Getting Things Done: Cracking Down on Toxic Chemicals

August 08, 2006

Prime Minister Stephen Harper along with Environment Minister Rona Ambrose and Health Minister Tony Clement today unveiled the next major element of the new government’s environmental agenda -- Canada’s new Chemicals Management Plan (CMP).

The CMP takes immediate action to regulate chemicals that are potentially harmful to human health or the environment and it will make Canada a world leader in the testing and regulation of chemicals that are used in thousands of industrial and consumer products.

The Plan includes realistic and enforceable measures that will improve our environment and protect the health and safety of Canadians.

Today’s announcement is the latest results-based step taken by Canada’s New Government towards a greener, cleaner Canada. Since taking office, this government has taken action on the environment by:

• Introducing Canada’s first-ever Clean Air Act, a comprehensive plan that tackles both greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution;
• Creating a new tax credit to reduce the cost and encourage the use of public transit;
• Exempting donations of ecologically-sensitive land from Capital Gains Tax; and
• Increasing the average renewable fuel content in gasoline and diesel fuels to 5% by 2010.

These measures replace the all-talk, no action approach to the environment championed by current Liberal leader – and failed former Environment Minister – Stéphane Dion. Under Dion and the Liberals:

• Greenhouse gas emissions increased by 27 percent;
• Canada’s air quality dropped to 27th in the 28 member OECD; and
• One husky was named Kyoto.
  

Conservatives promised to replace environmental talk with environmental action and Canada’s New Government is delivering on that promise for all Canadians.