World Wetlands Day 2001: Canada

World Wetlands Day celebrated

Canada’s Minister of the Environment, Mr. David Anderson, in introducing the Species At Risk Act (Bill C-5) to Parliament on February 2, also drew attention to this date being World Wetlands Day. He noted that "The timing of the introduction of this proposed legislation is particularly auspicious because this is the day Canada and its partners in conservation celebrate World Wetlands Day. Wetlands are one of the most threatened habitats in Canada and home to more than thirty percent of this country's species at risk".

Canada is one of the 123 Ramsar Contracting Parties that marked the Convention’s 30^th Anniversary this year on WWD.

In a Committee Room of the Senate in Ottawa on Friday, representatives of 11 federal agencies involved in wetland management also marked World Wetlands Day and signed a Letter of Agreement establishing the Federal Wetland Forum. This informal federal working group will cooperate on interdepartmental wetland issues such as information management, scientific research and policy directions under the Federal Policy on Wetland Conservation. In an event hosted by Ms. Karen Brown, Assistant Deputy Minister of Environmental Conservation of Environment Canada, representatives of Environment Canada, Heritage Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, the National Capital Commission, Department of National Defence, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Transport Canada, Industry Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada signed this Agreement.

Four partner agencies including the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Wildlife Habitat Canada, the North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), and Ducks Unlimited also cosigned this Agreement.

Ms. Brown also took this occasion, as Chair of the Wetlands Conservation Council to release a new report entitled "Influencing Change" on the outputs and successful activities of the Wetland Conservation Council during the last 10 years.

Contact:
Clayton Rubec
Canadian WildlifeService
Environment Canada
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0H3
clay.rubec@ec.gc.ca
Phone (819) 953-0485