The Legault government is “studying” the idea of splitting the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP), which many environmental groups consider non-functional. Quebec warns that we should not expect any movement before the election.
Whenever the protection of woodland caribou habitat is disputed in public space, the idea of dividing the MFFP is not far away.
While the federal government is threatening to intervene in Quebec due to the province’s lack of concrete action to protect the critical habitat of woodland caribou, a mismatch between the objectives of MFFP was again denounced.
We have a serious environmental management problem in Quebec, with a department and a minister both responsible for protecting woodland caribou, and both responsible for promoting the forest industry.said Alain Branchaud, director general of the Society for Nature and Parks (SNAP) of Canada, Quebec section, on Tuesday.
According to the biologist, decisions made on one side are automatically detrimental to the other mission of the ministry.
To break it contradiction between the interests of the forest industry and wildlife conservation, especially those dependent on forest ecosystems, Mr. Branchaud proposed to send Forests to the Ministry of Natural Resources, then Wildlife and Parks to the Ministry of environment and the fight against climate change.
If this arrangement is beneficial for the government, the Office of the Prime Minister has not closed the door. This is an option that is being analyzed, press secretary Ewan Sauves replied in an email sent to Radio-Canada, without saying further. Certainly, he added, no decision will be made between now and the election.
Minister Pierre Dufour reacted, but did not directly comment on the CAQ government’s intentions.
I prefer to focus on the responsibilities entrusted to me, such as caring for our forests, our wildlife and our parks, and continue to work for the economic development of our regions.he declared. This is not the first time that the possibility of changing the vocation of a ministry has been raised and certainly not the last.
The Quebec Forest Industry Council preferred not to comment.
Balance of power
The idea is not new and has periodically emerged in the news since the founding MFFP in 2014, was born in a split from the defunct Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife.
However, this is the first time it seems a government is considering it.
In 2017, the Action boréale led by Henri Jacob demanded the same thing from Philippe Couillard’s Liberal government. Mr. worried. Jacob independence biologists from MFFP.
The holder of the ministry at the time, Luc Blanchette, did not consider it necessary. On the contrary, what I call reconciliation of uses is necessaryhe said about the forest.
This fear of the imbalance between the forest and wildlife within MFFP was shared by Émilise Lessard-Therrien, Solidarity MNA for Rouyn-Noranda – Témiscamingue. Since last May, we have been calling for the abolition of MFFP. […] Right now, we manage Quebec’s forests as a natural resource so, ideally, let’s refer that to Natural Resourceshe recalled in an interview on Wednesday.
” The flora is under the Environment but not the fauna, whereas one is not missing the other. “
If Wildlife and Parks are included with the Environment, he believes that the interests of species protection will be more viable. We will go and create a real balance of power between two different departments.
The Minister will play his role as full protector, it will not happen between his two ears the reflection forest against wildlife. There will be a separate ministry, and two ministers can continue, but this will not happen at the head of the same minister. That, I think, can make all the differencehe assured.
Reserves
The division of MFFP however, is not a magic bullet. Alice-Anne Simard, Executive Director of Nature Québec, sees this as a good idea in some aspects. But in his opinion, the protection of wildlife and the environment, it remains a question of the will of the government.
Ms. believes. Simard na all ministry must work together and make consistent decisions with each other. Whether the Fauna is in the Environment or in the current MFFP, political will can make the biggest difference. Ms. remembered. Simard that Wildlife and the Environment are already combined, without necessarily making a difference.
” It doesn’t matter where we put the wildlife, what matters is that there is consistency in government decisions. “
He acknowledged that a synergy between the Environment, which is responsible for creating protected areas, and Fauna, which manages endangered species, will produce results.
In the case of caribou, Hurry uphe says and he hopes that such reflection will not slow down the taking of concrete actions to protect its habitat.
A dedicated ministry?
Former PQ member and now Bonaventure’s independent representative, Sylvain Roy, is pleading for his part for a ministry dedicated solely to Wildlife.
The former spokesman of the Parti Québécois for Forests, Wildlife and Parks believes the hunting and fishing sector is crowded with MFFPbehind the forest. We find that the Ministry of Wildlife, within the Ministry of Forests, is considered peripheral and has little or no influence on key decisions.he criticizes.
In his opinion, the management of wildlife harvesting, as well as the protection of endangered species, would benefit from having its own entity.
Mr. also pleaded. Roy that of the more than 1.3 million Quebecers who hunt or fish, the economic impacts are approaching a billion, a remarkable enthusiasm for nature since the pandemic began and an appetite to have access to the territory, many factors justifies creation. of a Ministry of Wildlife completely.
Gaspésien wants to democratize wildlife activities while protecting our collective heritage.
He also sponsors a petition for this effect on the National Assembly website.
Source: Radio-Canada