WWF at Minister Kent's round table on Canada's Species at Risk Act

Recently, I represented WWF at the Ministerial Roundtable on SARA in Ottawa, hosted by Canada’s Minister of the Environment, Peter Kent, and Parliamentary Secretary Randy Kamp.  In the wake of considerable media coverage and speculation about planned reviews and adjustments to this Act, this was a very welcome face-to-face session, well attended by over 40 senior representatives from major industry sectors, Aboriginal organizations, some environmental NGOs, and senior civil servants for this file.

A Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) emerging from its protective sheath after being released into its natural habitat at Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada. © WWF / Troy Fleece

Having worked on conservation of wildlife species and their most important habitats for over 30 years now, both for the British and Canadian governments, and now with WWF, I know how important such sessions are.  In fact, my WWF career started 16 years ago with a similar face-to-face meeting with then Minister of the Environment Sergio Marchi, when the Species at Risk Act (SARA) was still on the drawing-board.  (Goodness knows how many federal Ministers have come and gone since then!)
But I know that our messages have been well-founded and consistent – including the need to implement legislation and programs on ecologically meaningful time frames (for most species, this is well beyond the normal political cycle of 2 to 4 years). The at-risk species list is long now – especially in the settled working landscapes of southern Canada – but this legislation is an important part of the solution.  Most industry groups welcome it, as it can bring certainty to their plans and operations.
Success stories like the re-introduction of the Black-Footed Ferret and the return of the Peregrine Falcon guide us on what is possible if we work together and sustain our efforts for long enough.
I enjoy opportunities to work with  senior decision-makers in government and the corporate world, from agriculture, hydropower, hydrocarbons, timber, or aboriginal groups.  It’s clear that everyone in that room wants to do right for as many wildlife species as possible – especially those in the SARA ‘emergency room’.  This group is also committed to getting the approaches right, so that prevention of such SARA listings and ‘emergency room’ status is the norm.  That requires creative and experienced minds, and a firm resolve from everyone to do the right thing together, learning from our successes and our mistakes.
This meeting made for a very good day in that regard.   There’s  a lot more work to be done to make this 10-year old, relatively new legislation work, including prioritized funding and focus to implement the incentive-based parts of the Act and its programs.  I was proud to be at that table for WWF, and remain  optimistic that because this was the right mix of people and organizations, SARA will be implemented both effectively and efficiently.