Canada’s Environment Commissioner Fired, Too Environmental

January 30, 2007

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Canada’s federal environment commissioner Johanne Gelinas, the country’s top ranking environment offical, has been fired, Maclean’s reports. Sources said auditor general Sheila Fraser felt Gelinas was taking too much of an advocacy role rather than monitoring federal environment programs.

Critics suggest Gelinas is being muzzled for making policy recommendations instead of sticking to strict audits. In particular, Gelinas had recently expressed serious concerns about massive expansion in the Alberta oilsands and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions.

Opposition parties say they don’t want the position to be weakened in any way. Gelinas has been replaced by Ron Thompson, an assistant auditor general in Fraser’s office.

The firing follows weeks of announcements from Canada’s government about its $1.5 billion ecoENERGY Renewable Initiative to boost the country’s renewable energy supplies.

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