January 3, 2006

For Immediate Release

MEDIA ADVISORY

Environment Debate:
Contrasting Strategies for Sustainability

Friday January 6, 2006, 4 p.m.

Ottawa (January 3, 2006) The Green Budget Coalition is hosting a live, nationally televised debate on environmental issues amongst Canada’s five leading political parties.

WHO:

  • Hon. Stéphane Dion, Environment Minister, Liberal Party
  • Robert Mills, Conservative Party Environment Critic
  • Bernard Bigras, Bloc Québécois Environment Critic
  • David Chernushenko, Green Party Deputy Leader
  • Gord Perks, NDP Candidate, Davenport

WHEN: Friday, January 6, 2006, 4 - 5 p.m.

WHERE: Chateau Laurier Adam Room (1 Rideau St., Ottawa)

CONTACT:
Andrew Van Iterson,
Program Manager, Green Budget Coalition
613-562-8208 ext. 243
avaniterson@naturecanada.ca

The debate will be broadcast live on CPAC. It will be in English and French, with simultaneous interpretation available for candidates, panelists, and journalists (on request). Ken Rockburn will be the moderator.

Journalists and members of the public are encouraged to attend. They are asked to RSVP to debate2006@magma.ca, and arrive by 3:30 p.m. to ensure sufficient seating.

Issues likely to be discussed include:

  • Integration of environmental, economic, and human health strategies
  • Protection and restoration of Nature, i.e. biodiversity, wild spaces
  • Protection of humans and the environment from toxic chemicals
  • Climate change and energy

Panelists will include:

  • Julie Gelfand, Chair, Green Budget Coalition, and President, Nature Canada
  • Rick Smith, Executive Director, Environmental Defence
  • Pierre Sadik, Senior Policy Advisor, David Suzuki Foundation

The party leaders were initially invited, however only the NDP and Green Party leaders accepted.

The Green Budget Coalition focuses on ecological fiscal reform and the development of priority recommendations for the annual federal budget. It includes 21 of Canada’s leading environmental and conservation organizations, including Bird Studies Canada, Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Centre for Integral Economics, David Suzuki Foundation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Environmental Defence, Équiterre, Friends of the Earth Canada, Greenpeace Canada, International Institute for Sustainable Development, MiningWatch Canada, Nature Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Pembina Institute, Pollution Probe, Sierra Club of Canada, Sierra Legal Defence Fund, Social Investment Organization, and World Wildlife Fund Canada.

For information, please contact:
Andrew Van Iterson,
Program Manager, Green Budget Coalition
613-562-8208 ext. 243
avaniterson@naturecanada.ca
www.greenbudget.ca

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