NDP secures vital ocean protections that reduce the harms of deep seabed mining

Following news that Canada is calling for an international moratorium on deep seabed mining, NDP Fisheries and Oceans critic Lisa Marie Barron, and NDP MP Gord Johns made this statement:

“Canadians rely on our oceans for food, our economy and livelihoods. So, we must do everything possible to prevent harm to our oceans and marine life. Still, we don’t have enough information to determine whether any level of deep-sea mining can take place without causing serious harm to our oceans.

This is why we, along with our New Democrat colleagues, have been putting pressure on the Liberals to fight for a moratorium on deep seabed mining in international waters. After years of pushing and calls for change from experts, local groups, and the NDP, we’re glad to see the government is finally doing what it takes.

Although this is a good first step, the Liberals have a long track record of making big promises when it comes to the climate and protecting biodiversity – then not following through or even doing the complete opposite. The Liberals promised to protect 30 per cent of our oceans by 2030, and up until now, they've been debating allowing rich companies mine the international seafloor, causing irreversible harm, just to turn a profit.

But it’s not surprising when their main opposition, Pierre Poilievre, and the Conservatives only care about what’s best for rich CEOs, not for our oceans.

I’m happy to see that the NDP was able to use our power to get the work done to protect our planet for future generations. But we’re not stopping here. We’re going to keep fighting to make sure oceans remain healthy and a strong resource for the Canadian families who depend on them.”