Canadian Environment Week and Environment Canada's 40th Anniversary

June 02, 2011

OTTAWA, Ont. -- Canada's Minister of the Environment, the Honourable Peter Kent, issued the following statement on Canadian Environment Week (June 5-11) and Environment Canada's 40th Anniversary (June 11):

"Canadian Environment Week is a call to action to all Canadians to get involved, to adopt a greener lifestyle, to celebrate actions that promote a cleaner environment and inspire others to do the same. Canadian Environment Week is about people, communities and organizations working together to preserve and protect our environment.

"The Department was established on June 11, 1971, amalgamating several federal operations, including the Meteorological Service of Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service. This year, June 11 marks Environment Canada's 40th anniversary--that's four decades of environmental leadership with action to build the Department as a world class regulator. We offer many programs to enable Canadians to protect natural areas, species and their habitats, with hundreds of partnerships to conserve and protect Canada's natural spaces and wildlife.

"Environment Canada is about excellence. Our science and technology work helps protect and conserve Canadian air, water, wildlife, climate and spaces. We help ensure a clean, safe and sustainable environment and are the nation's only official source for severe weather warnings.

"Environment Canada is about leadership. We are one of the Government of Canada's most active regulators. We administer more than a dozen statutes respecting matters as diverse as trade in endangered species and the protection of species at risk. We license dams on international rivers, regulate chemicals and greenhouse gases, and work internationally to ensure environmental sustainability.

"Join me in celebrating Canadian Environment Week and 40 years of environmental leadership!"