Action Alert


	Action Alert: Add your voice to the support for Bill C-15 to protect seabirds from oil pollution Canada’s Federal Bill C-15 seeks to strengthen existing measures established to protect Canada’s marine environments by amending the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and the Canadian Environment Protection Act, 1999. Your support is needed to help ensure the swift passage of Bill C-15 through the Senate with no further amendments. By supporting this bill, you will join the chorus of support for this bill from national organizations including the International Fund for Animal Welfare, World Wildlife Fund Canada, Nature Canada, Bird Studies Canada, and Sierra Club of Canada. An estimated 30 million seabirds share Canada’s east coast waters with thousands of ships each year. It is conservatively estimated that 300,000 seabirds are killed annually off the southeast coast of Newfoundland alone owing to the illegal and deliberate dumping of oil from ships. According to data collected by the Canadian Wildlife Service between 1984 and 1999, 62 per cent of birds found on beaches were oiled. Laboratory analyses shows that over 90% of this oil comes from machinery spaces which can only enter the water through deliberate or negligent acts. In the cold waters of the Northwest Atlantic a drop of oil the size of a quarter is enough to kill a seabird. Bill C-15 clarifies the enforcement powers and provides the government with the ability to effectively enforce the Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act in Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). As well, vessels over 5,000 dead weight tonnes found guilty of contravening the Migratory Birds Contravention Act will face a minimum fine of $100,000 for a summary conviction and $500,000 for an indictable offence. These greater enforcement powers and penalties will create an effective deterrent to illegal dumping. It is imperative that groups write letters to the Senate in support of Bill C-15 with no further amendments. Any amendment will force the bill back to the House of Commons where there is a risk that it will die on the order paper regardless of the sweeping support it has there. Facts: In the cold waters of the Northwest Atlantic a drop of oil the size of a quarter is enough to kill a seabird Every year 300,000 seabird die off the south eastern coast of Newfoundland due to deliberate and illegal acts of bilge oil dumping. This is the same number of birds that died in the Exxon Valdez. Unscrupulous ship operators are making the entire shipping industry look bad -- C-15 is good for legitimate ship operators Irresponsible shipping practices kill seabirds The Senate must swiftly pass Bill C-15 and include minimum fines to give the law strength Current Canadian fines for deliberate dumping are not a deterrent -- Fines need to hit the polluter in the "pocketbook" Canada needs to be able to convict deliberate dumpers Canada needs to show sovereignty over its Exclusive Economic Zone by punishing polluters within our waters If the government can't enforce its own laws, Canada will lose a national treasure - one of the last great bird breeding grounds on earth. By writing a letter to the Senate Committee for Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, you are supporting the passage of Bill C-15 and helping to protect seabirds in Canada’s waters. Oiled birds found in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve off the coast of Newfoundland last week are the result of the latest illegal bilge oil incident. Your help is needed to stop illegal dumping. You are invited to help save seabirds and make polluters pay by signing the letter below. Simply copy the text onto your letterhead, or write your own letter. You can mail, email or fax your letters to the Senators at the contact information provided below. The Senate Committee is expected to vote on this bill in early April, so please endeavour to send in your letter as soon as possible. The organizations listed at the end of the sample letter can be copied via the email addresses provided. Senate Sample Letter Dear Senator [insert Senator’s name here], I am writing to you on behalf of XXX. Our organization was shocked to learn that 300,000 seabirds are dying every year off the coast of Newfoundland because of illegal and deliberate bilge oil dumping. This is the same number of birds that died in the catastrophic Exxon Valdez spill. The waste oil dumped into our oceans is taking a serious toll on our beloved and fragile marine life. On behalf of our XXX members, the (name of organization) urge you to support Bill C-15 and address this issue on our behalf. Ship crews passing through Canadian waters are aware of our history of limited resources dedicated to ocean surveillance and enforcement. The fines dealt to the small number of vessels caught deliberately dumping waste oil in Canadian waters are low, with an average fine of just $30,000. Although the fines handed out by Canadian courts are increasing, they are still substantially lower than the fines delivered in similar USA and UK cases, which have delivered fines of $509,000 US and £411,000, respectively. Such low fines have created an atmosphere in which deliberate oil spills are encouraged. In order to act as a true economic deterrent, fines for this deplorable practice need to be increased to match those handed out by other countries bordering the Atlantic. We are asking you to swiftly pass Bill C-15. This Bill will make polluters pay for the damage they are creating and create a deterrent to stop future illegal and deliberate oil dumping. This bill should be passed to include the minimum fine provision and without any further amendments. We want to see an end to the illegal and deliberate dumping of oil in Atlantic Canada. A single bird dying as a result of a deliberate and illegal act of pollution is completely unacceptable. We look forward to your timely response and immediate action. Sincerely, [insert your name and address] cc: Kim Elmslie, Campaigner, International Fund for Animal Welfare, kelmslie@ifaw.org Rob Rainer, Director of Conservation, Nature Canada, rrainer@naturecanada.ca George Finney, President, Bird Studies Canada, gfinney@bsc-eoc.org Martin von Mirbach, National Conservation Director, Sierra Club of Canada, martinvm@sierraclub.ca Josh Laughren, Director, Marine Conservation, World Wildlife Fund Canada, jlaughren@wwfcanada.org Senate Committee for Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources (Bill C-15: An Act to amend the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 is presently before the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources.) The toll-free Senate of Canada line: 1-800-267-7362 (Please note that no postage stamp is required for mail to Senators) Members: Banks, Tommy (Chair) - Liberal, Edmonton Address: The Honourable Senator Tommy Banks 600 Victoria Building The Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 992-1938 Fax: (613) 995-6691 E-MAIL: bankst@sen.parl.gc.ca Cochrane, Ethel (Deputy Chair) -Conservative, Newfoundland and Labrador Address: The Honourable Senator Ethel Cochrane 148 EAST BLOCK The Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613)-992-1561 Fax: (613) 995-6691 E-MAIL: cochre@sen.parl.gc.ca Adams, Willie - Liberal, Nunavut Address: The Honourable Senator Willie Adams The Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 992-2753 Fax: (613) 995-6691 E-MAIL: adamsw@sen.parl.gc.ca Angus, W. David – Conservative, Alma, Québec Address: The Honourable Senator W. David Angus 903 Victoria Building The Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 947-3193 Fax: (613) 947-3195 E-MAIL: anguswd@sen.parl.gc.ca Buchanan, John – Conservative, Halifax, Nova Scotia Address: The Honourable Senator John Buchanan The Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 943-1409 Fax: (613) 995-3521 E-MAIL: buchaj@sen.parl.gc.ca Christensen, Ione – Liberal, Yukon Address: The Honourable Senator Ione Christensen Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 996-5937 Fax: (613) 996-5954 E-MAIL: chrisi@sen.parl.gc.ca Gustafson, Leonard – Conservative, Saskatchewan Address: The Honourable Senator Leonard Gustafson Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 947-2233 Fax: (613) 947-2235 E-MAIL: gustale@sen.parl.gc.ca Hubley, Elizabeth – Liberal, PEI Address: The Honourable Senator Elizabeth Hubley Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 992-1177 Fax: (613) 992-1516 E-MAIL: hublee@sen.parl.gc.ca Kenny, Colin - Liberal, Rideau, Ontario Address: The Honourable Senator Colin Kenny Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 996-2877 Fax: (613) 996-3737 E-MAIL: kennyco@sen.parl.gc.ca Lavigne, Raymond - Liberal, Montarville, Québec Address: The Honourable Senator Raymond Lavigne Senate of Canada Room 305; East block Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 947-2547 Fax: (613) 947-2569 E-MAIL: lavigr@sen.parl.gc.ca Milne, Lorna – Liberal, Peel County, Ontario Address: The Honourable Senator Lorna Milne Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 947-7695 Fax: (613) 947-9589 E-MAIL: milnel@sen.parl.gc.ca Spivak, Mira – Independent, Manitoba Address: The Honourable Senator Mira Spivak Senate of Canada Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A4 Phone: (613) 995-1488 Fax: (613) 992-2912 E-MAIL: spivam@sen.parl.gc.ca

Action Alert:

Add your voice to the support for Bill C-15 to protect seabirds from oil pollution