The List of advocacy groups in Canada includes organizations that are devoted to advocating for a common political, economic, or social cause. One such cause is the protection of wildlife in Canada. In recognition of the growing responsibilities to protect nature, Wildlife Service Canada became its own branch within the Department of the Environment. This led to the passing of the Canadian Wildlife Act, which allows for the creation, management, and protection of national wildlife areas.
The first Federal Advisory Board on Wildlife Protection and the Wildlife Division were created as part of the National Parks Subdivision. The Scott Islands National Marine Wildlife Area was established as the first National Marine Wildlife Area under Canada's Wildlife Act. The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) is a national, non-profit and non-governmental conservation organization founded in 1961 and incorporated in 1962. The CWF was created to promote understanding of Canada's wildlife resources and to ensure that populations of all species were preserved for the use and enjoyment of all Canadians. To this end, they created wildlife vignettes in the 1960s as a pioneering effort to use television to interest the public in wildlife conservation.
The Committee on the Status of Canada's Endangered Wildlife was also created to provide independent advice to the Minister of the Environment on the status of endangered wildlife species. This committee allows for the establishment and management of national wildlife areas to protect the habitat of migratory birds, endangered species, and other wild animals. Currently, there are 55 national wildlife areas across Canada that provide approximately 1 million hectares of habitat for wildlife species. The Canadian Wildlife Act was amended to include all terrestrial species of flora and fauna and all species found within 200 nautical miles of the Canadian coast. This constituted the first parliamentary authority for the creation of marine protected areas in Canada.
Membership in CWF includes all 10 provincial wildlife federations; individual Canadians are also allowed to become direct members. After finishing her degree in Wildlife Biology, Sheryl joined IFAW as a researcher, focusing on issues related to commercial seal hunting in Canada, interactions between marine mammals and fishing, and the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife. With support from Canada's Council of Wildlife Ministers, IFAW launched the Endangered Wildlife Recovery (RENEW) initiative as a means of informing the public about progress made in protecting endangered species. Currently, Sheryl oversees IFAW wildlife campaigns in Canada and works to identify and promote positive solutions that help wildlife and people coexist. The Endangered Species Act was passed to help prevent the disappearance of wildlife species in Canada, ensure the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated, endangered, or threatened as a result of human activity, and manage species of special interest to prevent them from becoming endangered or threatened.
