Why is the City of Medicine Hat attacking the Species at Risk Act?
01/09/2014
Since 2008, Nature Canada has been pressing the federal government to issue an emergency order to protect the Greater Sage-Grouse and late last year the federal government finally agreed. Now, after this amazing victory, the City of Medicine Hat and their LGX Oil and Gas allies are challenging in court the federal government’s decision to protect the Greater Sage-Grouse, which is dangerously close to extinction in Canada.
In short, the City of Medicine Hat wants to undo all of our hard work with their legal challenge.
Nature Canada is hugely disappointed that the City of Medicine Hat and their oil and gas allies want to attack this emergency order that sets aside tracts of critically important land in Southern Alberta for protection and conservation. The emergency order is the last line of defence for protecting the highly endangered Greater Sage-Grouse, a bird whose population has dropped an astonishing number of 98% between the years 1988 and 2012.
Nature Canada strongly agrees with the federal government’s decision to issue the emergency order. Although we wish the federal government would do more on this file, issuing the emergency order was the right decision for Ottawa to make.
Nature lovers need to stand up for the Species at Risk Act. We believe that the federal government needs to defend it in court too. The decision to issue an emergency order was the right one and the federal government should confidently stand up in court and say they made the right decision.
Throughout the next few weeks, Nature Canada will be meeting with key players in Ottawa and across the country to explore our options on how best to protect the Species at Risk Act and the Greater Sage-Grouse.
Stay tuned for more information.
