Canada's Federal Government Must Act Immediately to Protect
Bruce Peninsula National Park
October 4, 2000
TORONTO, ONTARIO — The Wildlands League,
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation, and
Chippewas of Nawash First Nation, are urging Federal Minister of the
Environment, David Anderson, to take immediate decisive action to prevent a
logging road from being built through Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula National
Park until an Environmental Assessment is carried out.
“The Federal Government must immediately live up to its responsibility to care for this National Park,” says Lara Ellis of the Wildlands League. “Minister Anderson has had our request for an environmental assessment for over two months and knows how urgent this issue is. We hope he orders the Environmental Assessment before it is too late.”
At issue is a proposed logging road that would cross part of the National Park. The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula was set to approve the road in July, when lawyers with the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, on behalf of the Wildlands League, Chippewas of Nawash and Chippewas of Saugeen obtained a last-minute injunction delaying construction.
“The rush is that depending on other Municipal and Provincial approval processes the road could go in as early as October 14th – unless the Federal Government orders an Environmental Assessment or mediation before then,” remarks Darlene Johnston, land claims research coordinator to the Chippewas of Nawash and Saugeen First Nations.
“Minister Anderson’s inaction is extremely troubling,” says Stephen Hazell, executive director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). “Canadians want the ecology of their National Parks protected. This road will undoubtedly damage Southern Ontario’s biggest National Park, and yet the Minister hasn’t yet ordered an environmental assessment.”
The Bruce Peninsula National Park, created in 1987, contains 31 nationally endangered, threatened or vulnerable species, including the Peregrine Falcon, Red-Shouldered Hawk, Spotted Turtle, Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Prairie White-Fringed Orchid, and Small White Lady’s Slipper. Located at the northern end of the Bruce Peninsula, the park contains a significant portion of the Niagara Escarpment, recognized by the United Nations for its global environmental importance as a Biosphere Reserve. The park is still in the process of acquiring land; once complete it will measure 140 square kilometres.
For more information, contact:
Lara Ellis
Project Director
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) - Wildlands League Chapter
(416) 971-9453 ext.33
lara@wildlandsleague.org
Web site: http://www.wildlandsleague.org