PSA -- Rivers in Danger, You Can Make a Difference

• Posted on May 27, 2008 at 7:49 PM
• Previous

I'm turning into Mr. Public Service. Here's another thing that came across my Inbox, this one courtesy some friends from OVKC.

"The Navigable Waters Protection Act is proposed to be changed to facilitate development on navigable waters, and deny us of our rights to navigate them freely. You are urged to send a letter to your local member of parliament ASAP. By the way, no paddler groups were ever contacted. Below is a note that was sent to one MP. Feel free to use the same format and content. This is what the Kipawa fight is all about. Please act now."

OK, now a caveat: I haven't looked into this personally yet, so if anyone knows more about the situation, please advise. I'll try to find out more, and will post accordingly.

Anyway, here's the letter that was sent to one MP. You can find your own MP using the Government of Canada site.

---

"We are writing you as our MP to voice our concern about MP Tweed's (Brandon-Souris) proposal to make changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA).

As kayakers and canoeists and proud Canadians we think it's important that our government continue to protect our waterways as part of our natural heritage and inalienable right to their use. These are public resources to which all Canadians have a right of use and access for various purposes. I don't share MP Tweed's concern that works (development) should be allowed to take place in small waterways without due process. In fact, regardless of any exclusion from this or other acts, far too many waterways are already threatened by environmental degradation and/or loss of public access. The current damming of the Kipawa River at Laniel Quebec is such an example.

It is incumbent on the government, at all levels, to manage natural resources in trust for future generations, including our navigable rivers. Any decision that disturbs a waterway can have environmental and social impacts that are very difficult to undo. So, any decisions taken now to alter waterways are robbing future generations of their opportunities to decide how to invest our natural capital in the public domain.

Just last month the Beaver Canoe Club of Burnaby relied of the NWPA and our connection to Navigable Waters (Transport Canada) in order to have Navigable Waters work with Fisheries and Oceans to have some hazardous construction debris removed from a popular stretch of the Chilliwack River. Without this legal "in" that respects access and navigation rights, such a responsive, successful outcome would not have been possible, and in-stream users of that popular river would still be at risk.

Such a proposal to change this important facet of Canadian law should not be made without the full consultation of all river users, such as recreational paddlers and fisherman. It is our understanding (through an Internet forum on canoeing) that such organizations have not been notified about MP Tweed's interest in changing this act.

I also note the Canadian Rivers Day is soon approaching, so I hope that Minister Baird will consider this as an important element of our health, the environment in which we live and recreate and our heritage.

I hope that you will monitor this issue and ensure us that meaningful input is solicited from a broad audience of Canadians, many of whom do not take lightly the degrading health of our rivers, or our access to them. We are quite certain that you were equally impressed and inspired as we were by Mr. R.F. Kennedy’s talk last Thursday in Peterborough. We should learn from the experiences of others e.g. the Hudson River. As our elected member, this is a request directly to you, to intercede on behalf of your constituents and future generations, in order to avoid a potential travesty.

We look forward to your response on this very important matter."

---

Use whatever parts you see fit...
And let me know if you know more about this issue.