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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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