GP Protests Weak Federal Endangered Species Act - Canada

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

GREENPEACE PROTESTS WEAK FEDERAL ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
 Animals picket Federal Hearings in Vancouver
 
(VANCOUVER, B.C.) Monday, January 27 -  Today Greenpeace
was joined by dozens of endangered species at Federal
Standing Committee hearings in downtown Vancouver to
protest the new Federal Endangered Species Act.
 
"This Act will not protect Canada's endangered species.  It is
little more than a pre-election public relations
initiative by the Federal Government," said Greenpeace
spokesperson Karen Mahon.
 
The Standing Committee hearings are the last stage of a
public process regarding the Endangered Species Act and may be
the last chance to strengthen the Act.  The Act is
currently too narrow and weak to provide adequate
protection for species that are now endangered, or species
that may become endangered. As proposed, the Act:
 
* applies only to species on federal lands (4 per cent of
Canada's landbase, or 1.1 per cent of the land in B.C.);
 
* applies only to birds listed on the Migratory Birds
Convention Act (the legislation will not protect owls,
falcons, hawks or, as a B.C. example, the endangered
Burrowing Owl);
 
* does not apply to transboundary species (species which
migrate from one region to the next), such as grizzly
bears, polar bears or woodland caribou:
 
* does not require mandatory protection for a species'
critical habitat, even though it is known that habitat loss is
the number one cause of species' decline: and
 
* requires that decisions to list a species as being at
risk can be made only by politicans, rather than scientists
with the relevant expertise.
 
The Standing Committe hearings run all day Monday, and
conclude Tuesday morning in Gallery 11 of the Landmark
Hotel. The demonstration is taking place at:
 
WHERE: Landmark Hotel, 1400 Robson Street
WHEN: Monday, January 27, 11:30 a.m. 
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Karen Mahon, Greenpeace Vancouver 604-253-7701