Warming Up For The Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Part 2

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The Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference kicks off tomorrow in Vancouver, BC, and we’ve taken a trip down memory lane in revisiting the substance of the Sound & Straits ‘92 “People’s Agreement” laying out what needed to be done to protect and restore the Salish Sea. Part 1 of this blog dealt with the ‘declaration of principles.’

Here’s the substance of what we thought in 1992 needed to be done in ‘holding the governments of Canada, the United States, British Columbia and the state of Washington accountable.”

• Timely, effective implementation of all environmental agreements.
• Restoration of salmon habitat, as required by treaty.
• Initiating an International Joint Commission investigation and actions to restore and maintain native salmon throughout the region.
• Applying the most stringent environmental protections on either side of the boarder as minimums throughout the region.
• Involving the public in all decisions which affect the Sound and Straits.
• Creating new jobs for military personnel and redirecting resources to more urgent social, economic and environmental problems.
• Protecting the ecological resources critical to all life in the region through creation of a biosphere/sanctuary regional framework.
• Protecting life and habitat through safe shipping and safe oil transport.

So, if you need something to say at the conference when asked what needs to be done to save the Sound and Straits, feel free to crib from the list. Things haven’t changed that much in 20 years.

By the way, the folks who signed the agreement represented a pretty broad range of interests that hasn’t been seen since. They included: Canadian Paperworkers Union, Reach For Unbleached, Sierra Club of Western Canada, Save Georgia Strait Alliance, Tin Wis Coalition, Sliammon Band, Friends of Cortes Island, United Fishermen & Allied Workers Union, SPEC/BC Environmental Network, Greater Victoria Disarmament, Islands Trust, Friends of the San Juans, American Oceans Campaign, People For Puget Sound, Washington Environmental Council, Friends of Boundary Bay, Puget Sounders, Center For Marine Conservation, Wildlife & Visual Enterprises, No Oil Pipeline Ever, No Oilport, Seattle Audubon Society.

Whew!