Environment report shows more Conservative mismanagement

“When it comes to enforcing regulations, there’s no sheriff in town,” says Turmel

OTTAWA – New Democrat Leader Nycole Turmel says today’s report from Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan shows a disturbing pattern of an out-of-touch Conservative government asleep at the wheel.

“It was only last month that the Auditor General’s report found the Conservatives in a state of chronic mismanagement. Today, we’re seeing that same mismanagement at play throughout the government’s environment files – to the detriment of the Canadian public,” said Turmel.

Today’s report shows a lack of enforcement on environmental regulations; a lack of contingency or safety planning for the transport of dangerous goods; and the importance of good science in managing our fish stocks – at a time when Conservative cuts to marine science threaten conservation.

“The Commissioner’s findings are very disturbing. It seems there’s no sheriff in town at all when it comes to environmental regulation in Canada,” said Turmel.

“This government doesn’t know who it’s regulating or what it’s enforcing. What’s worse, they’ve known about many of these problems for years without taking action. This kind of mismanagement is unacceptable and puts Canadians at risk.”