Dear Prime Minister Trudeau:

In Canada's wilderness, only one spotted owl remains—a stark symbol of a crisis. [1] This heartbreaking reality is directly linked to your inaction to create a nation-wide nature protection law. This morning, a friend on behalf of the lone spotted owl took a message to your doorstep: "Nature is in crisis, and your words are empty without action. Pass a biodiversity protection law before the next Nature COP negotiations; the clock is ticking! "

The spotted owl's decline to a solitary individual in Canada is intricately tied to the absence of adequate measures, during almost a decade in power, from your Liberal government. But the spotted owl is not an isolated case: with over 2000 species at risk in Canada, current laws are failing nature. [2] We need legislation that holds the government accountable and ensures that Canada actually meets biodiversity targets, especially after chronic failures to deliver on previous ones. [3]

The plight of dwindling species like the spotted owl has not gone unnoticed: over 60,000 people across the country have raised a red flag by signing our petition calling for the swift passage of new nature legislation. [4] Today, alongside activists, volunteers, and supporters from every part of Canada, we are reminding you, prime minister Trudeau, that inaction is no longer an option. You need to hear us loud and clear and help to pass a strong Nature & Biodiversity Act before this year’s Convention on Biological Diversity negotiations in October. Will you help the spotted owl deliver her message to all government politicians on both sides of the political spectrum?

Yes, I will help the owl deliver her message.

Over a year ago, your government actually signed a global biodiversity agreement then committed to passing nature protection legislation to make it a reality here in Canada. The Liberal government recently reaffirmed that commitment at the end of 2023. [5, 6] But words upon words and “formal announcements” amount to blah blah blah as the clock keeps ticking. It’s time for real action from you AND YOUR GOVERNMENT PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU, not just words.

Urge your government to pass a law to protect nature.

If a lone spotted owl is a reminder of anything, it's this: we don't need to wait until species are on the brink to act. A strong nature protection law for Canada means preventing further losses. It's up to us to speak the words they cannot and bring those to the ears of our elected representatives.

Thank you for being a crucial part of this movement,   Léanne, Digital Campaigner, Greenpeace Canada

Sources: [1] ‘There’s Only One Spotted Owl Left in the Canadian Wild. Can She Be Saved?’, June 2 2023, The Walrus [2] ‘More than 2,000 wild species face a high risk of being wiped out in Canada, report warns’, November 30 2022, CBC [3] Report: Protecting Nature, Protecting Life, Greenpeace Canada, June 2022 [4] Petition: ‘Protect biodiversity in Canada: Urge Justin Trudeau to pass a law to protect nature before Nature COP this year’, Greenpeace Canada [5] Government of Canada takes action to restore and protect nature with commitment to introduce a nature accountability bill in 2024, Government of Canada, 9 Dec 2023 [6] Nature groups give high marks for Canada’s new commitment to a high ambition action plan to halt and reverse nature loss, Greenpeace Canada, 15 December 2022

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