A biologist specializing in a highly endangered local freshwater fish wants answers from the auditor general on why the federal government rejected funding for his habitat restoration project.
"It was sort of yanked in Ottawa with no reason given," said biologist Mike Pearson.
Pearson is an expert on the Nooksack dace, an endangered fish found in only four B.C. waterways - one of them is Burnaby's Brunette River.
Pearson suspects his application could have been turned down because of his involvement in a past legal battle in which he testified against the federal government in a 2007 case launched by environmental activists. The judge ruled that Fisheries and Oceans Canada broke its own laws by not properly identifying habitat for the Nooksack dace, which in turn undermined efforts to protect the endangered species.
Pearson said his habitat restoration project came highly recommended by regional representatives from Environment Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
"My understanding from talking to
THE NOOKSACK DACE:
Endangered species lives in Burnaby's Brunette River Environment Canada staff is that it was one of the highest-ranked proposals for the Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk in the BC-Yukon Region," Pearson said.
The Langley Environmental Partners Society holds the grants, and Pearson writes the proposals, does the reporting and coordinates the activities.
"We have held the grant for 10 years in a row at $80,000 to $100,000 per year," he said.
According to Pearson, the federal Environment Minister's office had some questions about the project.
"I wonder if one of them was, 'Is this the jerk that testified against us?'" Pearson said.
Pearson tried to get an answer from the federal government by contacting regional Environment Canada staff.
"They told me that they asked Ottawa why the funding was rejected but (had) not been answered. I'm not sure what to make of the lack of response, which is why I am pursuing it," he said.
The Nooksack dace used to be found in B.C. and Washington state, but human activities, like construction and development, have put the fish at risk of extinction.
Pearson's project focuses on stewardship and habitat restoration for the Nooksack dace and the Salish sucker, another endangered fish that will benefit from the project since the two species share similar territory. He was hoping to get roughly $100,000 money to pay for public education, tree planting, and monitoring and maintenance of previous habitat restoration projects. The proposal also covered the search for undocumented dace and sucker populations and advice for municipalities on habitat issues affecting the two species.
In Burnaby, the dace population is only found in the Brunette River and the lowest parts of Stoney Creek. Pearson was hoping to monitor how the fish were using previous habitat restoration projects there.
Failing to get a response from the government, Pearson decided to launch an environmental petition through the auditor general's office. The petition process was designed to give Canadians a formal way to bring their environmental concerns to the attention of the government, which must respond under law.
Pearson said the auditor general's office has expressed interest in taking on his case.
"They are interested but advised me that the documentation I sent in needed beefing up a bit before they would take it on. I am now working on that," he said, adding the auditor general's process takes a few months.
Pearson doesn't think he's been blacklisted, per se.
"I still work with and for the government in other capacities," he said. "I'm not sure what is going on."
The NOW contacted Environment Canada to see why Pearson's project was rejected, and spokesperson Mark Johnson responded by sending a 28-page document outlining the application process. When further pressed for an answer as to why Pearson's project was rejected, Johnson said: "We aren't in a position to comment in specific cases."
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