The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The provincial government is leading the charge to ensure that Manitoba has some of the most conscientious, environmentally sound practices in the country, Conservation Minister Stan Struthers said yesterday at the beginning of Canadian Environment Week. For over 30 years, Canadian Environment Week, May 30 - June 5 this year, has been held the first week of June to coincide with World Environment Day. "This government has made a firm commitment to the environment through sustainable development practices and a series of ongoing initiatives," the minister added. "The province has a very strong environmental record and we are continuing to build on that record." Provincial initiatives include: investing in an $8 million hybrid fuel cell transit bus project; establishing the Aboriginal Relations Branch and co-management agreements; broad area planning, now in the second stage, for the East Side of Lake Winnipeg which includes consultations on sustaining the boreal forest and community economic development; acting on climate change including a strong stand on Kyoto ratification and the Energy Development Initiative to promote wind, hydrogen, geothermal power, increased ethanol use, and energy efficient buildings and homes; creating new provincial parks, ecological reserves and park reserves including Pembina Valley, Caribou River, Trappist Monastery, South Atikaki and Criddle Vane Homestead; banning penned hunting; introducing new legislation to stop the export of polar bears and put in place new rules around bear baiting in the region of Riding Mountain National Park, including extending the prohibited zone around the park boundary to 100 metres, up from 30 metres last year; introducing the Sustainable Forest Plan that includes close to $2 million in investment in scientific data and new partnerships in forest inventory; and committing $140,000 to the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium which will spend this summer researching the lake's water quality, fish population and aquatic life from aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship the Namao. "This government is proud of our accomplishments and we will continue to be proactive and vigilant," said Struthers. "However, government is only one partner in protecting and preserving our environment for future generations. It is up to each and every Manitoban to take an active role. Manitobans across the province are encouraged to take action to help protect and preserve our environment." The minister noted that helping the environment can include simple measures that Manitobans can incorporate into their daily lives: taking the bus instead of the car, walking or riding a bike; recycling used oil (one litre of oil can contaminate one million litres of drinking water); choosing more efficient appliances and vehicles; installing low flow shower heads and toilets; drying clothes on a clothes line; ensuring homes are energy efficient by considering having Manitoba Hydro conduct an in-home energy assessment; choosing products and items with the least packaging and avoiding disposable items; and recycling paper, glass, plastic, aluminum, scrap metal and yard waste.
