Budget Slashing

Anyone who's watched the news in Canada in the last 24 hours will have heard the sad news. The Conservative Government has cut Environment Canada's budget- big time. Am I surprised? No. Saddened? Yes. Frustrated? Extremely.

The damage?

The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Network (the group that monitors ecosystem change): 80% cut

The Migratory Bird Program: 50% cut

National Wildlife Areas (think significant habitats for wildlife and birds): 100% cut

CBC tried to get in contact with John Baird (see my Inadequate People post) but apparently he was not available, and email messages have been sent saying the government is focusing on Climate Change so other areas were sacrificed.

AHH! When will this become apparent to the people in charge that you cannot focus on one while sacrificing the other! Our remaining intact ecosystems is what's saving our world from the point of no return. These natural areas play a significant role (think oxygen production for you to BREATHE!)

I found a study on protecting ecosystems for anyone how's interested: here. This map was in the study:

I have to wonder why, in Canada, the land of plenty, we have so little protected area? Is it because we think everything is so plentiful that we don't need to protect it?

I just have a hard time swallowing the fact that we make these decisions which have huge repercussions on the environment (and inadvertently on us). This world is not ours to use until it's gone, we cannot build suburbs of McMansions onto fragile ecosystems. We are here as stewards of the Earth, it is a gift to us, please don't break it.