October 31, 2005

Mountain Caribou

In September 2002 the then Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection published "A Strategy for the Recovery of Mountain Caribou in British Columbia". The report cautioned that the 2001 change in government "will also result in major changes to government protocols, policy and institutions" and "will require future amendments to the recovery strategy and may also have significant effects on how recovery actions are implemented."

In legislative question period on October 27, 2005, NDP environment critic Shane Simpson referred to a report titled Mountain Caribou Recovery Options which was released last week but that is not yet available on the government website; that should sound warning bells by itself since good news is posted immediately. Simpson pointed out that the report lays out the option of letting the caribou expire quickly or through neglect. He asked Environment Minister Barry Penner to commit "to set aside the options report until the mountain caribou science team has reported out." Penner responded saying that he hadn't actually received the report and then went on to say "It's a draft report. It does not represent government policy." For not "receiving the report", Penner knew enough about it to claim: "That draft report does not represent the view of government." It's "draft" status may be the excuse why the report is not available on the government's website, but the public should thank Simpson for blowing the whistle.

In his second question, Simpson dropped the bomb on Penner when he noted that on June 27, 2005, the Minister of State for Mining was quoted in the Globe and Mail as saying: "Frankly, I am prepared to stake my position publicly that this herd is doomed and should either be moved or written off. Government should not be throwing good money after bad."

Penner ducked for cover by again referring to the leaked report as a draft that doesn't represent government policy, but he is dangerously close to losing whatever benefit the Campbell government achieved by re-establishing a Ministry of the Environment. In 2001 that name was abolished and replaced by two Ministries that appeared to put the environment in a distant second place to economic development. Penner was supposed to reverse that perception by becoming a champion for the environment. Could Penner be playing second fiddle to a junior Minister of State for Mining who might have more influence over the future of the Mountain Cariboo than the full minister? Penner needs to show that he is the Minister responsible for the environment, including the Mountain Caribou.

At the very least, government should release the Mountain Caribou Recovery Options report and allow a full debate on the options. Decisions should ultimately be based on science and community values, not on the Campbell government's rush to satisfy corporate donors in the mining sector.