Printed from www.nugget.ca web site Friday, September 29, 2006 - © 2006 North Bay Nugget

MNR funds must be restored now

North Bay Nugget Friday, September 29, 2006 - 08:00

Letter of the Day - In an article published in the North Bay Nugget, Anne-Marie Flanagan, who is a spokeswoman for David Ramsay, the minister of Natural Resources, was reported to say the MNR is committed to the protection of the province's natural resources, which include 250,000 lakes and hundreds of rivers. Ms. Flanagan also stated: "Compliance and enforcement is core function of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and that's not something that we're getting away from."

In 1990, there were 3 1/2 conservation officers working out of the Temagami area office covering an area from Marten River north. Now there are two people in that position trying to do the same work. In North Bay in 1990, there were six conservation officers and now there are only four.

In an interview on CBC radio July 19, Ms. Flanagan stated there will be fewer regular patrols in the woods and on lakes to catch poachers and others breaking fishing and hunting regulations. Instead, conservation officers will be spending a little more time at their desks than they have in the past waiting for calls from the "tips line" to come in. At least the statement about sitting at their desks is true since MNR provincial enforcement has taken 21 trucks off the road in Ontario and there is no gasoline budget to fuel the vehicles that remain. As for the tip idea, just imagine how much good the Ontario Provincial Police would be if it had to depend on a motorist reporting someone doing 140 km/h on Highway 11 before they could leave the station.
There have been 13 jobs in the North Bay MNR office eliminated in the past two years - one of which was a conservation officer whose position was eliminated following his retirement. The latest news is that the employees who answer the phones for the North Bay office have been declared surplus. The cutbacks, in fact the gutting of the MNR, have and are happening across the province and it is not just in the enforcement section.
Biologists and technicians are sitting on their hands in their offices because there is no project money available.

The Temagami Stewardship Council was informed of another cutback - the biologist who represented the MNR and provided valuable input and guidance at their monthly meetings will no longer be available to them in that capacity. These people need to be in the field educating the public and protecting and enhancing the natural resources for which this province is famous.

The MNR is just not doing its job of looking after the natural resources of this province and it is because our provincial government has cut the funding to a point where that has become impossible. Some genius in government has also landed on the idea of farming out essential MNR responsibilities. There are volunteer organizations doing an excellent job of what are essentially MNR responsibilities, for example, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is conducting the rehabilitation of the Atlantic salmon in Lake Ontario, as well as running a comprehensive program to educate the public about invading species. Now, OFAH will be also be responsible for running the province's Ringwood fish hatchery. Other numerous organizations across the province are also financing and conducting excellent research studies and projects in partnership with the MNR.

But should the MNR be degraded to the point where it cannot conduct the valuable and necessary work needed to protect and enhance the natural resources unless they get the financial help of volunteer organizations? Some of the decisions made by the MNR, which are necessitated by a lack of funding are certainly questionable, such as the handing over of the management of our forests to big forestry companies.
Isn't that like having the fox look after the hen house?

It is time for the citizens of Ontario who believe a strong Ministry of Natural Resources is necessary to protect and enhance the natural resources of this province to inform the McGuinty government that enough is enough. The funding of the MNR needs to be restored to a level that will allow the MNR to do its job and do it well. The McGuinty government now has the opportunity to rectify deficient funding decisions made by previous governments and to move toward restoring the MNR to the respected, vital organization it once was.

Gaye Smith
Temagami