To: Peter Kent, Minister of Environment
From: John Sollows, Executive Director,
Tusket River Environmental Protection Association,
P. O. Box 103,
Tusket, Nova Scotia,
B0W 3M0.
Phone: (902)-742-2802
Date: October 25/11
File Number: 11-075
We are disappointed with your decision to stop support for the Canadian Environmental Network.
We understand that the total amount of funding requested was $547,000. This very modest sum is needed support a crucial core staff of underpaid, dedicated workers across the country, a staff whose efforts help make colleague organizations better-informed and more effective.
Thanks to the Canadian Environmental Network and the Nova Scotia Environmental Network, our own organization has benefited from various valuable training programs, has been kept up to date on numerous environmental issues of importance, and has been enabled to communicate with and support colleagues and partners from both other environmental groups and various agencies and levels of government. The Canadian and provincial networks are an essential piece of the framework which make the environmental community an important partner in the governance of the country.
A healthy environment is crucial to our long-term economic well-being, but has no voice at the table when decisions are made. We see one of our roles as a colleague and partner of governments, helping them make well-informed decisions and encouraging them to consider the impact of their decisions on the environment. Cancellation of support for the Network will weaken us all, and affect our ability to help governments look after the long-term interests of the country.
We therefore encourage you to reconsider and reverse your decision to stop funding of the Canadian Environmental Network.