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(Note: The three boxes on the left above containing asterisks indicate Deputy Ministers "providing support to the Natural Resource Board Agencies.")
Saturday, December 4, 2010
BC - Ministry of Natural Resource Operations
Below is the Executive Level Organizational Chart for BC's new Ministry of Natural Resource Operations (NRO). This is a "draft" or possible flow for executive decision-making within the new ministry
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(Note: The three boxes on the left above containing asterisks indicate Deputy Ministers "providing support to the Natural Resource Board Agencies.")
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(Note: The three boxes on the left above containing asterisks indicate Deputy Ministers "providing support to the Natural Resource Board Agencies.")
BC's Restructured Natural Resources Ministry...
"B.C.'s restructured natural resources ministry causing shock waves."
by Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, Nov. 29, 2010
One of the big initiatives Premier Gordon Campbell put in motion before he announced his plans to retire was a restructuring on the way government deals with natural resource issues. But, the next premier may want to take a hard look at the plan, which was drafted without cabinet consultation, and which is sending organizational shockwaves through the government.
Seeking to streamline the way resource projects are assessed and licensed, Mr. Campbell set a team of senior officials to work on his vision of creating one shop to handle all resource issues for government. What emerged from this project is the new Ministry of Natural Resource Operations, or NRO.
The creation of the new department has triggered changes in many ministries, affecting thousands of government workers, causing some offices to disappear, while others break apart as staff are reassigned. "It's just been blown apart. We got some of the news last Tuesday. It was confirmed later in the week. The Research Branch of the BC Forest Service is being disbanded," says one e-mail from an alarmed bureaucrat. he signed of with these works: "Still in shock."
Blair Lekstrom, who left cabinet because he opposed Mr. Campbell on the HST, told reporters after the recent cabinet shuffle that he was surprised by the creation of the new NRO, and by seeing his old ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources downgraded and split into two ministries (Energy and Forests, Mines and Lands). He said the changes are badly thought out and should be stopped.
Bill Bennett, who was recently dumped from cabinet for questioning Mr. Campbell's decision to remain in office until a new leader is chosen, has also been critical of the seismic shift within the bureaucracy. He said important changes to cabinet responsibilities took place without caucus consultation. "It's my...understanding that the process has been continuing for eight months. They've been working on this without the involvement of elected people," Mr. Bennett said in one interview.
He didn't know if the creation of the new NRO would be a good or bad thing - streamlining government and cutting red tape after all are laudable goals - but he did say it failed to address the real issue. " The fundamental problem facing the natural resource ministries is they're under funded," he said.
Vicky Husband, a veteran environmental activist in B.C. says the sudden creation of the NRO is shocking because it seems to tilt government in favour of approving resource projects, rather than assessing them objectively. She pointed to a memo from Doug Konkin and Steve Carr, NRO deputy ministers, which updates staff on the organizational changes. "As I mentioned, our next step is to meet with business leaders in workshops on shaping and building Natural Resource Operations...so stay tuned," it states.
"Meeting with business leaders only, what about the citizens?" Ms. Husband asks in an e-mail. "These are Crown lands and we expect them to be managed in the public interest and with protection of all values including environmental values."
Caucus wasn't consulted and the public interest is being ignored - but business leaders get workshops with deputy ministers to help 'shape and build' the new ministry? What's with that?
In an e-mail to staff, Mr. Konkin explains it all this way: "This new structure will streamline government processes for critical natural resource industries to better attract gloval investment and turn proposed projects and investments into actual worksites and jobs."
So, on the eve of his departure, Mr. Campbell has dreamed up a whole new ministry that is being 'shaped by business leaders' to have a whole new way of dealing with resource use issues. In the process, he has shaken the internal structure of government and left environmentalists horrified.
The good news is that a new premier will soon be in charge, and the NRO could soon go the way of the HST.
(news article link)
by Mark Hume, Globe and Mail, Nov. 29, 2010
One of the big initiatives Premier Gordon Campbell put in motion before he announced his plans to retire was a restructuring on the way government deals with natural resource issues. But, the next premier may want to take a hard look at the plan, which was drafted without cabinet consultation, and which is sending organizational shockwaves through the government.
Seeking to streamline the way resource projects are assessed and licensed, Mr. Campbell set a team of senior officials to work on his vision of creating one shop to handle all resource issues for government. What emerged from this project is the new Ministry of Natural Resource Operations, or NRO.
The creation of the new department has triggered changes in many ministries, affecting thousands of government workers, causing some offices to disappear, while others break apart as staff are reassigned. "It's just been blown apart. We got some of the news last Tuesday. It was confirmed later in the week. The Research Branch of the BC Forest Service is being disbanded," says one e-mail from an alarmed bureaucrat. he signed of with these works: "Still in shock."
Blair Lekstrom, who left cabinet because he opposed Mr. Campbell on the HST, told reporters after the recent cabinet shuffle that he was surprised by the creation of the new NRO, and by seeing his old ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources downgraded and split into two ministries (Energy and Forests, Mines and Lands). He said the changes are badly thought out and should be stopped.
Bill Bennett, who was recently dumped from cabinet for questioning Mr. Campbell's decision to remain in office until a new leader is chosen, has also been critical of the seismic shift within the bureaucracy. He said important changes to cabinet responsibilities took place without caucus consultation. "It's my...understanding that the process has been continuing for eight months. They've been working on this without the involvement of elected people," Mr. Bennett said in one interview.
He didn't know if the creation of the new NRO would be a good or bad thing - streamlining government and cutting red tape after all are laudable goals - but he did say it failed to address the real issue. " The fundamental problem facing the natural resource ministries is they're under funded," he said.
Vicky Husband, a veteran environmental activist in B.C. says the sudden creation of the NRO is shocking because it seems to tilt government in favour of approving resource projects, rather than assessing them objectively. She pointed to a memo from Doug Konkin and Steve Carr, NRO deputy ministers, which updates staff on the organizational changes. "As I mentioned, our next step is to meet with business leaders in workshops on shaping and building Natural Resource Operations...so stay tuned," it states.
"Meeting with business leaders only, what about the citizens?" Ms. Husband asks in an e-mail. "These are Crown lands and we expect them to be managed in the public interest and with protection of all values including environmental values."
Caucus wasn't consulted and the public interest is being ignored - but business leaders get workshops with deputy ministers to help 'shape and build' the new ministry? What's with that?
In an e-mail to staff, Mr. Konkin explains it all this way: "This new structure will streamline government processes for critical natural resource industries to better attract gloval investment and turn proposed projects and investments into actual worksites and jobs."
So, on the eve of his departure, Mr. Campbell has dreamed up a whole new ministry that is being 'shaped by business leaders' to have a whole new way of dealing with resource use issues. In the process, he has shaken the internal structure of government and left environmentalists horrified.
The good news is that a new premier will soon be in charge, and the NRO could soon go the way of the HST.
(news article link)
Protect BC's Groundwater! - says Auditor General
"Urgent Action needed to protect B.C.'s groundwater: report"
by Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun, December 2, 2010
The provincial government needs to take "urgent action" to protect its groundwater resource since one-quarter of B.C.'s population relies on it for their daily use, provincial Auditor-General John Doyle concluded in his latest report.
"This precious resource must be protected so it won't be depleted or contaminated," said Doyle in an interview. "One million British Columbians rely on groundwater for daily use and the demand is increasing. It's a large group of people and this is lnot including industry or agricultural use."
Doyle's report said the cost of trucking on water to communities would be "astronomical" if groundwater was depleted in their area or contaminated. His report gave the hypothetical example of the cost to fix the aquifer for Chilliwack - at least $30 million.
"Anyone can drill a hole and access groundwater. You don't need a permit. Effectively, there are no constraints on what you can use," he said, adding there have been past examples of groundwater being contaminated. On Dogwood Road, in Williams Lake, for example, he said sewage got into the water supply of a residential area, and in Ontario contamination of groundwater was so serious in one community deaths resulted.
One of Doyle's recommendations was for the provincial government to modernize the 100 year old legislation that currently governs groundwater in this province. He said the provincial government has promised him they will enact new legislation by the Spring of 2012, and Doyle plans to follow up with an "action taken" report around the same period.
Another recommendation by Doyle is for the provincial government to do a complete map of all underground water. "Right now it doesn't exist everywhere and there are gaps. The danger is decisions can be made on other activities that would have an adverse effect on it (groundwater)," he said.
The Watershed Watch Salmon Society has long been calling on the provincial government to identify the province's groundwater reserves, said executive director Craig Orr. "We've done several publications on the threat to groundwater. it's important for providing habitat for salmon. Groundwater is also important for recharging streams and keeping them cool (for salmon)," said Orr. "We have no adequate legislation to ensure salmon have access to sources of clean and cold water."
Orr said a recent poll in B.C. found 98 percent of British Columbians said water was our most precious resource. "The poll shows British Columbians value water and interestingly they said priority is a tome of shortage should be given to ecosystems - salmon and streams even if it means slowing down economic growth," he said.
Orr agrees with Doyle's recommendations for new legislation, and one that has "robust regulations" to protect groundwater. "The province needs a standard of groundwater protection for all of B.C. Also, they don't have enough data - to identify what groundwater reserves we have."
New Democrat environment critic Rob Fleming issue a press release Wednesday saying B.C. is the only p[province that lacks a general licensing or permitting system for groundwater withdrawals. He said he was concerned the Water Act modernization will get sidelined in a recent ministry reorganization. "The B.C. Liberals hasty ministry reorganization split the responsibility for groundwater management between the Ministry of Environment and the new Ministry of Natural Resource Operations, making it even less likely that we will see strong, timely action on this urgent issue," said Fleming. "While this government is in disarray communities like Prince George, Abbotsford and Langley, which rely on groundwater, are being left to wonder when this precious resource will gain the protection it needs."
(Article link)
by Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun, December 2, 2010
The provincial government needs to take "urgent action" to protect its groundwater resource since one-quarter of B.C.'s population relies on it for their daily use, provincial Auditor-General John Doyle concluded in his latest report.
"This precious resource must be protected so it won't be depleted or contaminated," said Doyle in an interview. "One million British Columbians rely on groundwater for daily use and the demand is increasing. It's a large group of people and this is lnot including industry or agricultural use."
Doyle's report said the cost of trucking on water to communities would be "astronomical" if groundwater was depleted in their area or contaminated. His report gave the hypothetical example of the cost to fix the aquifer for Chilliwack - at least $30 million.
"Anyone can drill a hole and access groundwater. You don't need a permit. Effectively, there are no constraints on what you can use," he said, adding there have been past examples of groundwater being contaminated. On Dogwood Road, in Williams Lake, for example, he said sewage got into the water supply of a residential area, and in Ontario contamination of groundwater was so serious in one community deaths resulted.
One of Doyle's recommendations was for the provincial government to modernize the 100 year old legislation that currently governs groundwater in this province. He said the provincial government has promised him they will enact new legislation by the Spring of 2012, and Doyle plans to follow up with an "action taken" report around the same period.
Another recommendation by Doyle is for the provincial government to do a complete map of all underground water. "Right now it doesn't exist everywhere and there are gaps. The danger is decisions can be made on other activities that would have an adverse effect on it (groundwater)," he said.
The Watershed Watch Salmon Society has long been calling on the provincial government to identify the province's groundwater reserves, said executive director Craig Orr. "We've done several publications on the threat to groundwater. it's important for providing habitat for salmon. Groundwater is also important for recharging streams and keeping them cool (for salmon)," said Orr. "We have no adequate legislation to ensure salmon have access to sources of clean and cold water."
Orr said a recent poll in B.C. found 98 percent of British Columbians said water was our most precious resource. "The poll shows British Columbians value water and interestingly they said priority is a tome of shortage should be given to ecosystems - salmon and streams even if it means slowing down economic growth," he said.
Orr agrees with Doyle's recommendations for new legislation, and one that has "robust regulations" to protect groundwater. "The province needs a standard of groundwater protection for all of B.C. Also, they don't have enough data - to identify what groundwater reserves we have."
New Democrat environment critic Rob Fleming issue a press release Wednesday saying B.C. is the only p[province that lacks a general licensing or permitting system for groundwater withdrawals. He said he was concerned the Water Act modernization will get sidelined in a recent ministry reorganization. "The B.C. Liberals hasty ministry reorganization split the responsibility for groundwater management between the Ministry of Environment and the new Ministry of Natural Resource Operations, making it even less likely that we will see strong, timely action on this urgent issue," said Fleming. "While this government is in disarray communities like Prince George, Abbotsford and Langley, which rely on groundwater, are being left to wonder when this precious resource will gain the protection it needs."
(Article link)
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