Posted: May 9, 2016
Petition: take action on habitat protection for fish!
Current laws leave Canada’s fish habitats dangerously vulnerable. Sign the petition to bring back valuable protections in the Fisheries Act!
In 2012, the Omnibus “budget” Bills C-38 and C-45 made sweeping changes to Canada’s environmental laws. At that time, among other changes, the Fisheries Act was significantly weakened by the removal of the prohibition against carrying on any work or undertaking that “results in the harmful alteration, disruption, or destruction of fish habitat.” This change had no basis in science—you can’t protect fish without protecting their habitat!—and was widely criticized by the public, including scientists, the environmental community, First Nations, and even former fisheries ministers.
Our new Minister of Fisheries has a mandate to “work with the Minister of Transport to review the previous government’s changes to the Fisheries and Navigable Waters Protection Acts, restore lost protections, and incorporate modern safeguards.” Ottawa Riverkeeper is strategizing with like-minded groups across the country to find ways to encourage our federal government to make these mandated changes to the Fisheries Act. We need your help getting the public voice behind our ask!
Please click here to sign this petition, which stresses the need to immediately reinstate the habitat protection provisions that were removed by the previous federal government. Take action to protect the lakes, rivers, and oceans you love by supporting the petition and sharing it widely with your friends and colleagues.
You can find more information about the changes made to Canada’s environmental laws in 2012 at the bottom of the petition under “Read More.”
We are custodians of the earth for future generations! Protect what little we have left! Laws with teeth — heavy fines and jail sentences — because corporate and local a-holes will always ignore them.
Canada needs to have strong habitat protection for fish… including of course, the all important “nursery” areas. Undo Harper’s horrid legislation and bring in far-seeing new legislation that protects the environment, not power boaters, not polluters, not habitat-destroying industries. It is perfectly possible for people to have industries and leisure activities that also enhance the environment — while creating lots of jobs.