Appendix D: Process for Stakeholder Consultations

To continue leadership and innovation with respect to POPs, and a nticipating entry into force of the Convention, in late 2003 Environment Canada formed a small advisory team, including members from federal government agencies and stakeholders, to assist with planning for multistakeholder consultations. In January 2004, a discussion document was prepared and made publicly available. In February and March, 2004, Environment Canada hosted day long meetings in Edmonton, Alberta and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. A meeting in Gatineau, Quebec spanned a day and a half, with more detailed explanation of the Convention's obligations. Meetings were announced on Environment Canada's Green Lane (POPs website) and invitations and the discussion document were sent to aboriginal organizations, organizations focusing on women and children's health, industrial associations and businesses, environmental nongovernmental organizations, and other levels of Canadian government. Stakeholders were invited to provide written comments and suggestions, in addition to their participation in workshops or if they were unable to attend any of the three sessions. Over 80 individuals from the public, private and nonprofit sector attended the sessions. In addition to comments received during face-to-face sessions, six written comments were submitted for consideration. The report on these consultations follows under Appendix E, NIP Consultations 2005.

Based on comments received during consultations, Canada produced a draft National Implementation Plan. The plan was discussed through interdepartmental, intergovernmental and multistakeholder fora and was released for public consultation in early February 2005. The draft NIP was also posted on Environment Canada's Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 Registry. Stakeholders with particular knowledge, interest and expertise in the Stockholm Convention and/or persistent organic pollutants were invited to a focussed consultation session in Ottawa, Ontario, held on February 14, 2005. Approximately 25 stakeholders participated and provided comments during that meeting, and additional written comments were delivered to Environment Canada by March 18, 2005. The report on these consultations follows under Appendix F, NIP Consultations 2005. At the February 14 meeting, stakeholders were informed that the draft before them, with minor, editorial revisions, would be taken to the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties as an informational item and that comments received during the February 2005 consultations, along with those resulting from sharing the NIP with the Conference of the Parties, would be considered in developing the Final NIP, to be delivered to the COP by May 17, 2006.