The Canadian Environment Network received a brutal, although not entirely unexpected, shock last week, when the Federal Government sent a letter saying it was not going to follow through on promised funding of $547,000 for 2011/12.
The network, which links 640 environmental groups and individuals across Canada to help protect the environment and promote ecologically sound living, was forced to shut its doors nationally. (Some regional offices are continuing on provincial funding.)
A spokesman for Environment Minister Peter Kent told CBC News that the move was designed to ensure the department was getting value for money.
So, let's take a look. What else could that that $547,000 fund?
- Almost 10 months of
military travel for Peter Mackay (as averaged from his spending $2.9 million
over four years*, equivalent to $13,942 per week)
- Nine days of Treasury
Board-approved advertising for the Canada Revenue Agency, Parks Canada, Finance
Canada, National Defence, RCMP and Veterans Affairs ($21,050,000 for the year†,
equivalent to $57,671 per day)
- Eight days of
security for Stephen Harper and his family (based on the $46.9-million spent
from April 1, 2009 to Jan 31, 2011≠, working out to $69,938 per day)
- 5.7 hours of special
tax breaks to oil companies (based on the $840-million given in 2010^,
which breaks down to $95,890 per hour)
- 2.9 minutes of profit
for Rogers Communications (given their $410 million net income for the second
quarter of 2011~, which works out to $187,728 per minute)
Looking at that, you've really got to admire Kent and Environment Canada for saving big where it really counts. Nice work, Pete!
Anyhoo, that pesky environment stuff will take care of itself, won't it?
* The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/mackay-racks-up-nearly-3-million-in-flights-on-vip-jets/article2184074/
† Treasury Board of Canada: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/sipubs/comm/adv-pub/alloc_1112_q1-eng.asp
^ International Institute for Sustainable Development, November 2,
2010: http://www.iisd.org/media/pres.aspx?id=180
