Forty Canadian groups, including West Coast Environmental Law, the David Suzuki Foundation, the Council of Canadians, Greenpeace and the SCCA, have endorsed a statement confirming their support for strong federal environmental laws that protect our national values.
The groups warn that they will not stand by if the federal government moves to short-circuit environmental reviews for projects like the Enbridge Northern Gateway oil tankers and pipeline project, and they have rallied behind a statement of 10 principles they say form the basis of environmental assessment for a healthy, secure and sustainable Canada.
“Strong environmental laws protect the air, water and land we need to be healthy and keep us safe from pollution and toxic chemicals,” said Devon Page, Executive Director of Ecojustice. “These federal laws are the backbone of every Canadian’s right to a healthy environment, and are as important to our well-being as laws that promote peace and democracy.”
More information is available at envirolawsmatter.ca. The House of Commons’ Review of the Environmental Assessment Act can be downloaded here.