HULL, Que. – The divisive politics and conflicting visions of endangered species protection flared up last week as activists gathered for one last “consultation” on federal legislation in the planning.
Environment minister Sheila Copps began Dec. 11 with a plea for compromise.
“It is a tough process for all of us,” she told several dozen environmentalists, bureaucrats, farm and resource industry representatives invited for one last session of trying to find consensus to recommend to government.
She wants legislation written and presented to Parliament by next summer, with final approval and implementation within a year or two. Copps said she wants conflicting groups, including farmers, to become endangered species activists who will support the moderate federal approach.
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“At the end of the day, we can produce fabulous results for endangered species, for ourselves, for our children and for our country.”
But by the end of the two days, few seemed to agree they were closer.
Environmental groups left in a huff, accusing Ottawa of not having the political courage to push enough people around to protect endangered species.
Ottawa told to get tough
They demanded Ottawa “force” provinces to pass tough companion legislation and to intervene in provincial or private land management if species are endangered.
“It means overcoming federal reluctance to step on provincial and territorial toes,” said Adriane Carr of British Columbia, speaking for the Western Canada Wilderness Committee.
A farm spokesperson said the environmentalists were living in a dream world, imagining that Ottawa can ignore the constitution to tell provinces and private landowners what to do.
Focus on the facts
“If we are going to achieve any scheme in this area, we have to deal with reality,” said Sally Rutherford of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, as some environmentalists in the room shifted in their seats and rolled their eyes.
Rutherford said drafters of the legislation and supporters of the concept should not forget the farmers and rural people who occupy and husband the land where endangered species live.
“Pretending they don’t exist or trying to move them on is not an acceptable solution at all,” she said.
If farmers are forced off the land by costly or intrusive legislation, they could be replaced by corporations which care less for the habitat than farmers do.
Copps appealed for understanding of Ottawa’s limited jurisdiction and the need for a moderate approach which will not tie up the process in costly and time-consuming lawsuits.
“You are not going to be happy with what we offer up,” she told those in the audience who want a tougher federal stance. It will be a compromise, limited to rules for federal land, she said.
Ottawa can lead by example, she said, praising Alberta premier Ralph Klein for announcing Alberta will introduce legislation to complement federal rules.
The environmental activists who announced their boycott of further consultations said they now will concentrate on building public support for tougher federal legislation capable of doing what has to be done to protect endangered species.
