Toxics Watch Society of Alberta

Toxics Watch and a group of prominent environmental groups across the country have written to the Prime Minister emphasizing the immediate need to announce and implement a credible and effective plan to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. Read the letter here (PDF 192KB).

Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is currently seeking input on its re-evaluation of 2,4-D on lawn and turf uses. As per usual process, the Agency is releasing its Proposed Acceptability for Continuing Registration document on the re-evaluation and is seeking input from stakeholders, including the scientific community and all other interested parties, to provide any additional information that may be relevant to this re-evaluation.

Environment Canada is currently inviting interested parties to consult the materials posted on their website. The 2,4-D Feature page is available at the Pest Management and Regulatory Agency website. The comment period will end on April 22, 2005.

On May 23, 2001, Canada was the first country to sign and ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), a global agreement that will dramatically reduce or eliminate emissions of 12 POPs that are known to result in serious harm to the environment and human health. By May 17, 2006, Canada is required to submit a National Implementation Plan (NIP) describing how it will implement its obligations under the Convention.

Environment Canada has led development of Canada's Draft National Implementation Plan on behalf of the federal government. Comments and advice received from written comments and three regional workshops held in Winter 2004 were considered in this process.

This Draft NIP includes:

• Part I: Canada's National Implementation Plan (NIP) under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants;
• Part II: Canada's National Action Plan on Unintentionally Produced Persistent Organic Pollutants (NAP); and
• Part III: A copy of the Convention, provided for ease of reference.

Canada proposes to provide our draft NIP as an information piece at the Stockholm Convention's first Conference of Parties (COP-1) in Uruguay May 2-6, 2005. The draft NIP that is forwarded to COP-1 will include a report on consultations, including those held in 2004 and 2005. Following COP-1, Canada will consider all advice received, and will then complete our NIP and submit it to the COP before May 17, 2006. Before submitting the final NIP to the Conference of the Parties in 2006, final consultations will be held.

Protocolapalooza was a big success, with a standing room only crowd joining us to celebrate the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol. Thanks go out to Nashina Shariff, Dale Ladouceur, Daniel Schnee, Kathy Fisher, and Gary Lee who treated us to a great evening of discussion, music and poetry. A big thank you goes out the Black Dog Freehouse for generously provding the venue for our event. Special thanks to board members Conrad Nobert, Heather Inglis, and Darren Aschacher for their hard work in making this event happen. Nashina Shariff Dale Ladouceur & Daniel Schnee

On February 16, 2005 the Kyoto Protocol enters into force; becoming a legally-binding treaty for Canada and the other approximately 140 signatories. To mark this significant legal, political, and environmental achievement, the Toxics Watch Society of Alberta invites you to join us at: Kyoto Protocolapalooza Celebrating the Kyoto Protocol's Entry Into Force Featuring: Nashina Shariff "Tales from the U.N. Climate Change Conferece in Buenos Aires" Toxics Watch staffer Nashina Shariff was a member of Canada's delegation to the recent COP 10 Climate Change Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Nashina will talk about her experiences on the frontlines of the international climate change negotiations. As well, Nashina will discuss what Kyoto's entry into force means to Canada and Canadians, and next steps in our efforts to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions.