1.

Calls For Delegates

1. Workshop to review the NSNR provisions

2.

Calls For Input / Calls For Comments / Calls For Nominations / Calls For Participation

1. Call for Participation—RCEN Task Group for Health Canada's VDD
2. Call for Comments—Regulations Amending the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations (MMER)
3. Call for Input—EPA Caucus Seeking Information on Public Reviews

3.

Announcements

1. Environment Canada SST Webpage

4.

Resources

1. A Series of Books about Environment Has Been Launched

5.

Events

1. Register for the World Urban Forum III
2. Americas' Bird Trek 2006

6.

Employment

1. Administrative and Accounting Assistant, RCEN
2. Environmental Educator, Northwatch Forest Project

1.

Calls For Delegates

i.

Workshop to review the NSNR provisions

Environment Canada is seeking 10 ENGO delegates to attend a two-day multi-stakeholder workshop on the research and development exemptions and notification requirements for organisms other than micro-organisms under the New Substances Notification Regulations (NSNR) (Organisms) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The workshops will take place on June 15-16, in Ottawa, Ontario.
Travel, accommodation and meals will be covered as per Treasury Board Guidelines. Selected NGO delegates will each receive $900 for preparation time and for attending the two day workshop. The deadline to apply is TODAY, Friday, April 28, 2006.

For more information, visit the RCEN website, contact Olivier Bertin-Mahieux, National Caucus Coordinator, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 34, or consult Environment Canada's website.

2.

Calls For Input / Calls For Comments / Calls For Nominations / Calls For Participation

i.

Call for Participation—RCEN Task Group for Health Canada's VDD

The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) is forming a task group to discuss issues, and establish priorities and strategies for ENGOs' participation in the Health Canada Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) meetings. Maria Castro of the Beyond Factory Farming Coalition will represent RCEN ENGOs at the May 10-11, 2006 meeting.

The Task group will hold a conference call on Friday, May 5th at 2 pm EDT. If you wish to be part of this Task group, and communicate your comments and concerns, please contact Olivier Bertin-Mahieux, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 34 as soon as possible.

ii.

Call for Comments—Regulations Amending the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations (MMER)

The proposed Regulations Amending the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations (MMER) have been posted on the Canada Gazette Part I, April 8, 2006, Vol. 140, No. 14 (page 771). The deadline to submit comments is May 7.

RCEN members are encouraged to submit comments to the Privy Council Office regarding the need to review alternatives to using new lakes (such as Trout Pond in Newfoundland) as tailings impoundment areas (TIAs); the fact that the fisheries assessment for Trout Pond was flawed; the risk of ground water contamination and the lack of aboriginal consultation for the inclusion of Trout Pond in the amendment. The addition of Trout Pond to the MMER amendments could set a precedent for using new lakes as TIAs all across Canada. For more information, go to the MiningWatch website or contact Sarah Heiberg, at (613) 728-9810 ext. 24. Please submit your comments to Patrick Finlay, Environment Canada, and copy Georgette Muller, PCO Policy Analyst, Sarah Heiberg and Joan Kuyek.

iii.

Call for Input—EPA Caucus Seeking Information on Public Reviews

Members of the Canadian Environmental Network's Environmental Planning and Assessment (EPA) Caucus' Public Participation Committee are looking for information/knowledge of any public review and/or consultation where a lead agency, regulator or proponent sought public input/feedback attendant to any environmental assessment. Please provide any subjective input about the nature of the process, how it worked, and its success or failures. Documented reports and/or records may be identified with sources. This information will allow the EPA Caucus to catalogue the factors affecting the outcome of a public participation process negatively or positively, and what kinds of issues will contribute to a strategic and effective public participation process. This data/evidence compiled will permit the construction of a template or checklist for parties to use when providing input into the scope and structure of any pubic participation process in the future.

Please forward any responses to Jannis Klein, EPA Caucus Coordinator.

3.

Announcements

i.

Environment Canada SST Webpage

Environment Canada has launched a Sector Sustainability Tables (SST) webpage, which will provide the public with information on the various SST Working Groups, SST Secretariat and other relevant documentation. The SST are a permanent forum for collaboration between federal/provincial/territorial governments, industry, Aboriginal organizations and non-governmental organizations to provide advice to government on how best to attain the highest level of environmental quality. The SST are intended to identify how to meet the goals of the Competitiveness and Environmental Sustainability Framework (CESF) through a jointly developed approach and long-term planning. View Environment Canada's new SST webpage.

The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) is currently working to update its SST webpage, which will be available in the coming weeks. For more information, contact Suzanne Boileau, RCEN Consultations Coordinator, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 30.

4.

Resources

i.

A Series of Books about Environment Has Been Launched

The Librairie Pantoute has launched a secure and user-friendly cyber bookstore named Sphères that provides a series in French about environment, social fairness and natural kingdoms, as well as numerous recent works in English. An emerging science, a multidisciplinary crossroad and a political movement, ecology can't be summed up in a few lines. The Sphères: l'environnement à livre ouvert series includes topics as various as ecotourism, composting, climatology or water sanitizing. To order via the Sphères books' website, click upon the works you want. You can also mail your orders to: Librairie Pantoute Saint-Roch, 286, boulevard Saint-Joseph est, Québec, G1K 3A9.

5.

Events

i.

Register for the World Urban Forum III

From June 19-23, 2006, Canada will host the third UN-Habitat World Urban Forum (WUF3), in Vancouver. The 2006 WUF3 will be an opportunity to discuss international cooperation in urban development and sustainable urbanization, and to start the development of models that can be used to address urbanization issues in cities around the world.

Registrations are currently open, however the registration period may end soon. Canadians should aim to register in the next couple of weeks, as the UN Habitat is probably going to close Canadian registration in the near future, having already obtained over 3300 registered Canadians. At the moment, there are almost 9,000 registrations to the WUF from 159 countries. To register on-line, visit the UN-Habitat website. There is no registration fee.

For more information, visit the WUF3 website.

ii.

Americas' Bird Trek 2006

Imagine thousands of children from Lesser Slave Lake in Alberta, to Quito, Ecuador, all going on a field trip to a nature center at the same time. Now imagine students visiting four nature centers - in Ecuador, Mexico, the U.S., and Canada — all during the same trip! As part of a major outreach campaign in spring 2006 centered around a hemisphere-wide celebration called International Migratory Bird Day, a consortium of non-profits and technology firms, led by Parks and Protected Areas a division of Alberta Community Development, Boreal Song Bird Initiative and SciQ, will host one of the world's most innovative combinations of Internet technology and environmental education to help celebrate this year's theme, the Boreal Forest. For more information, please visit the SciQ website.

6.

Employment

i.

Administrative and Accounting Assistant, RCEN

The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) is seeking an Administrative and Accounting Assistant to assist to the administration and accounting functions of the organization, such as: Prepare and record accounts payable and receivable; Assist the comptroller with the year-end financial audit; Maintain the RCEN database; Coordinate meetings and take minutes; Perform monthly bank reconciliations; Maintain required records, reports and files in an organized manner; Maintain telephone system, process mail and courier; Maintenance of office supplies, and other related duties. The chosen candidate will work under the supervision of the Executive Director. Qualifications include a college diploma or university degree in accounting and 2 years of previous bookkeeping experience. Excellent writing and verbal skills in both English and French are mandatory. The position is based in Ottawa.

The position is a contract with possibility for extension and benefits. The starting salary is $30,000. The deadline to apply has been extended to April 28, 2006 at 5:00pm EST. For more information, visit the RCEN website.

ii.

Environmental Educator, Northwatch Forest Project

Northwatch is seeking an Environmental Educator to work with the public and local groups interested in learning about forests and the environment. The successful candidate must be able to work independently and enjoy working with a broad variety of interests. The position is based in Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa or White River area, and travel will be required. The deadline to apply is Monday, May 15, 2006. Send your reply to Northwatch Forest Project, Box 282, North Bay, P1B 8H2, by fax at (705) 476-7060 or via email. For more information, visit the Northeast Forest website.