4 - Wednesday, October 9, 1991 - North Shore News Tories are set to dump ecology ICAN’T say I blame them, but it is clear that the federal Tories are hoping to dump responsibility for ecology onto the provinces. Doing this under the banner of national unity is the part that is slightly disgusting. The federal government’s document, ‘*Shaping Canada’s Future Together,”’ which every good Canuck is supposed to have Studied late into the night, con- tains plenty of soothing, political- ly correct pronouncements con- cerning environment. For instance: ‘A commitment to the objective of sustainable de- velopment in recognition of the importance of the land, the air and the water and our responsibil- ity to preserve and protect the en- vironment for future genera- tions.’’ There is even reference to a proposed Canadian En- vironmental Assessment Agency. But later, we find that ‘‘the Government of Canada is prepared to recognize the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces’* areas like mining and forestry, wildlife conservation and protec- tion, transportation of dangerous goods, soil and water conservation — virtually the whole eco-system, except, as far as fcan tell, fish- eries, where they have messed up in such a legendary fashion that it is too damn bad they aren't get- ting out. With jurisdiction over the Teue North's water, forests, soil and animals parcelled out to the regional potentates and bureau- crats, what hope can remain of implementing any coherent na- tional environmental policies? Tie Mulroneyites are talking about keeping for Ottawa only the Peace, Order and Good Govern- ment ciause of 1867. Ail the “residual powers” are handed over to the provinces and courts. At first blush, this seems crazy. But once you stop thinking of it in terms of good and bad, ra- tionality and irrationality, science and science fiction, and start thinking of it purely in terms of politics — which is what passes for thougnt in Ottawa — it begins to make some kind of soul-numb- ing sense. Bob Hunter STRICTLY PERSONAL The Tories in Ottawa have been unhappy with their court-ordered roles as the federa! watchdog snapping at the heels of political allies in Saskatchewan and Quebec, where Ottawa became the reluctant champion of en- vironmental values over megapro- ject ambitions in the cases of the Rafferty-Alameda Dam aad the Great Whale hydro project. The second most-recent federal environment minister, Robert de Cotret, went down in flames de- nying he had made an under-the- table handshake deaf with Saskat- chewan Premier Grant Devine, delaying a proper environmental assessment of Roffery-Alameda until it was too Jate, while likewise denying dragging his feet over James Bay li to avoid handing the Parti Quebecois a francophone xenophobia bonanza. Ah, a give-away of power to the provinces ... What a perfect way for Ottawa to wiggle out of any similar future embarrassments that would cust the central power- brokers political support in the hinterlands! Get out of the environmental protection business entirely. Sucker the provinces into having to worry about it. 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The en- vironmental groups were quick to complain, although they mainly harped on property rights, seeing them as a ploy borrowed from Republican America to allow polluters to avoid prosecution (‘tt’s my property, | can do what I want."’). But I think the federal Tories have long since figured out no matter what they do, the green lobbyists will dump on them. As proof, one had to look no further than the PR efforts of federal forestry minister Frank Oberle, who announced another phase of the infamous Green Plan last week. The only group he bothered to talk to was composed entirely of foresters, many of whom will get chunks of the $100 million in new money being handed out for research. Needless to say, they applaud- ed, especially when Oberle com- plained that ‘‘preservationists”” were getting too much attention in the media. Forests are there to be “*rotated,’’ Oberle pronounced, dismissing with a swipe the entire argument in favor of preserving at least 12% of each nation’s forests, as suggested in the United Na- tion’s Brundtland Commission, which Mr. Oberle’s government officially endorses in its plan to **unite’’ Canada. issues If all the effective authority over natural resources goes to the provinces, there is no such thing as a ‘‘Canadian”’ environmeni any more, only an Ontario environ- ment, a British Columbia en- vironment, a Manitoba environ- ment, and most definitely un en- vironnement all on its own in Quebec. The concern about the “residual powers”’ clause is strongest among opponents of James Bay H, who figure for sure when the backroom stage of negotiations gets going, the first thing Quebec will want is the end of interference from Ottawa over Premier Robert Bourassa’s ultimate hydro project. Conveniently, this will fit in with the Tory grand vision of eco-Balkanization. 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