News Releases
Government Home Search Sitemap Contact Us  


December 1, 1998
(Forest Resources and Agrifoods)


The following statement was issued today by Kevin Aylward, Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I wish to take this opportunity to update the House on the progress being made towards the development of an Endangered Species Act for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and to report on some of the initiatives being carried out on behalf of species at risk in this province.

Almost a year ago Cabinet gave its approval to proceed with the development of an Endangered Species Act.

We did so for two reasons:

First, there was a recognition that legal protection currently being offered to endangered species in this province was inadequate and for some species non-existent,

Second, we committed through the NATIONAL ACCORD FOR THE PROTECTION OF SPECIES AT RISK along with all other provincial, territorial governments, and the federal government, to ensure that no species in Canada will go extinct as a result of human intervention.

Under the accord each jurisdiction will ensure it has legislation in place to protect and recover endangered species.

Officials from my department went around the province in January and February of this year visiting nine communities soliciting comments and suggestions on what such an act should contain.

To help facilitate the discussion we produced a paper entitled

"A PUBLIC CONSULTATION PAPER REGARDING AN ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT FOR THE PROVINCE OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR".

Close to 200 people attended the meetings and gave their overwhelming support to the concept of an Endangered Species Act. In addition we received over 50 written submissions from the general public, business and environmental groups.

In total there were more than 800 comments on the proposed legislation. We have reviewed each and every comment and have used a number of the suggestions to help strengthen an already good legislative proposal.

I say this because during the consultation process, and since, we have received high praise from within and outside the province for our proposal and our consultation process.

It has even been suggested that our legislative proposal could be a national model for endangered species legislation. Most recently a coalition of national environmental groups gave this province's proposal the highest ranking of any existing or proposed Endangered Species Act in Canada.

As well, there continues to be a national dialogue on the implementation of the various elements of the National Accord including legislation. Through this process we are better able to harmonize our efforts with other jurisdictions.

I hope to bring forward for discussion with my colleagues in the near future a set of drafting instructions for an endangered species act. I am now awaiting finalization of the federal Endangered Species Act to ensure that it complements proposed provincial legislation.

Legislation, however, is only one tool in the protection and recovery of species at risk. Within the past decade we have made significant strides in the protection of endangered species. We have established an endangered species program within the department - with a full time endangered species biologist.

We have set up a protected area for the endangered piping plover and are currently working with others to establish reserves to protect the habitat for the endangered Newfoundland pine marten.

We have taken steps to reduce the accidental mortality of pine marten and are also involved in captive breeding of this species. One of the steps taken was the introduction of a modified snaring program to eliminate the deaths of pine marten in rabbit snares.

The recent death of a pine marten in a conventional snare in the Terra Nova area confirms the need for this modified snaring initiative.

We participate as well on recovery teams for such species as the peregrine falcon, wolverine, and harlequin duck.

We have also been successful in establishing partnerships with the public, industry and environmental groups for the protection and recovery of species. These partnerships have been built in part on an understanding that we all share a concern and responsibility for species at risk.

It is this government's intention with the assistance of legislation to ensure that we will never again witness an extinction of a species. I hope to rise again before you soon to introduce this critically important piece of legislation.

1998 12 01 2:20 p.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement