Save Our True North Strong and Free…
Mark Carney! We Do Not Have to Tear Down Nature to ‘Build Canada’
WWF-Canada calls for “Nation-building projects that ‘heal Nature, not harm it.'”
We voted for Mark Carney, eh?
Believed we knew what we were getting.
Remember what Prime Minister Stephen Harper said when Mark was appointed as the new Governor of the Bank of England? “In this time of global economic uncertainty, Governor Carney has done an admirable job in fulfilling the Bank of Canada’s mandate.
“And has been a valued partner as the Government has worked to steer Canada away from the worst impacts of the global economic recession. As a result, Canada remains an example to the world with its strong banks, effective regulatory environment and sound economic policy.”
Then we were hearing about “Fifty-first State” and “Nasty Canadians.” A malignant Tariff War was launched against Canada. And we needed a Tariff Warrior to defend our True North.
We knew Mark was a banker.
A conservative. Part of the established order that’s been recklessly ripping up, tearing down and running over Nature for years and years. He would build Canada, yes. Will Mark keep Canada living and green?
Mark was born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. Polar Bear Country. He has said “Canada’s Nature is woven into our identity and culture… We affirm our commitment to protecting Canada’s natural heritage and defending it for future generations.” Sounds hopeful.
But now Canada’s Parliament has voted to “give Cabinet sweeping new powers to accelerate ‘nation-building’ projects under Bill C-5. Potentially bypassing environmental safeguards such as the Species at Risk Act (SARA). As well as the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Fisheries Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act.”
In our country’s efforts to build Canada, our economy, World Wildlife Fund Canada believes that “any shovels in the ground must not be at the expense of endangered species. And the habitats they rely on.”
Bill C-5 will allow Cabinet to override key environmental protections for projects that it deems to be in the national interest. While unstable geopolitics demand that Canada shore up its economy, nearly half of Canadians (49%) recognize that environmental regulations should not be bypassed to “speed things up.” This according to new data from the Angus Reid Institute. Build Canada but not by destroying our sacred land.
The Build Canada Era.
“Prosperity is possible without sacrificing wetlands, forests, marine ecosystems or wildlife,” Megan Leslie, president and CEO of WWF-Canada says.
“Canadians want growth that strengthens our economy and our ecosystems. Bill C-5 can still deliver that future, build Canada. But only if the government insists on projects that protect and restore, not harm, the Nature that sustains us.”
Canada’s ecosystems sustain wildlife, store carbon, filter water and provide many other essential services helping our communities adapt to a changing climate.
Gutting safeguards around their protection risks repeating the mistakes of the past! Mistakes that have harmed Indigenous communities, damaged wildlife habitats and burdened generations of people across the country.
The way forward is to make the protection of nature a prerequisite for development. That means complying with the intent of environmental laws such as SARA. And the Fisheries Act. And pursuing a balanced path to prosperity.
The government should invest in large-scale, complex ecosystem restoration, Indigenous Guardians programs and renewable energy projects that have ecological integrity and durability at their core.
Now, as we build Canada, is the time to fund Nature-based solutions, develop conservation economies that strengthen communities, create jobs and help safeguard us from the impacts of climate change.
“The ‘Build Canada’ era should be remembered for landscapes restored, Indigenous rights respected and renewable energy delivered, not for Nature pushed closer to the brink,” Leslie says. “We stand ready to help government, industry and communities get this right.”
“Help build Canada!”
We understand the need to build infrastructure and support economic growth, particularly considering uncertain geopolitical times. But Nature must be part of that future, not a casualty of it.
Our Wetlands, Forests and Grasslands are not obstacles — they are assets!
Essential assets that store carbon, filter water and act as natural firebreaks.
If we stupidly…
- Undermine the laws that protect those risks
- Repeat the mistakes of the Past (when unchecked development led to widespread habitat loss)
- Degrade our water systems
We just increase the long-term costs to both Humankind and Wildlife. Costs that will demand to be paid.
If we’ve learned anything from recent years of wildfire smoke-filled skies, mega storms and floods, it’s that a healthy environment isn’t a luxury. It’s a Line of Defence!
For more on this irksome issue, see FORESTS DOWN THE TOILET: Cutting Canada’s Last Forests for American Toilet Paper – Trump Canada News
About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.
For further information or to request an interview Email [email protected]
SOURCE: World Wildlife Fund Canada, Cision & CivilizedBears
TAGS: What has Mark Carney done so far? Mark Carney build Canada houses. Environmental protections.
