Alberta Wilderness Association
In the next few days, David Coutts, the new Minister for
Sustainable Resource Development (SRD), will decide
whether to continue with Alberta's spring grizzly bear
hunt this year. AWA is optimistic that, if the Minister
hears from enough people now, he will act to suspend
the grizzly hunt, as recommended by government
scientists for the past three years.
Background
In recent years, the evidence has become more and
more solid that Alberta's grizzly bear population is not
healthy enough to support a hunt. In 2002, the
government's Endangered Species Conservation
Committee recommended to then Minister of SRD,
Mike Cardinal, that the grizzly should be listed as a
'threatened' species, which would lead to an
immediate suspension of the spring hunt.
The Minister declined to act on this advice. Instead, he
set up the provincial Grizzly Bear Recovery Team. This
multi-stakeholder team, including representatives from
industry, government and the scientific and
environmental communities, has been meeting for the
past two years, and will soon recommend to the Minister
that the hunt should be suspended.
The evidence is now overwhelming that, with a grizzly
bear population believed to be less than 700 individuals,
there are too few grizzlies in Alberta to sustain a hunt.
AWA believe that a new Minister provides a new
opportunity. Now is the time to suspend the hunt.
Action
The Minister is expected to make his decision in the
next few days, so it is important that he hears from you
now.
Write to:
The Hon. David Coutts,
Minister of Sustainable Resource Development
#420 Legislature Building, 10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6
Phone: (780) 415-4815
Fax: (780) 415-4818
Email:
Livingstone.Macleod at assembly.ab.ca
Your MLA
To find your MLA's contact info:
Freephone: 310 0000, or
www.electionsalberta.ab.ca
Or check out AWA's Action Kit at:
http://www.albertawilderness.ca/AWRC/actionkit.htm
For more information, please contact:
Nigel Douglas, AWA Outreach Coordinator,
Phone: (403) 283 2025; Email: awa at shaw.ca
Please send a copy of your letter to AWA