Senate NWPA hearings (UPDATE)

Hello:

The Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural
Resources has indeed begun hearings on the Navigable Waters Protection
Act amendments that became law with the passage the C-10, the federal
government's budget implementation act.

We hoped that we would be able to influence the Senate on the nature
and scope of their hearings on this issue.

We strongly urged that the committee:

- hold hearings in different parts of the country
- provide opportunities for participation remotely through video
conferencing
- provide funds to assist groups in traveling to the hearings

We also expressed serious concerns about the need for adequate time to
prepare presentations.

It appears that we have had zero influence on any of these points. In
fact we did not receive a formal response to our communications with
the Senate committee until last Thursday April 23, the day the
hearings began.

Here is what we understand:

- The hearings began April 23
- The hearings will take place for two hours each Tuesday and Thursday
up to May 14 (with the exception of Thursday April 30
- A handful of groups have been picked by the committee to appear
- Each speaker will have 5 to 7 minutes to speak followed by questions

PARTICIPATING IN THE HEARINGS

If you can and want to participate in these hearings, there is still
time to contact the committee:

Please contact:

Lynn Gordon
Clerk/Greffier
The Senate/Le Sénat
1053 Édifice Chambers Building, 40 rue Elgin Street
Ottawa Ontario K1A OA4 Canada
tel. (613) 991-3620 tél.
fax (613) 947-2104 télec.
toll free 1-800-267-7362 sans frais
gordol@sen.parl.gc.ca<mailto:gordol@sen.parl.gc.ca

CANADIAN RIVERS NETWORK PARTICIPATION

A representative of the CRN will be presenting at the hearings May 5.
One of the things we will be saying is that the CRN is a network of
diverse groups across Canada with equally diverse issues and concerns
related to the NWPA amendments, and one representative cannot even
begin to represent all of those issues and concerns.

This is an unfortunate outcome. We do not believe these hearings are
to short, too narrow and too late.

But, now matter how small the opportunity we believe it is important
to get some issues on the record.

A report from these hearings will be tabled in the Senate.

_______________________________
Canadian Rivers Network
www.ispeakforcanadianrivers.ca

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