God speed, Mother Nature

I don't think any of us really want to say goodbye... (If you don't know the song "Guns, Guns, Guns" by the Guess Who, you might not get my reference. If you don't really care what I'm saying here, please, still listen to the song. Thanks in advance. :) ) 

With the level of political apathy in this country, people are so blissfully unaware of the policy changes happening RIGHT NOW that directly impact our environmental responsibilities, we won't even get a chance to mourn Mother Nature. Too dramatic? Doubt it. 

Let's quickly recap what our current government has done to shit on our environment before I get into the topic at hand, shall we?:

• Rewrote fisheries laws that protect fish and their habitat = green light for off-shore oil exploration and extraction  AND  allowing federally subsidized pipeline projects to go through/under streams and lakes unchecked 
• Erased the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act 
• Number of federal environmental assessments before the Omnibus Budget Bill killed the CEAA: anywhere between 4000-6000. AFTER destroying the legislation: between 20-30. Barf. Barf all over you, Kent and Harpie.
• Killing of endangered species or destruction of their habitat is now allowed if the National Energy Board has a project that they deem necessary... this is very open ended. JUST GREAT!
• And that's not all, folks! (I just don't want to make this much longer.)

Soon-to-be problem: Last week, Minister of What's Left of the Environment, Peter Kent, began hinting at his next move. He wants to "streamline" the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The last time he said the word "streamlining", our oceans, lakes and rivers became fair game for oil developers, Parks Canada Agency lost 40% of their staff, and third party committees to oversee our government, to make sure they're upholding environmental laws, were kicked to the curb. See why I'm skeptical?

Photo provided by the SARA website. Thanks, gov't!

Yes, SARA needs reviewing and updating, but that is NOT what this gov't will do. As all of the environmental laws they've changed so far are being specifically tailored in order to reap whatever Mother Nature has to offer, blindly, recklessly, and without monitoring, I can tell you that any changes to the Species at Risk Act from this government will spell disaster for vulnerable species in this country. 

Count your blessings now, people. But please, soon, wake the fuck up. Tell your MP that you are concerned about what Minister Kent may do to the Species at Risk Act. Let's get this ball rolling before they get a chance to mess this one up too much.

"Eagle all gone and no more caribou... God speed, Mother Nature, never really wanted to say goodbye." 

                                                   - The Guess Who