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The mandate of the Commissioner of the Environment and
Sustainable Development is to make the government accountable for greening
its policies, operations, and programs. The Commissioner assists parliamentarians
in overseeing the federal government's efforts to protect the environment
and foster sustainable development. She provides them with objective,
independent analysis of progress and recommendations about further action.
The 1995 amendments to the Auditor General Act created
an environmental petitions process — a formal way for the public
to ask federal departments questions about environmental and sustainable
development issues. Petitions must relate to environmental matters that
are the responsibility of specific departments and agencies. The same
departments and agencies that are required to prepare and implement sustainable
development strategies. As of 31 August 2001, thirty-six petitions have
been received on topics such as genetically modified organisms, ozone
depletion, transportation policy, timber harvesting in the north, and
environmental assessments.
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