Activist Victory — Canada’s Environment Minister reverses position on Maxim Power plant

No 272 Posted by fw, September 9, 2011

This afternoon I received the following “Good News” email from Matthew on behalf of the Leadnow.ca team —

Dear Frank,

Some amazing news just in: between your people-power and the hard work of a group of great environmental non-profits, it’s possible we may have just stopped the Maxim Power coal plant in its tracks.

Since Environment Minister Kent announced the new rules for coal power a few weeks ago, thousands of you, from all across the country, sent emails, made phone calls, and wrote letters to your local papers demanding Kent close the “Maxim Power loophole” and prevent Maxim from dodging Canada’s new environmental standards.

Up until today, Kent was refusing to comment on Maxim’s sneaky regulation dodging, but in an interview in the Globe and Mail just now, he completely changed his position:

“It was never the intention to create a loophole for short-cutters to get in and get a half-century licence to emit greenhouse gases or to put other toxins into the air which have serious impacts on Canadians living downwind.” — Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent

…that’s a monumental shift from the documents Maxim Power’s lawyers submitted to the Alberta regulator showing they met with Kent and he’d assured them they could avoid the rules if they got their dirty, dangerous coal plant up fired up fast enough.

Thanks to you, Minister Kent is now moving in the right direction, but the Maxim Power loophole won’t be closed unless he specifically amends the regulations before they’re finalized. It’s vitally important that we let him know that we’re glad to see this progress, but we’re still here and we will be watching to make sure he follows through.

Please take a couple of minutes to call Kent’s offices. Here’s how:

1. Call one of the numbers below – if it’s busy, try a different number
2. Please say you’re calling about Minister Kent’s interview in the Globe and Mail about the new coal power regulations, and want to leave a message for Minister Kent
3. We’d like them to hear cautious gratitude and optimism. Please say you want to thank Minister Kent for making it clear that Maxim Power must not be allowed to cheat the new rules, and you’re going to be watching closely to make sure he closes the Maxim Power loophole when the regulations are finalized.
4. When you’re done, please thank the staff person who takes your call (they’re good people)

• Environment Canada Office (direct): 819-997-1441
• Environment Canada (toll free): 1-800-668-6767  (ask to be transferred to Minister Kent’s office)
• Ottawa Office: 613-992-0253
• Constituency Office: 905-886-9911

By working together, we just got a huge step closer to stopping Maxim Power’s coal plant. Our friends across Canada’s environmental community want you to know what a difference your actions are making. Here’s a message from Clare Demerse, Climate Change Director at The Pembina Institute:

“Peter Kent called the public response so far “overwhelming,” so there’s no doubt you’re getting noticed. You guys have been a huge part of the effort so far. Congratulations on this, and we’re all looking forward to seeing what you can do in the next phase!”

Thank you for all that you do.

With hope,

Matthew, on behalf of the Leadnow.ca team

RELATED SOURCES

• Environment Minister Peter Kent on CBC after the rules were announced (Video)
• Check out this map showing the thousands of us across Canada who wrote to Kent:

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