WEDNESDAY'S WHALE HEARINGS Working on your 5 minute speech for Wednesday night's Whale Hearings? Here's a few tips for you to keep in mind: 1. FORMAL GREETING: "Good evening Mr. Chairman and Park Board Commissioners" 2. "My name is ... and I am a resident of Vancouver." NOTE only say this if you are a Vancouverite - otherwise, PLEASE don't mention where you live. Commissioners get elected only by Vancouver residents, so that's their interest. Keep them guessing if you live somewhere else! 3. "I am here today to urge the commissioners to immediately ban the importation of more whales and dolphins into the Vancouver Aquarium." 4. "I do not believe the Aquarium can be trusted and therefore ask the commissioners to reject the Aquarium's proposal to continue bringing beluga whales to perform until 2029." 5. "Please find a way tonight to end the cruelty of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity in Stanley Park. The public is counting on you to do the right thing and restrict the Aquarium from bringing any more whales and dolphins - so there can be a total phase out of cetacean exhibits. 6. Always say "Thank you" at the end of your speech - and then stay put, because the Chairman might ask commissioners if they have any questions for you. Only when the Chair says that you are free to go, you leave the microphone. There are so many speakers that there will probably not be any questions for speakers, but just in case... stay put. --------------------------- IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP TO SPEAK YET, PLEASE REGISTER BY WEDNESDAY AT NOON AT THE LATEST. http://vancouver.ca/your-government/speak-at-a-meeting.aspx We will gladly edit you speech, if you want to e-mail it to us: No Whales In Captivity THANK YOU and good luck tomorrow night!