Caribou and You | 'Bou Blog

Caribou goes to the Green Living Show

May 08, 2008

Well it was a quick trip back to Toronto for me this past weekend after my exciting experiences in Alberta!

My wonderful friends at CPAWS invited me to join them at The Green Living Show –the consumer show dedicated to all things green! CPAWS had set up a booth there with help from the Trillium Foundation. I was really looking forward to getting in touch with all the Torontonians and Ontarians and telling them about ways they can help – by signing my petition to Minister Baird. Boy – I was a little overwhelmed with all the booths and people, and had to take a time out in the urban forest, which made me feel right at home! But everyone was really nice, though some were a little confused between me, and my friend Bullwinkle – the moose.

I met lots of school kids on Friday, who were eager to take their picture with me, and learn about the plight of Woodland Caribou in Canada’s Boreal. I was surprised at how many people didn’t know about Woodland Caribou, or about the logging that’s going on in Algonquin Park – a wonderful park that my kind used to call home a long time ago until it got too busy with logging and development around it.

I really had lots of fun playing with the little kids – they were all very curious about me there was even one little girl who wanted to take me home! But unfortunately, I’m a busy ‘Bou, and couldn’t go home for dinner.

Talking to people at the different booths was really interesting – they were all happy to see a caribou wandering the show, and even let me try out some of their neat stuff – like folding bicycles. I met my old friend, the Evergreen tree, and a lifesize pic of a fellow Woodland caribou made me a little homesick.

I was very excited to learn that some of my favourite people would be speaking at the show. While I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Bill Clinton, I took some time to read through his book, and Margaret Atwood dropped by. I was so honoured – she recognized me instantly! She’s an old friend of Woodland Caribou – in 2007 she signed a letter to Premier McGuinty asking him to keep his promise to protect my home—the Boreal forest. She was heading into to see Mr. Clinton speak, so couldn’t stay long.

Wandering along visiting the different booths on Saturday, I was called over by the Waterkeepers, and was invited to have a picture taken with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. I told him about the Woodland Caribou, and asked him to sign a postcard – which he did!

After that busy weekend, I am looking forward to some lichen to munch, and to rest my tail in Ottawa for a short time before I’m off on my travels again!