Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA)
The silver shimmers of a salmon in a forested stream, the drumming of a woodpecker in the early morning mist, or the soft hoot of an owl hidden in the dark woods are images that fill us with reverence and wonder. The interconnection between wildlife and their habitat is both fundamental and fragile, for wild species to survive, they need wild spaces to successfully live, breed and forage. A grizzly without a forest or a salmon without a stream are simply destined to disappear.
Swift Fox Photo: Wayne Lynch
In 2002, the United Nations release a groundbreaking report stating that almost a quarter of the world's mammals faced extinction within the next 30 years. Imagine a world without Siberian tigers, black rhinoceros or cheetahs. Imagine a Canada without grizzly bears, killer whales or Northern spotted owls — such a loss is staggering to conceive.
Canada is envied around the world for its natural beauty and people look to our country for environmental leadership and vision. Yet, our federal government does so little to protect it. If we want Canada's future to include wilderness and wildlife, we must plan for that vision, wisely and carefully.
In 1992, amid international accolades and much acclaim, Canada became the first western industrialized nation to ratify the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. On ratification of that treaty, Canada pledged to provide "effective protection" for Canadian species at risk and the critical habitat and ecosystems on which they depend. Ten years passed, and despite repeated promises to the Canadian public, overwhelming public support, and several failed attempts Canada was still without legal protection for its 415 species at risk.
Finally in 2003, just over a decade later, Canada enacted - the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Unfortunately for Canadians and Canada's hundreds of species at risk, the act is a paper tiger, reliant on political will, discretionary wording and largely unenforceable habitat provisions.
For more information on SARA read the Wilderness Committee's brief to the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources on and our presentation to the House Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development asking for improvement to Species at Risk Act.
