And More:
ovember 5, 2009
Announcement of Judicial Inquiry Gives Hope for Future
OTTAWA- "The establishment of a judicial inquiry into the management of
the Fraser River sockeye fishery gives new hope for the future of a
great salmon river," said John Cummins, M.P. (Delta-Richmond East).
The Fraser River and its sockeye fishery are part of the lifeblood of
British Columbia, a symbol of the province and have come to define the
province and its people.
We face a disaster of epic proportions on the Fraser. In six out of the
last eleven years the fishery has been closed. Tens of thousands of
B.C. families have suffered as a result.
Clear warning signs of an impending environmental disaster are evident.
The crisis has moved well beyond the old disputes over who gets what
percentage of the total allowable catch; it now is the very survival of
the species that is at risk.
"Fraser sockeye must not be allowed to go the way of the Atlantic cod.
The announcement of this judicial inquiry shows a Prime Minister
committed to resolving this environmental challenge to the Fraser River
sockeye and taking the necessary steps so that it is again the world's
greatest sockeye river," said Cummins.
Environmentalists and fishermen must be able to bring forward evidence
of what has happened. Departmental officials must be able to come before
the inquiry without fear of punishment. A judicial inquiry will empower
the a justice of the B.C. Supreme Court to impartially hear the
evidence, call testimony under oath and make recommendations to ensure
the future of the fishery.
"If we are to avert an environmental catastrophe on the Fraser, we must
be able to find out what happened and to ensure that mistakes are not
repeated. Only a judicial inquiry will get the job done," concluded
Cummins.
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Topic: Julian Askes For Judicial Inquiry Into Sockeye Crash (Read 14251 times)