Two new national parks announced

Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced that the government of Canada has protected lands for two new national parks in Canada's Arctic. The announcement was made by the Prime Minister at the opening of the World Conservation Congress in Montreal.

"This action to set aside ecologically sensitive land is an important step in this government's ongoing effort to complete Canada's National Parks system," said the Prime Minister.

The two proposed national parks that will be protected by land withdrawals are both in the Northwest Territories. The first is at Wager Bay, located on the west coast of Hudson Bay, just south of the Arctic Circle, and the second is at Northern Bathurst Island in the High Arctic near the Magnetic North Pole.

"Preserving our natural heritage is a responsibility that belongs to all Canadians. In cooperation with the Inuit of the North, the government of Canada, through this important action, will make one of the world's largest parks systems even larger," said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Ron Irwin supported this action by stating: "I am pleased my department was able to contribute by providing interim protection of these lands under the Territorial Lands Act. These proposed national parks will ensure the protection of centuries of Inuit cultural resources that, to this day, are a part of the traditional lifestyle of nearby Inuit communities."

The Wager Bay area is home to abundant wildlife, including polar bears, walrus and peregrine falcon. The area has been used by Inuit hunters for thousands of years. Northern Bathurst Island lies near the edge of the permanent polar ice pack and is home to several species of migratory birds, along with muskoxen and an endangered population of Peary caribous.

"Good progress is also being made on other proposed national parks," said Ms. Copps. Priority proposals include North Baffin in the NWT, Torngat Mountains and Mealy Mountains in Labrador, and the Interlake region of Manitoba. Ms. Copps noted that in the last six months, the government has protected through park establishment agreements and land withdrawals, more than 60,000 square kilometres of land -- an area larger than the province of Nova Scotia.

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