1.

1. ENGO participation at the Forest Sector Sustainability Table (FSST)
2. ENGO participation to consultation on Perfluorocarboxylic Acids
3. ENGO Participation in two upcoming CBD meetings in Granada, Spain

2.

1. 2006 RCEN Conference Theme

3.

1. Proposed Amendments to the Exclusion List Regulations under CEPA

4.

1. RCEN Nominations Committee Seeking Candidates
2. Connecting Canada’s Water Communities
3. New RCEN Consultations Coordinator

5.

1. Sign-on support requested - NGO Position Paper on Government Directive on Regulating (GD-R)

6.

1. New Book on Green Teaching

7.

1. Forty-fourth Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development
2. Sixth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests

8.

1. Director of Conservation, CPAWS
2. Sustainable Development Research Officer, FCM

1.

Call FOR DELEGATES

i.

ENGO participation at the Forest Sector Sustainability Table (FSST)

Environment Canada has asked the RCEN to select 1 ENGO representative for the Forest Sector Sustainability Table (FSST). The deadline to apply is Friday, January 13, 2006.
The FSST inaugural meeting is tentatively scheduled for February 6, 2006.  The selected participant will receive an honorarium of $500 per day of preparation and $500 per day for meetings and conference calls. Also travel, accommodation and meals will be covered as per Treasury Board Guidelines.
See the full Call for Delegates on the RCEN website for more information, including the draft Terms of reference, the selection criteria and the application form. For more information, contact Sarah Heiberg, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 24.

ii.

ENGO participation to consultation on Perfluorocarboxylic Acid

Environment Canada has asked the RCEN to select 4 ENGO representatives for a consultation on regarding Perfluorocarboxylic Acids and their Precursors . The deadline to apply is Friday, January 13, 2006.

The consultation will take place on February 7, 2006 in Ottawa. A half-day information session will also be held on February 6th. Each selected participant will receive an honorarium of $300 per day of preparation and $300 per day for meetings and conference calls. Also, travel, accommodation and meals will be covered as per Treasury Board Guidelines.

See the full Call for Delegates on the RCEN website.

For more information, contact Olivier Bertin Mahieux, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 34.

iii.

ENGO Participation in two upcoming CBD meetings in Granada, Spain

The Biodiversity Convention Office has asked the RCEN to select 1 ENGO representative to attend two meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be held in Granada, Spain, in January 2006: the Ad Hoc Open-ended Inter-sessional Working Group on Article 8(j), January 23-27, 2006; and the 4th meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing, January 30 to February 3, 2006. The deadline to apply has been extended to Tuesday, January 10, 2006.

See the full Call for Delegates on the RCEN website for more information, including the draft Terms of reference, the selection criteria and the application form. For more information, contact Sarah Heiberg, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 24.

2.

CALLS FOR INPUT

i.

2006 RCEN Conference Theme

The RCEN planning committee for the Annual Conference on the Environment 2006 needs your help! We are in the process of developing a theme for the 2006 conference and would like your input. The committee has chosen the issues listed below as possible themes. Please let us know which theme you think would be best for this year’s conference by emailing your choice to Ellen Mullally. The deadline is Friday January 6, 2006.
Possible Themes: Water; Forest; Endangered species; Sustainability; Environmental Health; Future of environmental movement; Agriculture & Environment; Biodiversity.

3.

CALLS FOR COMMENTS

i.

Proposed Amendments to the Exclusion List Regulations under CEPA

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) invites the public to comment on proposed amendments to the Exclusion List Regulations under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Comments received by January 31, 2006 will be considered when preparing the regulations for final approval.
The proposed changes would significantly reduce unnecessary environmental assessment screenings and redirect human and financial resources to projects with the potential to cause significant environmental effects. The proposed amendments were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on December 17, 2005. The public should address their comments to: John D. Smith, Director, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, 161 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor, Ottawa ON, K1A 0H3, Tel.: (613) 948-1942.

More details are available on the CEAA website  

4.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

i.

RCEN Nominations Committee Seeking Candidates

The RCEN Nominations Committee is currently seeking candidates to fill existing vacancies for both aboriginal and francophone representatives at the National Council level.  We are seeking your help in identifying potential candidates. Potential candidates must be active members of an RCEN member group and be willing to serve a term of three years (for more information about the role and responsibilities of National Council members, please see our by-laws).  As a member of the National Council, representatives vote at the annual general meeting and participate at the annual conference. They can also participate on a variety of RCEN committees if they wish.
 If you know of any interested individuals who meet the above criteria, please forward their name and contact information to Ellen Mullally before Friday January 6th, 2006.

ii.

Connecting Canada’s Water Communitie

The Centre for Sustainable Watersheds is leading a feasibility study to look at what resources are required to improve communications among Canada's many water stakeholders. The study, called Water Connections, is exploring ways to facilitate linkages among existing web resources and databases and to provide tools to support community involvement in an information-sharing network.

More information is available on the Centre for Sustainable Watersheds or download the backgrounder

iii.

New RCEN Consultations Coordinator

The RCEN is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Consultations Coordinator, Suzanne Boileau. Suzanne will be coordinating the upcoming meeting on the Sector Sustainability Tables, which will take place in March. Welcome, Suzanne!

Please feel free to contact Suzanne in either French or English with any questions or comments, via e-mail: suzanne@cen-rce.org or telephone: 613-728-9810 ext. 30.

5.

ACTION ALERTS

i.

Sign-on support requested - NGO Position Paper on Government Directive on Regulating (GD-R)

As part of the Government of Canada’s Smart Regulation initiative, the Privy Council Office (PCO) is proposing reform of federal regulatory policy and process. In particular, PCO is developing a proposed Government Directive on Regulating (GD-R), which would replace the current (1999) Regulatory Policy for Canada.

The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) has prepared a position paper on the draft GD-R. Many CEN member groups have already signed on. Support from NGOs and other public interest groups is currently being sought, with the deadline for sign-on next Friday, January 13.

To read the paper, click here
To sign on to the paper, or for more information, contact Hugh Benevides at hughb@magma.ca.

6.

RESOURCES

i.

New Book on Green Teaching

A new publication entitled Teaching Green: The Middle Years is now available for purchase. Subtitled Hands-on Learning in Grades 6-8,this large format paperbackcontains over 50 of the best teaching strategies and activities contributed to Green Teacher magazine during the past decade.

Teaching Green was designed to serve as a complete green teaching resource for those working with middle school-aged youth, inside or outside of schools. More information, can be found on the Green Teacher website or by calling toll-free 1-888-804-1486

7.

EVENTS

i.

Forty-fourth Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development

The United Nations Commission for Social Development  will hold its forty-fourth session of the from 8 to 17 February 2006 at the UN Headquarters in New York City. On 7 February 2006, an NGO Forum will also be convened, which will focus on the review of the first UN Decade for Poverty Eradication..
As the RCEN has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), its members are invited to participate in the Commission. You may register online by using the RCEN ID and password through the UN website. If you require the RCEN ID and password, contact Manon Crôteau, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 29. The deadline to register online is 8 January 2006. All travel, visas, accommodation and daily subsistence costs are the exclusive responsibility of the participants themselves. Additional information on the NGO Forum will be posted in due time on the UN Division for Social Policy Development website

ii.

Sixth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests

The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) will hold its fifth session from 13-24 February in New York City. This year the Forum will review implementation and assess needs and changes for the future of the international arrangement on forests.
NGO participation in the UNFF is subject to the rules of participation of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). As the RCEN has consultative status with the ECOSOC, RCEN members are invited to participate in the Commission. If you are interested in attending the UNFF, please provide your name/organization name and contact information to Manon Crôteau, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 29 by no later than 20 January 2006. All travel, visas, accommodation and daily subsistence costs are the exclusive responsibility of the participants themselves. For additional information regarding the session, including all official documents, please consult the UNFF website

8.

JOBS

i.

Director of Conservation, CPAWS

CPAWS is searching for an inspired campaign strategist, and a team oriented program management professional, to lead our conservation work across Canada.
Preferably based in Ottawa, the Director will work with government, industry, aboriginal communities and the 13 chapters of CPAWS across all provinces and territories. Central among the objectives for this position is the building of a large public constituency to passionately support conservation-first land-use planning on Canada’s publicly owned wilderness landscapes and marine environments.
CPAWS offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Apply to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society by January 11, 2006 to: National Executive Director, CPAWS, 250 City Centre Ave., Suite 506, K1R 6K7, email: tfeher@cpaws.org

ii.

Sustainable Development Research Officer, FCM

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Career Centre isseeking candidates to fill the position of Sustainable Development Research Officer for the Centre for Sustainable Community Development, Level 5. The salary band is $59,000 - $68,400 - $77,816. The position will be staffed through open competition.
 
Additional information is available on FCM Career Centre. Please apply by January 20, 2006 to: Human Resources, FCM, 24 Clarence Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 5P3, Att: Lynne Bériault, Fax: (613) 241-7440, e-mail : lberiault@fcm.ca