Snake oil peddlers of the Old West would be impressed with today's announcement by the Harper Government "cracking" down on toxic chemicals.
The Conservative government rolled out a brand new website sporting the "Conservative" layout to press their message to Canadians that their Government is indeed concerned about environment and health issues.
During the announcement, the Conservatives indicated in a tough tone they had already singled out one nasty toxic chemical for the list of banned chemicals:
"If we're not satisfied, industry will be required to take action, Ambrose said. In some instances, we may require industry to provide alternate materials."
Ambrose released the name of the first chemical to be placed on the list: hexafluorobutadiene."
What the Environment Minister didn't say (amongst many other things) was according to the information available in the Canada Gazette since May 18, 2002 and which also appears on the former (Environment Canada) website, hexafluorobutadiene was never manufactured in Canada and no longer imported:
"Hexachlorobutadiene, or HCBD, has never been commercially produced in Canada. Formerly, the substance was imported into Canada for use as a solvent, but it is no longer imported."
Today's announcement wasn't intended to signal a tough stance by the Conservatives to the Canadian chemical industry, it was purposely designed and crafted to manipulate Canadians, and and leave them with the impression that the Harper Government was acting tough on the Environment.
Conspicuously absent from the list announced today by the Environment Minister is Road Salt.
The toxic chemicals evaluation program under CEPA has been quietly working for many years under successive Liberal governments who have all seen the intrinsic value of this work to Canadians and the world.
The Prime Minister's claim :
"It includes realistic and enforceable measures that will improve our environment and protect the health and safety of Canadians."
Is nothing more than hyperbole.
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the CEPA Registry are the cornerstone of Environmental Law in Canada and the Conservatives have chosen to "appear" to embrace it as it would be next to impossible at this point in time to repeal it.
In short, the Conservatives have done nothing more today than give Canadians a nifty new website to look at.
I am deeply disappointed in Mr. Harper and the manner in which today's announcement was made and I expected a lot more integrity from his Ministers (Ms. Ambrose and Mr. Clement.
I can assure you that I will pay far more attention to the "fine print" in all future Conservative announcements.
Yes folks, travelling medicine show "doctors" past and present would be impressed.
