Premiers support Fundy's natural-wonder bid

Canada's premiers agreed Fridayto support a bid to make the Bay of Fundy one of seven new wonders of nature.

The decision came as the premiers met in Winnipeg for an annual conference.

The bay is one of 28 finalists in a worldwide campaign by the New 7 Wonders Foundation, a group based in Switzerland. Other entrants include the Amazon rain forest, South Africa's Table Mountain, Uluru in Australia (also known as Ayers Rock) and Mount Vesuvius in Italy.

More than 440sites enteredthe competition; the bay is Canada's only finalist.

New Brunswick PremierShawn Graham and Premier Darrell Dexter of Nova Scotia presented a video at the premiers' meeting to show off Fundy's famous high tides and picturesque coastline.

"With only two finalists in North America the other finalist being the Grand Canyon today we're calling upon Canadians from coast to coast to vote for the Bay of Fundy in this international competition as one of the natural seven wonders of the world," Graham said.

Dexter said the premiers have agreed to post the video online, make statements in their legislatures and encourage residents in their provinces to vote online.

"It's truly something remarkable and special that we have," he said. "When I tell people, as I did at the [U.S.] National Governors Association, that we have 50-foot tides, they find that hard to believe."

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, whose province is land-locked, said it is important to support the bay.

"It's now the only Canadian wonder that's still in the running, so it's an easy thing to support," he said.

Even the vast distance separating Yukon from the bayhasn't diminished Dennis Fentie's support, theYukon premier said.

"I don't think that it's ever been a stumbling block for Canada and Canadians to support each other regardless of how far apart we are geographically," Fentie said.

The new wonders are to be announced Nov. 11, 2011.