[All] Summery of Fed. ECO panel.

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks

I caught the second half of a presentation given by the Federal Environmental Commissioner at MUNK, an event funded by the Gordon Foundation. Here are key points regarding the state of our nation's water supply:

-The Fed. ECO wants Environment Canada to clearly identify the risks to our water supply. 
-Environment Canada identified salt as a risk but without monitoring, there is no set course of action to actually deal with it.
-The term "risk" means more now than 25 years ago. Risk has moved up the foodchain and people are assuming risks now.
-We are seeing the underpricing of risk and the socialization of losses with costs being transferred to taxpayers. 
-Risks have increased substantially but enforcement has declined
-Alberta Tar Sands: health risks are identified. $820 million set aside for health care but it's not enough. Too low an estimate
-Many risks of the Tar Sands are not showing up in the balance sheets. 
-Fracking uses brute force to crack rock. Pathways open to freshwater and chemical risks from cross contamination and waste water pose risk.
-Canada doesn't have enough geographical knowledge to prevent risks of fracking or enough funds to deal with the liability risks. 
-In Canada chemicals are innocent until proven guilty where as Europe offers REACH, a better risk assessment of chemicals.
-Europe prohibits use of arsenic in livestock, hair products etc. Sweden prevents endocrine disrupter in cosmetics etc. 
-If we establish REACH in Canada, it could save 60 million in related health care costs and lower liability risks.
-Sweden uses Green chemical substitution programs using regulation. Safer chemicals replace more dangerous ones by way of legislation.
-Federal Gov't in Alberta is a secondary concern. There is no actual partnership happening with the Federal Gov't with tar sands. No strong monitoring by Federal or province.
-Tar Sands has LOTS of water monitoring by industry but it's private studies: no access because it's privately owned data. 
-In the US the states monitor water using a federal framework of state implementation. We don't have this in Canada.
-Without federal framework for monitoring water, Canada's partnership is dictated by provinces. 
-Political will must help us get info from monitoring so we can do something about it. Civilians pushing for data to be released do help.
-Environmental Commissioner is calling for Transparency from industry to disclose data so we can plan appropriately. Without it we can't tell if things are getting better or worse. There is no benchmark.
-Info from Environment Canada used to be the benchmark but now water data is held in private labs by industry.
-Industries are mandated to gather their data but there is no transparency.  It's like a scouting report. Industries are capitalizing on the data. 
-Studies are not giving us all the issues. All they state is there is no risk as long as you don't swim or fish. 
-If people swim, drink and fish then water quality in our area will be an issue. That's how the benchmark is now set. 
-Regulation costs associated with monitoring were transfered to industry but now industry is not legally bound to share the data so they are profiting from it. 
-We monitor water for compliance, mitigation and to assess risk. We seldom enforce but we need to create a way to report for planning and management issues.
-Transparency can be supported by the following concept: If we can agree water is a common resource, the info on it should be too.
-We need data available, accessible and understandable.
-We monitor for proof. Risk assessment vs. Goal setting: Not to catch the villain but to achieve goals responsibly.
-Good examples of water monitoring are found in South Africa River Health, Australia has a comprehensive approach and the EU has a goal to make all river systems in good health.
-Canada would do well to get on board with IT and water measurement technologies to make data open to public. 
-The rate of exposure on risk cannot be secured unless the data is in the public domain. Transparency that we do have came from grass roots demands. 
-Canadians must push for legislation to mandate that all water reports by industry are made transparent.
-Gov't capacity will continue to decline. It's the job of the government to make sure info is accurate, available and interpreted properly to secure the public interest. 
-COCA-COLA has better data regarding the state of Canada's water resources than the federal government. Canada's government simply can't afford to do it. 
-BUT... The cost of monitoring is cheaper than the G20 summit!
-Technology is making monitoring cheaper and we can force the government to make it a priority if we work with municipalities. If every municipality monitor it's own beaches, rivers etc. and the data is centralized, we can do this.
-The challenge is to wrestle the data out of silent cabinets to the public table
-Enviroment is the Economy, a report produced in Muskoka. We have districts collecting data. By driving local demand for data it helps!
-Risks of water issues has not been included in Economic Reports, health reports etc. It's not just environment but our current policy has limited us. (Ont. Enviro. Commissioner Gord Miller)
-We need to create discussion on water as an alternative reality beyond the environmental scope. It is most PARAMOUNT of importance so we can have a discussion on REALITY. Don't let energy field errors repeat here. (Gord Miller)
-Right now water policy is based on Truthiness, not truth. (Gord Miller)
-Canadian Gov't budget problems, pressure from multi nationals, the path of least resistance is wishful thinking that industry can be responsible for it's own data. 
-We are complacent that the government is taking care of water. It's not!
-Good agencies to network with:  River Keepers, Clean Water Network. 
-Data is the start of good planning but currently we don't even have an information base. We're too rich and too smart for that!
-It's not necessarily a conspiracy but people in power grab info inwards. The way to truth is data from alternative sources. Universities, conservation groups etc. 
-The federal Environmental Commissioner is doing the work of the Lord. (Applause)


Lulu :0)




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