Will
bring Environmental Groups, Inuit and First
Nations, Provinces and Experts Together
INUVIK, NWT, August 28, 2008 - Canada's
Environment Minister John Baird today announced
he will convene a national roundtable later
this year dedicated to the conservation
and protection of Canada's polar bear population.
"As I have said
before, our Government believes that the
polar bear is an iconic symbol of Canada,"
said Minister Baird. "Clearly, we need
to ensure that the polar bear does not become
endangered or threatened in Canada."
"At the same time,
we have a constitutional duty to work with
a number of groups like the Inuit on protecting
the polar bear, we can also learn from traditional
aboriginal and Inuit knowledge. That's why
I am calling a national roundtable of key
stakeholders by the end of November 2008.
This will bring together environmental groups,
the Inuit and First Nations, provinces and
territories, and other experts in one place
to chart Canada's course on protecting this
majestic animal."
Minister Baird's commitment
comes as the Committee on the Status of
Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
issued its detailed scientific polar bear
assessment, part of COSEWIC's 2008 Annual
Report. The arm's length, independent scientific
committee continues to assess polar bears
as a species of "Special Concern,"
the same designation they've held since
1991.
"COSEWIC's work
is vital to our understanding of the challenges
ahead," said Minister Baird. "Their
scientific work shows that while there are
many encouraging signs for most sub-populations,
there are others that need help. The time
to act is now."
COSEWIC assesses the
status of the wildlife in Canada, based
on the best scientific, community and Aboriginal
knowledge available. Certain Environment
Canada scientists are members of COSEWIC
and provide science expertise for the development
of these assessments.
The national roundtable
proposed by Minister Baird would bring together
key players to consider the science of COSEWIC
and traditional Northern knowledge. This
meeting will take place by the end of November
2008. Minister Baird strongly believes that
by working cooperatively now, we can protect
polar bears across the full range of their
habitat for generations to come.
"I also want to
be clear that a previous government had
the opportunity to take action to protect
the polar bear in 2005," said Minister
Baird. "At that time, COSEWIC made
the same ruling that the bear was an issue
of special concern. However, instead of
taking action the Minister did not want
to have to make a decision and sent the
matter back for three more years of study.
That was a failure of leadership, one this
Government will not repeat."
The COSEWIC Annual Report
and status assessments of polar bears and
45 other species are available online at:
www.sararegistry.gc.ca.
Chris Day
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
