Saturday: Cortes Youth Champion Bill M211; The Species At Risk Protection Act

 

Youth from Cortes Island, BC are hosting an educational rally on the legislative grounds in Victoria this coming  Saturday, October 13 from 11 am – 4 pm.

Cortes youth are championing Bill M211, the Species At Risk Protection Act that has been proposed by the NDP, achieved first reading and is presently tabled.

Forest lands on Cortes Island threatened by industrial logging prompted the youth to research out what protection, if any, was afforded the numerous species at risk making these forest lands their home.

The youth discovered that BC has no species at risk protection legislation in place; together with Alberta, the only 2 Canadian provinces without legal protection for species at risk.

The youth further learned that polls show 85% of British Columbians are in favour of protection for the 1900 species at risk in BC.

So… they made the decision to champion Bill M211!!!!!!!!!

Over the past 6 months Cortes youth and their friends in Victoria have created original artwork depicting 8 of the species at risk occurring in the forest lands threatened on Cortes Island.

They have had buttons made from this artwork and will be handing these out to the public in downtown Victoria (by donation) in conjunction with their educational rally on the front steps of the legislature.

Their strategy is that buttons travel far on public lapels and disseminate the information widely!!!!!!!

Fairahn Reid and Eira-Shay Barker Hart have taken the lead in this youth initiative, with the support of fellow Cortes students and new friends made while attending school in Victoria. Show them your support on Saturday if you are in Victoria or sign on to the petition to bring in legal protection for species at risk in BC at www.protectbiodiversity.ca/action

Kudos to our youth for speaking out for the protection of species at risk!!