Question

Read the following scenario and answer the questions below.
Canadian wetlands provide a multitude of ecological, economic, and social benefits. They provide habitat for many organisms and are nurseries for many saltwater and freshwater fishes and shellfish. Wetlands also hold and slowly release floodwater and snow melt, recharge groundwater, act as cleansing filters, recycle nutrients, and provide recreation. As of 2004, Canada had 1.2 million square kilometres of wetlands or 14% of its total land mass. This is also 14% of the wetlands in the world. Since the European discovery, it has lost over 24 million hectares of wetlands to agriculture or urbanization. Nearly 15% of the loss is due to urban development, with the rest being due to agriculture and silviculture (predominantly logging). Southwestern Ontario experienced the greatest loss. Wetlands near urban areas were drained and became the sites for houses and later businesses. Environment Canada is charged with administering these areas and overseeing the implementation of the Canadian Wildlife Act, the Migratory Birds Act, and the Species at Risk Act. These acts and Environment Canada work to restore wetlands and their animal inhabitants and to prevent the loss of existing wetlands where possible or feasible. However, under the controversial changes to the Fisheries Act introduced by the Conservative government in 2012, wetlands and small rivers without species that can be viably fished will no longer be protected by federal regulation and enforcement. This move was sharply criticized by the scientific community and even by past Conservative fisheries ministers.
In Canada, wetlands are primarily considered to ________.
A) be important because they provide many valuable ecosystem services
B) be useful to develop for economic purposes
C) be important only for recreational purposes
D) belong to the owner of the private property, to be developed or not by the owner
E) be useful for fisheries

Answer

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