Media Room
For Immediate Release: February 11th, 2012
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - Amidst Prime Minister Harper’s announcements in China that he is determined to build the infrastructure needed to ship energy to China, his government added environmentalists to his anti-terrorism strategy and had one MP vow to stop international funding from supporting environmental causes in Canada.
“While Harper was in China vowing to sell off our wild salmon watersheds and Great Bear Rainforest with the construction of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline and tanker project, his government made further steps to try to silence those opposed to this high-risk project,” said Nikki Skuce, Senior Energy Campaigner. “This trade mission was a clear signal that it will be business in China at the high cost of our wild places and human rights for this government.”
Enbridge’s Northern Gateway project would introduce over 225 crude oil tankers to the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest for the first time ever. British Columbia’s temperate rainforest is home to the iconic Spirit (or Kermode) bear.
“The panda is endangered because its natural habitat has been destroyed. Canada, and BC in particular, has a golden opportunity in the Great Bear Rainforest where the Spirit Bear roams to not repeat the mistakes of the past. Our wild bears should not be sold out in an exchange for caged Pandas,” says Valerie Langer, Director BC Forest Campaign.
Canada has agreed to pay $1 million annually toward conservation in China for the 10-year loan of two giant pandas.
“The federal government is fine sending money overseas for conservation but is trying to block international support to help protect the globally significant ecosystems our government wants to put at risk with oil spills. The irony is chilling,” said Skuce.
ForestEthics on Pandas over Spirit Bears
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| BC's Spirit bear fishes in Great Bear Rainforest |
“While Harper was in China vowing to sell off our wild salmon watersheds and Great Bear Rainforest with the construction of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline and tanker project, his government made further steps to try to silence those opposed to this high-risk project,” said Nikki Skuce, Senior Energy Campaigner. “This trade mission was a clear signal that it will be business in China at the high cost of our wild places and human rights for this government.”
Enbridge’s Northern Gateway project would introduce over 225 crude oil tankers to the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest for the first time ever. British Columbia’s temperate rainforest is home to the iconic Spirit (or Kermode) bear.
“The panda is endangered because its natural habitat has been destroyed. Canada, and BC in particular, has a golden opportunity in the Great Bear Rainforest where the Spirit Bear roams to not repeat the mistakes of the past. Our wild bears should not be sold out in an exchange for caged Pandas,” says Valerie Langer, Director BC Forest Campaign.
Canada has agreed to pay $1 million annually toward conservation in China for the 10-year loan of two giant pandas.
“The federal government is fine sending money overseas for conservation but is trying to block international support to help protect the globally significant ecosystems our government wants to put at risk with oil spills. The irony is chilling,” said Skuce.
