Environmental Advocate Gary Gallon Dies in Montreal

MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada, July 8, 2003 (ENS) - Gary Gallon, president of the Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment, and editor of "The Gallon Environment Letter," died after a long battle with cancer on Thursday, July 3. He was 58. A memorial service was held for Gallon this afternoon at the Church of the Advent, Montreal.

Six weeks ago, on May 23, Gallon was awarded Canada's Life Time Achievement Citation for his environmental contributions. The award, established in 2002 by "Canadian Geographic" magazine, was presented by Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson at a gala ceremony at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto.

Gary Gallon (left) receives the Life Time Achievement Citation from Environment Minister David Anderson. (Photo by Simon Bell courtesy Canadian Geographic)

His early campaigns attempted to raise public awareness of the hazards of pesticides and the benefits of household recycling. He worked on oil spill prevention and the protection of wildlife from coal mining.

"Canadian Geographic" quoted him as saying, "I've always been bothered by excess consumption and wanton destruction of habitat. Human ethics must allow space for other lifeforms."

In 1977, Gallon was chosen to be executive director of the Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI) in Nairobi, Kenya, where he served for four years. There he met Janine Ferretti, now Canada's Chief of Environment for the InterAmerican Development Bank in Washington, DC, who would become his life partner.

Upon Gallon's return to Canada in 1982, he helped to found Toronto based Probe International, and became an environmental researcher for Ontario's Liberal Party, then in opposition. When David Peterson's government came to power in 1985, Gallon was named senior policy adviser to Ontario Environment Minister Jim Bradley.

In the early 1990's Gallon opened a consulting business, Environmental Economics International, which advised corporations on their environmental rights and responsibilities.

During the 1990s he worked with the Canadian Environment Industry Association, and at the time of his death, Gallon was president of the Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment.

In 1996, Gallon began publishing the "Gallon Environment Letter," a twice monthly compliation of articles by newswires, service organizations, and other environmental sources, that was widely circulated to media and to the general public.

Gallon leaves his wife, Janine Ferretti, and children Kalifi and Jenika. He leaves his parents Thomas and Marilyn, brother Jack and sister Becky in California.

Gallon has asked that he be remembered with donations to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, PO Box 48446, Vancouver, British Columbia V7X 1A2, or the Sierra Club of Canada, 1 Nicholas Street #412, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 7B7.