Alaska Backs Canada: Challenges Listing of Polar Bear
June 26, 2008
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is planning on suing the United States government over the recent listing of the polar bear as a threatened species. This comes on the heals of Canadian officials meeting with the United States earlier this week over the same issue.
Governor Palin fears that the listing of polar bears will hamper oil and gas development in the northern reaches of the state-the polar bears’ prime stomping grounds. The basis for her lawsuit will stem from not enough information supporting the need to list the polar bear as threatened. She mentioned that through conservation efforts in Alaska that polar bear populations have dramatically increased over the past 30 years.
Governor Palin’s remarks have warranted a bit of controversy around her home state. Many believe that she is denying the effects of global warming, something that many Alaskans say that the United States has finally acknowledged through listing the polar bear as threatened.
Canada argues that the listing of the polar bear will significantly hamper small northern villages who have relied on proceeds from polar bear hunts with foreigners as a means for survival. They also argue the basis for the listing, something Canada has still not enacted in their own country, as scientifically without merit.
You can read more on this issue by following the link over to CTV.com
Palin’s not admitting or denying global warming vis a vis polar bears. She is simply saying broad world-wide global warming (if it does exist) is not a basis, nor was meant to be a basis, to apply the restrictions of the Endangered Species Act.
And as a sidebar, seems like McCain picking Palin Veep will be good for USA-Canada relations. Who says Palin has less foreign policy experience than other governors, as qualification to be Veep. How many of our states border two foreign countries (Russia, Canada) and are geographically isolated from the continental 48 states?