Canadian Peregrine Foundation

The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

NEWS & NOTES

ARTICLE 2 - Canada's Industry Minister John Manley given responsibility for protecting the Peregrine Falcon
(by Marcel Gahbauer, based on information from the National Post)

Wednesday April 5, 2000
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has assigned each member of Parliament responsibility for a species at risk of extinction. At a breakfast function tomorrow morning, each politician will receive an adoption certificate for the animal or plant that they have been selected to protect (matches were made based on geographic proximity).

This activity is designed to draw attention to the upcoming Species at Risk Act. It is hoped that it will provide strong protection for endangered species, but that is not yet certain. The IFAW hopes that their adoption program will give each member of Parliament motivation to ensure that the proposed legislation adequately protects "their" species.

There has been federal legislation protecting endangered species in the United States since passing its first Endangered Species Act in 1967, but Canada has yet to adopt a national policy. At present, protection of endangered species in Canada is a provincial responsibility - and not all provinces have taken it seriously. The Species at Risk Act is long overdue.

Responsibility for the peregrine falcon has been assigned to Industry Minister John Manley. Other matches include Prime Minister Jean Chretien and the beluga whale; Environment Minister David Anderson and the Vancouver Island marmot; Joe Clark and the wood bison; Alexa McDonough the eastern cougar; and Preston Manning and the grizzly bear.

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