Canada's Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield tells the House of Commons in Ottawa on Wednesday that changes are coming to the federal Fisheries Act.
Photograph by: Chris Wattie, Reuters , Vancouver Sun
Metro Vancouver is opposing the federal government’s proposed changes to the Fisheries Act, arguing it will greatly weaken fish habitat protection by allowing developers to build closer to the region’s streams and waterways.
Directors of Metro’s environment committee argue the move, outlined in a leaked document from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, would have a devastating effect on riparian zones, which act as a 30-metre buffer to salmon-bearing streams and waterways, leading to more sediment, silt and pollution.
“The fish would not be protected,” said Burnaby Coun. Sav Dhaliwal, who recommended the committee go on record opposing the changes. “We’re asking staff to join the many hundred scientists and environmentalists who have raised these issues ... the pending legislation is a step backwards.”
According to information leaked to retired fisheries biologist Otto Langer by a government source last month, the federal government is proposing to gut habitat-protection provisions that have been in place since 1976, making it easier for projects such as Enbridge Inc.’s Northern Gateway pipeline to B.C. to clear federal hurdles.
Wording for the proposed legislation would prohibit activity that would cause an “adverse effect” on “fish of economic, cultural or ecological value,” whereas the existing law bans activity that results in the “harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat.”
Metro environment committee chairwoman Heather Deal, a Vancouver councillor, said destruction of fish habitat is a key issue for the region, which has hatcheries in its parks.
She noted that fish have different needs for habitat, and changing waterflows, dams or pollution could have a huge effect.
“Without habitat we will kill all the critters. This would be incredibly damaging,” Deal said. “If you don’t protect that, we’re going to lose the species.”
The committee’s motion still has to go to the Metro board for approval. If supported, it will be sent to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
Craig Orr, of the Watershed Water Salmon Watch, said he’s never seen such an outcry from the community over protecting salmon.
“The Fisheries Act is still one of the most powerful laws we have in protecting fish habitat,” he said. “It’s disturbing to think salmon and aquatic resources don’t rank higher [on the government’s agenda].”
Reconstruction of fish habitat is going on now at Colony Farm Regional Park, as part of a compensation package to mitigate the effects of the South Fraser Perimeter Road.
Transportation Investment Corp. aims to expand the tidal water flows on the Wilson Farm portion of Colony Farm to boost the number of salmon and other fish stocks within the park.
According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the entire Colony Farm Park contains most of the Coquitlam River tidal delta, but the ecosystem has been declining over the past century as a result of urbanization, dams and climate change.
The Coquitlam River is frequently on the top-10 endangered rivers list of the Outdoor Recreation Council.
Orr noted that while work can be done to fix the problems, it won’t restore the habitat to its natural state. “We can’t recreate habitat to the same degree that nature can,” he said.
ksinoski@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Metro+Va...#ixzz1rZNaa21y
This topic seems to be getting little attention-- its needs anyone concerned for, or interested in preserving any specie of fish to start screaming. What the Cons are planning is downright draconian. PLEASE start writing letters if you have not already done so.
20ft Alumaweld Intruder
Wasn't in this budget though....when did Ashfield apparently announce it will go through?
DFO should look south. Go to coastsidefishingclub.com and read about how great the Chinook Salmon fishing is offthe California coast. Seems like ocean survival for southern fish is OK.
Stosh
I have never hated a conservative more then i do Harper. I am conservative in about every desciption of the word, but its going to be very tough for me to vote for them in the next election.
California doesnt have fish farms, That helps with the ocean survival.
X2!Originally Posted by lorneparker1
Perhaps the easiest way to understand Harper is to use the three categories proposed by one of the best-known researchers into the character of psychopaths, Robert Hare of UBC, - cons, bullies, and puppetmasters. In Harper’s case the three modes are interchangeable and all are used to destroy democracy in Canada and elevate him to the position of despotic ruler of an oligarchy. Paul Babiuk, a colleague of Hare's, says sub-clinical psychopaths have traits similar to ideal leaders. You would expect a leader to be narcissistic, self-centred, dominant, very assertive, maybe to the point of being aggressive. Those traits are easily confused for the aggression, manipulation and bullying that a psychopath would demonstrate.
Soon after becoming Prime Minister, he ordered that no MP could make a public statement without his permission – even his cabinet ministers, now effectively stripped of power. He is alleged to have a list of people critical of his regime and has ordered that all Conservative MPs refuse any contact with them. There is no pretense of accountability. Harper produced a large manual for his MPs, teaching them how to frustrate democratic rule in the House of Commons. The manual was a handbook of ways to make sure that the work of Committees of the House could be discredited. In the presence of overwhelming evidence of the election fraud that gave Harper a majority government, he bobs, weaves, lies and blames the victims of his fraud.
The great thing about a democracy should be that the people get what they ask for by voting a party to power or voting them back out. Unfortunately, we really have no idea anymore who or what they are voting for because we are fed nothing but lies, we are fooled by clever deceptions and victimized through criminal manipulation by those we entrusted governance to. Now we understand what it is to be ruled by a psychopath: Harper will be satisfied only when we have lost control of Canada to the trans-national corporations and when our country is no longer a democracy.
"Save wild salmon - can the D.F.O." - tee shirt from Pacific Net and Twine
SG, read it and weep. http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublicati...&DocId=5524772
Looks like that is what ex-Fisheries Minister Tom Siddon is doing. http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode...fisheries-act/
http://www.vancouversun.com/business...900/story.html
Fisheries Act overhaul prompts scramble at Cohen Commission*
By Peter O'Neil, Vancouver Sun May 1, 2012 4:34 PM
Federal government could be sued over fisheries reform, minister admits
Read more: http://www.canada.com/technology/Fed...#ixzz1vfBQTrUj
OTTAWA — Fisheries and Oceans Canada acknowledges its reputation and capacity to protect the nation's water are at risk because of a "change agenda" that also could be overturned in court, the department's minister, Keith Ashfield, said in a report tabled this month in Parliament.
But the report suggested the department is considering "communications" tools as part of a marketing campaign "to maintain public trust" along with the morale of scientists and experts in its workforce.
The report on the department's plans and priorities proposed "rigorous" efforts to review budgets and respond to the risk that budget cuts may hamper its capacity to "maintain appropriate service levels for internal and external clients."
Ashfield's report also warned that the department's "regulatory and operational decisions may be challenged in court, resulting in financial liability or limits or changes to our authority, policy or regulatory tools." Potential legal action could also "alter" the department's existing priorities and delivery of services, the report said.
The assessment was drafted before the government unveiled its 2012 budget, which calls for significant changes to federal laws protecting the environment and water in Canada. It also was produced before details started to emerge about budget cuts to scientific research, including the elimination of almost all department scientists monitoring ocean pollution across Canada.
The report warned that the department's "dynamic change agenda" for 2012-2013 might not succeed, but proposed a "communications strategy to support external communications of the department's new policy direction," and boost its public image. It also recommended that the department "simplify and streamline policies linked to cabinet confidence" documents, which generally refer secret advice and recommendations made by or for the government.
Tim Leadem, a staff lawyer with environmental law group Ecojustice, said the federal government should consider being more transparent and engaging in consultations with the public to boost its reputation.
"What we're going to see with this government is more and more reliance upon secrecy on this concept of government doing business, but not letting other people know what the business (is) and how it's being transacted," said Leadem, who previously worked as a senior lawyer at the British Columbia government's attorney general's office.
"So if they're worried about reputation, the worst thing in the world for a government to do is to hide behind secrecy and cabinet confidence. The way that you bolster the reputation of a government is through transparency, and this government is not being transparent at all."
He also acknowledged that environmental lawyers are considering legal challenges to the government's proposals to weaken federal laws protecting fish habitat and water, but he declined to give specific details about Ecojustice's strategy.
The report recommended the creation of special committees to address the "legal risks."
Meanwhile, Ashfield said his department's "transformation" would improve its operations, including its management of science and regulations.
"I am confident that the cumulative effects of these change initiatives over the long-term will be positive, helping to improve the quality, relevance and effectiveness of the department's programs and services," Ashfield wrote in a statement posted at the beginning of his report to Parliament.
NDP fisheries critic Robert Chisholm said he's not surprised the department is warning about the risks of its policies.
"I'm hearing that across the country because the (government's) proposals are radical," said Chisholm in an interview. "They really are proposing to withdraw significantly from their role to protect fish and fish habitat."
He added that he didn't think Canadians would be fooled by a new communications policy.
"Canadians are not stupid," said Chisholm, who represents a Nova Scotia riding. "They can see what's going on . . . They're very concerned not only with the policy changes, the cuts, the direction of those cuts, but also the way the government is just steamrolling through any sense of democracy (or) any sense of democratic principles."
"There are in fact two things , science and opinion,The former begets knowledge , the latter ignorance " Hippocrates
The Harper™ Government©: Winging it since 2006
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