NEWS RELEASE—For Immediate Release—Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Wilderness Committee applauds Newfoundland and Labrador for taking back control of public lands and waters

Largest environmental citizen group in Canada supports government decision to rescind corporate tenure rights over public lands and waters after a contract violation

The Wilderness Committee is congratulating the Newfoundland and Labrador government decision to repatriate provincial lands and waters from multinational corporation AbitibiBowater. A century-old contract gave AbitibiBowater the rights to lands and waters in central Newfoundland in exchange for operating a mill and providing employment in the area. When the mill announced closure, the government stepped in to take back control over the provincial lands and waters.

The majority of lands and waters all across Canada are owned by the public, yet they are primarily controlled by corporations through leases and rights licenses. Any attempt to manage or protect public lands and waters for the greater good of Canadians is made difficult by the contracts that have given control of our public lands to these corporations. The Wilderness Committee values healthy communities, and ecologically sustainable industry in our natural and wild areas. The ability to manage forest and waters for the greater good of the citizens is best accomplished when decision-making control is in the hands of government.

"The profound importance of Premier William's decision should not be underestimated." said Eric Reder, Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee, from his Winnipeg office. "This should be a national precedent. Across Ontario, BC, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, local mill employees are worried about what their corporate bosses will do with their jobs, just as environmentalists are trying to find ways to ensure Canada's biological diversity is protected."

"Put the power to manage lands and waters back in the hands of the elected government representatives, not some absentee rights-holder only interested in profit," said Eric Reder, Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee from his Winnipeg office. "Recently, the government of Manitoba gave million-dollar gifts to logging corporations that have tenure over public forests in this province, so they would stop logging parks. The corporations responded by saying 'thanks for the money' and then laying off all of their workers. At least at the end of the day in Newfoundland, the government will have the rights to the forests, and be able to move forward with employment opportunities in the area, while also having the opportunity to introduce proper environmental protections."

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