Environment committee  We can't just protect one little component and not something else. It has to be habitat. If we protect a species, we do it by protecting the habitat and the impacts upon it. So absolutely, it's habitat, but also the species themselves. What I would like to get across is that we can't just look at very specific parts of this whole system.

Environment committee  I'd like to address that question, because I mentioned earlier my study on coyotes in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The scientists up there I was working with were the ones who have lost their jobs because of this recent cut within Parks Canada. I'm not so sure who I'm reporting through right now within Cape Breton Highlands National Park, but I do find it very unfortunate that the cuts that occurred within Parks Canada, as a result of the cuts to Parks Canada in general, meant that the scientists and the rare species scientists were the ones who are not there any more.

Environment committee  Absolutely, and I hope I didn't suggest that was not the case within my general comments. In fact your question is very pertinent. Right now I'm involved in a study of coyotes in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where of course, very unfortunately, there was a death a couple of years ago because of a coyote.

Environment committee  Well, you have to realize that the one species that is threatened is often threatened because of other reasons. When you have that, on top of having predators that are maybe going hungry, then yes, they can drive it down. In academics, we talk about an extinction vortex. Once a species is driven down to very low numbers, then all of these factors begin to push them into this extinction vortex.

Environment committee  Hello, and thanks for inviting me. I have to start out by admitting that when I was first invited I was very reluctant, and in fact I thought I would not go. Then I spoke to Martin Willison, who was here several days ago. He and I are on CPAWS together, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, and he convinced me to come.