GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED NWPA AND OTHER CHANGES TODAY
UNDER ITS BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION ACT

Under the guise of the 2009 Budget Implementation Act, the federal
government has introduced amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection
Act (NWPA) that will have serious negative impacts on both the acient
public right of navigation in Canada and on the environment.

The NWPA mandates that, if someone wants to build something in, on,
around, under, or over a navigable waterway, an assessment of the
impacts on navigation and an environmental assessment need to be done
first.

The NWPA was originally enacted in 1882. It is one of Canada's oldest
pieces of legislation, and there is no doubt that it needs to be
modernized-however, in the name of "cutting red tape" to speed up the
building of infrastructure projects and stimulate the economy, the
government is introducing changes that will remove navigable status from
thousands of waterways in Canada.

These changes were recommended by a committee that did not consult
Canada's paddling community, the outdoor tourism industry, environmental
groups, First Nations communities, anglers and hunters, or anyone who
accesses Canadian waterways for business or recreation.

The heritage right of navigation predates confederation, and Canadians
consistently rank the environment as one of their top issues of concern.

These changes to the NWPA are simply unacceptable!

There is something you can do-raise your voice! Spread the word, and
tell the government you care about Canada's waterways. For more
information and how to take action, please see www.ispeakforrivers.ca .