Evidence of meeting #75 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 sara.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank all the witnesses.
My first question is for Dr. Otto.
You said that a number of discoveries, including medical discoveries and others related to phosphates in water used by humans, resulted in regulations for protecting people and nature. In your opinion, does changing the National Research Council of Canada's mandate to focus only on applied research jeopardize habitat conservation?
Calgary Centre-North, CPC
Again, I realize that there are topics in the news today, but I'd ask that my colleague focus her questions specifically on habitat—
Director, Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, As an Individual
Thank you for your question.
No, I do not at all believe that only applied research is important.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht
If I could interrupt, please, for a minute, we do have a scope that the committee has agreed to, in terms of the study. I'd ask our witnesses and our members to try to honour those.
Madam Quach, please proceed.
NDP
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think the scope of our study changed a long time ago. We have been talking about the Species at Risk Act since the beginning, but it is never included in the scope of our study. Today we have been given a bit of latitude in the study, and I hope we will be given even more latitude. If not, the Species at Risk Act and many other topics will no longer be discussed. If we want to be able to discuss these things, we need a bit of latitude.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht
Mr. Choquette, with all due respect, SARA certainly does apply to terrestrial habitat, so I do think we—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht
I'm going to turn it back to Madam Quach.
Madam Quach, please proceed.
NDP
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
With all due respect, Mr. Chair, I think that from the beginning we have been talking about the need for scientific data and to have experts here talking about the necessary scientific data for finding solutions to a number of problems with regard to habitat protection. I think the question on basic research as it pertains to the NRC is absolutely relevant today.
So, I will repeat my question for Dr. Otto.
Might changing the National Research Council of Canada's mandate to focus only on applied research jeopardize habitat conservation?
Director, Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, As an Individual
I'll speak to your question about basic science.
I am a basic scientist, and I think many of the people who are active in science believe themselves to be fundamentally interested in the processes that have led to and maintain the diversity around us. But I can't study the evolution of biodiversity without caring about its current status either. I don't think there is a clear dividing line between what's basic and what's applied. For this reason, I think we need to continue to support a broad base in science, because we will never know when something is of critical applied concern that, to us, seemed originally like basic fundamental knowledge.
NDP
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Thank you.
Let us stay on the topic of research. The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act has taken a lot of hits. Will this have repercussions on research on biodiversity, on the evolution of certain species and, accordingly, on habitat protection?
Director, Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, As an Individual
These changes happened very recently. I am not aware yet of scientific assessments of the changes that have been caused. I am sure there will be some, and we will be tracking that.
NDP
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
Perfect.
I have more questions for you, Dr. Otto.
In the 2010 report by the Expert Panel on Biodiversity Science, of which you are a member, you said that biodiversity is being lost at a rate unprecedented in human history.
What effect does global warming have on biodiversity? What do you think Canada can do to reverse this situation?
Director, Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, As an Individual
That's a very good question.
My colleague, Jeannette Whitton, listed the major reasons for placing species at risk currently. She didn't mention climate change because, so far, it has not been. Our climate is changing so rapidly and scientists have been able to track the movement rates of species to match the warming climate. For many species it is not fast enough. As we see the increase in temperature over the next century—the estimates range, but let's say 2 degrees to 4 degrees—the species will not be able to track that and we will get increasing extinctions due to climate change itself.
For that reason, I very briefly mentioned that I think it is important that we not only look at habitat that is important for where species are today, but also habitat that links those species to potential future habitats. For this reason, places like the Okanagan and the Garry oak ecosystem are critically important, as they serve as corridors as species move further north. In a number of species, scientists have demonstrated that ranges are shifting north, so looking at preserving habitat to enable that migration is important.
Thank you.
NDP
Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC
My next question is for Dr. Whitton.
You both talked about global warming with temperatures possibly increasing by another 2 degrees. Dr. Whitton, you talked about the importance of taking action in the oil, mining, fisheries and hunting sectors. Oil production is going to increase in the country. There are a number of development projects. The planet's temperature will increase by 2 degrees if we don't do anything to regulate this sector.
What would you advise the federal government to do to ensure that temperatures do not increase by another 2 degrees?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht
Madam Quach, your time is up.
We'll have to let the witnesses weave that into another response.
We move now to Mr. Woodworth.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. My thanks to all of the witnesses for taking the time to come and be with us today. I always appreciate the good citizenship of people who are here to help us craft policy and investigate matters that concern all Canadians.
We have, previously at this committee, heard evidence along similar lines in 2009.
Professor Whitton, I understand that you're currently a member of COSEWIC? Is that correct?
Associate Professor, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, As an Individual
Yes, that's correct.
Conservative
Associate Professor, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, As an Individual
Yes, I was.
Conservative
Stephen Woodworth Conservative Kitchener Centre, ON
Good. Just in reviewing my notes from the evidence that this committee heard in 2009 regarding the Species At Risk Act, I found that Professor Jeffrey Hutchings appeared in May 2009. Am I right that he was the chair of COSEWIC at that time?