OTTAWA – Today, Greenpeace Canada inflated a 20-feet tall northern spotted owl in front of the Main Entrance Gates to Rideau Hall, Justin Trudeau’s current residence, to remind him of his government’s commitment to passing a new nature law. The activity kicked off the countdown to the next Convention on Biological Diversity negotiations (Nature COP 16), scheduled for this coming October. 

The giant inflatable of the wild spotted owl, whose population has dwindled to one single female, serves as a symbol of the current nature crisis and a poignant reminder of the urgent need for new biodiversity legislation. 

So far, the Liberal government has been remarkably inconsistent in its approach to nature protection. Despite having hosted the biggest biodiversity summit of the decade resulting in the “historic” Kunming-Montreal agreement and promising new nature legislation, the government has consistently failed to meet its international nature commitments.  

For almost two years now, Greenpeace Canada alongside allies has been calling for a new biodiversity law that will address the nature crisis we are facing both globally and in Canada. This legislation must ensure the government’s accountability and transparency, center the rights of Indigenous Peoples and restore access to nature for all. 

Public support is strong – over 60,000 people have already signed Greenpeace Canada’s petition calling for the law’s swift passage. Further, seven in ten people across the country declared their support for this legislation. 

Shane Moffatt, Head of the Food and Nature campaign, Greenpeace Canada, said:

“It has now been over 400 days since Justin Trudeau’s government committed to passing this important law, and we are still waiting. In the meantime, the nature and wildlife we love across Canada continue to decline. The population of northern spotted owls dropping to just one female in the wild is a tragic testament to this dire crisis.

Our message to Prime Minister Trudeau today is clear – there is no more time to waste.

It’s easy to talk about being green, but we need action. If Justin Trudeau is serious about his nature commitments, he must pass this law before the Nature COP in October. The countdown is on.”

ENDS 

Note to editors: 

  • Photos from the activity can be found in the Greenpeace media library and will be updated throughout the day;
  • Banner design credit: Moe Pramanick; 
  • Over 60,000 people across Canada have called on the Prime Minister to pass new Nature and Biodiversity legislation;
  • According to the Wild Species 2020 report, more than 2,000 species are at risk of disappearing in Canada;
  • Seven in ten people in Canada support a new nature law, according to a poll  commissioned by Greenpeace Canada in 2022;
  • In December 2023, the federal government formalized its commitment to a new nature law in 2024;
  • In November 2023, with the support of Greenpeace Canada and allies, NDP MP Richard Cannings sponsored parliamentary petition e-4673 calling on the government to pass new nature legislation this year;
  • In 2022, Greenpeace released a report, Protecting Nature – Protecting Life, explaining the need for a new nature law.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Dina Ni, Communications Officer, Greenpeace Canada

[email protected]; +1 416 820-2148