COALITION ANNOUNCES NAFTA CHALLENGE:
Canadian Government to Be Held Accountable for Failure to Pass Endangered Species Legislation

Ottawa, May 21, 1997

A coalition of environmental and social justice organizations announced their intent to launch a complaint against Canada under Article 14 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Co- operation (NAEEC) for its failure to comply with the requirements of the Biological Diversity Convention.

Greenpeace, Council of Canadians, Canadian Labour Congress and Animal Alliance of canada have retained Clayton Ruby as legal counsel for the complaint.

"Canada has no federal legislation for protecting endangered species," said Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians. "The government promised in the Throne Speech to pass endangered species legislation and failed to do so in its first term in office. We must hold this government accountable for not passing the legislation as it promised the Canadian people it would do."

"Greenpeace supports the complaint under Article 14 of the NAAEC. We want to ensure that the Canadian government honour its commitment to the international community and pass legislation to protect endangered species," said Jeanne Moffat, Executive Director.

"Our message to the government, during the consultation process, was that the protection of endangered species, the maintenance of healthy ecosystems and the health of the workers and their communities are all connected and must be taken into consideration in recovery plans," said Dace Bennett of the Canadian Labour Congress. "Our fear with the death of the Bill is that endangered species and their habitat will not be protected and environmental degradation will continue to threaten healthy communities. We need to hold this government accountable."

"As a minimum, we have asked this government to pass endangered species legislation early in the next mandate, strengthen the Bill to ensure scientific listing and require habitat protection for all species within federal jurisdiction and not weaken the Bill in other areas," said Liz White, Animal Alliance of canada. "Since the government will make no such commitment, we have no choice but to proceed with the complaint against the Government of Canada for non-compliance with the Convention."