OTTAWA, Thursday, April
12, 2007 - The Honourable John Baird, Canada’s
Minister of the Environment announced today
that Canada is joining the international
Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT).
The international coalition, whose members
include the U.S., Australia, India and the
United Kingdom, aims to address the illegal
trade of plants and animals.
“I welcome the opportunity, especially
during Canada’s National Wildlife Week,
to join an international coalition whose
purpose is to enhance the protection of
wildlife throughout the world,” stated Minister
Baird. “Our participation in this Coalition
further demonstrates our commitment to enforcing
environmental laws. In addition, Budget
2007 allocated of $22 million in additional
funding to strengthen our capacity to enforce
Environmental protection laws and allocated
$110 million over the next two years to
for more effective implementation of the
Species at Risk Act. This funding will help
ensure our pollution and wildlife protection
laws are respected.”
Governments and non-government organizations
worldwide have recognized the critical need
to address growing threats to wildlife from
poaching and illegal trade. CAWT focuses
political and public attention on the issue
and facilitates action for effective wildlife
law enforcement and regional cooperation.
Joining the Coalition also complements Canada’s
commitment to the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES) which aims at ensuring
that international trade does not threaten
the survival of our most threatened wildlife.
“We welcome Canada as a partner in this
global alliance dedicated to combating criminal
activity - activity that is threatening
so many wildlife species with extinction,”
asserted Claudia McMurray, the Assistant
Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental
and Scientific Affairs of the Department
of State in Washington. “We look forward
to robust collaboration that will build
on the Coalition’s work to halt the loss
of biodiversity by curbing both the supply
and demand for wildlife and wildlife products.”
The Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking
is an association of governments, industry
and conservation organizations that share
the common goal of working within their
spheres of influence to stamp out illegal
wildlife trade. An initiative of the United
States of America, CAWT was founded in 2005
and, with the addition of Canada, has grown
to include the United States, the United
Kingdom, India, and Australia. The Coalition
also includes 14 international conservation
and industry organizations.
Eric Richer / Press Secretary / Office of
the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Official Presentation of the Hummingbird
Video and Collector Coin to Celebrate National
Wildlife Week
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- April 11, 2007 -- The
Canadian Wildlife Federation, Environment
Canada and the Royal Canadian Mint are teaming
up to celebrate National Wildlife Week 2007
at the Canadian Museum of Nature on Wednesday,
April 11, 2007 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The celebrations include two exciting events
featuring the ruby-throated hummingbird:
The unveiling of the newest video in the
“wildly” successful Hinterland Who’s Who
series, featuring one of Canada’s most popular
birds, the ruby-throated hummingbird.
The Royal Canadian Mint’s official launch
of a painted 25-cent collector coin to commemorate
this amazing little bird that weighs less
than a nickel!
The Canadian Wildlife Federation, one of
Canada’s largest non-profit conservation
organizations, and Environment Canada have
been working together on the Hinterland
Who’s Who wildlife education program since
it was relaunched in 2003.
“The Hinterland Who’s Who series plays
an important role in engaging and educating
Canadians in wildlife and conservation,"
said the Honourable John Baird, Minister
of the Environment. "I’d like to congratulate
the Canadian Wildlife Federation and their
partners for the valuable, on-the-ground
work they do to conserve and preserve nature.”
Representing Minister Baird at the event,
Ottawa-Orleans Member of Parliament Royal
Galipeau congratulated all the organizations
who have made Hinterland Who’s Who a cherished
Canadian success, “Like all the others,
this new vignette gives us interesting insight
into the habits and habitat of one of Canada’s
most beloved creatures.”
The Royal Canadian Mint and its employees
selected wildlife and nature as one of its
causes of choice under its charitable donations
program. This project reflects the beauty
of wildlife often depicted on Canadian coins.
“Supporting wildlife conservation efforts
is very important to employees at the Mint,”
said Ian E. Bennett, President and CEO of
the Royal Canadian Mint. “We are pleased
to join the Canadian Wildlife Federation
in celebrating one of Canada’s most beautiful
birds featured on this stunning new collector
coin.”
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is pleased
to be collaborating with Environment Canada
and the Royal Canadian Mint in the effort
to promote wildlife conservation in Canada.
“We are delighted to rekindle the connection
that Canadians had with the original Hinterland
Who’s Who series while connecting with young
Canadians and attracting new fans of the
series” says Colin Maxwell, the Canadian
Wildlife Federation’s Executive Vice President.
“Working with Environment Canada and the
Royal Canadian Mint was a logical fit because
they are as much a part of Canada as the
animals that are featured on Hinterland
Who’s Who”.
About Canadian Wildlife Federation:
CWF is dedicated to fostering awareness
and appreciation of our natural world. By
spreading knowledge of human impacts on
the environment, sponsoring research, promoting
the sustainable use of natural resources,
recommending legislative changes, and cooperating
with like-minded partners, CWF encourages
a future in which Canadians may live in
harmony with nature. Visit www.cwf-fcf.org
for more information.
About the Royal Canadian Mint:
The Royal Canadian Mint, an ISO 9001-2000
certified company, is the Crown Corporation
responsible for the minting and distribution
of Canada’s circulation coins. In operation
since 1908, the Royal Canadian Mint is recognized
as one of the largest and most versatile
mints in the world, offering a wide range
of specialized, high quality coinage products
and related services on an international
scale. For more information on the RCM,
its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.
About Environment Canada:
Environment Canada's mandate is to preserve
and enhance the quality of the natural environment;
conserve Canada's renewable resources; conserve
and protect Canada's water resources; forecast
weather and environmental change; enforce
rules relating to boundary waters; and coordinate
environmental policies and programs for
the federal government. Visit www.ec.gc.ca
for more information.
Jennifer James / Canadian Wildlife Federation
/ Communications Officer
Canada And U.S. Move Forward to Reducing
Air Pollutants
WASHINGTON, D.C., Friday, April 13, 2007
- The Honourable John Baird, Canada’s Minister
of the Environment, and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen
L. Johnson, announced today that Canada
and the U.S. will start negotiations for
an annex to the U.S.-Canada Air Quality
Agreement aimed at reducing the cross-border
flow of air pollution and its impact on
the health and ecosystems of Canadians and
Americans.
Minister Baird and Administrator Johnson
met to discuss common cross-border and global
environment priorities. The officials noted
that both Canada and the U.S. recognize
that cooperative action can reduce the transboundary
flow of particulate matter originating on
either side of the border.
“Canada’s New Government is committed to
improving the quality of the air we breathe,”
said Minister Baird. “This work announced
today will complement the concrete actions
this government is taking at home to reduce
greenhouse gases and the pollutants that
cause climate change and smog.”
“Pollution, especially air pollution, knows
no geographic or political borders,” said
Administrator Johnson. “Our nations are
committed to becoming better environmental
neighbors, and the negotiation of this annex
will strengthen the successful US-Canadian
collaboration helping clean the air for
North American residents for generations.”
The U.S.-Canada Air Quality Agreement,
negotiated in 1991, marked a new era of
cooperation aimed at helping to guarantee
cleaner air and a healthier environment
for millions of Americans and Canadians.
The Particulate Matter Annex would complement
the annex negotiated in 2000 addressing
ground-level ozone, as well as the original
annexes on acid rain and scientific cooperation.
Particulate matter consists of airborne
particles in solid or liquid form. The pollutant
can be emitted directly at the emissions
source, for example, from a smokestack of
an electrical power plant or as the result
of reactions between chemicals (precursors)
as they are transported through the atmosphere.
Numerous studies have linked particulate
matter, especially fine particulate matter,
to cardiac and respiratory diseases such
as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema and
to various forms of heart disease.
Recent scientific analysis has shown that
joint strategies are needed to address these
pollutants. This research, conducted over
the last three years, has shown that emissions
of particulate matter and its precursors
can significantly affect air quality in
both countries. The annex will result in
reductions in particulate matter as well
as many of the chemicals that contribute
to other air quality issues of concern such
as acid rain, regional haze and visibility
in the communities along the U.S.-Canada
border.
Information on the joint technical and
scientific analyses on particulate matter
can be found at:
http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/saib/smog/transboundary/index_e.html
http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/resource/usaqa-resource.html
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
