Federal heritage minister Sheila Copps and her bureaucracy at Parks Canada are putting Canada’s cattle industry at risk by refusing to deal with tuberculosis-infected elk and deer in Manitoba’s Riding Mountain National Park, provincial cattle representatives said on Parliament Hill last week.
MPs from all parties were sympathetic and are expected to send a report to the House of Commons recommending federal action.
Seven park-area cattle herds are under quarantine and the source of the disease is park wildlife, Manitoba farmers and provincial government representatives argued during a Feb. 11 appearance before the Commons agriculture committee.
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“Because the developed countries that Canada trades with are all involved in TB eradication programs and because Canada is so dependent on export markets for beef cattle and beef products, TB is a significant threat to the economic integrity of the cattle business in Canada,” Manitoba veterinary services director Allan Preston told MPs.
“The cattle industry … in the entire country of Canada has been placed at risk of financial loss due to the resurgence of this disease.”
Garth Routledge, past president of the Manitoba Cattle Producers’ Association, pleaded with the committee to recommend “decisive and aggressive action” by Ottawa.
Producer John Whitaker, a 28-year veteran of the cattle business in the national park area, told MPs the main problem is a refusal by Parks Canada officials to concede that the wild deer and elk population is the source.
“Relations between the park and its farmer neighbours are the most antagonistic they’ve been in 30 years,” he said.
“Riding Mountain often describes itself as an island of wilderness in a sea of agriculture, with the implication being that the island is good and the sea is bad or that the park is good and the farmers which surround it are bad because they cut down the trees and grow crops and raise cattle.”
During the meeting, MPs were sympathetic.
Liberal Claude Duplain, parliamentary secretary to agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief, asked the witnesses what government can do.
“I really believe the ball is squarely in Parks Canada’s court at this time,” Preston replied.
“The actions that are needed to be taken are to reduce the elk population within the park boundaries.”
Canadian Alliance Manitoba MP Howard Hilstrom, who instigated the committee hearing on TB, said during the meeting the Manitoba government shares some of the blame for not being aggressive enough in promoting a cull of park elk.
Later, he laid the primary problem on Copps and Parks Canada, who the witnesses said are under pressure from animal rights groups not to kill too many elk.
“The minister of heritage is continuing to stonewall eradication
efforts,” he charged.
Hilstrom said he hoped a report from the committee to Parliament will help force Copps’ hand.
