OTTAWA, January 7,
2008 - Canada's Environment Minister John
Baird today commented on the report provided
by the National Roundtable on the Environment
and the Economy (NRTEE) titled "Getting
to 2050: Canada's Transition to a Low-emission
Future".
"Our Government
recognizes that climate change is one of
the greatest challenges facing the world
today and we have demonstrated leadership
by taking real action to tackle this issue
- many of which have been now recommended
in the NRTEE's report," said Minister
Baird. "We agree that we must work
in concert with the world, that policy certainty
beyond the short-term is central, that technology
deployment is imperative, and that an integrated
approach to climate change and air pollution
should be pursued."
Minister Baird added
that the Government is taking action to
regulate industry, has delivered programs
to encourage Canadians to drive more fuel-efficient
vehicles or use public transit, and invested
in clean energy technology such as carbon
capture and storage, hydrogen, and tidal
power. He also noted that the Government
is working with its provincial and territorial
counterparts and that $1.5 billion was delivered
to the provinces for projects that produce
real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
and air pollution.
The NRTEE also recognized
that unless countries like China, India,
the United States, Brazil and Russia make
medium to long term commitments towards
reducing their emissions, there is a greater
economic risk for Canada.
The report was prepared in response to a
request by the Minister of the Environment
in the fall of 2006.
"As we continue the process of setting
out the detailed regulations that are part
of our integrated Turning the Corner plan
to cut greenhouse gases and industrial air
pollution, we will consider the roundtable's
recommendations" concluded Minister
Baird.
For further information, please contact:
Eric Richer
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Vancouver Company Convicted
in Queen Conch Case, Fined $78,000
Vancouver, January 08,
2008 - Environment Canada's Wildlife Enforcement
Division announced today that on January
4, 2008, Pacific Marine Union Corporation
of Vancouver, British Columbia entered a
guilty plea in Vancouver Provincial Court
to two counts under the Wild Animal and
Plant Protection and Regulation of International
and Interprovincial Trade Act(WAPPRIITA)
and was fined a total of $78,566.94 - of
which $10,000 will be paid into the Environmental
Damages Fund. The Fund, administered by
Environment Canada on behalf of the Government
of Canada, provides the courts with a way
to direct fine monies to restore and protect
the environment.
The charges were a result
of Operation Shell Game, an 18-month long
investigation into the unlawful import and
export of Queen conch. This investigation
involved federal wildlife officers in British
Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia
as well as Special Agents from both the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Office for Law Enforcement
in New York and Florida.
In January of 2005,
Pacific Marine Union Corporation unlawfully
exported two shipments of Queen conch to
Caribbean Conch, Inc. of Hialeah, Florida.
Then, between July 2005 and March 2006,
Pacific Marine Union Corporation unlawfully
imported five shipments of Queen conch meat
from Haiti (declared as either "clams"
or "whelk") which was subsequently
repackaged and relabelled as "whelk
meat" (a non-endangered species) and
exported to Caribbean Conch, Inc., in Florida.
Over 24,000 kilograms (54,000 pounds) of
Queen conch meat was unlawfully exported
to the United States.
Endangered species of
animals and plants, such as Queen conch,
are listed under the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES). Queen conch and their
parts (meat and shells) are therefore protected
under Canada's WAPPRIITA and its regulations.
Environment
Canada is the lead agency responsible for
implementing CITES on behalf of the Government
of Canada. CITES sets controls, through
a permit system, on the international trade
and movement of animal and plant species
that are endangered, or have been, or may
be, threatened due to excessive commercial
exploitation.
To report the smuggling or trafficking of
endangered species or any infraction of
a federal wildlife law, the public is invited
to contact Environment Canada's Wildlife
Enforcement Division at 604-666-5892.
Patrick Porter
Federal Wildlife Officer<<br />Wildlife
Enforcement Division
Environment Canada
Pacific & Yukon Region
Press Secretary
