Why is federal action on the environment critical to a healthy local economy? (Part 1)

“Think globally, act locally” is a catch-phrase commonly used by those striving to achieve economic sustainability and healthy community based on ecological sustainability. Since the 1970s, all levels of government have played a role in translating global knowledge into local action. However, the past two federal budgets have eroded environmental protection laws with resulting threats to healthy, sustainable economy and democracy. Linda Duncan, federal NDP Environment Critic, will address these retrogressive changes and explain how her private members bill, the Environmental Bill of Rights, can deliver the transparency and participation rights once promised by the Harper government. Her recent motion, supported by all MPs, for a public review of the adequacy of federal regulation of environmental and safety impacts of unconventional oil and gas development is a case in point. Speaker: Linda F. Duncan MP Linda Duncan was elected Member of Parliament for Edmonton-Strathcona in October 2008, becoming the second New Democrat MP ever from the province of Alberta, and the only non-Conservative to represent the province in the 40th Parliament. She serves as the Environment Critic within the NDP Caucus. Linda is a member of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development and the Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Conservation and Biodiversity. Before her election to Parliament, Linda worked as an international environmental law consultant based in Edmonton. She was senior legal advisor regarding effective environmental enforcement to the Canadian International Development Agency, World Bank and Asian Development Bank in Jamaica, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Linda has also held senior government positions as the Head of Law & Enforcement Cooperation for the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Assistant Deputy Minister of Renewable Resources for the Yukon government, and Chief of Enforcement for Environment Canada. She was a professor of Environmental Law at Dalhousie Law School and, in the early 1980s, the founding Executive Director of the Alberta Environmental Law Centre.