Okanagan MPs call for more federal action on invasive species

Jul 10, 2020 | 10:26 AM

The three Conservative MPs in the Okanagan say the federal government is not doing enough for invasive species prevention in British Columbia.

Mel Arnold (North Okanagan- Shuswap), Tracy Gray (Kelowna-Lake Country) and Dan Albas (Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola) say in a statement the Liberal government has failed to equitably distribute federal resources for that purpose for more than four years.

“The vast majority of federal resources allotted for preventing or eradicating aquatic invasive species (AIS), including zebra and quagga mussels (ZQM), do not make it past the Great Lakes giving Western Canada, including British Columbia, little access to federal supports,” the statement said.

The three MPs accuse the Liberals of ignoring the major ecologic and economic threats that AIS pose to B.C.’s waters and economy.

They say COVID-19 travel restrictions are increasing the threats as the region sees more visitors and boats from across Canada coming to the Okanagan.

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“This week, we sent a joint letter to the Minister of Fisheries requesting that she work with her cabinet colleagues to ensure national domestic tourism promotions remind Canadians of what their responsibilities are for helping prevent AIS proliferation while travelling across Canada. We also asked that the federal pleasure watercraft licensing program include more information on AIS prevention,” the statement said.

The Okanagan reps also sent a letter to the Minister of Public Safety citing the ‘Alaska Loophole’ that allows U.S. citizens to transit through Canada to Alaska and asked that the Canada Border Services Agency ensure all watercraft and related equipment be inspected and treated at the border as if they will be used in Canadian waters before they are granted entry.

The MPs informed the ministers about recent reports from officials in Montana where the state AIS detection program saw a significant increase in the number of ZQM-fouled watercraft inspected by their program.

“British Columbia’s waters are one of our greatest natural resources and we will continue to press the Trudeau government for an equitable share of federal resources for AIS prevention and also call for timely and effective actions to protect and conserve our waters for the sake of the wildlife, people and communities that depend on them,” the statement concluded.

by Pete McIntyre

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