Inter-government co-operation is great and all, but Mark Butler said he’d rather see action.
The policy director of the Ecology Action Centre was happy to see $4 million for the weather station on Sable Island, but not as thrilled with the announcement the feds will co-operate better with the provinces.
“One would have assumed perhaps that they were already co-operating and (federal Environment Minister John Baird) would announce something of greater substance.”
Baird held a news conference in Wolfville on Friday. Sable Island’s weather station has enough money for another five years, and $1 million will be spent to designate the island a national wildlife area.
He also unveiled a memorandum of understanding for greater environmental cooperation with the Atlantic provinces.
Environment Minister Mark Parent said the co-ordinated Atlantic approach means it will be easier for the provinces to access federal money for the environment.
“It will mean enhanced protection of the environment and ability to access federal funding,” he said Friday following the announcement.
But to the public it feels like a non-announcement, Butler said. He’d rather see the federal government regulate emissions and support a shift to greener energy.
