The days have been grey and frosty at Monkey Valley. I have yi
elded to the temptation to sit by the fire and catch up on my reading. The Wilderness Committee’s most recent report is about protecting Canada’s endangered wildlife. This is something I care deeply about, as you probably know by now! So I sent in a donation of $35, and spent a half an hour this afternoon composing and sending this letter to the Prime Minister. If you wish, please feel free to copy it and send it yourself, with the personalizations suitable for your own thoughts and circumstances! The Prime Minister’s email address is pm@pm.gc.ca.
To The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada,
I understand that the federal government of Canada is currently evaluating the Species at Risk Act (SARA). I am writing to urge you to take steps to ensure that the SARA protects and recovers endangered species in Canada.
Polls show that 80% of Canadians are strongly support endangered species legislation. As one of this 80%, I am deeply concerned about the loss of species that has already occurred, and offer my support to your government to take the necessary steps to protect the species that are at risk.
Please consider acting on these steps, recommended by the Wilderness Committee:
1) Obey the law. Follow the provisions of the Species at Risk Act.
2) Follow timelines. Stop procrastinating. 67% of recovery strategies haven’t met mandated timelines. Endangered species need our help now.
3) Identify and then legally protect critical habitat. Scientists know you can’t recover endangered species without first identifying and then protecting their habitat.
4) List species scientifically. The decision to list a species at risk should be based on science, not politics.
5) Use the “safety net” provision. If an endangered species falls under provincial jurisdiction and isn’t adequately protected, the federal government needs to use SARA’s “safety net” provision to ensure that no endangered species fall between the cracks.
As a citizen of Canada, I want you to know that you have my support to take these steps. It seems that economic considerations often take precedence over taking action to protect wild creatures and wild places. As an ecopsychologist, I believe that we need to preserve the little wildness that is left, for the longevity of the human race and the ecosystem we depend on. Canada’s reputation for justice and caring about the environment is also at stake. Please make protecting endangered species a top priority.
With respect and kind regards,
Karen Rempel, MA