Aboriginal groups want say on crane tours
Objections raised over lack of consultations by Parks Canada
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, May 4, 2015
SOUTH SLAVE
Some First Nations and Metis Councils are upset with Parks Canada over a lack of consultations on whooping crane visitor experience tours planned in Wood Buffalo National Park.
Whooping cranes – an iconic endangered species – migrate North each year to nest in the NWT section of Wood Buffalo National Park. - photo courtesy of Wood Buffalo National Park |
"There was just no consultation involved with the park's proposal," said Ken Hudson, president of the Fort Smith Metis Council.
According to online information from Parks Canada, the whooping crane visitor experiences - involving fixed-wing and helicopter tours, helicopter landings on wetlands and hikes to view cranes from a distance - are scheduled to begin in late May.
It would be the first time ever visitors will be guided to the secluded summer nesting grounds of the whooping crane, which is an endangered species.
Hudson said the issue came up in late April at a meeting on the Hay River Reserve involving Parks Canada and representatives of the 11 First Nations and Metis Councils surrounding Wood Buffalo National Park.
"Parks hadn't presented this proposal to anybody prior to them suggesting that they were going to do this viewing program for whooping cranes," he said.
The Metis Council president noted Parks Canada came to the meeting with a presentation on the initiative, which was announced earlier this year.
"Nobody wanted to hear the presentation because, at that time, we were all pissed off with having no consultation on the issue, yet Parks Canada was proposing it as something that was going to go ahead," he said.
As a result of the meeting, Hudson said Parks Canada has committed to consultations.
"Now that we're going to have a chance to review it, then things could change as far as whether or not we support the idea, or how we want to be involved," he said.
"It's just a matter of sitting back and waiting for that consultation to happen."
How the consultations will affect the planned tours is unclear.
Hudson said his understanding is that the tours may be delayed by Parks Canada until the consultations can take place.
Attempts to obtain comments from Parks Canada on the consultations and the status of the tours were unsuccessful.
Patrick Simon, a band councillor with Deninu Ku'e First Nation (DKFN) in Fort Resolution, was also at the meeting on the Hay River Reserve, and confirmed there was concern raised about the lack of consultations.
Simon said DKFN was not pleased there weren't consultations, adding that at the least the people in Fort Smith should have been consulted, along with DKFN, K'atlodeeche First Nation, the Metis councils in Fort Resolution and Hay River.
"We do have concerns in regards to the disturbance of the bird," he said. "We didn't feel that they were doing it in a way that would minimize or limit the effects that the activity would have."
Simon noted DKFN needs to know more about what Parks Canada means when it's talking about fixed-wing airplane and helicopter experiences.
"We're unclear about what that exactly is, and we want to know more about the creeping-in activity just to ensure that it blends well with the nature of the birds, as well as the natural environment at that time of year," he said.
Like Hudson, Simon said his understanding is Parks Canada may now delay its tour plans in order to hold consultations.
Parks Canada has announced several package tours, all departing from Fort Smith.
The various experiences - costing from $1,330 to $3,820 - are scheduled to run at different times from May 25 to 28, June 1 to 4 and Aug. 17 to 20.
