Canada emerges 41st Party to Minamata Convention on Mercury
The Government of Canada has ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury, becoming the 41st Party to the Convention.
The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, in news release announced on Friday April 7, 2017 that the Government of Canada has ratified the Minamata Convention, a global agreement to reduce anthropogenic (human-generated) mercury emissions and releases to the environment here and abroad.
Exposure to mercury is known to cause negative health effects to those who are most vulnerable, particularly fetuses, infants, and young children. In addition, northern peoples are especially vulnerable to mercury as it tends to accumulate naturally in the Arctic, and it affects local food sources like fish and marine mammals.
“Ratifying the Minamata Convention will help us deliver on our commitment to protect the environment, the health of Canadians, and the global population from mercury emissions and releases,” said Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Jane Philpott, Minister of Health, Canada, said “Exposure to mercury poses a risk to the health and safety of Canadians, and the Government of Canada is taking action with the ratification of the Minamata Convention. This builds on previous government actions to reduce unnecessary exposure to mercury in natural health products, cosmetics, and children’s products.”
Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, added, “The federal government has worked with provincial and territorial governments and with Indigenous communities as important partners of the Minamata Convention. All Canadians can be proud of this accomplishment as our country continues to renew its relationships with Indigenous peoples, based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership and demonstrates to the world how important that is.”
Earlier on Friday, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, Marc-André Blanchard, deposited the instrument of ratification at the Headquarters of the United Nations, in New York City.
The Convention is a legally binding treaty negotiated under the United Nations Environment Programme, which will ensure that mercury—a toxic substance—is managed effectively, traded responsibly, and used only where no feasible alternatives exist. The Convention addresses all aspects of the life cycle of mercury, including requiring controls and reductions across a range of products, processes, and industries.
As an Arctic country, Canada will be one of the main beneficiaries of this agreement. While we have reduced our own mercury emissions by over 90 percent in the last 40 years, more must be done to reduce global emissions that have had an impact on Canada and its Arctic ecosystems. Over 95 percent of the mercury deposited in Canada from human activity comes from foreign sources.
Canada is an active party to this treaty, and it will work with other parties to reduce global mercury emissions and releases.
The Convention will enter into force once 50 parties ratified it. The first Conference of Party (COP1) to the Convention has been slated for the last week in September.
