Do you live in Calgary? If you can, please attend the Council meeting in Calgary City Hall at 9:30 am on January 28th to show your support in person.

If you can’t make it in person, a quick, friendly phone call to your alderman can be a huge help. Click here to find out your Alderman’s details and then call (403) 268-2430 and ask to speak to him or her. (Expect to leave a message - you rarely get through the first time, but all voice messages are heard loud and clear!)

Dear Friend,

Over the past two years, a growing number of individuals, businesses, and governments in Canada and around the world have been rallying against the cruelty and ecological destruction caused by the practice of shark finning. Next Monday, January 28th, all eyes will be on Calgary City Council when they vote on a proposed bylaw to ban the sale, trade and distribution of shark fins in the city. If successful, Calgary will become the largest city in Canada to ban shark fins, and the 18th municipality in Canada to do so.

Thus far, Calgary City Council has shown resolve in moving this bylaw forward, and they have been strongly encouraged to do so by over 11,000 Calgarians who signed petitions to show their support. But Monday is the final vote, and City Council needs to hear your support more than ever.

Dear Friend,

The break is over and we only have a few days to convince the Ontario government not to weaken its already inadequate enforcement of the Endangered Species Act.

The Natural Resources Ministry wants to stop issuing permits to developers wanting to build in areas where endangered species are living. Instead of being required to obtain a permit (as is the case now) when working in sensitive habitat areas home to endangered or threatened species, developers and industry would only have to voluntarily comply with existing rules and regulations. In our business "voluntary regulation" is an oxymoron; a misnomer for deregulation or the wholesale gutting of regulation (remember voluntary labeling of GM foods – 10 years later we’re still waiting for that to happen).

ACTION ALERT

Dear Friend,

I'm on the bus writing about what happened in Parliament last Friday. I still can’t get the day out of my mind... Megan Leslie, NDP MP and Deputy Leader, called for an emergency debate in Parliament on the massive and frightening rapid ice melt in the Arctic this past summer.

Megan eloquently pointed out that the Arctic icecap is responsible for moderating the global climate, and without it we’re in a sea of trouble.

Climate Fast on Parliament Hill

On Wednesday September 25, 2012, five members of Sierra Club Canada joined the group Hungry for Climate Leadership on Parliament Hill in solidarity with their 12-Day Fast for Climate Change (seven climate activists began their fast on September 21st and will continue to fast until October 2nd).

Leader of the Green Party of Canada Elizabeth May, who is fasting for five days in solidarity with the group, also came to show her support and sign the pledge that aims to (1) end fossil fuel subsidies, (2) put a price on carbon, and (3) support the development of a renewable energy plan for Canada. Hungry for Climate Leadership urges the Canadian government to take immediate action to help mitigate the climate change crisis.