Conservation activists are attacking as anti-democratic Ottawa’s concern that the approval process for a controversial pipeline risks being hijacked by foreign interests and “radical groups.”

Hearings have not started on the Northern Gateway, a proposed pipeline that would carry oil from Alberta to the Pacific coast, but a huge number of people have signed up to speak. In recent days the federal government has been making critical noises about how long the process might take and alleging foreign meddling.

“It’s an extraordinary position for a government to stake out in a third-party regulatory review that has not begun yet,” Gerald Butts, president and CEO of WWF Canada said in a phone interview Monday morning. “Just because a lot of people want to talk, it doesn’t mean the process is broken. In fact, a lot of people would say the opposite.”... Read more »

OTTAWA - It has the power to investigate the environmental implications of a sugar-bush expansion or an addition to a parking lot. But rarely can it look at the impact of oilsands operations.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is the government body tasked with making sure Canada controls any development that would threaten the air, water or earth, or jeopardize plants and animals.

But it is swamped with small projects that eat up precious time and resources, agency president Elaine Feldman said this week.

And its mandate prevents it from assessing the cumulative impact of large projects, or even scratching the surface of much of the work going on in the oilsands.... Read more »

A 34-year-old national environmental network that has served as a link between people and the federal government shut its doors Friday afternoon after Environment Canada cut its funding.

The Canadian Environmental Network was told Thursday that its funding from the federal government won't be renewed.

"It was a real kick in the pants," said Dan Casselman, the group's senior national caucus co-ordinator.

"If they'd given us some warning we might have had time to find money somewhere else."

The network acted as a link between 640 small environmental groups across the country and the federal government. In the past, if Ottawa needed advice on policies or new laws it would ask the network for input. The organization would then help the various smaller groups discuss issues and take part in formal consultations across the country.
... Read more »