News Releases
ReuniteLuna.com
December 13, 2005
ReuniteLuna recently sent letters to all of Canada's political party leaders to ask them their views on Luna during this election campaign. You can see the letter below. We will post all responses on January 9, 2006.
Dear (party leader),
I am writing to you on behalf of the ReuniteLuna campaign to ask you questions regarding your views on Luna, the solitary orca located in Nootka Sound, BC.
One of the components of the ReuniteLuna campaign is to provide information about Luna and his situation. On an average month, about 200,000 people visit the ReuniteLuna.com website to learn more about Luna. Our busiest month saw 1.4 million unique visits. About 28% of visitors are Canadian.
Our visitors have asked us to contact all of the political party leaders in Canada during this election campaign to ask them their views on Luna. We would ask that you take a few moments to answers the questions below. We will post your answers on our website on January 9, 2006. We respectfully ask for your answers on or before Friday, January 6, 2006.
Luna (L98) is a six-year-old male Southern Resident orca whale currently residing in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. He became separated from his family over three years ago and has been a solitary whale ever since. Resident orcas normally spend their entire lives within the pod to which they are born. Orcas are very sociable within their pods. They travel, feed, play, interact and communicate with each other constantly. In the absence of his orca pod, Luna is lonely and seeks attention from boats and humans. Researchers agree that Luna's best chance for survival is to attempt to reunite him with his pod. For more information about Luna, visit www.reuniteluna.com.
Here are the questions:
- Are you familiar with Luna (L98) the solitary orca in Nootka Sound?
- Do you agree that Luna should be reunited with his pod and the endangered Southern Resident orca community?
- If elected to the next Parliament, would you be prepared to make an attempt to reunite Luna with his community?
- If elected to the next Parliament, would you fund a proper stewardship programme to protect Luna while he remains in Nootka Sound?
- If elected to the next Parliament, would you ensure that the Canadian government does not permit a live capture of Luna for aquaria?
We thank you for your time and look forward to reading your answers. If you have any questions or would like more information about Luna, please feel free to contact me.
Ryan Lejbak,
ReuniteLuna
This letter was sent to the following party leaders:
Bloc Québécois ( Bloc Québécois)http://www.blocquebecois.org/
Party Leader:
Mr. Gilles Duceppe
Canadian Action Party (Canadian Action)
http://www.canadianactionparty.ca/
Party Leader:
Ms. Constance (Connie) Fogal
Christian Heritage Party of Canada (Christian Heritage Party)
http://www.chp.ca/
Party Leader:
Mr. Ronald O. Gray
Communist Party of Canada (Communist)
http://www.communist-party.ca/
Party Leader:
Mr. Miguel Figueroa
Conservative Party of Canada (Conservative)
http://www.conservative.ca/
Party Leader:
The Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Green Party of Canada (Green Party)
http://www.greenparty.ca/
Party Leader:
Mr. Jim Harris
Liberal Party of Canada (Liberal)
http://www.liberal.ca/
Party Leader:
The Right Hon. Paul Martin
Libertarian Party of Canada (Libertarian)
http://www.libertarian.ca/
Party Leader:
Mr. Jean-Serge Brisson
Marijuana Party (Marijuana Party)
http://www.marijuanaparty.com/
Party Leader:
Mr. Blair T. Longley
Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
http://www.mlpc.ca/
Party Leader:
Ms. Sandra L. Smith
New Democratic Party (N.D.P.)
http://www.ndp.ca/
Party Leader:
The Hon. Jack Layton, M.P.
Progressive Canadian Party (PC Party)
http://www.pcparty.org/
Party Leader:
Ms. Tracy Parsons
Western Block Party (WBP)
http://www.westernblockparty.com/
Party Leader:
Mr. Douglas H. Christie
Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada (AACEV Party of Canada)
http://www.environmentvoters.org/home.html
Party Leader:
Ms. Liz White
First Peoples National Party of Canada (FPNP)
http://www.fpnpoc.ca/
Party Leader:
Ms. Barbara Wardlaw
