Double-crested Cormorants and White-tailed Deer – Groups Ask for Independent Environmental Assessments
 In November 2009, Ontario Parks decided to proceed with two controversial proposals to extend the killing of Double-crested Cormorants and White-tailed Deer at Presqu’ile Provincial Park, near Belleville Ontario, with no public over-sight for ten years until 2019.
Peaceful Parks and several other individuals and organizations have moved forward with a Part II Order submission, asking the Minister of the Environment to order Independent Environmental Assessments (EA) for both proposals.
These proposals permit the killing of native wildlife within the provincial parks system to the sole discretion of wildlife managers with no obligation to inform or consult the public. This management policy is already in practice in federal and municipal jurisdictions, and there are longstanding generational federal and municipal wildlife killing programs that are unknown to the general public.
For example, Point Pelee National Park has been shooting their resident White-tailed Deer herd since 1991 with no consistent data collection, and therefore the program cannot be properly assessed or reviewed. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority has been oiling Ring-billed Gull eggs since 1984 with no public review since the program began twenty-six years ago. Rondeau Provincial Park has been killing their White-tailed Deer herd since 1994 and approved a ten year ‘closed-door’ extension of the program in1999. As of this winter 2009/10, the Rondeau program has now expired and is up for review. To date, Ontario Parks has not produce public documents on the program.
These ‘closed-door’ wildlife policies tend to be associated with highly controversial management practices and are intended to intercept public criticism and remove government accountability by removing public scrutiny.
You Can Help
We need letters supporting our request for Independent Environmental Assessments (EA) to Minister John Gerretsen, Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE). Without public support, our request could be ignored. The EA review considers both social and environmental concerns, so your letter is very important. To be effective, letters must be written expressing your own sincere thoughts on wildlife control and cannot be a formatted letter with talking points.
Links to:
Our Full EA Submission to MOE
Supplementary Discussion
Recommeded Changes to the Proposed Resources Management Plans for the Mainland and Islands of Presqu'ile Provincial Park
Double-crested Cormorants - Let These Birds Live
Contact Minister John Gerretsen at:
The Honourable John Gerretsen
Minister of the Environment
77 Wellesley Street West
11th Floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto ON M7A 2T5
Email: minister.moe@ontario.ca
Telephone: (416) 314-6790
Fax: (416) 314-7337)
Please quote file # ENV1283MC-2009-5472
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