Thoughts of a Common Man

For many years New Brunswickers have faithfully collected, sorted and delivered millions upon millions of recyclable items to redemption centres in the belief their efforts and monetary deposits would be used to fund worthwhile environment related projects through the Environmental Trust Fund.

Until recently those efforts and that faith were well placed, then suddenly (in the March budget) their faith was discreetly destroyed. The provincial government will now remove millions of dollars from the Environmental Trust Fund to address expenditures in the under-funded Department of Natural Resources.

This is another example of a very good program, working effectively and creating funds to be used for outstanding projects, being misused by government officials for other than its intended purpose.

Government managers could not standby and see all those dollars in the Environmental Trust Fund and not put them to use to correct their financial mismanagement of a departmental budget.

It is unacceptable to tell children, schools, organizations and families their efforts in recycling will be of tremendous benefit to the environment, their health and improve the world then use those accumulated dollars to support a provincial budget.

Should there be more than expected funds in the Environmental Trust Fund they should be used to support more cleanup projects, create more tree planting programs, clean illegal dumps sites or provide funding for small silviculture projects for private landowners. There are many projects where those surplus dollars could be properly used rather than to balance a budget.

Again a government abuses our “Trust.”