As the May 2 federal election approaches, the Wilderness Committee wants to know where the candidates stand on wild salmon, an issue near and dear to the hearts of people on Vancouver Island.

“The recent disastrous oil spill on Goldstream River highlights just how fragile our wild salmon are,” said Tria Donaldson, Pacific Coast Campaigner for the Wilderness Committee. “So many people I have talked to are in a state of shock and powerlessness. They all want to know what the candidates running for election in the CRD plan to do to protect all our wild salmon stocks,” said Donaldson.

The Wilderness Committee will be attending all candidate meetings throughout the Capital Regional District this week to ask where all the politicians stand on the issue of protecting wild salmon from the threats they face, including habitat destruction from oil spills and most importantly from fish farms. They will be heading out to the all candidate forums with their sockeye salmon mascot ‘Tum Tum’.

“This election will be a special one for those of us passionate about wild salmon. It is the first federal election since jurisdiction over salmon farms was transferred to Ottawa,” said Donaldson. “We are urging all parties to adopt policies that will put protection of our wild salmon species ahead of the profits of the salmon farming industry.”

Tum Tum already attended the all candidates forum in the riding of Esquimalt Juan de Fuca earlier this week and was very well received by all candidates, though not everyone made their position on protecting wild salmon clear.

For more information please contact:

Tria Donaldson, Pacific Coast Campaigner, Wilderness Committee, 250-686-9249