Canada has joined much of the rest of the world in adopting a United Nations resolution recognizing that a healthy environment is a human right. But a bill making its way through Parliament to codify this right into law may need to change to be truly effective. While Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has promoted the resolution’s “principles” as being in line with the bill, a Canadian UN special rapporteur has said the legislation “should be strengthened” and noted it is not consistent with the approach taken by the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.
Liberals pouring funds into the Great Lakes in the 2022 federal budget
Canada is back at the binational table with funding in the 2022 federal budget to protect the Great Lakes fishery. Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey said it’s the first time in 40 years the federal government has fully funded the binational treaty organization Great Lakes Fishery Commission. “The fishery contributes $8 billion in economic return each year, the fishery is integral to our culture, and a healthy fishery means a healthy environment,” said Badawey in a release following Thursday’s budget announcement.
GUEST OPINION: P.E.I. water issue is not urban versus rural
It is disturbing to hear the genuine public concern over high-capacity wells being deliberately misinterpreted as “urban versus rural” and as an attack against farmers. The Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island has been working for years to usher in a new era of water protection and conservation, and never once have we opposed farmers. Farmers are important to the economic and social health of the province.