December 7, 1998
(Environment and Labour)

The following statement was issued today by Oliver Langdon, MInister of Environment and Labour. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Canada-Russia Cooperative Environmental Decision-making Project

It is my pleasure today to inform honourable members of my department's active involvement in a Canada-Russia Cooperative Environmental Decision-Making Project sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME).

I am pleased to say that Mr. Haseen Khan, Manager of Surface Water, with the Water Resources Management Division of the Department of Environment and Labour visited Russia in October of this year as a member of the Canadian delegation representing CCME. He, along with other Canadian experts, organized a workshop and Mr. Khan presented a paper on the topic of river basin management and water quality improvement at Peter's River, Newfoundland. His paper focused on local efforts to work cooperatively to resolve water management problems. He described the process where stakeholders in the Peter's River area came together to discuss their concerns about water quality and to resolve the issues to their mutual satisfaction.

The project came about as a result of CCME's involvement in the Canada-Russia Federalism Project in 1995, during which time Environment Ministers from Alberta and Prince Edward Island went to Russia to discuss the decision-making model we employ in the organization. The primary objective of the project is to demonstrate cooperative and shared decision-making by focusing on two important issues - municipal solid waste management in Moscow City and the surrounding area, and water quality and quantity management issues in the Angara River area.

The Russian people are facing waste management and water quality management problems similar to those as faced by other countries. As is the case throughout the world, environmental problems often entail numerous issues, involving many jurisdictions and the interests of many stakeholders. Yet, in few cases is there a process for stakeholders to come together to resolve these problems.

The project involves the establishment of broadly based task forces in both Moscow and Irkutsk. These task forces will attempt to apply the CCME model to build cooperative approaches to solve waste management and water quality management problems. In addition, Canadian experts on these topics are visiting Russia to participate in workshops and work with Russian counterparts on technical issues.

This project is important for many reasons, but mostly because it was the first time all stakeholders in both Russian communities were brought together to have a meaningful discussion on a cooperative decision-making process that would significantly improve waste management and water quality in Irkutsk.

In time, members of the Russian Task Force will visit Canada where they will familiarize themselves with the development of our work in water quality management.

Let me say here today, that I am proud of the work done by the staff of the Department of Environment and Labour. Mr. Khan's involvement in this international project speaks well for his abilities and for the expertise that exists within my department to deal with water quality management. But also, Mr. Khan's work has showcased the willingness and capability of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to come together to resolve issues cooperatively. I believe that the lessons learned here and in Russia will continue to flourish and will assist us all in dealing with many issues, environmental or otherwise.

1998 12 07          2:30 p.m.