01/26 Canada:Endangered Species to try Meeting with PM

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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               GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> ENDANGERED SPECIES PLAN TO MEET WITH PRIME MINISTER
 
Threatened animals and fish en route to Vancouver
 
(VANCOUVER, B.C.) Friday, 26 January, 1996 (GP) Greenpeace has
received calls from hundreds of Canada's endangered species,
informing them that representatives from these species are
planning to attend the Federal government's caucus meeting in
Vancouver next Monday.
 
One representative of the group of endangered and threatened
species, which includes Grizzly bears, numerous salmon stocks,
fox and Beluga whales, said that the government's failure to
address their concerns about habitat protection has necessitated
their trip into the urban centre. 
 
The caller, who identified herself as a Polar Bear, said, "We'd
be happy to stay in our own habitat, but since it's disappearing
we have to come to your's to get the Government to listen.
Extinction is forever, you know, and we're not going to go down
without a fight."
 
Scientists estimate that, worldwide, 40-100 species go extinct
every day. Eighty per cent of all species decline is caused by
habitat destruction. In Canada, one acre of wildlife habitat is
lost every 15 seconds.
 
The caller said that the proposed endangered species legislation
applies to only four per cent of Canada's landbase and completely
fails to protect critical habitat of the endangered species. In
addition, the legislation does not include mandatory preparation
and implementation of a recovery plan for endangered and
threatened species. 
 
Greenpeace, other environmental groups and scientists have called
the proposed legislation a greenwash and believe that an
ineffective Endangered Species Act may prove more harmful than
having no Act.
 
Some animal and fish species will arrive in Vancouver on Sunday
night, while others will arrive at the Hyatt Regency just prior
to the onset of the Federal Liberal caucus' meeting.
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
 
Tzeporah Berman or Tamara Stark at Greenpeace: 604-253-7701 
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