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OTTAWA—Sierra Club Canada joins the thousands of Canadians at rallies across the country this weekend to demand that the government goes back to work on crucial environmental legislation on climate change, endangered species, water and mining.

“A healthy environment needs a healthy democracy. I fear Canada has neither,” said John Bennett, Executive Director, Sierra Club Canada, who will be speaking at the Ottawa ‘Rally Against Prorogation’ this Saturday, January 23^rd from 1pm to 3pm.   The Climate Change Accountability Act (Bill C-311) was awaiting a final vote in the House of Commons when democracy was postponed by the government. The Canadian federal government, if it obeyed this law, would have to set regulations to attain a medium-term target to bring emissions 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, and a long-term target to bring emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.   This is the second time the Climate Change Accountability Act was dropped as it was on the verge of being passed. It was awaiting a final vote when the 2008 election was called. In that election, 68% of Canadian voters cast their ballots for parties that supported the Climate Change Accountability Act.   Proroguing Parliament also means that the mandatory 5 year review of the Species At Risk Act (SARA) has been halted. As of April 2009, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) considers there to be 585 species at risk. Of this, 244 are considered endangered and 13 extinct. Only 345 of these species are part of the act. SARA has been graded an “F” for its overall effectiveness by four of Canada’s major environmental organizations.   “There is an urgent need to improve the Species At Risk Act, yet our leaders are heading some where out of sight,” said Mr. Bennett.   Other environmental legislation shelved by the prorogation includes Bill S-208, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (clean drinking water), as well as Bill C-300, An Act Respecting Corporate Accountability for Mining, Oil and Gas Corporations in Developing Countries, which would hold Canadian mining companies accountable for their foreign operations.
Watch John Bennett's speech at the Ottawa Rally Against Prorogation >>>   -30- Contact: Michael Bernard Director of Media Relations Sierra Club Canada michaelb@sierraclub.ca (o) 613.241.4611 x230 (c) 613.302.9933 Toll free: 1.888.810.4204