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Boundary Waters Treaty
Created the International Joint Commission , which was established to prevent or resolve disputes and assist Canadian and American governments to share common water supplies, most importantly the Great Lakes, in an equitable and responsible way. The Commission's primary responsibilities are the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty , the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement , and the Air Quality Agreement . -
Migratory Birds Protection Convention
Because migratory bird habitat spans more than one country, international co-operation is required to protect them. This treaty was negotiated between Canada and the United States to halt the extinction of migratory birds and to establish regulations for their cross-boundary protection. -
The first earth Day
The birth of the modern environmental movement in the united States -
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Amended in 1978 and 1987, this agreement between Canada and the United States originally dealt with attempts to reduce eutrophication (specifically, phosphorus loading) of the Great Lakes. Since then, it has expanded to include toxic substances as well -
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
This 152-country convention bans commercial international trade of endangered species and their derivatives, and monitors trading of species which might become endangered. -
1973 Canada Wildlife Act
This act authorizes the acquisition of land by the federal government for the purpose of creating National Wildlife Areas; refuges under protection from habitat disturbance and hunting. This act also allows for marine areas to be recognized and protected. By 1996, 48 NWA's had been established, protecting about 489 332 hectares of habitat -
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
This convention dealt with issues of sustainable fishery catches and conservation of both aquatic species and habitats. -
Wildlife Policy for Canada
This piece of legislation was a major step in a new way of looking at conservation, by emphasizing the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity and ecological processes, rather than the more common piecemeal conservation approaches that had been emphasized -
Canada Oceans Act
This act recognized an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which extends for 200 nautical miles off Canadian coasts, encompassing almost five million square kilometers of ocean. Within the EEZ Canada may enforce its rights and responsibilities over exploration and exploitation of living and nonliving resources -
Species at Risk Act (SARA)
This act was killed when the election call was made in October 2000. The Species at Risk Act would have not only directly protected species at risk, but also their habitat. SARA would have provided for scientific assessment of the status of species through an organization (COSEWIC) operating at arm's length from the federal government and would have applied to all lands in Canada