Rob Chipman
10-08-2020, 12:01 PM
FYI
As most of you know, whenever there is an election BCWF develops some questions for the parties running. BCWF is non-partisan and asks the same questions of everyone.
The party line response sometimes differs from what you might hear from your particular MLA, but sometimes your MLA will simply repeat the party line. It's good to know if and when that is happening (because, as we all know, you should be contacting your MLAs right now and busting their chops to get more funding and better management of wildlife).
Anyway...here is the Liberal party line response, along with the questions.
1. FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
In B.C., we now have endangered steelhead, endangered caribou, record low salmon and
moose populations, and in parts of the province, declining sheep and mule deer populations.
Dwindling fish and wildlife values mean increased social conflict and a loss of food security and
tourism-related jobs, all while leaving today's British Columbians wondering if they will leave
this province better than they found it.
Fish and Wildlife Questions: What do you feel is the most critical factor negatively
impacting B.C.'s fish and wildlife and their habitats? If you are elected, what legislative
changes or initiatives will you commit to in order to reverse the declining trends for
B.C.'s fish and wildlife, and how do you envision that change making a positive impact?
Please include costing and timeline for your plan.
BC Liberals Response:
British Columbia’s landscape represents an incredibly diverse range of species and habitats –
some of the most incredible in our country and the world. BC Liberals believe our natural
environment must be protected for future generations – we owe it to our kids to make sure
that we leave things in better shape than we found them. The challenges of today are
significant – from invasive species, conservation challenges, to the protection of wetlands and
more - but they can be met head on and the BC Liberals will do just that.
Unlike John Horgan’s NDP Government that cut the Ministry of Environment’s budget by $4.6
million, a BC Liberal Government led by Andrew Wilkinson will act to enhance fish and wildlife
populations, for the benefit of all British Columbians who love and depend on our great
outdoors for jobs and recreation. We look forward to sharing more details on these actions
with the release of our full platform.
2. HABITAT AND WATER SUSTAINABILITY
The BCWF, in partnership with the Watershed Security Coalition, is calling for increased
investment in watershed security in British Columbia. Population growth, increased
development and a warming climate are putting pressure on watersheds in every region of B.C.
The solution is to invest in wetland and streambank restoration, invasive species removal,
indigenous and local government watershed monitoring programs, and fish and wildlife
stewardship. We need to ensure we have sufficient water left in rivers to support salmonids'
migration to their spawning grounds in regions most impacted by climate change.
Habitat and Water Sustainability Questions: Will you establish a B.C. Watershed Security
Fund to fund local and regionally-led clean water initiatives and create good, sustainable,
local jobs for British Columbians of all ages and backgrounds in watershed restoration,
monitoring, technology, training and education? Please provide costing and timeline for
your water security plan.
(Jurisdiction: MoE, FLNRORD, Ministry of Health)
BC Liberals Response:
Clean water is a vital to maintaining a healthy province and rebuilding B.C.’s economy. BC
Liberals have a long and deep commitment to promoting healthy watersheds, sustainable
ecosystems, and thriving communities supported by responsible resource development. A BC
Liberal government led by Andrew Wilkinson will continue to build on that record. As a cabinet
minister, Andrew Wilkinson helped pass B.C.’s Water Sustainability Act and supported
hundreds of millions of funding for initiatives to protect B.C.’s water. His commitment to
promoting healthy watersheds as a cabinet minister will only continue as Premier.
British Columbians across our province depend on our natural environment for not only their
recreation, but also their jobs. Over the coming days, we will be releasing our platform that will
outline how we intend to prioritize the protection of B.C’s watersheds and the local jobs and
economies that depend on them . As we adapt to our new normal during the pandemic, we
must take strong action to protect and enhance our fish and wildlife populations – and the BC
Liberals pledge to do that.
3. PARKS AND PUBLIC ACCESS
The BCWF is calling for the government to increase funding for B.C. parks and to build new
campsites with a B.C. resident priority to catch up with the current heavy demand. Additional
funding is required to hire more park rangers and conservation officers. Public access to public
resources such as fish, wildlife, public roads, and campsites is a growing British Columbia issue.
Parks and Access Questions: Will you increase funding for B.C. parks and Conservation
Officer Service and implement resident-priority booking processes? If so, how much will
you allocate for these budgets, when and how many more campsites will be built? Is
public access to public resources and activities such as fishing, hunting, camping and
hiking important to you? How will you protect British Columbians access to crown land
and address attempts to restrict public access to B.C. parks and wild spaces
(Jurisdiction: MoE)
BC Liberals Response:
British Columbia is world renowned for its unique and diverse environmental features. An
essential part of that is B.C.’s vast parks and protected areas system. As British Columbians
learned this summer during the pandemic – our parks and protected areas are critically
important as we navigate our new normal and stay close to home.
Earlier this John Horgan’s NDP Budget cut the funding of the Ministry of Environment and
Climate Change Strategy by $4.6 million, including significant cuts to the Environmental
Protection, Environmental Sustainability, BC Parks, and Conservative Officer Services. By
comparison, Andrew Wilkinson supported millions of dollars of investment for campsite and
park expansion. Under the BC Liberals, 84 new parks were established as well 156 new
conservancies, two new ecological reserves, and 13 new protected areas. We also expanded
more than 75 parks, six ecological reserves, and four protected areas.
Parks, protected areas and public access to the backcountry will be prioritized under BC Liberal
government. We’re excited to share our commitments with you soon.
As most of you know, whenever there is an election BCWF develops some questions for the parties running. BCWF is non-partisan and asks the same questions of everyone.
The party line response sometimes differs from what you might hear from your particular MLA, but sometimes your MLA will simply repeat the party line. It's good to know if and when that is happening (because, as we all know, you should be contacting your MLAs right now and busting their chops to get more funding and better management of wildlife).
Anyway...here is the Liberal party line response, along with the questions.
1. FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
In B.C., we now have endangered steelhead, endangered caribou, record low salmon and
moose populations, and in parts of the province, declining sheep and mule deer populations.
Dwindling fish and wildlife values mean increased social conflict and a loss of food security and
tourism-related jobs, all while leaving today's British Columbians wondering if they will leave
this province better than they found it.
Fish and Wildlife Questions: What do you feel is the most critical factor negatively
impacting B.C.'s fish and wildlife and their habitats? If you are elected, what legislative
changes or initiatives will you commit to in order to reverse the declining trends for
B.C.'s fish and wildlife, and how do you envision that change making a positive impact?
Please include costing and timeline for your plan.
BC Liberals Response:
British Columbia’s landscape represents an incredibly diverse range of species and habitats –
some of the most incredible in our country and the world. BC Liberals believe our natural
environment must be protected for future generations – we owe it to our kids to make sure
that we leave things in better shape than we found them. The challenges of today are
significant – from invasive species, conservation challenges, to the protection of wetlands and
more - but they can be met head on and the BC Liberals will do just that.
Unlike John Horgan’s NDP Government that cut the Ministry of Environment’s budget by $4.6
million, a BC Liberal Government led by Andrew Wilkinson will act to enhance fish and wildlife
populations, for the benefit of all British Columbians who love and depend on our great
outdoors for jobs and recreation. We look forward to sharing more details on these actions
with the release of our full platform.
2. HABITAT AND WATER SUSTAINABILITY
The BCWF, in partnership with the Watershed Security Coalition, is calling for increased
investment in watershed security in British Columbia. Population growth, increased
development and a warming climate are putting pressure on watersheds in every region of B.C.
The solution is to invest in wetland and streambank restoration, invasive species removal,
indigenous and local government watershed monitoring programs, and fish and wildlife
stewardship. We need to ensure we have sufficient water left in rivers to support salmonids'
migration to their spawning grounds in regions most impacted by climate change.
Habitat and Water Sustainability Questions: Will you establish a B.C. Watershed Security
Fund to fund local and regionally-led clean water initiatives and create good, sustainable,
local jobs for British Columbians of all ages and backgrounds in watershed restoration,
monitoring, technology, training and education? Please provide costing and timeline for
your water security plan.
(Jurisdiction: MoE, FLNRORD, Ministry of Health)
BC Liberals Response:
Clean water is a vital to maintaining a healthy province and rebuilding B.C.’s economy. BC
Liberals have a long and deep commitment to promoting healthy watersheds, sustainable
ecosystems, and thriving communities supported by responsible resource development. A BC
Liberal government led by Andrew Wilkinson will continue to build on that record. As a cabinet
minister, Andrew Wilkinson helped pass B.C.’s Water Sustainability Act and supported
hundreds of millions of funding for initiatives to protect B.C.’s water. His commitment to
promoting healthy watersheds as a cabinet minister will only continue as Premier.
British Columbians across our province depend on our natural environment for not only their
recreation, but also their jobs. Over the coming days, we will be releasing our platform that will
outline how we intend to prioritize the protection of B.C’s watersheds and the local jobs and
economies that depend on them . As we adapt to our new normal during the pandemic, we
must take strong action to protect and enhance our fish and wildlife populations – and the BC
Liberals pledge to do that.
3. PARKS AND PUBLIC ACCESS
The BCWF is calling for the government to increase funding for B.C. parks and to build new
campsites with a B.C. resident priority to catch up with the current heavy demand. Additional
funding is required to hire more park rangers and conservation officers. Public access to public
resources such as fish, wildlife, public roads, and campsites is a growing British Columbia issue.
Parks and Access Questions: Will you increase funding for B.C. parks and Conservation
Officer Service and implement resident-priority booking processes? If so, how much will
you allocate for these budgets, when and how many more campsites will be built? Is
public access to public resources and activities such as fishing, hunting, camping and
hiking important to you? How will you protect British Columbians access to crown land
and address attempts to restrict public access to B.C. parks and wild spaces
(Jurisdiction: MoE)
BC Liberals Response:
British Columbia is world renowned for its unique and diverse environmental features. An
essential part of that is B.C.’s vast parks and protected areas system. As British Columbians
learned this summer during the pandemic – our parks and protected areas are critically
important as we navigate our new normal and stay close to home.
Earlier this John Horgan’s NDP Budget cut the funding of the Ministry of Environment and
Climate Change Strategy by $4.6 million, including significant cuts to the Environmental
Protection, Environmental Sustainability, BC Parks, and Conservative Officer Services. By
comparison, Andrew Wilkinson supported millions of dollars of investment for campsite and
park expansion. Under the BC Liberals, 84 new parks were established as well 156 new
conservancies, two new ecological reserves, and 13 new protected areas. We also expanded
more than 75 parks, six ecological reserves, and four protected areas.
Parks, protected areas and public access to the backcountry will be prioritized under BC Liberal
government. We’re excited to share our commitments with you soon.