Stephen Hazell
Director of Conservation
and General Counsel

So far, so good for nature conservation in 2016—thanks to Nature Canada’s members!

Wilderness and Wildlife Protection – Three months in office, and the new Liberal government is making pretty good progress taking action to conserve nature. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna has signalled that she wants to move quickly to amend the Rouge National Urban Park legislation to protect the ecological integrity of the park and expand the park to include key provincial lands.  Nature Canada is also on the verge of convincing the Liberal government to reverse the previous government’s bad decisions on prairie grasslands that provide important habitat for dozens of species at risk. Stay tuned for details.

The Green Budget Coalition (which includes Nature Canada) has had a series of excellent meetings with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Department of Finance and Environment Canada to make the 2016 federal budget as green as it can be. The Coalition is recommending additional funding to protect species at risk, conserve threatened grasslands, increase the number and size of protected areas such as National Wildlife Areas, and connect Canadians to nature.

Strengthening Environmental Laws – Nature Canada is satisfied with the consultations with federal officials to restore and strengthen environmental laws. The government’ interim principles to improve hearings for pipelines are a step in the right direction, and the right of cross-examination will almost certainly be reinstated for the Energy East hearings. We are confident that the public review of environmental assessment will be carried out either by an independent panel or the House of Commons Environment Committee.  With a public review, it makes it more likely that the government will introduce some constructive changes to environmental assessment laws.

Saving Songbirds– The official launch of Nature Canada’s program to keep cats safe and save birds from cat predation is set for late February.

Growing NatureHood –  And our NatureHood program continues to grow in cities and communities across Canada. A NatureBlitz will be hosted in Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary and Alaksen National Wildlife Area on February 27th for youth and all young at heart to explore this wonderful site.

What a great start to 2016—thanks to all our members for your tremendous membership support which helps to defend wildlife and wilderness!!

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