Environment Canada's Wildlife and Climate Budget Stripped

Environment Canada's Wildlife and Climate Budget Stripped



2007 September -   The Canadian 
government has decided to cut spending on Environment Canada programs that 
address climate change by 80 percent, and wants cuts of 40 percent in the 
budgets devoted to climate change at other ministries, according to 
cabinet documents obtained by "The Globe and Mail." In addition, wildlife 
programs and services within the federal department have been completely 
frozen, environmental groups say. 
As yet, there has been no official statement from any level of Stephen 
Harper's Conservative Government on the budget cuts. 
"Initially the cuts were preceived as rumor," said Sandy Baumgartner, 
executive director of programs and communications for the 300,000 member 
Canadian Wildlife Federation. "But I have now had confirmation from 
individuals in the department who have been impacted by it. The cuts are 
affecting every section of the department." 
The Conservative government must stop using funds targeted for key 
environmental programs to prop up their failing climate change strategy, 
said Liberal Environment Critic David McGuinty. 
"If it is true, as reports suggest, that the Conservative government is 
funding climate change programs by taking funds from programs that protect 
endangered species, fund scientific research, and the migratory birds 
program, it is appalling," said McGuinty.

"The truth is, they are not even funding climate change programs," he 
said. "They are spending the money on a climate change public relations 
campaign. It's a marketing campaign designed to make Canadians think that 
something is being done." 
McGuinty was reacting to reports today that the government has paid for 
its commitments on global warming by devastating the budgets of other 
Environment Canada programs because the department overspent its budget. 
In particular, the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Network, which 
observes changes in ecosystems, has lost 80 percent of its budget, 
McGuinty believes. 
"The Migratory Bird Program, which monitors the health of bird 
populations, has seen its budget cut by 50 percent;" he said, "and the 
budget for the National Wildlife Areas, a program that protects nationally 
significant habitats for wildlife and birds, has been slashed from $1.9 
million to zero." 
These figures accord with reports by the Canadian Broadcasting 
Corporation. 
In the last budget, said McGuinty, the government provided funding for a 
series of climate change programs that were announced between January and 
March 2007. 
"There was not, however, any indication the money to pay for these 
programs would come from the existing budget of Environment Canada. In 
fact, the government trumpeted these programs as new investments in 
Canada's environment," he said. 

"This government had a $13 billion surplus in the last fiscal year," said 
Mr. McGuinty. "There is no reason that the money needed to come from 
Environment Canada's existing programs. The only possible explanation is 
that the paltry spending they are undertaking on climate change is 
designed to deal with a political problem, and they are willing to rob 
from programs with a lower political profile to put out their political 
fires." 
"It certainly suggests it is not a priority for our federal government," 
she said, "which is sharmeful." 
Baumgartner said Environment Canada historically is "severely 
underfunded," and now some programs are frozen to the rest of this fiscal 
year, which is at the end of March 2008. 
In Vancouver, Western Canada Wilderness Committee Policy Director Gwen 
Barlee says her organization is "appalled" by the government's budget 
cuts. "This is a government that is supposed to have environmental 
concerns at the top of their list, and then they go and gut the wildlife 
service. I'm incredulous!" 
"They're going to hear from outraged Canadians," Barlee said. "People 
don't want to be spun, we have to address climate issues, issues of the 
environment, endangered species, biodiversity. Poll after poll after poll 
shows environment and climate change are top of the list of Canadians' 
concerns. I can't understand a government that wouldn't be aware of that. 
We want and expect meaningful action on these issues." 
"This government keeps saying we are going to be leaders of western world 
on climate change, and then they go and cut the budget. When push comes to 
shove you have to look at the difference between actions and words," 
Barlee said. "These actions are sending a very clear signal that this 
government is playing fast and loose with the environment." 

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