September 5, 2003

 

Dear Friends

 

You and I have an opportunity during the next three weeks of the Ontario election campaign to make a crucial difference for wildlife.

 

Virtually everyone in this community is aware that the unconscionable actions of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in seizing healthy baby animals, its outrageous treatment of community volunteers and its regressive regulations that prevent any kind of humane help for wild mammals has forced the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre to close.

 

While your letters, rallies and petitions have up until now appeared to have fallen on deaf ears as far as the MNR and the Tory government is concerned, now is a key time to make all candidates in this election aware that this is not the kind of city or province we wish to live in. More important, it is an opportunity to obtain a commitment from candidates in your riding that they will work on behalf of changes to the Ministry’s policies and attitudes to bring them into line with public opinion and community values.

 

The enclosed letter and survey that has been sent to all area candidates will provide you with the background for the changes required. Candidates for the various ridings are listed on the back of this letter for your information. We will be reporting back to you on the web site noted below on the responses received but given the little time available, we hope you will use the following opportunities:

 

·        Make your views known when candidates seeking support come to your door – ask for a specific commitment

 

·        Send a letter to candidates and your community newspaper on the issue

 

·        Attend the All-Candidates meeting in your area to ask candidates where they stand. As these meetings will be a critical forum, we are asking for your help in letting us know when they will be held in your area and to ensure that someone attends. Community media cover these meetings so it is a good way to get exposure for the issue – take along a copy of the letter/survey to candidates in case the media or others ask you for background.

 

Information on the issues can be found on http://www.wildlifeontario.ca/ including the letter to Ernie Eves (home page – see Related Story “Read letter to Premier Eves” – June 23,2003) that details the evidence supporting our real concern that the animals seized are being used for research.

 

You can also check this web site for results to the survey of candidates following the September 15^th deadline.

 

It has been a terrible year for wildlife and it doesn’t promise to improve unless we can make a difference politically. Let’s work together to make it happen.

 

Friends and volunteers of the Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre

 

Contact: ocwc@ncf.ca or OCWC, P.O. Box 3525, Station C, Ottawa, KIY 4G1