Re: “Richards’ agenda to slash environmental protection,” May 25
Dear Editor,
Stephen Harper’s Conservative government is proud of its record on protecting the environment.
I’ll mention just a few of our accomplishments. We expanded the area protected by Parks Canada by more than 50 per cent – an area larger than Greece.
The expansion of Nahanni National Park, in the Northwest Territories, was the conservation achievement of a generation.
We’ve supported clean air, water and land in many ways, including strong support for clean energy. And, in Economic Action Plan 2012, our government is increasing funding to protect Species at Risk.
Economic Action Plan 2012 also seeks to streamline the assessment and review process for the natural resource projects that are so important to Canada’s economy and job creation.
Streamlining the process eliminates waste and red tape, not environmental protection – a goal all of us, especially environmentalists and conservationists, should be able to support. Similarly, clarifying that farmers’ fields do not become ‘fish habitat’ when flooded focuses protection efforts where they can do the most good.
All this stands in stark contrast to the miserable environmental record of the previous Liberal government.
As their last leader admitted, they “didn’t get the job done.”
Blake Richards, MP for Wild Rose
