Environment Minister wrong to cancel crucial funding: Leslie

NDP critic says cancelled funding will effectively shut down a respected national environmental network

OTTAWA – New Democrat Environment Critic, Megan Leslie (Halifax), slammed the federal government today for ending funding to the Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN), effectively forcing the organization to lay off all staff and shut its doors this Friday.

“The cancellation of this funding is forcing the closure of one of the most critical environment networks Canada has,” said Leslie. “Environment Canada has senselessly ended a 34 year partnership with a respected organisation. The government has told RCEN that this decision is part of a cost-efficiency plan, but given the important role this organization plays, cancelling their funding will likely have expensive, long-term consequences. This decision just doesn’t make sense financially, and it will endanger the health and sustainability of our environment.”

The RCEN is composed of over 640 diverse community organizations from coast to coast to coast, with over 630,000 members. It has served as a critical consultative mechanism, and has most successfully coordinated transparent and constructive collaboration between Environment Canada and its stakeholders for the past three and a half decades.

In an open letter to Environment Minister Peter Kent, sent earlier in the week encouraging the government to continue funding, Leslie commented on the essential role RCEN would play in the coming months:

“With Parliament about to review the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the RCEN’s help will be even more critical,” said Leslie. “Furthermore, I have to question the timing, given the upcoming climate negotiations in Durban in November, and the twentieth anniversary of the United Nations Earth Summit next year. Choking off the main communications network for civil society groups is a huge and cynical blow to the environmental movement in Canada.”

Leslie is calling on the government to reverse its reckless decision to cancel the funding for RCEN immediately.