HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-06-22, Page 26Page 26
Times -Advocate, June 22, 1994
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Bill of Rights registry open for public use
TORONTO - The electronic reg-
istry, created under Ontario's Envi-
ronmental Bill of Rights, is now
available to residents in Middlesex.
The registry is a computerized bul-
letin board informing the public of
environmentally significant propo-
sals by 14 Ontario governments
ministries.
During the summer of 1994,
more than 250 public and First Na-
tion libraries across the province
will come on-line. Middlesex resi-
dents can access the registry
through the Middlesex County Li-
brary Headquarters in Arva (phone
660-8368).
The Environmental Bill of Rights
- a long-standing commitment of
the NDP government - is built on
the principle that everyone has the
right to participate in decisions af-
fecting the environment. Through
the registry, people can get the in-
formation they need to become in-
volved.
The first information available on
the registry are Statements of Envi-
ronmental Values (SEVs) in draft
form prepared by each of 14 pro-
vincial government ministries, indi-
cating how they will ensure the en-
vironment becomes a part of their
decision-making.
These were placed on the registry
on May 15 for three months of pub-
lic comment, with the final stale-
ments appearing on the registry by
November 15.
The Ministry of Environment and
Energy's proposals for environ-
mentally significant acts and poli-
cies will be placed on the registry
by August 15, 1994. Those of all
other ministries will be available
beginning in April 1995.
Proposed regulations and instru-
ments for the Ministry of Environ-
ment and Energy will be on the reg-
istry by November 15 1994.
Instruments include permits, licenc-
es, approvals and orders.
Talent show participants
Entertaining thier classmates at the Exeter Public
School Talent show was left, Julie Godbolt, and Alyssa
Darling who sang "Evening in the Birch Path"
Floating classroom
teaches conservation
PETERBOROUGH - The Onta-
rio Federation of Anglers and
Hunters (OFAH), in partnership
with Shimano Sport Fisheries Ini-
tiative, is launching a floating
classroom this summer to give
hundreds of children across the •
province an unforgettable lesson in
conservation.
The new OFAH "Waterways
Habitat" environmental conserva-
tion program gives eight to 14 -
year -old children a unique oppor-
tunity to learn about conserving
aquatic habitat. The summer pro-
gram. with additional support from
the Environmental Youth Corps
and the Ontario Ministry of Natu-
ral Resources, is an extension of
the OFAH's award winning "Habi-
tat is Where the Home Is."
The program is not quite "fish-
ing university, " but it shows kids
that there's much more to going
fishing than a rod and reel.
"The intention is to give more
kids quality outdoors knowledge,"
said Dr. Terry Quinney, OFAH
provincial coordinator of fish and
wildlife services. "Our society- is
becoming more and more depen-
dent on things that have little to do
with the natural environment and
there's no better way than fishing
to get kids back outside," he said.
The program emphasizes more
than just catching fish - it shows
kids that they have to become am-
ateur biologists to really appreciate
the importance of Ontario's water-
ways. "Waterways Habitat" fea-
tures a number of work stations,
including local water chemistry.
habitat protection. species identifi-
cation, safety and ethics. live re-
lease and angling techniques.
Morning and afternoon sessions
of "Waterways Habitat" will run
each day at provincial parks, sum-
mer camps. tournaments and re-
sorts throughout Ontario. During
each three- hour session, up to 45
children will learn how aquatic en-
vironments can be improved and
fishery resources conserved.
To cap off each session. the chil-
dren, along with the three-member
OFAH crew, will take to the water
on a 30 -foot pontoon boat donated
by Shimano Sport Fisheries Initia-
tive. The children will get to apply
what they've learned back on shore
through using oxygen metres and
fish finders and by trying their
hand at reeling in fish.
A number of sponsors, including
Shimano, the Shell Environmental
Fund, Berkley, Lowrance, Bouy-0-
Boy, Karcher Pressure Washers,
Fryston Canada, Merganser Out-
door Clothing, Rubbermaid Spe-
cialty Products and Normark Cana-
da, are supporting the program and
donating products for the children
to use.
"Waterways Habitat" is an exten-
sion of the OFAH program 'Trav-
elling Teacher" which recently
won a Canadian Wildlife Federa-
tion award, a national prize for
outstanding conservation work.
Beginning April 15 1994, any
two residents will have the right to
request investigations where there
is a suspected violation of a pre-
scribed act, regulation or instru-
ment administered by the Ministry
of Environment and Energy. Other
ministries will be phased in later.
The Environmental Bill of Rights
also gives Ontario residents in-
creased access to the courts to pro-
tect the environment.
As of February I, 1995, any two
Ontario residents will have the
right to request reviews of Ministry
of Environmental and Energy poli-
cies, prescribed acts, regulations
and prescribed instruments, or can
request a review of the need for
new acts, policies and regulations.
the minister will determine if re-
quests merit action.
Employees will be protected
from employer reprisals if they en-
gage in any activity under the En-
vironmental Bill of Rights, such as
exercising their public participation
rights or requesting a review or in-
vestigation. They will be protected
if they blow the whistle on a pollut-
ing employer.
Computer owners with a modem
can access the registry using con-
nect numbers 327-3000 local and
1-800-667-9979 and via Internet
and other networks using telnet
192.75.4156.92 (user name BBS).
To find out about the environ-
mental registry and which libraries
are on-line, people should request a
copy of the Guide to Access and
Use of the Environmental Registry
from the Public Information Centre
at the Ministry of Environment and
Energy, 135 St. Clair Ave. W., To-
ronto, Ont. M4V 1P5, (416) 323-
4321 or 1-800-565-4923. Also
available are hard copies of one or
all of the 14 draft ministry State-
ments of Environmental Values.
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