The federal Liberal government says it will move quickly to pass endangered species legislation that died in the old Parliament.
Lobbyists, who believe the proposal does not offer enough protection and compensation to affected property owners, also are gearing up to renew their fight.
And this time it appears the new Liberal government will be more willing to listen.
Environment minister Christine Stewart represents a semi-rural eastern Ontario riding where some successful habitat reclamation projects have been done. Agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief holds the neighboring riding and is sympathetic to some of the criticisms.
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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
And the Official Opposition in the new Parliament is Reform, which fought the last Liberal proposal promoted by urban Ontario-based environment ministers.
“I do think we have some factors in our favor this time,” said Canadian Cattlemen’s Association environment committee chair Bob Dobson.
“We have written to minister Stewart already. We hope to meet with her as soon as possible.”
Prime minister Jean ChrŽtien last week signalled the government will move quickly.
“We will soon pass legislation to safeguard threatened and endangered species and their habitats within federal jurisdiction – legislation reintroduced from our last session of Parliament,” he told a United Nations environment meeting in New York June 24.
Safe haven
As proposed by the last government, federal land found to be a refuge for an endangered or threatened species could be taken out of economic production until the animals move to a safer place.
Although critics complain it would cover just federal land, many provinces also have endangered species legislation and there is a federal-provincial commitment to work toward meshing rules on federal and provincial lands.
Private land would not be covered by existing proposals but farmers and ranchers often rent crown land.
Dobson, a Cobden, Ont. farmer, tells the story of a farmer prohibited for a month from harvesting his hay because threatened species were in it. The later harvest reduced hay quality and cost him money.
“There should be a compensation fund that can help land operators affected,” he said. “It should be done equitably, by all society. We would be willing to pay our share but not it all.”
Dobson said there also is a fear Canada is moving in the “heavy handed” direction the Americans have taken, which U.S. farm groups say has led to farms being put out of business and endangered species being shot, rather than reported, to avoid potential losses.
