Nathan Cullen notes of protections for Spotted Owl, as Green Leader Furstenau calls for expanded legislation

The fate of the Spotted Owl in BC was the topic of note
for part of the Tuesday Question Period at the Legislature
(image from BC Government) 

The logging of habitats for Spotted Owls was raised as part of a larger discussion on the need for Species at Risk legislation, with Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau taking the topic to the Legislation Question Period on Tuesday.

"The federal government was prepared to issue a rare emergency order under Canada's Species at Risk Act to protect the spotted owl's critical habitat. 

In a cruel twist, it turns out that the Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and his staff lobbied intently to dissuade the federal cabinet from issuing a spotted owl emergency order. 

A B.C. cabinet minister briefing document obtained under freedom of information states that the emergency order would have "significant impacts on forest sector jobs and provincial revenue, and Ottawa should back away from issuing the order, even when a species is at risk of extirpation." 

My question is to the Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. 

How is arguing against protecting habitat for the last spotted owl considered stewardship?"

The reply to the questions came from Nathan Cullen, who serves as Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

The Minister who is also the MLA for Stikine, provided a few notes for the Legislature towards some recent efforts towards the species that the BC Government has taken on in the Spuzzum region 

"We've been building the biodiversity and ecosystem health framework with partners, particularly First Nations partners, who have been working with us every step of the way to introduce a framework as the first phase. We expect that quite soon. 

This will be an important structure for us in dealing with the serious question of species at risk and, of course, the habitat that needs to be protected in order to allow those species to thrive once again in British Columbia. 

I would say, however, that I contend greatly with the 280,000 hectares of old-growth habitat that have been set aside. This was agreed to jointly between ourselves, Canada and First Nations as the critical habitat that would allow, as I said, 150 breeding pairs to exist. I have faith in our partnerships with the Spuzzum First Nation and Canada in the determination of that old-growth habitat, not described as the member did. I think that is incorrect. 

I think it is important to remain determined, to remain hopeful and focused on the habitat required to allow these species to be reintroduced successfully, so that we can all celebrate their critical return to our province."

The full debate over the fate of the Spotted Owl can be reviewed through the Legislature Video archive from Tuesday morning starting at the 10:35 AM  mark.

The province has some extensive notes on the Spotted Owl available here.

More notes from the Legislature can be explored from our archive page.