On May 29, 2017, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Canadian Biosphere Reserve Association hosted a special Day on the Hill in Ottawa. The goal was to allow Members of Parliament, Senators, and staff to discover the important role and contributions of Canada’s 18 UNESCO biosphere reserves.

This was a non-partisan event, co-organized with the support of Members of Parliament Hon. Ginette Petitpas Taylor (New Brunswick: Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, Liberal), Gord Johns (BC: Courtenay-Alberni, NDP), and Robert Sopuck (Manitoba: Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa, Conservative).

The day culminated with a special reception, hosted by Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole, Bruce Stanton, MP. Over 100 MPs and Parliamentary Secretaries attended the event. Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about how this unique network of UNESCO sites contributes to biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and reconciliation. The reception also featured sustainably crafted edibles from Canada’s biosphere reserves.