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EARTH ACTION 81 Prince Street Charlottetown PEI C1A 4R3 Tel: 902-621-0719 Email: slabchuk@isn.net MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 18, 1999 Charlottetown - Earth Action is calling for a moratorium on all development within and adjacent to Greenwich National Park until a federal government-appointed panel struck last year to study how well our national parks are being protected releases its report and recommendations next month. The Island environmental organization is concerned that development of the park is being-fast tracked to avoid radical changes to national parks management that could be coming soon. Jacques Gerrin is chair of The Panel on Ecological Integrity in Canada's National Parks. On Sunday, Gerrin told media that national parks are in deep trouble and that Parks Canada is unable to protect them. Gerrin says recommendations from his panel could give government the chance to set the parks system along a bold new conservation path. Earth Action spokesperson Sharon Labchuk says, "The announcement last week of a major development including a hotel, retail stores and interpretive centre on crown land on the Greenwich National Park boundary was shocking. Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay has made it very clear that he's on a mission to create economic development in his riding and he intends to use Greenwich National Park to do so. Parks Canada has a mandate to put ecological integrity above all else in managing the parks. Mr. MacAulay's blatant and shameful exploitation of this most fragile nature preserve must be halted before it's too late." Earth Action has complained in the past that Parks Canada on PEI has no ecologist on staff and does not have the competency to chart a course for the new park. Labchuk says this view has been confirmed by Gerrin. "Mr. Gerrin said his panel found the pool of scientific talent in the parks system was "very, very thin on the ground". We're quite worried that with cutbacks to the Parks Canada budget, unqualified staff persons are making decisions that generate revenue through inappropriate and excessive development which results in compromising nature protection." Labchuk is also critical of the Binns government for its role in promoting the new development project. "Both MacAulay and Binns should be ashamed of themselves for pushing through a major development in the park when they know full well that in a couple of weeks a federal government report, highly critical of national park stewardship, will be released. We'll be seeking support from groups across Canada to ensure development in and around Greenwich National Park is stopped until Canadians can be assured that the ecological integrity of the park is not compromised for business interests and politicking." -30- Contact: Sharon Labchuk 902-621-0719 ******************************** Sharon Labchuk Earth Action 81 Prince Street Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4R3 Phone: 902-368-7337 / 621-0719 Fax: 902-621-0719 slabchuk@isn.net -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The preceding message was posted on the Sustainable Maritimes mailing list (sust-mar). http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/lists/sust-mar -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
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