EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRÉTIEN'S ADDRESS ANNOUNCING THE CREATION OF NEW NATIONAL PARKS

October 3, 2002
Ottawa, Ontario

A few days ago, our government laid out a Speech from the Throne with an ambitious and action-oriented agenda focussed on the priorities of Canadians, focussed on the future. Today, we hit the ground running with a five-year action plan to substantially complete the National Park system of Canada. A plan that will see the creation of 10 new national parks, five new marine conservation areas and decisive steps to restore our existing parks. It is the most ambitious plan to expand and protect national parks and national marine conservation areas in over 100 years. It will protect over 100,000 square kilometres of wilderness, the size of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia combined. The funds to support this plan will be provided in the fiscal framework.

I speak often of my love for the rugged beauty of Canada. I inherited this from my parents. And I was fortunate to grow up in La Mauricie, one of the most beautiful regions of Quebec. But it was during my tenure as Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development that my eyes were truly opened to the awesome natural wonders of Canada, to their breathtaking, inspirational power. The awesome Rockies, dazzling coastlines, beautiful beaches and rare forests. The Great Lakes. Places where aboriginal peoples have lived for thousands of years. Places where nature lives on in all her glory. From Baffin Island to the St. Lawrence.

The sheer scope and diversity of our natural blessings staggers the imagination. For all Canadians, preserving the natural heritage of Canada is one of our greatest passions. In my time as Minister I felt the awesome responsibility that we have to preserve and protect these precious blessings. An obligation not only to each other as Canadians but to the world. I will always be proud of having created ten national parks in four years - from Gros Morne in Newfoundland and Labrador to Pacific Rim in British Columbia.

In the years since, much has changed. We have a much deeper sense now that we are not masters of our wild places but stewards and trustees. We have a much more fully-developed understanding of the stresses that human development is placing on our ecology and the diversity of our species. We have moved rapidly in recent years from viewing parks largely as prime vacation spots to a viewing them in a much broader sense, as indispensable links in the ecological chain. Healthy tourism requires healthy parks, and healthy parks require wise stewardship.

When I was a Minister, creating national parks sometimes seemed as simple as circling a place on a map. In fact, I did that once. While taking a flight from Pangnirtung to Brockton Island, we flew over a fabulous fjord. I was like a kid, running around the plane telling everybody to look out the window - they were already looking but I told them to look anyway.

Finally, I sat down and said, "Aline, I will make a park here for you". When I returned to my office on Monday, I consulted the Minister of Indian Affairs, who was myself, consulted the Minister of Northern Affairs, who was myself, and consulted the Minister responsible for parks, who was myself, and they all agreed on the matter. I took out my pen and made that park, and the law came after that.

Today, the creation of new parks is a much more complex and cooperative process. We still negotiate with the provinces and the territories, but we also work closely and negotiate with Aboriginal peoples, park residents, local communities, land owners, environmentalists and business people.

Indeed, more than 80 percent of the national parks we are announcing today will be established in partnership with Aboriginal peoples. I am very happy that a number of our Aboriginal partners are here today, because this action plan has been created in partnership with them. In the coming months, negotiation will continue with key partners to advance this plan. I am also happy to recognize in the audience some people who are long-standing champions of our national parks. Jacques Gérin, who wrote such an important panel report for us on the health of our parks, Tom Lee, who just stepped down as Parks Canada CEO, and Alan Latourelle, his successor.

There are also numerous members of Parliament and Senators who have been champions for parks and marine conservation. I cannot name them all but I'd like to name a few, like Nancy Karetak-Lindell from Nunavut, Clifford Lincoln, Senator Ross Fitzpatrick, and of course, Sheila Copps. When I made her Minister of Canadian Heritage, I told her, "Sheila, take care of my parks". Sheila, you've done a great, great job.

My friends, this is a great day for Canada but it really marks just the beginning. There is a lot more hard work to be done to fulfil the promise of this action plan. I am immensely grateful to everyone who has made this day possible and I am immensely confident that we will meet the challenges to come.

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