2008-05-12 NavWater.comment

May 12, 2008Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communitiesc/o Maxime Ricard, Clerk of the Committeevia email: TRAN@parl.gc.caRe: Navigable Waters Protection Act, proposed amendmentsDear M. Ricard,Please find enclosed Lake Ontario Waterkeeper’s comments on the above-mentioned matter.If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time: (416) 861-1237.Yours truly,Mark MattsonWaterkeeper & President 600 Bay Street, Suite 410. Toronto, ON M5G 1M6T 416-861-1237 admin@waterkeeper.ca www.waterkeeper.caProud member of Waterkeeper Alliance!EXECUTIVE SUMMARYOn April 17, 2008, Waterkeeper received an invitation from Mr. Mervin Tweed, Chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, to provide a submission regarding proposed amendments to the Navigable Waters Protection Act. A list of seven proposed changes was included in the letter; it is our understanding that Mr. Tweed wishes to know which of these changes could be dealt with in an expeditious manner. To our knowledge, no actual draft amendments or legislation have been presented at this time.In this submission, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper suggests that four of the seven proposed amendments may not require further study and could be dealt with expeditiously: namely, updating fines, wreck convention provisions, inspection powers, and five-year reviews.Lake Ontario Waterkeeper further suggests that three of the seven proposed ...