Stephen Harper: Get us out of dead zones

Tell Harper to get out of the Dead Zone!

It’s time to protect Canadian lakes, rivers and oceans from hazardous algae blooms. Tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper to get Canada out of the dead zone and make Canada to take the turn towards more ecologically sustainable agricultural policies and practices by reducing the excessive use of agricultural fertilizer and adopting the recommendations of the UN-World Bank report on agriculture (IAASTD report).

Right Hon. Stephen Harper Prime Minister

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca


Dear Right Hon. Prime Minister Stephen Harper

I am very concerned about algae blooms in our rivers, lakes and oceans caused by excessive use of agricultural fertilizers and the health and environmental threats to our water. Canada must be a leader in adopting agricultural policies and practices towards an ecologically sustainable agriculture.

Since records began in 1950, nitrogen fertilizer production in Canada has increased about 75-fold. In Canada, the agricultural sector is responsible for about 82 per cent of the phosphorus and 49 per cent of the direct nitrogen pollution, mostly through run-off from fertilized soils and livestock farming.

Canada has the highest per cent increase in fertilizer use across the OECD. Both nitrogen and phosphorus surpluses grew respectively by 85 per cent and 123 per cent between 1990-1992 and 2002-2004.

I demand that your government immediately:

1. Adopt a plan to reduce agricultural fertilizer use with specific targets and deadlines;
2. Endorse, adopt and implement the recommendations of the recent United Nations and World Bank led assessment of global agriculture towards ecologically sustainable agricultural policies and practices.
   

Thank you very much for your prompt attention into this important matter.

Paul Malouf
(source: Greenpeace Canada)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

CC: Leaders of the Oppositions Parties

Liberal Party: Hon. Stéphane Dion, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Tel.: (613) 996-5789; Fax: (613) 996-6562; Email: DionS@parl.gc.ca

Bloc Québécois: Hon. Gilles Duceppe, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Tel.: (613) 992-6779; Fax: (613) 954-2121; Email: Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca

New Democratic Party: Hon. Jack Layton, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
Tel: (613) 995-7224; Fax: (613) 995-4565; Email: Layton.J@parl.gc.ca