Quote Originally Posted by Bugle M In View Post
The one thing...if I remember correctly.. was back in the day (early 90's), it was the NDP who put forth more money for CO's.
Stay away from revisionist history.

The truth will set you free (from doing something dumb, like voting NDP).


British Columbia's Environment Budget Continues Decline
05/15/00
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Title: British Columbia's Environment Budget Continues Decline
Source: © 1999 Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment, Montreal
Date: May 15, 2000

MONTREAL, May 15, 2000 - Since 1995/96, the Government of British Columbia (B.C.) has cut its environment budget 28.5 percent - from $263,700,000 to $188,506,000 in the new fiscal year 2000/2001. The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks was one of the least funded ministries, listed 12th out of 19 ministries in budget size. The environment ministry budget represented only 0.8 percent of the total 1999/2000 British Columbia budget of $21.1 billion and is being cut at a time when the entire BC budget has been increased.

Cuts to the environment budget in B.C. are much larger than the average cuts to any of the other ministries. While it is important that fat be trimmed from government spending, it is indicative that the environment budget was cut much more than the overall government cutbacks, which average much less than 10 percent since 1995.

More than 400 full time positions have been removed from the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. As a result, the Ministry has lost the ability to fully inspect, monitor, and enforce its own laws. Also, the B.C. government has lost the ability to enforce federal laws such as the federal Fisheries Act, CEPA and the new Species at Risk Act (SARA) that will be passed this year. Also, B.C. is no longer in a position to monitor and enforce the Canada Wide Standards that will be set out under Canadian Council of the Ministers of the Environment (CCME) under the Harmonization Agreement that gives some of the federal powers to the provinces. As a result, B.C. will have unfunded mandates and will basically not be able to meet its legal obligations under its laws. Also, it will not be able to help Canada comply with national commitments to international environmental agreements, because of lack of funding.

To contact the B.C. Government about the budget cuts email communications@gems7.gov.bc.ca. See the B.C. Government budget at the website http://www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/. See the B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks at http://www.gov.bc.ca/elp/.
B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands & Parks Budget From 1995 to 2000
The following are the annual budget allocations by the Government of British Columbia to the Ministry of Environment, Lands & Parks (MELP). The numbers are in the millions of dollars (000,000):

95/96 - $263
96/97 - $222
97/98 - $204
98/99 - $188
99/00 - $194
00/01 - $188

During this same period MELP staff were reduced by 400 from 2,453 in 1995 to 2053 in 2000. Normally, it is expected that the New Democratic Party (NDP) is socially sensitive and environmentally friendly. Certainly, that is how the NDP has cast itself in opposition. However, now as government, like in Ontario (during the Bob Rae NDP Government), the NDP have displayed much more conservative attitudes regarding the need to protect the environmental health of people.
Source B.C. Government Services Employees' Union (BCGEU), 2994 Douglas Street, Victoria, B.C. , V8T 4N4, ph. (250) 388-9948, fax (250) 384-8060, 1 800 667- 1033, E-mail: mail@bcgeu.bc.ca , Website: http://www.bcgeu.bc.ca/contact.html.

B.C. Environment Survey Reveals Government of British Columbia Not Doing Its Job
A survey conducted of the professionals working for MELP reveals that the ability of the Ministry to protect the environment has been severely compromised by the budget cuts. The survey, conducted by the British Columbia Government Employees' Union (BCGEU) found, "very low morale, and a great loss of confidence in the ministry's ability to protect the environment". It found that, "ministry employees have lost confidence in the ministry's ability to do the job. With further cuts to staff and resources planned for the current fiscal year, the ministry will become even less able to manage and protect our environment". The survey found that, "the men and women who protect B.C.'s environment say that they are less able to do the job now than they were five years ago, and that there is not enough field work, monitoring and assessment."

It also found that, "current workloads do not allow permit and monitoring systems to work effectively. Only 2 percent give a "good" rating to B.C.'s permit and monitoring systems. None rate it as "very effective". More than half 53 percent call it "poor", while 35 percent say it is "not at all effective", for a combined negative rating of 88 percent. The survey was conducted by sending 1,600 questionnaires to MELP staff; out of which 252 (16 percent) were returned and analyzed.

A copy of the report based on the survey can be obtained from Cliff Stainsby, Senior Researcher, British Columbia Government Employees' Union, 2994 Douglas Street, Victoria, B.C. V8T 4N4, ph. (250) 388-9948, fax (250) 384-8060, 1 800 667- 1033, E-mail mail@bcgeu.bc.ca , Website http://www.bcgeu.bc.ca/contact.html.