In the Speech from the Throne delivered on January 30, 2001, the Government of Canada said it would invest in the creation of new national parks and implement a plan to restore existing parks to ecological health. It also made a commitment to work with partners toward more integrated, sustainable management of Canada's oceans and to re-introduce legislation for marine conservation areas. The Speech further stated that the Government of Canada would continue to work with others to strengthen Canada's cultural infrastructure and would help Canadians to strengthen their bonds of mutual understanding and respect, to celebrate their achievements and history and to exercise their shared citizenship. The Parks Canada Agency is a key instrument to help the Government of Canada achieve these goals. At the same time, the Agency faces unprecedented environmental, social, cultural, economic and technological changes which will profoundly influence its future.
Human activities are altering the pace of ecological change — Canada is losing wilderness at the rate of one acre every 13 seconds (World Wildlife Fund 2001), ecosystems are being degraded, more species are becoming endangered every year, and genetic diversity is being reduced. According to a Market Facts of Canada 1999 poll, 9 out of 10 Canadians consider it important that their governments take action to protect wilderness. The increased rate of degradation in the environment will require accelerated efforts to protect national parks and national marine conservation areas.
Canada's national parks themselves are under significant stress from forces both within and outside the parks: habitat loss and fragmentation, loss of large carnivores, air pollution, pesticides, exotic species and over-use by visitors threaten their ecological integrity. Canadians are virtually unanimous (97%) in believing that protection of existing national parks is important (Environics, 2000). Increasingly, Parks Canada must work with landowners and others in innovative stewardship initiatives that protect ecosystems.
Canada is increasingly a multicultural and pluralistic society. By the year 2006, one in six persons are expected to be members of a visible minority. By the year 2011, seniors will account for one in seven Canadians while Aboriginal communities are younger and growing faster than the overall population. For many, the Canadian experience is also an urban one. Changing demographics challenge Parks Canada to develop strategies to reach out and be relevant to a more diverse audience and to reflect Canada's changing make-up within its ranks.
The emerging voices of Canada's Aboriginal peoples have and will continue to have profound effects on the operations of Parks Canada. Ongoing dialogue, open collaboration and creative management approaches will be essential to maintain positive working relationships with Aboriginal peoples.
Many of Canada's national historic sites are under severe threat and there is grave risk they will be lost forever if actions are not taken to preserve them. Since the 1970s, over 20% of Canada's historic places have been lost. According to the 2001 Goldfarb Report, 93% of Canadians consider it important to preserve Canada's heritage and 91% suggest that the preservation of the historical record is essential in promoting pride in the country. Increasingly Parks Canada must work closely with stakeholders to continue to reflect the country's evolving history and heritage, enhance commemoration of under-represented groups and find ways to protect Canada's built history.
There has also been a revolution in our ability to communicate. Technological change and the information revolution have created a more knowledge-based economy and society. This is placing a premium on knowledge, creativity and innovation. Canadians are becoming one of the most connected nations in the world in terms of Internet usage. E-commerce and the Internet are becoming more dominant forces in tourism. Parks Canada must consider how best to tap into evolving information and communication technologies and partner with other communication vehicles to reach out to Canadians and the world.
The rise of regionalism, the changing roles of other levels of government, the public responsibilities of the private sector and the growth of cities are other emerging challenges facing Canada. The lack of a common agenda among the different sectors, along with shifting federal-provincial dynamics, pose barriers to the ability of all players to unite around common issues in the best interests of Canadians, such as the environment and the protection of Canada's heritage. At the same time, citizens expect more transparency and accountability from government and more participation in public policy and decision-making. Parks Canada must increasingly develop ways to build innovative solutions that bridge sectors, build partnerships, strengthen public accountability and modernize comptrollership practices.
Canada's protected heritage areas are important to Canada's economy - they contribute in excess of $1.2 billion to the gross domestic product and provide 50,000 full-time jobs annually. They are also important symbols of Canadian identity — national parks and national historic sites are ranked 3rd and 4th respectively (Environics 2000). As a result of Canada's strong economic links with our neighbour to the south, the slowdown in the United States has spilled over into Canada, affecting the travel and tourism sector. This was further exacerbated following the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. The impact on both domestic and foreign visitor trends to Canada's national parks and national historic sites is important, affecting not only the local economy surrounding each park and site but also the revenue targets for Parks Canada over the short term. The long-term outlook is still being assessed and is expected to be a factor in the strength of Parks Canada's contribution to the overall economy. Parks Canada also has a vital role to play in reaffirming Canadian values in these troubled times.
Attention needs to be given to resource requirements for ecological integrity, commemorative integrity, extension of the systems of parks and sites, operations and management of built assets. Parks Canada must also continue its efforts to recruit a competent and diverse workforce and ensure succession plans are in place to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
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