NOTES FOR REMARKS BY PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRÉTIEN AT A SIGNING CEREMONY

October 2, 2003
Vancouver, British Columbia

One year ago, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, I announced Canada's five-year action plan to establish ten new national parks and five new national marine conservation areas.

This is the most ambitious plan to expand and protect national parks and national marine conservation areas ever in this country. It aims to protect over 100,000 square kilometres of wilderness, which will increase our national parks system by nearly 50%.

The Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, here in BC, was the first new park created under the action plan.

Today, with the Honourable Herb Dhaliwal and Senator Ross Fitzpatrick, and the Premier and Minister Murray, we are moving ahead on several more fronts.

Premier Campbell and I will sign an agreement to work together to create another national park reserve and two national marine conservation area reserves in the province of British Columbia.

As Canadians, our vast and diverse lands and oceans continually inspire us. With today's agreement, we are showing respect and gratitude for these great natural gifts.

The Premier and I look forward to the establishment of a new national park reserve in the south Okanagan.

It is a spectacular area of rugged mountains, beautiful lakes, and home to bighorn sheep and other rare species.

As soon as possible after the ink is dry on today's agreement, we will launch public consultations detailing how this park will take shape. Partnerships with local governments, local citizens and Aboriginal peoples will be key to establishing the park. This is the way that Parks Canada works today to ensure national parks become national treasures.

That same spirit of consultation and outreach will be at the heart of the study we are launching for a national marine conservation area reserve in the southern Straight of Georgia. This is a major opportunity to protect a rich diversity of marine life in the middle of an area busy with human activity.

We will also begin consultations to develop a management plan for the proposed Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. Among other important measures, we need to work towards an agreement with the Haida Nation. The seabirds, whales and dolphins of Gwaii Haanas have been a vital part of the culture of the Haida people for thousands of years.

We want all British Columbians to benefit from the economic spin-offs created by these new sites. Tourism is a pillar of the BC economy. Visitors come to Canada from around the world to see these natural wonders. National parks provide new economic opportunities for tourism and jobs in local communities. It's about partnership. It's about working together. It's about conservation, and spurring regional economies. As a nation, we must never take our environmental splendour for granted. We must show leadership in the preservation of Canada's – and the earth's – natural treasures.

You know, I was a brand new Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development when I came out to BC to hike part of the West Coast Trail – at the invitation of David Anderson, who was a brand new Member of Parliament. I walked the trail in a pair of very tight boots that I borrowed from David's mother.

I was so awestruck by the beauty of the land and the beauty of the sea that I was convinced we should create Pacific Rim National Park Reserve – and in 1970, I invited Princess Anne to dedicate the park.

Pacific Rim protects sea stars and clams and killer whales, and 200 species of fish. It is home to over 400 species of plants, including an undersea forest.

In 1972, I attended a protest rally in Victoria and promised that the priceless old growth forest of the Nitinat Triangle would never be logged, and that it would be added to Pacific Rim. In those days, I was a pretty controversial guy.

That same sense of duty and opportunity is clear to me again today. We are building on the foundation of Pacific Rim and Gulf Islands. We are building on the foundation of Glacier National Park. And Yoho. And Kootenay. And Mount Revelstoke.

I want to thank the Premier and his team. So many dedicated British Columbians, including my friend the Minister of Natural Resources, have made today's major announcement come to life.

Today, Canada has many faces. Canadians are very proud of our human diversity.

But in one of my first speeches as the Minister for Parks, I said, in 1969, that "Nature is the original face of Canada." Nature is part of our Canadian identity, part of our Canadian soul.

We need to show reverence for nature. We need to be trustees of nature. With this announcement, we are doing both.

Thank you very much et Vive le Canada.

- 30 -