Thursday May 1, 2008 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Inuit are reiterating their position on the listing of the Polar Bear in the USA as a threatened species and disagree with recent comments made by a US Environmental Group for Canada to alter its listing of the Polar Bear.
“It is not surprising to us that the US Environmental Groups who have been pushing to uplist the Polar Bear under the Endangered Species Act are now going to target Canada for a similar listing,” stated National Inuit leader Mary Simon. “We knew it was a matter of time for activist in the US to politically spill the issue directly into our jurisdiction given the recent COSEWIC recommendation announced last week to maintain the Polar Bear as Special Concern.”
“Inuit are united and maintain a consistent position in the United States and Canada regarding the listing of the Polar Bear,” commented national Inuit leader Mary Simon. “In our public statements on the issue in the USA, and Canada we have called on the US Fish and Wildlife Service not to raise the listing of the Polar Bear to the “threatened” listing. I might add we have not criticized the U.S regulatory process and do not appreciate U.S. lobby groups criticizing similar Canadian processes.”
“Inuit have been crystal clear in stating our positions, both domestically and in the United States in the form of verbal, and written testimony to the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in February of this year,” stated Duane Smith, President of Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada).
Both Inuit leaders are calling for an informed decision on listing of the polar bear in both Countries; based on science and including the opinions of the peoples who are most impacted by the presence and sustainable use of this species-the Inuit.
The president of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada), Duane Smith, stated, “Inuit from Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and Chukotka know the impacts of climate change all too well, and how it affects us and our animals. Our cooperative wildlife management bodies, made up of hunters and scientists, take into account all impacts on the health of a population when setting harvesting quotas, including climate change. The right thing for any organization to do, whether it be a government agency or environmental group, is to let these bodies do their work.”
Contact:
Corinne Gray
Executive Director
ICC Canada
Tel: 613.563.2642 cgray@inuitcircumpolar.com
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Stephen Hendrie
Senior Communications Officer Inuit T apiriit Kanatami
Cell: 613.277.3178 hendrie@itk.ca