Public consultation meeting results: 16th Conference of the Parties

Environment Canada hosted a public consultation meeting in Ottawa, Ontario on November 6, 2012. The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to provide to the Canadian government their opinions and positions on the proposals and working documents that will be on the agenda for the meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) in March 2013.

Participants had the opportunity to provide verbal comments on all of the 71 proposals that are on the agenda for CoP16, and the over 75 working documents. A number of these concern Canadian species, polar bear, porbeagle shark, spotted turtle, Blanding’s turtle, and American ginseng. Substantial discussions occurred on the proposals for polar bear, African elephant, white rhinoceros, and reptiles. There was also general discussion on a number of the marine proposals including sharks, sawfish, manta rays and stingrays, and the working document concerning the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) permit requirements for marine species captured on the high seas.

Anyone is welcome to provide written comments in the proposals or working documents to the CITES Scientific Authority (cites-science@ec.gc.ca; CITES Scientific Authority,Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, 351 St. Joseph Blvd, 16^th floor, Gatineau, Quebec  K1A 0H3). Canada will use the public meeting and any other written comments as a source of information when developing positions for Canada, in preparation for CoP16.

A list of meeting participants (by organization or government) is provided below.

Organization

• Environment Canada
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Humane Society International (Canada)
• Humane Society International/Species Survival Network
• International Fur Trade Federation
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• IWMC
• Fur Institute of Canada
• Joint Secretariat-Inuvialuit Settlement Region
• Makivik Corporation
• Natural Resources Canada (Canadian Forest Service)
• Nunatsiavut Government
• Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board
• Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
• Safari Club International-Canada
• Sierra Club Canada
• TRAFFIC
• Wildlife Management Advisory Council (WMAC)NWT
• World Wildlife Fund