Nature Vancouver

Groups from Markham, Pickering, Scarborough, and Toronto join Camp Suzuki this weekend

Toronto -- This weekend a dozen teams from the Greater Toronto Area will be participating in the David Suzuki Foundation's new leadership training project, called Camp Suzuki. Over the course of two full day workshops at Toronto's Brickworks, the teams will begin the process of developing an innovative local project idea that connects people from their diverse networks and communities to nature.

"We at the David Suzuki Foundation are trying to do something a bit different," said Aryne Sheppard, manager of community leadership at the David Suzuki Foundation. "Instead of relying on traditional ways of engaging the public in environmental issues, this weekend we will be connecting with members of a diverse range of communities and interests to help take their inspiring project ideas and make them a reality."

The 12 teams were selected from more than 50 applicants for the program and include a wide range of communities and groups from around Rouge Park in the east end of the GTA. The teams include individuals from a Toronto settlement agency, a Markham Chinese youth group, high schools from Pickering and Scarborough, outdoors and naturalist clubs, an engineering firm and a university performing arts department.

While the groups' ideas are works in progress right now, the potential projects include: a weekend biking and camping adventure for new Canadians in Rouge Park; a campaign to appeal to gym-goers to get outside for their fix; a classroom-based butterfly rearing program; and a 'verbatim theatre' play about the wonders of the Rouge Valley.

"The goal of Camp Suzuki is to connect with these local community champions and empower them to initiate and launch these amazing projects," continued Sheppard. "Over the next eight months, David Suzuki Foundation staff will be working closely with the teams to assist in the development of the projects and help identify challenges and opportunities throughout."

The two-day workshops will take place January 28th-29th at the Evergreen Brickworks.

Camp Suzuki is part of the David Suzuki Foundation's efforts to connect GTA residents with nature in their communities and help establish Canada's first urban National Park in the Rouge watershed. The Rouge is a wild green space straddling the communities of Markham, Pickering, Scarborough and Toronto. It includes the current Rouge Park and the region's best remaining wetland, largest remaining Carolinian Forest, and is home to two National Historic Sites. The proposed Rouge National Park will be more than 30 times larger than High Park and provide public transit-accessible wilderness for millions of residents.

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For more information, please visit www.davidsuzuki.org or contact:
Aryne Sheppard, David Suzuki Foundation (416) 348-9885 ext. 1574
Jode Roberts, Communications, David Suzuki Foundation (647) 456-9752 (cell)

VANCOUVER - In an open letter released today, 85 British Columbia business leaders call on the provincial government to reaffirm and strengthen its leadership on climate change.

The letter appears one week after Canada's federal government pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol, and highlights the opportunity that provinces have to create jobs while reducing the carbon pollution that causes global warming.

"British Columbia is globally recognized for implementing one of the most progressive carbon policies toward climate stability," said MEC CEO David Labistour. "We all benefit -- businesses, communities and ecosystems alike -- from the province's continued leadership on the carbon tax, and we encourage Premier Christy Clark and her cabinet colleagues to stay the course with effective pricing."

The letter calls British Columbia's carbon tax "one of the best tools we have at our disposal to fight climate change." That tax is set to rise to $30 per tonne next year, but the provincial government has not yet indicated what will happen after that point. Today's letter urges the province to commit to a schedule of further increases, in a way that is fair and enables all B.C. businesses and communities to be part of the solution.

"Meeting the climate challenge isn't just the right thing to do, it also makes good business sense," said Richard Kouwenhoven, the senior vice-president of customer service and business development at Hemlock, one of the largest commercial printers in the province. "We're proud of B.C.'s leadership on carbon pollution, and like many other businesses we want to see it strengthened."

"B.C.'s clean-tech industry is already generating $2.5 billion a year, and employing approximately 8,400 people," said David Demers, CEO of Westport Innovations. "B.C.'s strong roots in innovation and clean technology help deliver a positive signal to the investment community and provide an ideal environment for low-carbon investment."

According to the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, by the middle of this century, human-caused warming could cost our nation up to 25 percent of its wealth. Without strong leadership, hundreds of thousands of British Columbians could face lost jobs and missed opportunities.

"The International Energy Agency says we have fewer than five years to act to avoid irreversible global warming," said Bing Thom, one of Canada's most celebrated architects. "This is not the time to waver; this is the time to strengthen and build upon our existing climate policies."

The open letter was coordinated by Tides Canada, The Pembina Institute, and the David Suzuki Foundation.

The open letter can be found on our website. (PDF)

Report reveals Greenbelt home to almost 40% of Ontario's species at risk

Toronto -- The David Suzuki Foundation and Ontario Nature released a new report today revealing that while the Ontario Greenbelt enhances protection for 78 species-at-risk -- almost 40% of all provincially listed species -- work remains to be done to ensure these species recover. The report also highlights the economic value of protecting habitat in the Greenbelt, conservatively estimated at more than $2.6 billion per year in economic benefits.

"This report demonstrates that Ontario's Greenbelt is definitely paying dividends for Ontarians," said Rachel Plotkin, policy analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation. "The Greenbelt's rich forests, fields, streams and wetlands are both safeguarding species and providing billions in benefits to Ontarians, by filtering our air, cleansing our water, providing food and protecting us from floods."

Ontario's Greenbelt is home to 78 of over 200 provincially listed species at risk in the province, like the Bobolink, Redside Dace and Jefferson Salamander. Since being established in 2005, it has prevented the conversion of natural and agricultural lands into sprawling residential development. Despite this early success, the report highlights the need to strengthen existing provincial policies and laws to address on-going threats to the integrity of the Greenbelt from pressures like road development and aggregate extraction.

The report provides a comprehensive review of the Greenbelt's legal and policy framework concerning species at risk and highlights the need to strengthen the Greenbelt Plan during the legislative review expected in 2015.

"While there has been much success on the ground, species in the Greenbelt still need more help to survive," said Dr. Anne Bell, director of conservation and education with Ontario Nature. "It is our hope that the Greenbelt will continue to fulfill its promise and become a model of ecological and economic innovation for communities across the country and abroad."

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For more information, please download a copy of the report at http://www.davidsuzuki.org or contact:

Dr. Anne Bell, Ontario Nature (416) 444-8419 ext. 239
Rachel Plotkin, David Suzuki Foundation (416) 348-9885 ext 1582

WHO: Twenty-two major organizations, including the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Lung Association of B.C. are releasing a statement supporting a province-wide ban on non-essential pesticides.

WHAT: The 22 organizations are urging B.C. to pass legislation that prohibits the use and sale of chemical pesticides for lawns, gardens, and non-agricultural landscaping. Recent polling shows more than 70% of British Columbians support provincial legislation to restrict pesticide use. Such legislation already exists in the Maritime provinces, Quebec, and Ontario.

The pesticide statement can be found on our website. (PDF)

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Kathryn Seely, Director of Public Issues, Canadian Cancer Society, BC & Yukon
(604) 675-7108 (office)
(604) 999-4659 (cell)

Gideon Forman, Executive Director, Cdn Assoc of Physicians for the Environment
(647) 703-5957 (cell)
(416) 306-2273 (office)

Lisa Gue, Environmental Health Policy Analyst, David Suzuki Foundation
(613) 594-5428 (office)
(613) 796-7699 (cell)

Vancouver -- An international coalition of environmental groups is calling on the federal environment minister to take Canada's endangered Greater sage-grouse under his wing with an emergency protection order.

Ecojustice submitted a petition today on behalf of 12 groups demanding that Environment Minister Peter Kent use a provision in the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) to protect Canada's few remaining sage-grouse, found only in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

"The decline of Canada's sage-grouse is an emergency that demands the federal government's immediate attention," said Sean Nixon, Ecojustice staff lawyer. "The recent decline of sage-grouse presents perhaps the most compelling case for federal intervention in the history of SARA. The provinces have done little more than watch as the sage-grouse spirals towards extinction."

The iconic bird, known for its elaborate courtship dance, saw almost 90 per cent of its Canadian population die off between 1988 and 2006.

As few as 13 male birds currently remain in Alberta and at last count, as few as 42 males were left in Saskatchewan. Scientists predict that, in the absence of meaningful protection, sage-grouse will disappear from Alberta by next year and be completely extinct in Canada within a decade.

"If sage-grouse are wiped out in Canada, it will be an entirely avoidable and human-caused disaster," said Madeline Wilson, conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association. "The provinces' failure to protect sage-grouse habitat has brought the species to the brink of extinction, and urgent federal action is needed to save these spectacular birds."

The petition calls for Minister Kent to recommend an emergency order to protect the sage-grouse and stop further human disturbance of the habitat these birds need to survive. Recent scientific research suggests that rapid encroachment of oil and gas development on the areas where sage-grouse spend the winter, breed, nest and raise their young is the leading factor in their extreme population drop.

Alberta and Saskatchewan each have a Wildlife Act and voluntary guidelines for energy development near sage-grouse habitat, but provincial protections are so lax that sage-grouse continue to decline. In addition to demanding federal protection for sage-grouse under SARA, the environmental groups are calling on the oil and gas industry to voluntarily provide sage-grouse with the protection they need.

"We have strong science telling us how and where oil and gas development must be regulated if sage-grouse are to survive in Canada, but the governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan and the oil and gas industry are refusing to act on it," said Dr. Mark Boyce, sage-grouse expert and professor at the University of Alberta. "Unless they change course immediately, sage-grouse will become the first species extirpated because of the oil and gas industry."

Alberta Wilderness Association, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, the David Suzuki Foundation, Lethbridge Naturalists Society, Nature Alberta, Nature Saskatchewan, Nature Canada, National Audubon Society -- Rockies, Sierra Club of Canada -- Prairie Chapter, the Society of Grasslands Naturalists, WildEarth Guardians and the Wilderness Committee are signatories to the petition.

For more information on the sage-grouse, please see our background document or visit us at ecojustice.ca.

See Ecojustice's PSA video.

B-roll of the sage-grouse is available for download. Sage grouse images are available for media use upon request.

For more information, please contact:

Sean Nixon, staff lawyer | Ecojustice
250.884.3908

Susan Pinkus, senior scientist | Ecojustice
604.537.6407

Carla Sbert, manager of conservation programs and legal issues | Nature Canada 613.562.3447 × 222

Eriel Deranger, director | Sierra Club Prairie Chapter
780.439.1160

Erik Molvar, wildlife biologist | Biodiversity Conservation Alliance
307.742.7978

Gwen Barlee, policy director | Wilderness Committee
604.202.0322

Madeline Wilson, conservation specialist | Alberta Wilderness Association
403.283.2025

Dr. Mark Boyce, sage-grouse expert and professor | University of Alberta
780.913.3474

Mark Salvo, director of Sagebrush Sea Campaign | Wildlife Guardians
503-757-4221

Melissa Ranalli, species at risk manager | Nature Saskatchewan
306.780.9270

Rachel Plotkin, biodiversity policy analyst | David Suzuki Foundation
416.348.9885 × 1582 | 416.660.2391

Federal government seeks to reverse parts of 2010 decision on critical habitat protection

VANCOUVER -- Ecojustice will appear before the federal Court of Appeal today to defend a precedent-setting ruling that confirmed the federal government is legally bound to protect killer whale habitat. Ottawa has since appealed the ruling.

Ecojustice, representing a coalition of nine environmental groups, successfully argued in Federal Court last year that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) had not met its legal obligation to protect killer whales. The court ruled that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans must legally protect all aspects of killer whale critical habitat -- including their food supply and the quality of their marine environment.

DFO is now trying to overturn that decision, claiming that discretionary provisions in the Fisheries Act adequately protect the critical habitat of aquatic species such as the killer whale.

The Act however, does not make critical habitat protection mandatory, as is the case under the Species at Risk Act. Instead, the Fisheries Act gives Minister Keith Ashfield broad discretion to authorize activities that destroy habitat.

"The federal court is correct in declaring that the fate of killer whales should not be left to the discretion of politicians," said Margot Venton, staff lawyer at Ecojustice. "These whales must be protected by law. They need spaces to feed, breed and raise their young if their populations are going to survive and recover."

Central to the issue are two distinct populations of killer whales that traverse British Columbia's coastal waters, the northern and southern residents. At last count there were 264 threatened northern residents and just 87 endangered southern residents. Both species are listed under SARA.

Killer whales are considered a "sentinel species," which means their health is a bellwether for the overall health of the ocean environment in which they live.

"It's crazy that we have been forced to go back to court once again to protect Canada's killer whales," said Gwen Barlee, policy director with the Wilderness Committee. "DFO needs to quit wasting time and money and get on with the business of actually protecting these killer whales."

In his decision last year, Federal Court Justice James Russell held that DFO had failed to legally protect killer whale critical habitat and made 13 declarations that included:

• DFO unlawfully relied on non-binding policies and guidelines, as well as government discretion, to protect habitat.
• DFO unlawfully limited the scope of legal protection to exclude biological elements of critical habitat.
• DFO has a legal obligation to protect the biological aspects of critical habitat, such as prey (food) availability and marine environment quality, through law.

The victory was precedent-setting for the more than 90 endangered and threatened marine species listed under the Species at Risk Act, all of which depend on healthy habitats to survive.

For more information on the killer whales, please see our backgrounder HERE.

Ecojustice is representing the David Suzuki Foundation, Dogwood Initiative, Environmental Defence, Greenpeace, Georgia Strait Alliance, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Raincoast Conservation, Sierra Club of BC and the Wilderness Committee.

The hearing begins today at 9:30 a.m. PT in the Federal Court of Appeal (701 West Georgia Street, Room 601) and is expected to last three hours.

Coalition members will be available to speak on-camera today following the hearing at 12:30 p.m.

For more information, please contact:
Kimberly Shearon, communications coordinator | Ecojustice
604.685.5618 ×242
kshearon@ecojustice.ca

Gwen Barlee, policy director | Wilderness Committee **
604.202.0322 © | 604.683.8220 (w)

Colin Campbell, marine campaign coordinator | Sierra Club -- BC
250.386.5255 ×236 | 250.361.6476 ©

Will Horter, executive director | Dogwood Initiative
250.418.1672 ©

Misty MacDufee, biologist | Raincoast Conservation **
250.818.2136 ©

Scott Wallace, sustainable fisheries analyst | David Suzuki Foundation
778.558.3984 © | 604.732.422 ×1242

Christianne Wilhelmson, executive director | Georgia Strait Alliance **
604.862.7579 © | 604.633.0530 (w)

*Will be in attendance during appeal hearing and, along with Ecojustice lawyers, available for comment after the proceedings.

VANCOUVER -- Media reports that Canada has a secret plan to withdraw from Phase II of the Kyoto Protocol are disturbing, according to the David Suzuki Foundation. The Protocol is the only legally binding international agreement with firm targets to reduce global warming pollution. When asked if the secret plan was in the works, Environment Minister Peter Kent would neither confirm nor deny the allegations. World leaders are meeting in Durban, South Africa, to develop an effective approach to reducing the serious threat of global warming and associated impacts such as drought, flooding and extreme weather events.

The reports suggest that while Canada has been meeting with world leaders for the past six years and committing to work out a binding agreement for the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol, our government had no intention of honouring the agreement and had, in fact, planned to abandon it shortly after the UN climate change summit in Durban.

Canada's reputation was again called into question as an official from the South African government confirmed that our government has been urging other countries to abandon Phase II of the agreement.

"Rather than meeting in secret to get other countries to leave Kyoto, Canada should be playing a constructive role by helping negotiations to achieve an effective global response," said David Suzuki Foundation climate change policy analyst Dale Marshall.

Environment Minister Kent's indication that Canada will not honour the agreement could hinder an effective global plan and would set a poor example.

"If a wealthy industrialized country such as Canada, which is one of the Top 10 global warming polluters, fails to honour a legally binding agreement with firm pollution targets, why should we expect developing countries to reduce their emissions?" Marshall said.

The International Energy Agency reports that governments and the private sector must shift investments from polluting energy sources and infrastructure like coal plants, oil sands, and pipelines to cleaner, renewable energy within five years if we are to avoid dangerous and irreversible damage to vital ecosystems that support global communities and economies.

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For more information, contact:
Dale Marshall, Climate Change Policy Analyst, 613-302-9913

Ian Bruce, Climate Change and Clean Energy Specialist, 604-732-4228, X 1275

'Making Policy Live' videos highlight economic and health benefits from local initiatives

Vancouver -- A report and video series released today by the David Suzuki Foundation will give community leaders and newly elected B.C. politicians a new green agenda for making communities healthier and enhancing the essential services that nature provides. The report provides a comprehensive review of promising policy options and was released in conjunction with a series of short video documentaries that profile exciting examples of how communities in the Lower Mainland are already taking action.

"While our report provides a review of promising policies that municipalities can use to revitalize nature within their communities, the videos breathe life into these policies and clearly demonstrate the benefits for residents," said report author Michelle Molnar from the David Suzuki Foundation.

The report, Natural Capital Policy Review, documents that cash-strapped local governments carry much of the burden of managing their community's natural capital -fields, forests, wetlands, and parks -- and provides both guidance on cost effective ways to protect natural capital and offers various case studies of where these types of policies are working. In particular, the report highlights an abundance of promising tools and approaches, such as public ownership, regulations and market-based tools.

The accompanying video documentary series, Making Policy Live, focuses on projects in the communities of Maple Ridge, North Vancouver, Squamish and Vancouver. The videos reveal how locally driven initiatives are bringing new life to derelict or underutilized sites and enhancing the ability of nature to provide essential services like filtering drinking water and flood control.

"Investing in the restoration of nature in our communities can pay huge dividends for residents," said Professor Patrick Mooney, Chair of Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia. "For example, the Maplewood Flats Conservation Area in North Vancouver has been transformed from derelict industrial site into naturalized wetlands; bringing a richer level of biodiversity to the area and providing tremendous psychological and physical health benefits for residents."

The report concludes with a set of three policy recommendations, including: (1) developing natural capital indicators and targets; (2) connecting protected areas throughout the region; and (3) building ecosystem service considerations into local government decision-making.

"As we continue to grow our communities, we need to begin taking into account the true value of our natural capital assets and the benefits these ecosystems provide," said Isabel Gordon, Director of Finance at the City of North Vancouver. "This will require communities to give greater consideration to their natural capital and how to manage it, as well as recognize potential impacts to their natural capital."

The report and documentaries were completed in conjunction with the David Suzuki Foundation's Natural Capital Ambassadors program. This pilot project has brought together professionals from local government in the Lower Mainland to engage in an on-going dialogue about opportunities and challenges in consideration of natural capital and ecosystem services in municipal decision-making.

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For more information, please visit www.davidsuzuki.org or contact:

Michelle Molnar, Economist & Policy Analyst, David Suzuki Foundation (778) 689-7435 (cell)
Jode Roberts, Communications, David Suzuki Foundation (647) 456-9752 (cell)

Backgrounder NATURAL CAPITAL POLICY REVIEW

• Natural Capital Policy Review: This report is the third in a series of David Suzuki Foundation publications examining the economic value of natural capital -- forests, fields, wetlands and waterways -- in and around Canada's urban areas and assessing the essential benefits that these ecosystems provide.
• The purpose of the report is to evaluate tools and policy options that B.C. local government agencies can use to protect and restore natural capital and ecosystem services. it reviews challenges and opportunities facing local governments and provides three promising policy options.
• Ecological Services: Healthy, intact, urban ecosystems provide essential services like purifying our air, regulating micro-climate, maintaining river flows and groundwater levels, treating our waste, and mitigating natural hazards, in addition to providing cultural and recreational activities.
• The Threat: The degradation and loss of these natural assets can have serious economic impacts, threatening health, food production, and basic needs such as clean air and water.
• Evaluation of Policies: A three-part classification was employed to organize policy evaluations: (1) public ownership, (2) regulation, and (3) market-based instruments.
• Recommendations: The report recommends three overarching policy options:
• Natural Capital Accounts: Regional governments take the lead in developing natural capital indicators and targets to track the health of ecosystem services, as well as the effectiveness of related policies.
• Regional Protected Areas Strategy: Regional and municipal governments collaborate to develop a comprehensive protected areas strategy to strengthen the Agricultural land Reserve regionally and connect it to protected areas at the municipal level.
• Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services: Municipal governments build ecosystem service considerations into economic and development planning to minimize ecosystem degradation and manage for ecological health.

MAKING POLICY LIVE

Making Policy Live is series of six documentary videos celebrating innovative local initiatives in B.C.'s Lower Mainland that are protecting and restoring nature in their communities. The videos were released in conjunction with David Suzuki Foundation's Natural Capital Policy Review[ADD LINK], a new report that gives people tools to make communities healthier and enhance the essential services that nature provides.

VIDEO 1: Naturalized estuary defends downtown Squamish from floods [Squamish, B.C.]
Local advocates talk about how the community has come together to transform the Squamish River Estuary from a lifeless moonscape into a thriving, re-naturalized ecosystem that protects the Town of Squamish from flooding and prevents run-off pollution from entering the ocean.

VIDEO 2: Nature lifts Maplewood Flats from derelict to diverse [North Vancouver, B.C.]
Landscape architecture professor Patrick Mooney talks about the potential of turning derelict industrial sites into naturalized wetlands like Maplewood Flats Conservation Area in North Vancouver; using natural processes to bring a richer level of biodiversity and provide recreational opportunities for residents.

VIDEO 3: North Vancouver's forests benefit health and safeguard drinking water
Biologist Ken Bennett talks about the health benefits and virtually irreplaceable services that forests on the slopes of the North Shore Mountains provide; protecting the region's water supply and stabilizing slopes across a vast wilderness area.

VIDEO 4: Investing in nature in North Vancouver, one lot at a time [North Vancouver, B.C.]
North Vancouver Director of Finance Isabel Gordon talks about how the city recognized that the value of keeping several environmentally significant lots in their natural state was ultimately more important than developing them.

VIDEO 5: Connecting students with nature in Kanaka Creek [Maple Ridge, B.C.]
Metro Vancouver Regional Parks staff talk about how volunteer-led hands-on programs are connecting Maple Ridge students with Kanaka Creek's rich diversity of wildlife to help create a lasting "map of nature in their minds."

VIDEO 6: Vancouver aims to be world's greenest city [Vancouver, B.C.]
Amanda Pitre-Hayes talks about the City of Vancouver's inspiring plans to become the greenest city in the world and to connect residents with nature by ensuring that everyone in the city lives within a five-minute walk of green space.

NATURAL CAPITAL AMBASSADORS

• The David Suzuki Foundation's Natural Capital Ambassadors program is a pilot project that began this past summer with the goal of beginning a dialogue with and learn from professionals working in municipal government who share our desire to protect and restore nature in the region
• The volunteer Ambassadors include eleven professionals that are engaged with local government issues in BC's Lower Mainland region who have been tasked with delivering presentations and spurring discussion about the importance of protecting nature in and around our communities. They come from many backgrounds -- planning, parks and recreation, finance and more.
• If you are interested in having an Ambassador speak to your group or want more information about the program, please contact Aryne Sheppard, Manager of Community Leadership.

November 23, 2011 -- The battle to protect the Gulf of St. Lawrence from oil and gas development received a major boost this week when American actor, writer and director Ethan Hawke benevolently lent his support to the cause. Mr. Hawke, a landowner along the Gulf in Nova Scotia, was approached by coastal landowners, fishermen, Mi'kmaq leaders and concerned citizens who felt their voices were not being heard. Mr. Hawke joins a growing list of celebrities including Dr. David Suzuki, author Farley Mowat, actor and director Jason Priestley, and music composer Philip Glass who have also spoken out in support of a moratorium on offshore oil and gas development in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

"The Gulf of St. Lawrence is truly unique in its beauty, culture and biodiversity; I feel it is important to support my east coast neighbours in their demand for a moratorium," explains Mr. Hawke. "We should take every measure possible to avoid making the same mistakes that were made with the Gulf of Mexico and preserve these precious renewable marine resources for future generations. The time has come to take action on this important issue before it is too late."

The David Suzuki Foundation, in collaboration with Save Our Seas and Shores Coalition and with the support of Mr. Hawke, is asking Canadian citizens to take action by demanding a moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf.

"Thousands of First Nations, Quebecois, Acadian and Gaelic coastal communities have historic precedence in these waters and have great interest in wanting to protect the Gulf's multi-billion dollar renewable fishery and tourism industries," affirms Mary Gorman, spokesperson for Save our Seas and Shores Coalition. "It would be foolish to consider risking a renewable global marine food supply that has sustained us for centuries, only to exploit unnecessary fossil fuels."

Both Quebec and Newfoundland are currently exploring the possibility of drilling oil and gas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The province of Quebec, now under provincial moratorium, is in the process of conducting public consultations to assess the risk factors involved with oil and gas exploitation in the Gulf. The situation in Newfoundland has become increasingly alarming, with the province currently poised to move forward with an exploratory drilling at the controversial Old Harry prospect, located only 6km from Quebec's jurisdiction, as early as next year. Similar attempts made by Nova Scotia to exploit the Gulf were halted a decade ago.

"The Gulf of St. Lawrence is a single body of water that should not be divided by man-made borders," states Dr. Jean-Patrick Toussaint of the David Suzuki Foundation. "The Gulf is home to more than 2,200 marine species which spawn, nurse and migrate there year-round. Exploratory drilling could seriously impact the feeding and migration of fish like Atlantic salmon, herring, mackerel and cod as well as marine mammals like the endangered blue whale."

Earlier this summer, numerous coastal communities and environmental groups asked federal Minister of the Environment Peter Kent to take leadership in overseeing the environmental implications and risks of permitting oil and gas drilling in the Gulf. However, the federal government ultimately delegated this responsibility to an unelected offshore provincial petroleum board.

"We are delighted and grateful to have Ethan Hawke graciously accept to support the battle to protect our Gulf," adds Ms. Gorman. "We hope that his public support will help draw greater attention to an issue that could potentially impact the coastlines and economy of all five provinces bordering the Gulf, and which requires critical action."

Concerned individuals and groups can sign the petition to demand a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by visiting the David Suzuki website: http://action.davidsuzuki.org/st-lawrence

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For more information, please contact:
Manon Dubois, Communications Specialist
David Suzuki Foundation
mdubois@davidsuzuki.org, 514.679.0821

Mary Gorman
Save Our Seas and Shores Coalition
mjgorman@ns.sympatico.ca, 902.926.2128

Conservation groups say focus must be salmon, not industry

VANCOUVER - The federal government must re-prioritize science and conserving salmon rather than surrendering to short-term industry interests, according to recommendations made by conservation groups to a national inquiry into the decline of Fraser sockeye.

The recommendations were submitted on October 17 by the Conservation Coalition, which was active throughout the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River. Represented at the inquiry by Ecojustice, this coalition includes the David Suzuki Foundation, Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Georgia Strait Alliance, Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform, Fraser Riverkeeper, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and Otto Langer. After more than a year of oral hearings, technical and policy reports, and close to 2,000 exhibits, the inquiry is now reaching the last phase of drafting a final report with recommendations to the federal government.

"The inquiry revealed that the federal government must do much more to protect and restore Fraser River sockeye salmon stocks, by shifting effort and funding back to science and conservation rather than promoting and funding industries like aquaculture," said Jeffery Young of the David Suzuki Foundation. "To that end, we've asked the commission to recommend that government re-establish an independent fisheries research board and remove industry promotion from the mandate of Fisheries and Oceans Canada."

The submission also argues that fully implementing the government's own Wild Salmon Policy would ensure the long-term sustainability of Fraser River sockeye. Critical to this implementation is restoring a will and the funding for Fisheries and Oceans Canada to deliver on core functions like monitoring and enforcement.

"It's clear from the tremendous amount of evidence gathered in this inquiry that the government has the mandate and tools to conserve and recover Fraser sockeye," said Tim Leadem, staff lawyer at Ecojustice. "Fully implementing existing policies, like the Wild Salmon Policy and 'no net loss' habitat policy, would put the government back on track."

The recommendations also focus on ways to address critical threats to Fraser sockeye, including immediately removing open net-cage salmon farms from Fraser sockeye migration routes, reducing fishing rates on endangered stocks and adopting a comprehensive research program, with adequate funding, into the cumulative impacts of temperature, habitat loss and chemical contaminants on salmon and their habitat.

"Even before the inquiry started, scientific evidence left no doubt that open net-cage salmon farms have negative effects on wild salmon populations," said Stan Proboszcz of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society. "The inquiry revealed a substantial body of new evidence demonstrating the huge risk of catastrophic disease and parasite outbreaks that open net-cage salmon farms impart on Fraser sockeye and the need to immediately remove them from migration routes."

"The inquiry revealed that we are woefully ignorant of the cumulative impacts of chemicals dumped into the Fraser River and Georgia Strait," said Georgia Strait Alliance executive director Christianne Wilhelmson. "The federal government has turned its back on funding this important research, meaning it doesn't have the information it needs to protect salmon habitat."

The Conservation Coalition recommendations highlight six themes and call on government to develop recovery plans for stocks at risk, and better habitat protection and pollution control. The full submission with recommendations is available here.

Justice Bruce Cohen's final report is to be released in June 2012 and the Conservation Coalition strongly recommends that it must include clear, specific and prescriptive recommendations for the federal and B.C. governments to implement.

For more information, contact:

Sutton Eaves
Communications Director, Ecojustice, (604) 685-5618 × 246

Jeffery Young
Aquatic Biologist, David Suzuki Foundation, (604) 764-6142

Stan Proboszcz
Fisheries Biologist, Watershed Watch Salmon Society, (604) 314-2713

Catherine Stewart
Living Oceans Society, (604) 633-0530 or (604) 916-6722

Christianne Wilhelmson
Executive Director, Georgia Strait Alliance, (604) 633-0530 or (604) 862-7579

Michael Price
Conservation Biologist, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, (250) 847-1519

Otto Langer
Fishery Biologist and Aquatic Ecologist, (604) 274-7655

Toronto -- As many as 12,000 Canadian high school students and their teachers will have real-time access to renowned scientist Dr. David Suzuki on November 1 and 2 through a new virtual classroom experience. The virtual program is being delivered through a partnership between the National Film Board of Canada and the David Suzuki Foundation.

The David Suzuki Virtual Classroom will bring the famous scientist, broadcaster and environmentalist "inside" classrooms across Canada to speak intimately about his rich experiences and compelling vision for the future of the planet. The conversation will focus on many of the important themes depicted in the award-winning film Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie. Students will have the opportunity to ask Dr. Suzuki questions about consumption, population, sustainable development, Japanese and Canadian history, science, technology and the future of the planet.

"This partnership with the David Suzuki Foundation is helping the NFB take the next step toward improving the student experience. It is the first time the NFB has been in a position to offer thought-leading expertise and educational content in real time and simultaneously with teachers and students from across Canada," said Kristine Collins, NFB Manager of National Education programs. "The David Suzuki Virtual Classroom will show how well NFB storytelling can be enhanced by digital technology and utilized by Canadians students."

The NFB has a well-established tradition of providing strong Canadian content to youth and educators. This new learning experience has been created specifically for students (aged 13+) and educators who have studied themes introduced in the film and its comprehensive study guides. Schools have responded enthusiastically to the virtual classroom. They registered for all available spots before the registration deadline of October 1.

"The David Suzuki Foundation understands the power of connecting with youth and inspiring them to make a difference in the world," said Leanne Clare, Communications Specialist at the David Suzuki Foundation. "This partnership with the National Film Board will allow Dr. Suzuki to connect with tens of thousands of high school students who may not know his story. As an elder, Dr. Suzuki wants to share his life experiences and insights with the next generation."

The NFB Mediatheque at 150 John Street in Toronto will also host the virtual classroom. Leading up to the virtual event, Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie is available to educators and high school students for screenings followed by a facilitated discussion at the NFB Mediatheque in Toronto or the CineRobotheque in Montreal.

The David Suzuki Virtual Classroom playlist is available at NFB.ca and includes additional information about the event, as well as film clips and study guides.

About the film

In Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie, the iconic scientist's "last lecture" is intercut with emotional scenes that trace his life's journey, from an internment camp in British Columbia and the swamps of small-town Ontario to a memorial ceremony in Hiroshima and the CBC studios, where for decades he has created his much-loved, award-winning TV show, The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. The film, directed by Sturla Gunnarsson, encourages the examination of world events in relation to oneself and one another, and explores how people interconnect with nature. Co-produced by Entertainment One and the National Film Board of Canada, in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and with the participation of Planet Green.

About Dr. Suzuki and the David Suzuki Foundation

David Suzuki, Co-Founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. He is renowned for his radio and television programs, which explain the complexities of the natural sciences in a compelling, easily understood way. Dr. Suzuki is a geneticist who has taught at the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia. He is also recognized as a world leader in sustainable ecology. Dr. Suzuki has written 52 books, including 19 for children. He is perhaps best known in Canada for hosting the award-winning program, The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. In 2010, Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie was released in theatres.

The David Suzuki Foundation is one of Canada's most trusted and influential environmental organizations. The Foundation works with government, business and individuals to conserve the environment by providing science-based education, advocacy and policy work.

About the NFB

Canada's public producer and distributor, the National Film Board of Canada creates interactive works, social-issue documentaries, auteur animation and alternative dramas that provide the world with a unique Canadian perspective. The NFB is developing the entertainment forms of the future in groundbreaking interactive productions, while pioneering new directions in 3D stereoscopic film, community-based media, and more. It works in collaboration with emerging and established filmmakers, digital media creators and co-producers in every region of Canada, with Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities, as well as partners around the world. Since the NFB's founding in 1939, it has created over 13,000 productions and won over 5,000 awards, including 4 Webbys, 12 Oscars and more than 90 Genies. Its NFB.ca Screening Room features over 2,000 productions online, including high-definition and 3D films. The NFB also puts the experience of cinema into the hands of Canadians everywhere through its acclaimed mobile apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android platforms, as well as a pre-loaded app in the BlackBerry PlayBook.

For more information:

Jenn Humphries, Publicist on behalf of the NFB
Tel: 905.767.3745
E-mail: jennifer.humphries@sympatico.ca

Leanne Clare, Communications Specialist
The David Suzuki Foundation
Tel: 613. 594 5410
E-mail: Leanne.clare@davidsuzuki.org

Lily Robert, Director, Corporate Communications, NFB
Telephone: 514-283-3838
Cell: 514-296-8261
E-mail: l.robert@nfb.ca