Madam Speaker, this week, April 5 to 11, is National Wildlife Week. It is during this week every year that Manitobans, along with all Canadians, work together to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife and wildlife conservation across our country. National Wildlife Week also brings us in touch with our abundant natural heritage which contributes so much to our quality of life. This year's National Wildlife Week theme, "Give wildlife an edge; protect our shorelines" focuses on the shoreline habitat and the need to protect these important areas for wildlife.
I am pleased that this theme was forwarded by Manitoba because of our interest in the conservation of riparian habitat and was accepted by jurisdictions across Canada. The theme emphasizes that wildlife depends on shorelines, be they streams, rivers, lakes or oceans, and need our help to protect or improve habitat so they can continue to flourish in a healthy environment.
National Wildlife Week was created in 1947 by an act of Parliament to commemorate the late Jack Miner, one of the founders of Canada's conservation movement. It is also the time of year when Canada geese, a species which Jack Miner was closely associated with, return in great numbers to our province. These harbingers of spring are already attracting people to Fort Whyte and the Oak Hammock Marsh Wildlife Management Area Interpretative Centre.
During National Wildlife Week, the Canada Wildlife Federation, a national nonprofit organization, works with federal, provincial and territorial wildlife agencies in the promotion of this special week. In Manitoba, a variety of conservation organizations will have displays at the Polo Park Shopping Centre in Winnipeg on April 8, 9 and 11.
I ask all Manitobans to think about the importance of wildlife and wildlife conservation to our province and to this nation during this special week.
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Mr. Stan Struthers (Dauphin): I thank the government for bringing forth this ministerial statement today on National Wildlife Week, and I join in praising the importance of setting aside a week to recognize wildlife as an important part of our ecosystem here in Manitoba. I want to point out and make perfectly clear, however, that every day is an important day to think of wildlife and not just a specific week. I want this government to reflect on such policies as capturing elk and capturing falcons and different wildlife out of nature to be used for monetary gain, as this government has been wont to do in the past. That does not fit in with the objectives of the National Wildlife Week, but I want to remind the government to every day keep in mind the principles of wildlife conservation.
I want, Madam Speaker, to make sure that we recognize those groups in Manitoba who are making a legitimate contribution to wildlife in Manitoba, including conservation districts which are doing some excellent work in rural parts of Manitoba. We commend the work that is being done by local people on boards of conservation districts throughout rural Manitoba, local wildlife federations of which I am a member in our area who have done some excellent work in conservation of wildlife as well. I want to give kudos as well to bands and band councils as well who have taken wildlife conservation steps and done some serious work in that area as well.
So, Madam Speaker, I thank the government for bringing this ministerial statement forward, and I am pleased to support Manitobans who think in terms of real wildlife conservation.