendments to the Navigable Waters

Protection Act (NWPA).

The proposed amendments to the NWPA will permanently erase the public

right of navigation in Canada and will have serious consequences for the

environmental health of Canadian waterways.

Under the proposed new NWPA, waterways in Canada will only be considered

navigable under the sole discretion of the Minister of Transport.

The proposed new NWPA also gives the Minister of Transport sole

discretion to determine whether or not any proposed project (“work”) on

a Canadian waterway will have an impact on navigation.

The proposed new NWPA grants the Minister of Transport the authority to

change, at any time, the criteria used to assess whether a waterway is

navigable, or whether a work or type of work may interfere with

navigation.

The four named works (bridges, booms, dams, and causeways), added to the

NWPA in 1883 because these structures, by their very nature, interfere

with navigation…have been removed.

The government has introduced these changes to the NWPA without

consulting with:

-   First Nations

-   Paddling organizations

-   The outdoor tourism industry

-   Cottage associations

-   River advocacy groups

-   Anglers and hunters

-   Anyone who uses Canadian waterways for business or recreation

Our position is:

-   the NWPA would benefit from a comprehensive review and amendments to

modernize and streamline administrative processes

-   this government does not have a mandate to erase the public right of

navigation in Canada

-   these changes to the NWPA will diminish free access to our natural

environment for all Canadians

-   these changes to the NWPA will damage Canadian waters

-   the government is acting irresponsibly and radically

-   the government is not acting in the best interest of Canadians

Canada was discovered, explored and developed through the navigation of

our waterways. The public right of navigation a fundamental part of what

it means to be Canadian. 

The Government of Canada, under the pretext of helping the economy, is

erasing our right, our history, our heritage.

There is something you can do—raise your voice.

1)    Inform yourself and others: Copy and paste this message into an

email or a facebook message to your friends and encourage them to take

action. We can be effective by working together. Every letter, every

phone call, and every email will help.

2)    Tell the government you care about Canada’s waterways and that you

do not support the proposed amendments to the NWPA or the elimination of

the public right of navigation in Canada.

Send an email to the people listed below and express your concerns about

the use of the Budget Implementation Act to make sweeping changes to

legislation that is intended to protect Canadian waters and the rights

of Canadian citizens.

Insist that no changes to the NWPA be made before a full and

comprehensive public consultation process occurs.

Email:

National Manager, Navigable Waters Protection Program, David

Osbaldeston: 

http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=OSBALDD@tc.gc.ca -

Minister of Transportation, John Baird: 

http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bairdj@parl.gc.ca -

Minister of Environment, Jim Prentice: 

http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Prentice.J@parl.gc.ca -

Opposition transportation critics: 

http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Volpej@parl.gc.ca - http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Bevington.D@parl.gc.ca - http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lafram0@parl.gc.ca - http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=will.munsey@greenparty.ca -

Opposition environment critics: 

http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=McGuintyD@parl.gc.ca - http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Duncan.L@parl.gc.ca - http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bigrab@parl.gc.ca - http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=petergraham@greenparty.ca -

Opposition water critics:

http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=scarpf@parl.gc.ca - http://us.mc624.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Hyer.B@parl.gc.ca -

And don’t forget your own MP. You can find your MP through this link:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/ - MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Language=E

For more information on this issue, please visit:

http://www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.ca/ -

_______________________________

Canadian Rivers Network

http://www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.ca/ -