Chapter 9: Summary and Report on NIP Consultations

On May 17, 2004, Canada's Environment Minister announced the coming into force of the Stockholm Convention and urged continued vigilance. Canada has been a leader on every front in the battle against POPs. Canadian scientists did much of the original research that showed how POPs were disseminated in the environment, as well as their environmental and health effects. Canada was one of the first countries to ban or restrict their manufacture, use and release. In addition, a Canadian led the negotiations for the Stockholm Convention. Canada also provided a $20 million Canada POPs Fund, administered by the World Bank to help developing countries build their own capacities regarding POPs. Canada was also the only country to make a financial commitment of this kind during the critical negotiating period of the Convention.

Canada intends to maintain its active contributions to the Stockholm Convention and to continue improvements to domestic policies and programs that reflect the obligations and intent of the Convention. The major activities will include:

• consulting on potential candidate POPs (emerging POPs)
• continuing assessment of new and existing chemicals for their persistence, bioaccumulation and inherent toxicity
• contributing to evaluation of the effectiveness of the Convention through participation in global monitoring programs and through national reporting mechanism
• reviewing the national implementation plan and the national action plan on unintentional POPs on a regular basis

NOTE TO READER OF THIS DRAFT: UPON COMPLETION OF CONSULTATIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN FEBRUARY 2005 AND ANY SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS TO THIS DOCUMENT, THIS CHAPTER WILL PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF ACTIONS AND A SUMMARY OF CONSULTATIONS HELD IN 2004 AND 2005.