nai

Environment

THE URBAN
ENVIRONMENT

ith 78 per cent of
B.C.’s population
living in urban
areas, and with
more than 50 per
cent of the over-
all total in Greater
Vancouver, this

tion and waste problems. Other urban cen-
tres suffer from the same_ problems,
different only in scale. Greater Victoria, for
example, has 255,000 people. Many smaller
municipalities, where the economy is domi-
nated by one ora few large industrial plants,
are major centres of air and water-borne
pollution.

The declining quality of water, sewage
and road systems in urban centres requires
massive expenditures for renewal and
upgrading, to meet current and future
requirements. Such projects cannot be
financed from the limited, municipal tax
base. As proposed by Canadian Federation
of Municipalities, federal and provincial
governments share the burden of such
renewal. The federation’s proposal would
cost the federal government $5 billion, less
than half the cost of the proposed but unne-
cessary fleet of nuclear submarines. Much
of this expenditure would be regained

‘through the generation of new taxes and

savings in unemployment insurance benef-
Eecciabies from urban market gardens
along the Fraser River in Greater Van-
couver have been contaminated by the
heavy metal, cadmium. Most cadmium
produced is electroplated onto steel, iron,
copper, brass and other alloys to prevent
corrosion. Cadmium is also used for solder-
ing and brazing and in rechargeable batter-
ies.

In addition, lead and mercury are finding
their way into the food chain in this area.
Evidence points to a combination of fertil-
izer, urban pollution and groundwater con-
tamination as contributing factors. The
authors of a Greater Vancouver Regional
District study of the problem have called on
the provincial government to conduct a
region-wide study to assess the impact of
urban pollution on soil and vegetables in the
Lower Mainland.

Similar studies should be undertaken to
assess the pollution threat to the Fraser
River, False Creek, Burrard Inlet and Howe
Sound, followed by necessary remedial
action. At every step, the right of the public
to be fully informed and to make represen-

has resulted in a number of serious pollu- .

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* tation to the appropriate authorities should
bé*tespected.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL
BILL OF RIGHTS

he federal govern-
ment should enact
an Environmental
Bill of Rights and
place crimes against
the environment in
the Criminal Code.
— Similar, complemen-
tary legislation should be enacted at the
provincial level.

The Environmental Bill of Rights should
be based on the premise that every Cana-
dian is entitled to a healthy environment. It
should ensure the right to challenge poliu-
ters in court and allow governments to be
sued for filing to protect the environment
and for personal damages. Legislation
should provide enforceable standards for
air and water quality and strict reviews of all
public and private sector developments to
ensure adequate protection of the environ-
ment. The guiding principle must be devel-
opment today without harmful effects to
future generations.

Government at both senior levels must
€ncourage public participation in environ-
mental reviews, and provide more timely
information and financial support to public
interest interveners. Local governments
should, within their sphere of authority,
adopt more stringent and enforceable
standards to protect the public against pol-
lution in every form. Local governments
can play a key role in providing factual
information and promoting public discus-

sion and representation by concerned citi-
zens’ groups.

MEASURES TO PROTECT
THE ENVIRONMENT IN B.C.

upport for a com-
prehensive program
of. nuclear .disarm-
ament as a crucial
step in the protec-
tion of the environ-
ment, including:

- establishment of a
nuclear-weapons free British Columbia ina
nuclear weapons free Canada; conversion
of the Nanoose Bay Experimental Test
Range to peaceful purposes; a ban on
nuclear powered or nuclear capable war-
ships in Canadian waters: an end to cruise
testing over Canadian territory; rejection of :
federal government plans to purchase
nuclear submarines.

© Reinstatement of the moratorium on
uranium production in B.C.

@ Enactment of a Canadian Environ-
mental Bill of Rights. Legislative action to
make industrial pollution an offence under
the Criminal Code, with appropriate penal-
ties, including jail terms for corporation
executives. Complementary and approp-
riate legislation at the provincial and local
levels, with full input by concerned citizens’
groups.

Legislative requirements should make
corporations that cause pollution liable for
compensation for the damage they do to
communities and other industrial activity.
A case in point is the loss suffered by
fishermen through the closure of areas con-
taminated by pulp and paper mills.

® A more balanced use of our forests. An
end to the granting of tree farm licences,
coupled with the phaseout of all current
licences and their replacement by a more
equitable form of tenure.

Holders of existing tree farm licences
guilty of pollution or waste should be heay-
ily fined on conviction. If the offence is
repeated, the licence should be cancelled.
Workers who lose employment as a result
of such policies should receive compensa-
tion from companies guilty of such practi-
ces.

@ An end to the export of raw logs,
coupled with the further development of
environmentally-sound processing and
manufacturing in British Columbia. More

funding for reforestation and silviculture.

© The elimination of pollution of coastal
and interior waters by pulp and paper mills,
lumber operations, mines, industrial plants,
oil spills and waste and sewage disposal.
Changes to pulp processing to ensure that
paper products are dioxin free.

@ The destruction of existing PCB stocks
coupled with a ban on further use of PCBs.

© Adequate financial assistance to muni-
cipalities to provide for upgrading and
renewal of water and sewage systems and
environmental protection.

@ The development by federal, provin-
cial and municipal governments of envir-
onmentally safe methods of waste disposal,
including recycling in every community.

@ Promotion of “closed cycle produc-
tion” in industry, together with provincial
and municipal government leadership to
implement comprehensive waste recycling.
The introduction of publicly owned and
operated comprehensive, curbside solid
waste recycling programs in Greater Van-
couver and Victoria and other major urban
centres.

© More help by senior governments in
developing and extending pollution free
public transit in urban areas, as an impor-
tant measure to reduce automobile air pol-
lution.

@ The institution of a federal and provin-
cial program to clean up the Fraser River,
False Creek, Burrard Inlet and Howe
Sound in consultation with local govern-
ment and public interest groups.

e A ban on further fossil fuel power
development as one measure to reduce acid
rain and ozone depletion.

@ Restriction on the transportation of
crude or refined oil by sea to those B.C.
ports where there is no alternate means of
delivery. The enactment of new regulations
to ensure that all tankers are double hulled,
and deliveries by barge prohibited.

Marine regulations should be set requir-
ing oil tanker traffic to American ports to
stay outside of Canada’s 200 mile limit,
coupled with strong pressure by the Cana-
dian government on the U.S. not to locate
oil refineries in the Puget Sound area of the
U.S. because of the danger to Canadian
coastal waters. There should be an imme-
diate halt to negotiations with the U.S. for
drilling, exploration and development of
offshore oil resources on B.C.’s coast.

e Enforcement of the provisions of the
Canada Shipping Act to provide fair com-
pensation for all those affected by oil spills,
without requiring lengthy court proceed-
ings. Quick action by the federal govern-
ment to demand compensation’ when
foreign governments or corporations are
responsible for damages in Canadian
waters. Establishment of a joint federal-
provincial review to assess the adequacy of
measures to deal quickly and effectively
with oil spills on the B.C. coast and to
guarantee the implementation of approp-
riate measures.

® Strict enforcement of federal legisla-
tion on the transportation of hazardous
goods by land, water and air, coupled with
regular review of current legislation with
public input.

@ A stop to the urbanization of prime
farm land as well as protection and streng-
thening of the Agricultural Land Reserve.
Elimination of the power of cabinet to over-
ride decisions of the ALR and to arbitrarily
remove farm land from the reserve.

@ A ban on the use of toxic pesticide and
herbicide spraying by industry and agricul-
ture where the results will damage the
environment and endanger human health
or animal life. Stricter control over the sale
and use of pesticides and herbicides for
home use. Assistance to farmers to find

substitutes for chemical and pesticide fertil-
izers.

© Rational use and development of
energy resources, including conservation
and alternate forms of energy. Prohibition
of water exports and exports of other energy
sources where they will adversely affect
Canadian development.

© Full support to the protection and

extension of natural wilderness parks, as
part of an integrated plan for a more bal-
anced use of existing resources and the crea-
tion of more employment. é

© Recognition of the aboriginal rights of
B.C. Native peoples. Support for the nego-
tiation and settlement of land claims which
would ensure participation of Native
peoples in sustained use of resources, enable

Native people to protect their natural habi- -

tat and ensure survival of their culture and
enhance their economic well-being.

© The integration of environmental edu-
cation into elementary and secondary
school curricula.

A CALL TO ACTION

ll these and other
steps to environ-
mental security must
be seen as part of a
global struggle to
prevent the destruc-
tion of humankind,
either by a nuclear
war or a war fought with the use of other
weapons of mass destruction, or by the des-
truction of the environment through pollu-
tion and other abuses. The United Nations
organization, which is playing an increas-
ingly important role in the prevention of
war, can also play a key role in promoting
international standards and co-operation
for the protection of the environment. Can-
ada can make a major contribution in this
connection.

Humankind is at the crossroads. We
must choose between the preservation or
the annihilation of human and animal life.
There is no third road.

A major struggle is taking place in B.C.
between the corporate polluters, most of
which are foreign owned, and the people of
B.C. who want to preserve their province
from the greedy, profit-hungry corpora-
tions. These corporations have recently
formed an organization led by top corpora-
tion heads to fight the environmenta!
movement and turn back the tide of public
opinion. Chief among these are the major
forest company executives.

Their aim is to divide the environment
movement — to set unions and the envir-
onmentalists and Native peoples against
each other. Their aim is to create disunity,
enabling them have their way in creating
conditions for the unrestricted exploitation
of B.C.’s resources for the purpose of realiz-
ing maximum profits. British Columbians
must unite to defeat this major threat to our
province.

OUR COMMITMENT

he Communist Party
calls on all of its
committees, loca!
organizations and
members to partici-
pate fully in the
struggle to achieve

Sees the objectives set
out in this policy statement. Communists
should be active in their communities and
work co-operatively with organizations and

individuals working for a safe environment. _

The serious ecological problems we face
can be solved only by unity of purpose and
action. The Communist Party pledges to
make its contribution towards such com-
mon action by the environmental move-
ment, the labour movement, the peace
movement, the New Democratic Party and
others concerned with the future of the
planet.

The goal of the Communist Party is a
planned, socialist society based on the will
of the majority of the Canadian people and
on Canadian realities. In a socialist Canada,
the purpose of production and distribution
of all that is created by labour will be for the
satisfaction of material and cultural human
needs — not for profit, regardless of the
social or environmental cost.

In a socialist Canada, the protection of
the environment and sustainable develop-
ment in a world at peace will be the guiding
principle at every level of society.

Pacific Tribune, March 20, 1989 « 7