Conservative government destroys good science

On June 7, 2012, I maile the following letter to Mr. Ashfield with copies to the Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Minister Kent: The Hon. Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Dear Mr. Ashfield: Not being a fisheries or aquatic biologist, you might think my colleagues and I would have scant knowledge of or interest in the Experimental Lakes. Not so. In my career, as a biologist, section head and division manager with Environment Canada, I have had many times to hire biologists with fisheries, aquatic biology, or limnology training. The first thing I looked at on their applications was whether they had Experimental Lakes experience during university. That was the way to know that they had both superior training by Canada’s elite science faculty, and real-world experience. I could depend on these young scientists to recognize a Daphnia when they saw one, to know a hypo- from a hyperlimnion, and to fix an outboard motor when it konked on the way home from a survey. Even if their jobs had nothing to do with aquatic biology, I knew that these were the best people to serve Environment Canada, and the country. The Experimental Lakes sites and program have produced generations of Canada’s top scientists and were the foundation for innumerable masters’ and PhD theses and scientific publications by scholars from all over the world. Students and scientists working there discovered the effects of phosphorus in detergents and acid rain, allowing my former Department to eliminate these scourges of lake ecosystems. It is the best and longest running lake biology experiment in the world—there is nothing else like it. It would be short-sighted indeed to cancel funding for it. Sincerely, Lee Harding, PhD cc: The Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister The Hon. Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment

Canada guts environmental legislation

I mailed this letter to Mr. Harper on June 7 with copies to Ministers Ashfield and Kent. June 7, 2012 The Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Dear Mr. Harper: RE: BILL C-38 Have you any idea how badly the changes to the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, and the other changes to environmental legislation, will affect my business? My company and the hundreds of other environmental consulting firms in Canada will have hardly any work if these changes proceed. Developers will have no need to hire biologists to see that their projects are designed to mitigate environmental impacts. Of course, I would gladly suffer lost clients and business if the environment would still be protected, but it will not. You are well aware of the inter-linkages of environmental legislation: • The Fisheries Act is a “trigger” the invokes the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act • When invoked, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act ensures consideration of all components of the environment, including archaeological sites and other cultural heritage values. • Protecting fish also protects water- and riparian-associated wildlife and endangered species. I started working in this business in 1972, before there was even an environmental impact assessment policy, let alone an Act. I spent most of my career with Environment Canada and have two awards from that Department for meritorious service and a letter of congratulations upon my retirement signed by one of your Prime Minister predecessors. No one thinks these Acts can’t use a little tweaking to improve fairness and efficiency; but this is too much. Please stop it. Sincerely, Lee E. Harding, PhD, RPBio President, owner and Chief Scientist cc: The Hon. Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans The Hon. Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment