Greenpeace ship coming to Canada

“Greenpeace’s use of ships to expose and stop environmental degradation has been with us since the founding voyage of Greenpeace to Amchitka, Alaska to protest nuclear weapons testing,” said Bruce Cox, executive director of Greenpeace Canada. “Public access to the ship is an opportunity for people to get a better understanding of what Greenpeace does and the issues we work on.”

Visitors will be able to tour the former icebreaker, meet the captain and talk to the crew about their adventures on the high seas. And there have been many. The Arctic Sunrise has investigated pollution from oil rigs in the North Sea, chased pirate vessels fishing illegally in the Indian Ocean, and even maneuvered directly into the path of a Minuteman missile being tested in the Pacific as part of the US “Star Wars” defence system.

While in Canada, the ship will help promote renewable energy while warning of the dangers inherent in both coal and nuclear power. The Arctic Sunrise will also draw attention to the urgent need to end clear-cutting in the Boreal Forests of Quebec and Ontario, important wildlife habit and key to fighting climate change globally.

The last time the Arctic Sunrise campaigned in Canada was in 2005 when it came to oppose the production of nuclear power in Quebec. The Toronto visit will mark the first time in over a decade a Greenpeace vessel has been in port.

To access more information on the Arctic Sunrise tour, please visit our Web site at www.greenpeace.ca/shiptour.