Dear Premier and Prime Minister:
We have had the privilege of visiting Gros Morne National Park and World Heritage Site and were captivated by its spectacular natural beauty, its welcoming communities, and its vibrant culture. Gros Morne National Park is one of the national treasures that make us proud to be Canadians.
We were shocked, therefore, to learn about a proposal in 2013 to conduct oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) activities next to the park, considering the threat that this would pose to its ecosystems, its pristine natural beauty, and the thriving local tourism economy. We were pleased to hear that this threat has been temporarily reduced, with the declaration of a moratorium on fracking in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the petroleum exploration license off Gros Morne not being renewed. However, these temporary measures will not prevent similar harmful industrial proposals in the future.
During this pause, we urge you to move quickly to create a protective buffer zone around this remarkable national park, a zone that will be kept permanently free from industrialization.
Gros Morne National Park is a magical place. It has captured our hearts, as it has those of hundreds of thousands of visitors from across Canada and around the world. Surely this is why Gros Morne is the cornerstone of the Newfoundland and Labrador tourism industry.
By nominating Gros Morne National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Canada promised to protect this location’s outstanding universal values on behalf of the entire world community. Other World Heritage Sites, including several in Canada, already have buffer zones in place to provide them with added protection.
Please follow this lead and act quickly to establish a buffer zone around Gros Morne National Park. We believe that all Canadians will thank you for your foresight in protecting one of our greatest natural treasures.
Sincerely,
Tim Baker, musician, Hey Rosetta
Barbara Bellows, artist
Anita Best, folklorist, singer
Dr. Roberta Bondar, astronaut
Sandy Bourque, producer
Amanda Boyden, writer
Joseph Boyden, writer
Michael Crummey, writer
Dr. Wade Davis, anthropologist-National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence
Stan Dragland, writer and editor
Barry Flatman, actor
Camilla Gibb, writer
Alison Gzowski, writer, editor, producer
Lawrence Hill, writer
Miranda Hill, writer
Holly Hogan, singer
Valdemar (Valdy) Horsdal, folk musician
Andy Jones, actor
Ruth Lawrence, actor, director and producer
Tim MacDonald, business person, co-founder Arctic Research Foundation
Kevin Major, writer
Greg Malone, actor, comedian, writer
Lisa Moore, writer
Mary Pratt, artist
Shelagh Rogers, broadcast journalist
Gerry Squires, artist
Ania Szado, writer
Gayle Tapper, musician
Des Walsh, writer, poet
Claire Wilkshire, writer, editor
Kathleen Winter, writer
Michael Winter, writer
