Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson today will introduce long-awaited endangered species legislation that calls for five-year jail terms for individuals who kill endangered species or destroy critical habitat. The measure would also allow for fines of up to $170,000 for individuals and $684,000 for corporations that violate the law. At present, Canada has no law protecting endangered species. Still, enviros are unhappy with the bill because, though it calls for an independent scientific committee to evaluate which species are at risk, the cabinet would make final decisions about which species to protect. And the legislation would only mandate the protection of species on federal land, while letting the cabinet decide whether to protect plants and animals on provincial and private property.
