Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development

Comité permanent de l'environnement et du développement durable

For immediate release

Ottawa, March 28, 2012 -

The Speech from the Throne presented on 3 June 2011 stated the following:

Looking to the future, our Government will engage a broad range of stakeholders on the development of a National Conservation Plan to move our conservation objectives forward and better connect all Canadians with nature.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development is undertaking a study to provide recommendations to the Minister of the Environment to help develop the National Conservation Plan (NCP) by consulting with a range of stakeholder groups, summarizing the Committee’s view on what the NCP should entail based on these consultations, and recommending avenues of further consultation for the Minister of the Environment.

The scope of the study is as follows, with witnesses and interested parties being asked to comment on or provide written briefs, regarding the following potential elements of an NCP:

1) What should be the purpose of a NCP?

2) What should be the goals of a NCP?

3) What guiding principles should govern a NCP?

4) What conservation priorities should be included in a NCP?

5) What should be the implementation priorities of a NCP?

6) What consultation process should the Minister consider using when developing a NCP?

The Committee invites written briefs and will hear testimony from a diverse group of stakeholder groups, including representatives from:

• Non-governmental organizations (i.e. conservation groups, environmental non-governmental organizations, etc);

• Private sector organizations (i.e. trade association, industry groups, etc);

• Academia;

• Aboriginal organizations;

• Federal governmental officials (i.e. representatives from departments involved in conservation activities, policy development, etc.);

• Representatives from provincial and municipal governments;

• Other interested individuals.

Please note that written briefs need to be received by the Clerk of the Committee no later than on Wednesday, May 16, 2012.