Experimental Lakes Area Closure a Financial Blunder, Say Greens

Grandview:  The Green Party of Canada calls on the  federal government to keep the  Experimental Lakes  Area (ELA) research station open. Closure of ELA will  cost Canadian tax payers $50 million to decommission  the site while keeping it open would only be $2 million  a year.  “Do the math,” says Kate Storey, of the Dauphin  Swan River Marquette Green Party. “This attack on  science is a financial blunder.” Giving no reasons, the Harper government terminated  funding to the facility, forcing it to close this March.  Concerned citizens have suggested that the closure is  a vendetta against environmentalists. Research coming  out of the experimental lakes could be inconvenient to  those wishing to ignore the effects of toxins on the water  and on the health of Canadians. The Experimental Lakes station has operated as a unique,  world-renowned centre for freshwater research in  northwestern Ontario for about half-a-century. Studies  done there have resulted in strategies to combat acid rain,  climate change, algae blooms, mercury poisoning and  nutrient buildup in lakes such as Erie and Winnipeg.   The science could be used to move industry to become  more environmentally responsible. The ELA cost relatively little to maintain. Scientists could  bring in specific funding for their experiments and be  asked for rent, potentially making it self-funding. The  scientific activity is also an economic boon to the local economy.  However, even scientists with funding to offer  are no longer being allowed to work there.  Thousands  of people have signed petitions to keep it open and various  groups have offered to buy the facility, but the Harper  government is deaf to common sense.    Storey is particularly appalled at the actions of the local  Dauphin MP.  “Mr Sopuck ran a campaign on his "green credentials" and commitment to science. Yet, on March 20th, he voted with his Conservative  colleagues to defeat an Opposition motion calling for  continued funding to keep the ELA open until another  operator could be found. "Why would anyone with even  a small bit of environmental or economic common sense  agree to close such a valuable scientific facility?"  Storey asks. The ELA was a help to ordinary Canadians because it  provided the science needed to keep our drinking  water clean. Canada’s pre-eminent water scientist  David Schindler recently called the government’s  action “sheer stupidity.”  CONTACT:   Kate Storey  204-546-2099 or  kate.storey@greenparty.ca ===== Green Party Demands Action On GE foods Dear Larry,  Are you eating untested genetically engineered foods? If you buy anything from a typical grocery store, the answer is yes. Unfortunately, avoiding them is almost impossible since the labeling of GE ingredients is not required by law and is entirely voluntary. Health Canada has never conducted independent research into the safety of GE foods, relying solely on information provided by the companies making the products. In fact, despite being on shelves since 1996, genetically engineered foods have never been subjected to any long-term testing to review potential health hazards, including antibiotic resistance, toxicity, or allergic reactions. Genetically engineered crops also pose serious threats to the health of natural ecosystems and organic agriculture. Elizabeth May has been fighting for transparency in food labeling, and to stop GE foods being sold in Canada. The Green Party will continue to speak out to demand: Mandatory labeling for all GE ingredients Local, provincial and territorial GE-free food zones Independent research of GE foods and GE crops and their long term effects on people and the environment A ban on the introduction of new GE products like salmon and alfalfa in Canada We can win this fight with your help. Please help us continue to speak out publicly in Parliament and in the media about this important issue now by donating $15, or any amount you can afford. With your support, we will have the resources needed to call attention to the Conservatives’ attempt to relax Canada's food standards, and ensure an open and transparent food system that is safe for all Canadians. Sincerely, Kate Storey Shadow Cabinet Critic for Agriculture Green Party of Canada