Together with your help, we finally did it! And we are SO excited! After 5 letters to the government, 6 years of campaigning, and amassing over 640,000 signatures, we are thrilled the government has launched a public consultation to confirm what we already know - Canadians want a ban on the elephant ivory trade.
If you do nothing else today, PLEASE assure the Minister you want elephants protected. It takes less than a minute to add your name to our letter here, no matter what country you live in.
Why is This Such Good News?
This is a direct result of numerous zoom calls between the Minister for Environment's office, Elephanatics, and HSI/Canada. In 2017, the UK government released a public consultation, and four months after they announced “the toughest ivory ban in the world”. We believe that will be Canada’s story too. BUT, we all need to participate in the consultation to prove that a majority wants an ivory trade ban.
What is a Public Consultation?
The federal government regularly conducts public consultations on various issues that affect Canadians. It publishes information about a particular issue online and invites the public to “vote” (i.e. say how they would feel about the proposed action).
How Can I Help Elephants?
The more steps you take below, the more likely the government will consider your vote and ban the ivory trade. Plus we’ve given you shortcuts!
1. Add your name to the letter here. (You don't have to make a donation for your vote to count.)
2. Ask your friends on Facebook or Twitter to join you. Suggested message to copy and paste: If you love elephants and want to prevent their extinction like me, please go to https://bit.ly/ivoryfreecan to add your name to the letter asking the Canadian government to ban the ivory trade. It takes less than a minute and if you live on planet Earth, your vote counts!
3. Copy and paste the letter below into an email, put your name at the bottom, and send to ReglementsFaune-WildlifeRegulations@ec.gc.ca.
Thank you for all the support you have given us and the elephants. We could not have done this without you.
Sincerely,
The Ivory-Free Canada Coalition
Dear Minister Wilkinson,
The African elephant population has declined by a staggering 96 percent in the past century alone. This decline is largely driven by poaching, motivated by global demand for elephant ivory. Accordingly, CITES recommended in 2016, that nations with legal ivory markets, close those markets "as a matter of urgency."
Canadians expect this government to take a leadership position in protecting African elephants for future generations. In turn, elephants effectively reduce climate change, thereby protecting us and our world. Given the urgency of the situation, I support the implementation of the following:
Commercial Trade
• An import or re-export prohibition for Appendix II specimens for commercial purposes
• An import or re-export prohibition for pre-Convention raw ivory for commercial purposes
• An import or re-export prohibition for pre-Convention worked ivory for commercial purposes
Non-Commercial Trade
• Prohibition of import of hunting trophies into Canada and their re-export from Canada
• For trade related to enforcement, research, museums, musical instruments, or education facilities; a need for an import permit for Appendix II for ivory specimens
Personal and Household Items
• Replacing the permit exemption for ivory items with a need for an import or export permit
• Restricting movement of personal ivory items for a household move or inheritance
The Canadian government is at a crossroads, and the actions it takes now to protect African elephants will be remembered for generations to come. I urge you to act now to protect African elephants, global biodiversity, and the values of Canadians - 94% of whom support this ban.
Sincerely,