For Immediate Release
October 5, 2005
ON PARK BOARD’S AGENDA
WHEN: Wednesday, October 5th, 2005 at 7:00 pm
WHERE: Vancouver Park Board Offices
2099 Beach Avenue, Vancouver (Brown building on the right at the entrance to Stanley Park.) Pay parking available across from the Tennis Courts.
COPE member Ms. Kelly Bunting, COPE City Councillor Tim Louis and others will be speaking at tonight’s park board meeting to request that park commissioners approve holding a Whale Referendum vote during the upcoming Vancouver civic election on November 19TH .
The COALITION FOR NO WHALES IN CAPTIVITY fully supports the efforts of Ms. Bunting and Councillor Louis in trying to convince park board commissioners to allow Vancouverites to finally have a say on the issue of keeping whales and dolphins in captivity in Stanley Park. This is the 5th election year (1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005) that a formal request has been presented to the park board to hold a city-wide non-binding referendum vote on whales in captivity.
Annelise Sorg, director and founder of the Coalition For No Whales In Captivity (1992) is also scheduled to speak at the park board meeting on Wednesday night.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PARK BOARD COMMISSIONERS
The seven park board commissioners consist of the following people:
Commissioner Alan DeGenova (NPA)
Commissioner Suzanne Anton (NPA)
Commissioner Lyndsay Poaps (COPE)
Commissioner Eva Riccius (COPE)
Commissioner Anita Romaniuk (COPE)
Commissioner Loretta Woodcock (COPE)
Commissioner Heather Deal ((COPE)
(presently running as city councillor candidate for Vision Vancouver)
All five COPE park board commissioners were elected in November 2002 after publicly stating their opposition to keeping whales in captivity and promising to help stop the cruelty in Stanley Park. After spending 3 years in office, they have done nothing to help the whales, and under their watch another baby beluga has died and a new dolphin has been imported into the park for breeding purposes.
At a COPE Policy Conference held on September 10TH, the majority of the COPE membership voted 34-15 in favour of holding a Whale Referendum, whereas COPE park board commissioners at the meeting voted against allowing Vancouverites to answer the following question:
“Are you in favour of phasing out whale and dolphin exhibits in Stanley Park?”
Let’s hope the park board commissioners follow the mandate of their membership and now vote in favour of holding a Whale Referendum.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Annelise Sorg, Tel (604) 736-9514
COALITION FOR NO WHALES IN CAPTIVITY