The fate of Banff National Park now lies in the hands of Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage. Most Canadians are now aware that Banff is an ecological mess.

After the release of the Bow Valley Study last Fall, Copps and Prime Minister Chretien promised strong action to restore Banff's ecological integrity.

But other voices have been working to weaken their resolve. Examples:

• To restore a critical wildlife movement corridor, Copps promised to remove the Army Cadet camp which fragments its effectiveness. But, in response to the Cadet lobby defense Minister Doug Young recently said he had not agreed to the closure.
• The Bow Valley Study recommended seasonal closures and reduced use of the Bow Valley Parkway because of the area's importance to wildlife. But, a lobby group has sprung up to fight those recommendations.
• Others have hired professional lobbyists to press their case behind the scenes in Ottawa.
• The list goes on.

There is overwhelming evidence that human use patterns in Banff National Park must change if species like grizzly bears are to survive. But Parks Canada has not demonstrated in the past that it can withstand lobbying which runs against Banff Park's best interests. It is vitally important that Canadians let Sheila Copps know they want firm action to protect nature in Banff National Park especially grizzly bear habitat.

In April 1997, Copps will file the Banff Park Management Plan in the House of Commons. Before then, she needs to know she has the support of Canadians from coast to coast to act decisively and with continued resolve to change fundamentally the way Banff National Park is managed.

Harvey Locke

Past President, CPAWS