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Vision
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Governments working in partnership to achieve the highest level of environmental
quality for all Canadians.
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Purpose
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To provide a framework and mechanisms to achieve the vision and to guide the
development of sub-agreements pursuant to the Accord.
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Objectives
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Enhance environmental protection
Promote sustainable development
Achieve greater effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, predictability
and clarity of environmental management for issues of Canada-wide
interest
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Principles
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Polluter pays
Precautionary principle
Pollution prevention
Environmental measures that are performance-based, results-oriented
and science-based
Openness, transparency, accountability and the effective participation
of stakeholders
Work in co-operation with Aboriginal people
Flexible implementation to reflect variations in ecosystems and local,
regional, provincial and territorial conditions
Consensus-based decisions driven by the commitment to achieve the
highest level of environmental quality within the context of sustainable
development
Retention of legislative or other authority of the governments
Legislation, regulations, policies and existing agreements that
accommodate the implementation of the Accord
No preclusion of a government from introducing more stringent
environmental measures
No effect on Aboriginal or treaty rights
Assurance to Canadians that their environment is respected by
neighbouring Canadian jurisdictions
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Sub-
Agreements
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The government will enter into multilateral sub-agreements to
implement the commitments set out in the Accord.
These sub-agreements or their implementation agreements will
delineate specific roles and responsibilities to provided a one-window
approach to the implementation of environmental measures.
Roles and responsibilities will be undertaken by the level of
government best situated to effectively discharge them.
Governments may also enter into regional or bilateral implementation
agreements on regional or local issues.
A government will assume results-oriented and measurable
obligations for the discharge of its role, and commit to regular public
reporting to demonstrate that its obligations have been met.
When a government has accepted obligations, the other government
shall not act in that role for the period of time determined by the
sub-agreement.
Where a government is unable to fulfil its obligations under the
Accord, the governments shall develop an alternative plan to ensure
that no gaps are created within the environmental management
regime.
Where there is no Canada-wide approach, each government is free to
act within its existing authority.
When roles and responsibilities are assigned to one government, the
other government will review and seek to amend as necessary its
legislation and other policies to provide for the implementation of the
sub-agreement.
Nothing will prevent a government from taking action within its
authority to respond to environmental emergencies.
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