Canada does have its own federal regulators. One of their jobs is to ensure that while resources are being developed in the country, the environment is not being exposed to unnecessary harm. Another job of the regulators is to monitor any undo financial risks to protect the economy of the country. According to a recent report, the country’s decision to aggressively pursue development of some of its resources has come before the protection of both the environment and the safety and security of the country’s finances.
Canada’s commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, Scott Vaughan, recently gave his final report to Parliament. In his report he noted many specific details about what regulators are not adequate doing that are detailed and responsible parts of their jobs. If this does not change, soon, the negative consequences that are already occurring will escalate and become so severe that there will be no way to undo the harm that has been done to the environment and the economy.
One area where regulators are failing is monitoring the mining industry in northern Canada. There is an offshore drilling industry that is booming in the Atlantic Ocean. There is also the hydraulic fracturing that is occurring in great numbers, namely the hundreds of thousands, and shale gas wells throughout the entire nation that are being developed, but few are being monitored.
Regulators are also not trained to deal with or by any means prepared to handle with the potential of a major oil spill that can occur with this rapidly growing industry. Also, there is no plan in place with what needs to be done to monitor the anticipated 300 percent increase that is anticipated in tanker traffic off the Canadian West Coast. Both of these issues can be dire consequences both for the environment and for the economy if drastic proactive steps are not taken immediately.
Vaughn’s report follows reports that had been previously made that regulators had not been adequately monitoring the oil sands and pipelines, also associated with the gas and oil industry. This is just another indicator that perhaps the regulators are more interested in profit and less interested in protecting Canada’s environment. The regulators are too lenient and too disinterested in doing an adequate job of environmental protection. In some instances, it appears that they are unsure as to what their job is. There have been dramatic changes in policy in recent times, but it is their job to be on top of and enforce these changes. If the lines are responsibility are not clear, that issue has to be brought up to superior officers and worked out so that the ultimate job, the protection of the environment, can occur. Excuses and loopholes cannot be used for permanent damage to occur.
Accolades for Vaughn for bring to light many deficiencies that are occurring within his own department while he is still in charge. Although the economic consequences are important to deal with, the environmental concerns are crucial. In this global marketplace, the consequences of financial misconduct are an implication that will impact more than the industries involved. It will impact the entire nation of Canada and perhaps others as well. The environmental concerns are more dire. If a major oil spill occurs, there needs to be safeguards in place as it will affect waterways that belong to the people of the world. The drilling that is occurring needs to be regulated to ensure that as little negative impact as possible is being done to the environment. It appears that there is a great deal of irresponsibility from the top government officials right down to the regulators that are out in the field every day. It is time for the top officials to be concerned about these important policies and immediately step up to the plate and set and agenda to enforce referendums to ensure that the people, the economy, and the environment of Canada and beyond are all protected.
Reference
Development outpacing environment; audit. (2013, Feb 06). Kamloops Daily News. Retrieved
