Evidence of meeting #30 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was species.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to move.... I have five motions. They're regarding science cuts, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, emergency response, the national round table and water, and environmental NGOs.
While this is being placed in camera, at the end, I would very much like to have this out in the open.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Mark Warawa
So you want to use your time to deal with this motion?
It would mean, then, for us to break and go in camera—unless you had unanimous consent to deal with it at the open session.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Do I have unanimous consent to deal with this in the open?
Liberal
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
These witnesses have come here, and I don't want to take away from their work.
I'm going to ask very specific questions, if I may. I'm concerned about species at risk. Without significant effort, more and more of our native species are at risk of becoming extinct. Habitat loss, climate change, human activity...and I think these are things that need to be changed when we go ahead with the conservation plan.
When a species is listed, SARA requires a development of recovery strategy that identifies habitat crucial for its survival. The majority of recovery strategies released to date do not cover critical habitat despite the requirement in SARA.
I'd like to know, Mr. Davidson, should this be a recommendation for the conservation plan?
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Great. We'll make that a recommendation in the report. Thank you.
It's my understanding also that there is a safety net that can protect areas normally under provincial jurisdiction, but only if the federal Minister of the Environment approves. Is this correct?
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
To my knowledge, that safety net has not been employed, and in some cases we do have dire circumstances.
Should that be a recommendation going forward, that we reinforce that this safety net exists?
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Thank you.
There are so many opportunities going forward with this.
If we look at our marine life, Mr. Davidson, what monitoring, research, and recovery programs should be included in the conservation program for species at risk?
Executive Director, Nature Canada
I think perhaps my colleagues would be better suited to answer that. The focus of Nature Canada tends to be more on the terrestrial species.
David Browne Director of Conservation, Canadian Wildlife Federation
Your question is around which monitoring programs...?
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
Yes: which monitoring, research, and recovery programs we should be thinking about in the conservation plan. What would be your recommendation?
I mean, if we look at grey whales, it's been—
Director of Conservation, Canadian Wildlife Federation
There are some simple things that could be reinforced in the conservation plan. One would be a commitment to the emergency response network to marine mammal strandings and entanglements. That is run through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans with partners across the country, and it leverages some good dollars from organizations like ours and others.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
So what would be your recommendation, very specifically, for the report?
Director of Conservation, Canadian Wildlife Federation
That the government commit to enhancing and maintaining sufficient funding for the marine mammal emergency response programs across the country to respond to threats to marine mammals that are at risk. That would be one.
The other aspect would be to make recommendations—although this has been worked on for years—to continue to encourage the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to look at ecosystem approaches to managing the fisheries, to considering multiple stocks at the same time, and to understanding the relationship between the species as they manage sections of the ocean. It's a difficult undertaking, and they have been working on it. I think the plan could reinforce that as a conservation objective for Canada.
I think it's generally important that the plan include, as Mr. Bates said, objectives for marine and freshwater conservation and not just terrestrial conservation.
Liberal
Kirsty Duncan Liberal Etobicoke North, ON
I'm going to pick up on what you've just been talking about.
We have very clear conservation commitments under the United Nations international convention on biodiversity, and the subsequent Canadian biodiversity strategy, and a clear mandate for ecosystem-based management and marine conservation through Canada's Oceans Act and the accompanying oceans strategy. We have failed to realize these commitments.
Should the conservation plan ensure that Canada meet its obligation under these instruments?
