1.

Calls For Delegates

1. There are no Calls for Delegates this week.

2.

ACTION ALERTS

1. Send Recommendations on CEPA to the House of Commons and Senate Environment Committees

3.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Resignation of RCEN Executive Director
2. Agricultural Policy Framework II Public Consultations
3. Joint RCEN CEPA House of Commons Submission
4. Green Diamonds Campaign  

4.

RESOURCES

1. Sierra Leone “Reality” Tour
2. New NGLS Publication: Debating NGO Accountability  

5.

CALLS FOR INPUT / COMMENTS / NOMINATIONS / PARTICIPATION

1. Call for Papers: Examining Trade and Environment Issues Related to Services Sector in North America
2. Call for Comments: Legal Listing of River Redhorse and Deepwater Sculpin under the SARA
3. Call for comments: RCEN EPA Caucus Seeking Input from Members Looking for EA Legal Challenges
4. Call for Witnesses: Senate Environment Committee Witnesses Needed
5. Call for Comments: ENGOs Urged to Complete Survey on Involvement on Metal and Mining Environmental Effects Monitoring

6.

Events

1. Sixth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues   

7.

Employment

1. Communications Director, Greenpeace Canada  

1.

Calls For Delegates

i.

There are no Calls for Delegates this week.

2.

Action Alerts

i.

Send Recommendations on CEPA to the House of Commons and Senate Environment Committees

The Parliamentary Review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999) is wrapping up. Please send your House of Commons submissions with comments on CEPA by early February 2007 to the House of Commons Committee Clerk, Eugene Morawski. The Committee must present its report no later than March 31, 2007. Senate submissions should be sent to the Committee Clerk, Keli Hogan. Please copy all submissions and letters to Kiriaki Cocolakis, CEPA Coordinator for the RCEN. To view ENGO Parliamentary Committee submissions, visit the RCEN website. For more information contact Kiriaki Cocolakis, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 236.

3.

Announcements

i.

Resignation of RCEN Executive Director

The Canadian Environmental Network would like to formally announce the resignation of Brigitte Gagné, Executive Director.
Since Brigitte’s arrival at the RCEN in September 2002, a new affiliation mechanism for Quebec has been created, two collective agreements have been signed, a solid staff team has been put in place, bridges have been firmly built in our dialogue with the Ministries of Environment, Health, Agriculture, Fisheries and Oceans, CIDA and others. In addition, recognition of our delegates’ participation in national environmental consultations has now been translated concretely into contracts, and the delegate selection mechanism is continually being fine-tuned. The organization’s budget has tripled; a strategic five-year plan has been developed and evaluated, and its implementation is slowly but surely bringing the expected results. The Network’s technological capabilities have been greatly strengthened and put at the service of the Regions. The RCEN has also established consistent production and distribution of information, and a number of significant projects have been presented and will see their efforts bear fruit this year.
This is the legacy Brigitte would like to offer to all the members of the Network at the moment of her departure. She wishes to give thanks to the Board of Directors, staff colleagues, and all RCEN members, who have been the instruments of our success.

Read Brigitte’s public resignation letter, addressed to all RCEN members.
Brigitte can be reached via e-mail until March 2, 2007.

ii.

Agricultural Policy Framework II Public Consultations

Public consultations have begun for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s (CFA) proposed new Agricultural Policy Framework (APF II), and for the Provonost Commission in Quebec. ENGO participation in these consultations is vital to ensure that the Environmental Pillar is not dropped from the Framework (the new policy proposes three Pillars instead of the current five), and that the new policy reflects the concerns of environmental groups. A Public Consultation list with locations and times can be found on Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada’s website. To register for any of the consultations (Jan. 22 to Feb. 29) in person or online, visit AAFC’s consultation webpage. An updated draft of the CFA’s proposed new policy can be found on the CFA website. In Quebec, The CAAAQ, or the Provonost Commission, is also holding a series of public consultations in February. For more information (French only), visit the CAAAQ website or send comments.

iii.

Joint RCEN CEPA House of Commons Submission

The RCEN members on the CEPA Committee have prepared and submitted a joint Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999) House of Commons submission.The submission reinforces the key themes and priorities that NGOs have identified during the Parliamentary Review and offers recommendations where the Act can be improved. It also highlights areas that have not been addressed and require further attention. This document was submitted to the House of Commons Environment Committee with 82 sign-ons from health and environmental organizations from across the country. To view the joint CEPA submission, visit the RCEN website. For more information, contact Kiriaki Cocolakis, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 236.

iv.

Green Diamonds Campaign

One Sky, a Canadian ENGO that has been working in partnership with organizations in Sierra Leone since 2000, is organizing a Green Diamonds campaign: Blood diamonds are for never...Green diamonds are for the future. A recent film starring Leonardo DiCaprio is bringing publicity to a nation trying to heal from an 11-year civil war. According to One Sky, blood or conflict diamonds are no longer the reality in Sierra Leone as a result of an international certification scheme, but development and environmental issues abound. Instead of banning diamonds, One Sky and the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone are challenging individuals to buy a "green" diamond by supporting environmental restoration of alluvial diamond mining areas in Sierra Leone. To learn more about Green Diamonds or their work, visit the One Sky website.

4.

Resources

i.

Sierra Leone “Reality” Tour

One Sky, a Canadian ENGO that has been working in partnership with organizations in Sierra Leone since 2000, and the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL) are offering a "reality" tour to Sierra Leone this coming April, that aims to give a unique experience and insight into the challenges, beauty and stories of Sierra Leone. While recently profiled at its worst in the film Blood Diamonds, the country is working to recover and develop. One Sky and the CSSL are working together in the diamond-rich Kono district to bring sustainable livelihoods and restore former alluvial diamond mining sites, and invite you to join them in April 2007 for a One Sky World Tour to visit the diamond areas, partake in a hands-on activity with farmer's groups and meet with local organizations. For more information, visit the One Sky website.

ii.

New NGLS Publication: Debating NGO Accountability

A new publication from the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS), Debating NGO Accountability, is now available as a free download. In light of concerns about the role and accountability of NGOs that have been voiced from different quarters in recent years, this publication explores today’s important discussion of NGO accountability and contributes towards a better understanding of the issues at stake for democratic societies and democratic governance. The book puts democracy and human rights firmly at the centre of the debate about NGO accountability. The new publication is available for free download on the UN-NGLS website. For a hard copy version, send a request via e-mail.

5.

Calls for Input / Comments / Nominations / Participation

i.

Call for Papers: Examining Trade and Environment Issues Related to Services Sector in North America

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has issued a public call for papers examining trade and environment issues related to the services sector in North America. Financial support of up to $12,000 per selected paper is available on an as-needed basis. Authors will be expected, and financially supported by the CEC, to present their research papers at the fourth North American Symposium on Assessing the Environmental Effects of Trade, to be held in the spring/summer of 2008.Prospective researchers are asked to submit proposals no later than February 1, 2007.  
For more information, visit the CEC website.

ii.

Call for Comments: Legal Listing of River Redhorse and Deepwater Sculpin under the SARA

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is seeking comments on the legal listing of River Redhorse and Deepwater Sculpin under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). The Government of Canada must now decide whether to add these two fishes to the list of species receiving protection under SARA. Before that decision is made, government policy requires that individuals and organizations have an opportunity to provide their views. Comments should be received no later than February 28, 2007. To provide comments, or for more information, visit the SARA website or DFO’s Aquatic Species at Risk website or contact Pooi-Leng Wong, DFO, tel.: (204) 984-0599.

iii.

Call for Comments: RCEN EPA Caucus Seeking Input from Members Looking for EA Legal Challenges

Is there a new development near you that might cause significant adverse environmental effects? Are you involved in an EA legal challenge or need advice from the RCEN Planning and Assessment (EPA) Caucus? If so, then the Strategic Legal Actions Committee wants to hear from you! Requests for advice would be shared among the members of the committee. The EPA Caucus would also be interested in circulating news of upcoming projects that are in the very early phases of development. With the amended purpose and new duty of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, there may be some strategic opportunities to push RAs to be more proactive. Contact Martha Kostuch or Jannis Klein for more information.

iv.

Call for Witnesses: Senate Environment Committee Witnesses Needed

The Senate environment committee will be resuming its Review of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999) in February. The committee will discuss perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) as it relates to CEPA. If you are involved with this issue and are interested in presenting, please contact Kiriaki Cocolakis, RCEN CEPA Coordinator, tel.: (613) 728-9810 ext. 236.

v.

Call for Comments: Survey on ENGO Involvement on Metal and Mining Environmental Effects Monitoring - Deadline extended

The Environmental Effects Monitoring Review Group is tasked with taking a preliminary look at what is working and what is not in relation to the first set of data points received from the mines. ENGOs are urged to complete a survey to help get a preliminary understanding of how and who is involved currently with EEM and in what capacity. A draft report will be available in the new year, and a workshop recommendation will be put forward depending on the survey response and other input received. For an electronic copy of the survey, or to read the full MMER EEM Summary, visit the Mining Caucus webpage. For further information on the review process to date, contact Judy Parkman. The deadline to send input has been extended to January 31, 2007.

6.

Events

i.

Sixth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The Sixth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Special theme: Teritories, Lands and Natural Resources, will take place from 14 to 25 May 2007 in New York City. The draft agenda for the Sixth Session is available in the Report of the fifth session. Online Pre-Registration is available for Non-Government Organizations who have ECOSOC status only. As the RCEN has ECOSOC status, members in good standing of the RCEN are welcome to register online; however funding is not available to attend this Session. Interested organizations who are members in good standing of the RCEN should contact Manon Crôteau, RCEN Communications Coordinator, to obtain the username and password for the online registration.

7.

Employment

i.

Communications Director, Greenpeace Canada

Greenpeace Canada is seeking a Communications Director, who will be responsible for all aspects of Greenpeace’s external communications. This includes development of campaign communication strategies and plans, outreach to the mass media, review of fundraising materials and activities, development and implementation of new media strategies, development and maintenance of English and French language web sites, and, profiling the organization and other public relations/communications activities in Canada. The Communications Director will report to the Executive Director. This position is based in Toronto. The deadline to apply is February 7, 2007. For more information, visit the Greenpeace Canada website.