Amazon: Stop Advertising On Breitbart! [Petition]

Image via CREDO action

Apparently, Amazon is still advertising on Breitbart... That's what the email I've received earlier from the peeps at CREDO (which I'm happily sharing on here) is about.

Have a read, and, if you live in the US, feel free to act accordingly. (Unfortunately, as I don't live in the US, I can't sign the petition...)

Thanks in advance

Stay safe!

Loup Dargent

Image via adweek.com

The Email:
"Dear Loup,

CREDO members recently helped force Bill O’Reilly, Fox News’ flagship racist and misogynist, off the air. Now we need to turn our attention to Breitbart, the white supremacist, misogynistic, fake news media outlet formerly run by Steve Bannon that helped fuel Donald Trump's rise to power.

After months of pressure from progressive activists, more than 1,000 advertisers have abandoned Breitbart over its racist, sexist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic reporting.¹ But one company stands out for continuing to fund Breitbart’s hate: Amazon.

Our friends at UltraViolet, SumOfUs and MoveOn — along with the social media campaign Sleeping Giants — have been pushing on Amazon executives for months, but they have so far refused to pull their ads. Can you help ramp up the pressure today?

Tell Amazon: Stop funding Breitbart’s hate. Click here to sign the petition.

Amazon won’t accept discriminatory ads on its own site.² There is no reason for it to advertise on a site that is literally the breeding ground for some of the most toxic hate in the country.

The outrage against Amazon funding Breitbart’s hate is growing inside the company. More than 550 employees have signed a petition demanding that executives stop advertising on Breitbart.³ According to an email sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Senior Vice President Jeff Blackburn, an employee asked Blackburn, "What is it going to take for us to stop advertising on Breitbart News?" at a March company-wide meeting.⁴ Blackburn shifted the blame from Amazon to the third-party ad exchanges through which it buys its ads, but that seems a weak excuse given the enormous number of advertisers who have successfully cut their ties with Breitbart.⁵

Amazon's ads on Breitbart are not the only troubling part of its track record when it comes to Trump’s dangerous agenda. In December, Bezos was part of a meeting between tech CEOs and Trump that helped normalize and legitimize Trump and his extremism. Bezos called the meeting “very productive.”⁶ That same month, CREDO partnered with our friends at Muslim Advocates, Color Of Change, MPower Change, Courage Campaign, Democracy for America and more than a dozen other progressive and civil rights groups to demand that tech companies refuse to help build Trump’s Muslim registry. While Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, IBM and Microsoft all pledged not to enable Trump’s xenophobic hate, Amazon failed to join them.⁷

Amazon’s leaders have a choice: They can get their ads off Breitbart and make sure they never appear on other sites that promote racism, xenophobia and misogyny, or they can keep funding hate. Can you add your voice to demand they do the right thing?

Tell Amazon: Stop funding Breitbart’s hate. Click here to sign the petition.

Thanks for everything you do,

Heidi Hess, Senior Campaign Manager
CREDO Action from Working Assets"

Add your name:

References:

1. Tom Embury-Dennis, "Breitbart 'loses advertising deals' with more than 1,000 companies," Feb. 16, 2017.
2. Amazon, "Creative acceptance policy," accessed April 20, 2017.
3. Lauren C. Williams, "Amazon employees pressure CEO to kill Breitbart ads," ThinkProgress, April 14, 2017.
4. Charlie Warzel, "Over 550 Amazon employees are pressuring leadership to cut advertising ties with Breitbart," Buzzfeed, April 13, 2017.
5. Ibid.
6. David Streitfeld, "‘I’m here to help,’ Trump tells tech executives at meeting," The New York Times, Dec. 14, 2016.
7. Sarah A. Harvard, "These 3 major Silicon Valley tech companies haven't condemned Trump's Muslim registry proposal," Mic, Jan. 18, 2017.

375th Anniversary Of Montreal - Unveiling Of A Spectacular Totem Pole Created By Charles Joseph

Charles Joseph (born in 1959), Residential School Totem Pole, 2014-2016, red cedar, acrylic paint, H. 1,524; W. 762; Diam. 152.4 cm. Collection Jim Balsillie Photo Greg McKee 2016. (CNW Group/Société des célébrations du 375e anniversaire de Montréal)

Artist Charles Joseph (1959) of the Kwakiutl Nation of the West Coast of Canada will unveil his work Residential School Totem Pole to be raised in the ancestral territory of Kanien'keha:ka, the nation to which it pays homage, in the context of an official opening ceremony for the work. This totem pole, displayed for the first time, will form part of La Balade pour la Paix – An Open-Air Museum, an exhibition of public art, designed and organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts with the support of McGill University as part of the official programme celebrating Montreal's 375th anniversary

This monumental piece (21.45 metres high) will open the exhibition route along Sherbrooke Street West in front of the MMFA's Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion. The totem pole is a tribute to the First Nations children, of whom the artist Charles Joseph was one, who were taken away from their families and sent to the residential schools of religious communities. On May 29, 2015 the Canadian government acknowledged that these children had been, between 1820 and 1996, the victims of a cultural genocide.

Charles Joseph states: "Presenting this pole is for all Canadians, not just residential school survivors. This is my reconciliation, and my story is on the pole. The story is not just about Charles Joseph, it's about everyone who went through it. I need to tell the story in this form, but it is about survivors from across Canada."

According to Nathalie Bondil, the Museum's Director General and Chief Curator, "We are deeply moved today to unveil this new totem pole by Charles Joseph in the context of the celebrations. Only six of the First Nations of the West Coast ever carved these works… and there are even fewer today because the technical and artistic skills required to make them are so demanding. Traditionally the gigantic witnesses to their history perpetuated the story of important events for the Native Peoples. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada estimates that 150,000 children were torn from their families during the past century, complying with the government's assimilation policy. Telling the story of this tragedy through the powerful artistry of one of our leading creators is essential in the perspective of our new century."

"We are very honoured to be a part of this totem raising ceremony here on Kanien'keha:ka territory," says Christine Zachary Deom, Chief of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake. "Our territory has always been a place of gathering and exchange and we are very pleased to see these bridges being built with Montreal, the Kwakiutl Nation, and our community. Our people have been eager to have their presence and history acknowledged, and this is a great initiative towards reconciliation" she added.

"We salute the involvement of our First Nations artists in making Canadians aware of our history, even of its darkest side, as in the case of the residential schools. I thank Charles Joseph for this work, and above all for its positive consciousness-raising effect. This is a contribution that will help to bring about the reconciliation of our peoples that is so vital", stated Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Quebec-Labrador Assembly of First Nations.

"The Society for the Celebration of Montréal's 375th Anniversary is happy to emphasize the close links that bind together the First Nations peoples and our City. With its over 30,000 Native citizens, Montreal constitutes the largest indigenous community in Quebec. La Balade pour la paix, the flagship project of the official programme for the celebrations of the 375th anniversary, is an ideal expression of the wealth of links between our peoples. The work of the artist Charles Joseph of the Kwakiutl Nation, raised on the ancestral territory of Kanien'keha:ka, is a prime example of the cultural richness of the First Nations and of the ties that bind us", said Alain Gignac, Director General of the the Society for the Celebration of Montréal's 375th Anniversary.

"The City is firmly committed to reconciliation, and our pledge takes on new meaning as we stand before this totem pole and remember the thousands of Aboriginal people who passed through the residential school system. This totem pole reminds us of our present duty, and we are humbled by history. I would like to commend Charles Joseph for creating this work of art and thank all the partners who made its presentation in Montreal possible. As we celebrate Montreal's 375th anniversary, understanding and reconciliation with Aboriginal peoples are of vital importance," said Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal.

The totem pole is a symbol of reconciliation and commemoration. It embodies a strong sense of the identity and pride of the Kwakiutl Nation of the West Coast of Canada. Joseph's Residential School Totem Pole depicts, from the bottom to the top: the members of the family of the sponsor of the Totem; the cedar ring symbolizing safety; the wild woman responsible for the traditional culture; the killer whale, the guardian of memory; the crow representing the alliance of Church and State; the bear for its strength and wisdom; the Arctic fox, the witness of the past; the Kulus, the great black ravens that according to the legend created the islands of the West Coast of Canada by dropping pebbles into the ocean; and at the top the two-headed snake with its wings unfurled in the shape of a cross.

The sculptor Charles Joseph also works as a fisherman and in the forest to provide for his family. As a child he spoke only his mother tongue, kwak'wala, before he learned English. He is deeply committed to preserving his culture. The revitalization and dissemination of the Kwakiutl traditions is the legacy he hopes to pass on to future generations. His works breathe new life into a culture, his own, which might have been decimated by the policies and practices of the colonizing powers. These creations are part of the process of reappropriating the Kwakiutl identity and the preservation of the way of life of the ancestors.

La Balade pour la Paix –An Open-Air MuseumOn Sherbrooke Street West between the sections the MMFA/Concordia University – the McCord Museum/McGill UniversityJune 5 to October 29, 2017

La Balade pour la Paix – An Open-Air Museum is part of the official programme for the 375th anniversary of Montreal. A truly open-air museum, the route will display works by Canadian and international artists, and fly the flags with the colours of the Confederation of Canada and of some 200 other countries. Commemorating two other important events, the 50th anniversary of Expo 67 and the 150th anniversary of the Confederation, the Balade reminds us that Expo 67, visited by 50 million people, was a window on to the world, a memorable event for Quebec and for Canada.

The ambassador for this exhibition is no other than Louise Arbour, who has battled throughout her career for the rights of man. She is currently the UN Special Representative for International Migration.

The exhibition has been designed and organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts with the support of McGill University. Thanks to the support of the City of Montreal, La Balade pour la Paix runs for a kilometre along Sherbrooke Street between the MMFA and Concordia University and the McCord Museum and McGill University. The curators are Nathalie Bondil, Director General and Chief Curator of the MMFA, Sylvie Lacerte, art historian and consultant for public art and Diane Charbonneau, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Decorative Arts, Design and Photography at the MMFA. The design for the installation was conceived by Claude Cormier, landscape architect, in collaboration with designer Michel Dallaire.

To learn more about the contribution of the Québec government to Montréal's 375th Anniversary celebrations, click here.

SOURCE: Société des célébrations du 375e anniversaire de Montréal

Nalgene Outdoor Unveils New Marvel Universe-Inspired Bottles for the Guardians of the Galaxy

Nalgene Outdoor introduces a new universe of its popular reusable bottles inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy characters.

As part of its recent collaboration with Marvel, Nalgene Outdoor introduces a new universe of its popular reusable bottles inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy characters. The Guardians of the Galaxy bottles add to Nalgene's newly-launched Avengers bottle collection.

"We'll leave the fate of the universe in the Guardians' capable hands, but when it comes to defeating thirst, our bottles are known to hydrate even the toughest of Super Heroes," says Eric Hansen, product director, Nalgene Outdoor Products. "Nalgene's durable bottles together with the beloved characters from Guardians of the Galaxy bring this collaboration to life in another creative way we believe our users will enjoy."

For Marvel enthusiasts with big thirsts, Nalgene Outdoor selected its iconic, Made-in-USA 32-ounce Wide Mouth bottle for the Guardians collaboration. The new Guardians of the Galaxy bottles will include seven different designs featuring Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Groot and Rocket Raccoon. 

These bottles will join the popular Marvel Avengers collection featuring Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and Marvel Avengers group.

"Marvel, a brand whose celebrated Super Heroes inspire people to achieve their potential, has been a great collaboration for Nalgene," adds Hansen. "We're looking forward to introducing the Guardians' Nalgene bottles and expanding the collection with other anticipated Marvel properties later this year."

All of Nalgene Outdoor's products are BPA- and BPS-free, dishwasher safe and carry a lifetime guarantee.

Samples and product or lifestyle photos are available upon request. For more information, visit www.nalgene.com.

Nalgene’s Marvel-inspired Guardians of the Galaxy bottles are now available in the iconic 32-ounce Wide Mouth style in seven different designs

About Marvel Entertainment 
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  

For more information visit marvel.com. ©2017 MARVEL

SOURCE: Nalgene Outdoor

How The Bible Shapes Contemporary Attitudes To rape And Sexual Assault

David seducing Bathsheba, Anonymous.

By Katie Edwards, University of Sheffield and Emma Nagouse, University of Sheffield

A retiring judge recently faced accusations of victim blaming when she used her final courtroom case as a plea to women to “protect themselves” from rapists by staying sober. Judge Lindsey Kushner restated these views in a television interview on Good Morning Britain, asking, “why shouldn’t you say – be aware ladies?”

Kushner’s comments were met with a mixed response. Some praised her for using her final speech before stepping down from the bench as a gesture of concern and warning to women who, she believes, make themselves more vulnerable to rape after consuming alcohol. Others, including representatives from Rape Crisis and some feminist activists, see these comments as acutely dangerous – comments that encourage and affirm attitudes of victim-blaming which, in turn, perpetuate the stereotypes that underpin rape culture.

Unfortunately, Kushner is far from the only judge in a sexual assault case to comment on the “irresponsible” or “provocative” behaviour of women and girls.

Biblical attitudes to rape
As a deeply influential cultural document, the Bible has a lot to say when it comes to attitudes around sex, shame and gender identity. Rape is endemic in the Bible (both literally and metaphorically) and, more often than not, functions as a conduit for male competition and a tool to uphold patriarchy.

Bathsheba at her Bath, Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari (1680).

For example, David’s rape of Bathsheba is echoed in his son Amnon’s rape of half-sister Tamar, and his son Absalom’s rape of David’s ten concubines. And in Judges 21, the Benjaminites are “saved from extinction” through the mass rape of women from Jabesh-gilead and Shiloh.

A common thread in the biblical text is that women are responsible for maintaining their sexual “purity”. This is not in the interests of their own well-being, but to ensure that as male property, women remain “undamaged”. This seems to be a no-win situation. The consequence for Dinah, who transgresses social boundaries by going “out to meet the women of the land”, is rape. Women who do fulfil feminine ideals, such as Bathsheba, who is described as “very beautiful”, tend to attract negative, often violent, male sexual attention.
In other words, one way or another, women are constantly implicitly blamed, both in the Bible and in contemporary culture, for their rape.

To blame for one’s beauty
A case in point is another “very beautiful” biblical woman, Susanna. Susanna is the subject of an attempted rape by two elders, who spy on her while she’s bathing before conspiring to coerce her into sex:

Look the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us. We are burning with desire for you; so give your consent, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will testify against you that a young man was with you, and this was why you sent your maids away.

In the biblical text, Susanna’s beauty is to blame for attracting the attentions of the elders. In a plotline that’s echoed in today’s court rooms, Susanna’s testimony isn’t believed and her sexual conduct is brought into question. It takes a man, Daniel, to advocate for her and to rescue her from execution after she refuses the elders’ offer.

In his successful defence of her and condemnation of the elders, Daniel says: “Beauty has beguiled you and lust has perverted your heart.” Here, as so often in contemporary society, rape and sexual assault are linked to the attractiveness of women rather than a violent crime of power and control. Even in art, Susanna is implicitly blamed for being targeted. As the critic John Berger has observed, Susanna, like Bathsheba, is often depicted looking at herself in a mirror while she’s bathing:

The mirror was often used as a symbol of the vanity of woman. The moralising, however, was mostly hypocritical. You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, you put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting Vanity, thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for your own pleasure.

Susanna and the Elders, Tintoretto (1555).

Kushner’s words continue this not-so-grand tradition of victim blaming. Kushner suggests that women who do not exhibit “disinhibited behaviour” by abstaining from alcohol are better able to fight off men with “evil intentions”. What is key here is that moderating women’s behaviour does not do anything to address the issue of rape or dismantle rape culture. It just shifts the collective social responsibility to prevent rape and sexual assault to that of individual women.

Women who do not agree to self-police are blamed for others’ actions. What Kushner is giving isn’t “just advice” or “common sense”; it reduces rape to a choice: choose for someone else to be targeted for attack rather than yourself.

Rather than continuing to judge women for their behaviour, perhaps it’s time we started to judge a society that blames women for rape.

About Today's Contributors:
Katie Edwards, Director SIIBS, University of Sheffield and Emma Nagouse, PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

Top 10 Best Anime With The Most Action

Black Lagoon (License: Image author owned) 

By Rezan Ferdous

Hey guys! it's been another amazing year for Anime.

Here are my picks for the top ten anime of the year! All of these are Anime series that I really enjoyed and they're definitely recommendations to everyone. Also you can find some of the best cartoons episodes here.

Let's get started!

10: “Katanagatari” (2010)

Brutal yet beautiful. For those that love nothing more than to kick back and enjoy old samurai flicks filled with rhythmic sword battles, then look no further.

Centred on our two young and dynamic leads Shichika and Togame, one a fearsome swordsman without a sword, the other a cheerful strategist, both set out on a mission to gather twelve legendary katanas - but in order to do so must defeat their not-so-helpless owners.

Backed by a compelling romance, and with each episode a brilliantly self-contained arc, you will truly feel like you’ve been on a hero’s journey.

9: “Drifters” (2016)

Alternative history has never been so bloody. Gathered from all across time, several legendary figures such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are gathered together in order defeat The Ends; a group made up of some of history’s worse villains that range from Gilles de Rais and Gregori Rasputin.

Even if you’re no expert on their past deeds, their unique characterisations and deadly talents for combat will have you riveted. Oh, and there elves, because every fantasy needs buxom elves in need of saving!

8: “Cowboy Bebop” (1998-99)

It may be a future filled intergalactic travel and spaceships, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of bounties in need of grabbing. Aboard the titular Bebop, the rag tag crew of bounty hunters get themselves into all sorts of misadventures across the galaxy.

With several self-contained episodes that sees the crew taking on dangerous bounties along with the overarching battle with the Red Dragon Syndicate, the fire fights, dry humour and extravagant combat - largely due to Spike’s insane martial arts prowess and marksmanships skills - are sure to hit their mark.

7: “Kill la Kill” (2013-14)

On the hunt for her father’s killer, the young and fiery Ryuko Matoi soon finds herself taking on the fearsome school council that rule over Honnouji Academy with an iron-fist.

Each enemy is armed with uniforms that imbue them with superhuman abilities, and they’re all led by one of anime’s most badass ladies; Satsuki Kiryuin.

The result is a blend of the magical girl genre that never slows down for even a second, mixing together striking visuals with an unashamedly erotic edge as Ryuko’s clashes against Satsuki literally light up the screen.

6: “Darker than Black” (2007-09)

If you like your action with a hint of political conspiracy, then The Black Reaper has got your covered. Following the emergence of spatial anomalies over the world, certain individuals, dubbed Contractors, are gifted with destructive abilities – the perfect tools for assassination.

Along with a secret organisation known as the Syndicate throwing its hand in, the conflicts between opposing Contractors make up the bulk of the series, and given the range of their powers, battles can get pretty intense. 

Oh, and it’s all helmed by Hei aka The Black Reaper aka Chinese Electric Batman.

5: “Hunter x Hunter” (2011-14)

In a world filled with undiscovered riches and terrifying beasts, those that wish to seek them must first prove themselves as Hunters. Attracting all types, from the naïve Gon, to the lethal Killua, we’re presented with a number of interweaving storylines as each strives towards their goals.

The dynamics between the heroes certainly make for a good time, but where it really shines is its fight scenes. Take all your favourite anime tropes from tournament arcs, to insidious antagonist groups, and that one seemingly unstoppable antagonist, the series raises the bar with its superior storytelling and downright brutal fight scenes.

4: “Samurai Champloo” (2004-05)

Taking the beauty and set-pieces of Edo-period Japan and layering it with some pretty heavy modern-day Western influences and you have just what might be one of the strangest yet most successful fusions in Anime.

After all, nothing compliments intense sword fights more than hip hop. Focusing on an unlikely trio of polar opposites, the three set out on a less than peaceful journey to find the “samurai who smells like sunflowers.” 

Not shying away from violence all the while fully embracing its east-meets-west context, this is the ideal pick for those that enjoy the more artistic side to swordplay.

3: “One Piece” (1999-)

An Anime about pirates was never going to be free of conflict. As Luffy and the rest of his crew search for the treasure left behind by the legendary Gold Roger, not only do they end up fighting against rival pirates as well as the likes of the marines, but they do so while harnessing the power of the Devil Fruits; items that, you guessed it, grant them superpowers.

Throw in the fact some battles are literal war scenes on an unprecedented scale, the sheer variety (and insanity) of enemies that Luffy must face down make for simply monstrous action.

2: “Dragon Ball Super” (2015-)

Why not Dragon Ball Z? Because everyone and their cat has watched that. So if we’re making a suggestion here it’d be to check out this killer sequel.

Goku and his crew return, greeted to several new arcs that focuses on expanding the DB lore, all the while giving up plenty of new foes for them to let loose a Kamehameha at! Once you get past the movie recaps, you have some absolute gem arcs like the Universe 6 Tournament and the battle against an evil version of Goku. If you’re not on it yet – GET ON IT.

1: “Black Lagoon” (2006)

Mercenaries, pimps, thieves, weapon-dealing nuns and a Russian Crime Syndicate. Welcome to Roanapur. On an island thriving with vice, you have Lagoon Company, a for-hire service that prove that crime does indeed pay.


The team’s muscle comes in the form of Revy, a wild gunslinger who will shoot first and ask questions later. She might sound bad, but when your enemies could range from anything like remnants of the Third Reich or a pair of incestuous vampire twins, Revy and the rest of Lagoon look like saints. Saints who most certainly know how to bring the heat.


About Today's Contributor:
Hi, I am Rezan Ferdous. I own a website called Listlar.com. There I post fresh and cool top lists on; umm .. let say everything but no brainer.


Bonus Video:

Over 60 Wildlife Species At Risk In Canada's Changing North

Atlantic Walrus © J. Higdon (CNW Group/Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada)

Atlantic Walrus and Eastern Migratory Caribou are at risk of extinction. So concluded the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), which met in Whitehorse, April 23-28. The number of Canadian northern wildlife species considered to be at risk now stands at 62.

Canada has already lost one of its three populations of Atlantic Walrus. Once abundant in ocean waters of Atlantic Canada, including the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the animals were hunted to extinction by 1850. The two surviving populations rely on Canadian Arctic marine habitat and have coexisted with Indigenous peoples for millennia. 

Over the past few decades, the areas inhabited by the few thousand High Arctic walruses and the more numerous Central and Low Arctic population have shrunk and continue to do so. As the climate warms and sea ice recedes, interaction with industry and tourism is increasing. These threats, layered upon ongoing harvesting, led the committee to recommend a status of Special Concern for both populations. 

According to marine mammal expert and COSEWIC member Hal Whitehead, "The walrus is a most unusual and distinctive mammal of the northern seas. Walruses have been very important to the Inuit, both as food and in their culture, and they remain so today. Walruses are particularly sensitive to disturbance, and certainly deserve special attention."

Many caribou populations have previously been assessed by COSEWIC, but the committee considered the Eastern Migratory Caribou for the first time. The famous George River herd in Québec and Labrador numbered over 800,000 in 1993, but the numbers have now fallen to an unprecedented low of a few thousand animals. A second major herd is also in serious decline. The committee therefore recommended Endangered status. 

Graham Forbes, co-chair of COSEWIC's Terrestrial Mammals Subcommittee, stressed the sensitivity of caribou to human activity, a condition complicated by rapid northern climate change: "Shrubs increasingly cover landscapes that were once dominated by lichen, caribou's major winter food source, and overharvest continues. We are worried that these factors may make it very hard for herds to recover."

Parts of Canada's North are warming faster than anywhere else in the world, and the number of northern species at risk is rising. Over half of these at-risk species are currently assessed as being of Special Concern, meaning measures to address climate change and good management of hunting, disturbance, and development are needed to prevent their status from deteriorating to Threatened. 

Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board Chair, Frank Thomas, highlighted the need to coordinate efforts toward this goal: "Local communities, through the work of management boards, play an important role in the conservation of Canada's northern biodiversity. We all need to work together."

Eric Taylor, Chair of COSEWIC, echoed Mr. Thomas' call to action: "Canada's biodiversity is at risk from coast to coast to coast, and timely action on many fronts is required, from dealing with habitat disturbance and overharvesting to concerted efforts to combat the effects of climate change."

At the meeting, a number of other wildlife species were found to be at risk. Examples include:

Endangered

• Ord's Kangaroo Rat (neither a kangaroo nor a rat), a rare Prairie dune specialist
• Some populations of Lake Sturgeon, a large, very long-lived species affected by historical overfishing
• Butternut, a tree in eastern provinces devastated by a fungal disease.

Special Concern

• Harris's Sparrow, a northern songbird breeding only in Canada and showing ongoing declines largely due to pressures on their wintering grounds in the US
• Shortfin Mako, an open-ocean shark found seasonally in Atlantic Canadian waters and showing signs of recovery from overfishing.

>> Further details on all wildlife species assessed at this meeting can be found on the COSEWIC website <<

Harris’s Sparrow © G. Romanchuk (CNW Group/Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada)

Next meeting

COSEWIC's next scheduled wildlife species assessment meeting will be held in November 2017.

About COSEWIC

COSEWIC assesses the status of wild species, subspecies, varieties, or other important units of biological diversity, considered to be at risk in Canada. To do so, COSEWIC uses scientific, Aboriginal traditional and community knowledge provided by experts from governments, academia and other organizations. Summaries of assessments are currently available to the public on the COSEWIC website (www.cosewic.gc.ca) and will be submitted to the Federal Minister of the Environment and Climate Change in fall 2017 for listing consideration under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). At this time, the status reports and status appraisal summaries will be publicly available on the Species at Risk Public Registry (www.sararegistry.gc.ca).

At its most recent meeting, COSEWIC assessed 33 wildlife species in various COSEWIC risk categories, including 9 Endangered, 3 Threatened, and 13 Special Concern. In addition to these wildlife species that are in COSEWIC risk categories, COSEWIC assessed 1 wildlife species as Extinct and 5 as Not at Risk. An additional 2 were found to be Data Deficient.

COSEWIC comprises members from each provincial and territorial government wildlife agency, four federal entities (Canadian Wildlife Service, Parks Canada Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the Canadian Museum of Nature), three Non-government Science Members, and the Co-chairs of the Species Specialist and the Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge Subcommittees.

Definition of COSEWIC terms and status categories:

• Wildlife Species: A species, subspecies, variety, or geographically or genetically distinct population of animal, plant or other organism, other than a bacterium or virus, that is wild by nature and is either native to Canada or has extended its range into Canada without human intervention and has been present in Canada for at least 50 years.
• Extinct (X): A wildlife species that no longer exists.
• Extirpated (XT): A wildlife species that no longer exists in the wild in Canada, but exists elsewhere.
• Endangered (E): A wildlife species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
• Threatened (T): A wildlife species that is likely to become Endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its extirpation or extinction. 
• Special Concern (SC): A wildlife species that may become Threatened or Endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats.
• Not at Risk (NAR): A wildlife species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk of extinction given the current circumstances. 
• Data Deficient (DD): A category that applies when the available information is insufficient (a) to resolve a wildlife species' eligibility for assessment or (b) to permit an assessment of the wildlife species' risk of extinction.
• Species at Risk: A wildlife species that has been assessed as Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern.

SOURCE: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada