Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Fisheries and Oceans
Issue No. 16 - Evidence - May 18, 2017
OTTAWA, Thursday, May 18, 2017
The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, to which was referred Bill S-203, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and other Acts (ending the captivity of whales and dolphins), met this day at 8:41 a.m. to give consideration to the bill.
Senator Fabian Manning (Chair) in the chair.
The Chair: Good morning. My name is Fabian Manning. I am chair of this committee and a senator for Newfoundland and Labrador. Before we give the floor to our witness, I ask senators to introduce themselves for the record, starting on my immediate left.
Senator McInnis: Senator Tom McInnis from Nova Scotia.
Senator Gold: Marc Gold, Quebec.
Senator Enverga: Tobias Enverga from Ontario.
Senator Plett: Don Plett and I'm from Manitoba.
The Chair: We may have some more senators joining us shortly.
The committee is continuing its examination of Bill S-203, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and other Acts (ending the captivity of whales and dolphins). Our witness this morning is Alan Latourelle, Former Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada. Mr. Latourelle, I understand you have opening remarks. The floor is yours to make those and then we will have questions from the senators.
Alan Latourelle, Former Chief Executive Officer, Parks Canada, as an individual: Mr. Chair, I would like to acknowledge the Algonquin people for allowing us to conduct business on their traditional territory.
It's an honour for me to share my personal views with the committee on this subject that I am very passionate about, the importance of connecting Canadians to nature, especially young Canadians, connecting them to the natural world. I believe that your committee should take this subject into consideration as part of your deliberations of Bill S-203.
Over the past few decades, there has been a real and significant loss of land- and ocean-based biodiversity through the loss of species and habitat degradation. This has occurred at the same time as we have seen an important decline in time spent in nature by Canadians, especially young Canadians.
This disconnect between people and nature has been referred to by some as a nature-deficit disorder, the term used to describe the adverse personal and societal impacts of disconnecting with nature.
In Canada there are many causes that contribute to this disconnect with nature. A few examples are as follows: First, Canada is increasingly urbanized. Almost half of Canadians now live in the four areas centred around Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary/Edmonton. As a result, the distance, both physical and psychological, between Canadians and their natural heritage has increased.
Second, increasingly sedimentary lifestyles. It is estimated that Canadians spend 90 per cent of their time indoors. For example, a 2010 study suggests that Canadian children spend approximately five hours to as much as eight hours per day in front of audio visual screens.
Third, there is a strong competition for leisure time and growing pressures for structured learning. This phenomenon is not limited only to Canada or to North America; it is widespread across the globe.
As a result, over the past decade there has been increasing attention being paid by protected areas leaders to take action and reverse that decline.
This is now a priority area of the International Union for Conservation of Nature as it is recognized globally that there is an urgent need to connect people of all ages, especially children, to nature to enhance the likelihood of their growing up to conserve and protect the living world. In essence, we need to facilitate experiential knowledge that will lead to a love of nature and a personal commitment to conservation.
This is an area where Canada has demonstrated international leadership through action and by engaging the global community.
For example, at the 2014 IUCN World Parks Congress attended by 6,000 participants from over 160 countries, participants made the following promise:
. . . to INSPIRE . . . all people, across generations, geography and cultures to experience the wonder of nature through protected areas, to engage their hearts and minds and engender a life-long association for physical, psychological, ecological, and spiritual well-being. We will motivate and engage a new generation of urban and rural communities, as an essential investment in the future of sustainability on the planet, and in the quality of life of people everywhere.
It is important to note that this was one of the first times in IUCN's history that connecting people to nature was confirmed as one of the top three priority areas of IUCN because of its contribution to achieving conservation objectives.
To achieve this objective will require innovative approaches and collaboration amongst many partners and institutions. Canada's zoos and aquariums can play an important role because of their location in major urban centres, the fact that they attract millions of young Canadians and, through their programming, they can ignite that spark and excitement in young Canadians to care for nature and be the future stewards of our planet.
In essence, through their interaction with nature, again onsite or through programs like the zoos and aquariums provide, this is a real opportunity for young Canadians to connect their hearts and minds and make a long-term commitment to the sustainability of this great country of ours.
Mr. Chair, it would be a pleasure to answer any questions that the committee members may have.
The Chair: Thank you, Mr. Latourelle. We will go to Senator Plett.
Senator Plett: I will apologize in advance that, unfortunately, I have another committee to go to at nine o'clock, so I will excuse myself after my questions. Thank you very much for being here.
My questions are centred around — and I think you said it rightly — the fact that our country is moving into the cities or the city is moving into the country — I am not sure which way it is going. Nevertheless, we are really urbanized. I have had the luxury and experience of travelling to many parts of our country, including the northern part of my province out in the Churchill area where there are many belugas, and I have had an opportunity of swimming with and canoeing amongst the belugas, but that is not an opportunity many people get.
If you can offer a personal opinion, I would like one, and then I would like the opinion of Parks Canada in as far as do they think that the zoos and aquariums — and possibly, particularly, the Vancouver Aquarium and Marineland — are doing a good job in educating the young people? Would Parks Canada be supportive of the programs that they are running?
Mr. Latourelle: I am now retired, so I can't speak for Parks Canada, but I do have experience with the Vancouver Aquarium, for example, the Toronto Zoo and the Calgary Zoo and several partners.
The education program is first class in terms of engaging young Canadians. There are programs, for example, even reintroduction of species at risk, that are occurring in partnership between Parks Canada and some of those institutions that provide an opportunity for young Canadians not only to experience nature but to take concrete actions.
Senator Plett: Of course, we have heard that the Vancouver Park Board has made a decision not to allow any more cetaceans in there after a period of time, but the aquarium is already talking about relocating so that they can continue. Are you also familiar with — I don't know if you want to call it their rehabilitation program — their rescue program? In your experience, was Parks Canada very involved in the rescue program that they were running?
Mr. Latourelle: I am familiar with their rescue program and the contributions they are making. It's not a program that, in my time in Parks Canada, we had a lot of relationship with because of the nature of our programs and theirs.
Senator Plett: But you certainly are aware of it and would be supportive of their rescue program?
Mr. Latourelle: I am fully aware and, again, I think they provide a valuable service to Canadians.
Senator Plett: In your opinion, would Bill S-203 be detrimental to the viability of the Vancouver Aquarium and Marineland? If so, would that be detrimental to the education of our young people?
Mr. Latourelle: I can't speak for them. What I can say is that they and others provide an opportunity for young Canadians in urban centres to experience and see firsthand some pretty exceptional wildlife and mammals.
Senator Plett: And Bill S-203 would impact that?
Mr. Latourelle: That is my read of the bill.
Senator Gold: We welcome you.
You mentioned the importance of experiential learning for young people. I remember that, as a child, I visited a marine aquarium somewhere in the United States and saw a show that, as a kid, I just loved. There were dolphins jumping through hoops and doing all kinds of tricks. But that is not really — at least I have now come to see that as not necessarily — seeing animals in a natural state, albeit in an aquarium.
Are there limits? What kinds of performances or activities of animals in captivity — we are looking at cetaceans — are or are not appropriate as learning experiences for young people? Are there limits to the kinds of things that we would put our cetaceans through in order to educate our young people properly?
Mr. Latourelle: First, I'm not an expert in this area. I want to be very clear on that. Again, based on my experience — and I will speak from a family perspective — we have had the opportunity to visit several zoos and aquariums across the country. My children have been inspired by it. What is the limit? I can't offer an informed opinion on that.
Senator Gold: I guess the thrust of my question was that I can see a difference — and it's, I gather, more what is done now than in the past — showing animals being fed or taken care of because, in many cases, they are not able to be released to the wild, as opposed to doing these highly entertaining manoeuvres for the entertainment value of the paying audience. I was just wondering whether you had a view as to the educational value of one versus the other.
Mr. Latourelle: I think there is educational value in just having the marine mammals present for young Canadians. Your colleague mentioned the belugas, for example, in the Churchill area. A lot of Canadians don't have the opportunity to see that. I think it is an opportunity for Canadians to learn about it, to see it firsthand and then to be inspired to take action to protect these species at risk.
Senator McInnis: Welcome, and thank you for coming. You have had quite a distinguished career for such a young- looking gentleman. I envy you for your career.
I grew up in a rural area, Sheet Harbour, on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, just seven kilometres from the Liscomb Game Sanctuary. These things are run by the provinces, but, unfortunately, governments are kind of dismantling them. They've allowed the forest companies to come in and clearcut. It used to be gated, and, of course, it was protected. The one that I am seven kilometres below has 62 lakes and streams. To experience it, to walk through these old-growth forests and so on, is just absolutely remarkable.
You mentioned the importance of nature and the educational aspect of it. The community I live in is an hour and a half, close to two hours, outside of the urban area of Halifax and we don't have the parklands and so on. I rather suspect this is the case in rural Canada and, as a matter of fact, I think the Senate did a study a few years ago on the plight of rural Canada. In our community, these core communities, you have your grocery stores, banks, gas stations, the hospital, schools and so on. The danger is that we are going to lose those because most of the people are moving to the city, people are getting older, and all these types of things. Yet, we have a fishery, mining, forestry and all these types of things that require those types of services. It is a real challenge.
I wish, somehow, we could lure more individuals away from the urban area, but, in Nova Scotia, almost one half of the population is living in Metro Halifax/Dartmouth. Many of those children are going to grow up spending 90 per cent of the time, I think you said, indoors.
There is a book that I didn't read but that was in our notes. I think it was called The Last Child in the Woods. I forget the author. It should be mandatory reading for our students that go to school.
How can we ensure that the youth connect with nature? We are unable to have an aquarium in every core community. As I said, these parks and sanctuaries are being closed, and it is a shame. How can you get me a national park on the Eastern Shore, to cut to the chase? It is a challenge and it is a problem. You are absolutely correct. You don't hear many people speaking about it, so I'm glad that you are.
Mr. Latourelle: When I spoke about Canada's global leadership in this area, this is something that we have been leading internationally. You mentioned Richard Louv's book, The Last Child in the Woods. That really started a dialogue internationally in terms of facing significant challenges in terms of conservation and there are good reasons for that. A significant part of it, from my perspective, is that, if people don't fall in love with nature and care for our oceans and our parks, they will not protect them in the long term.
As we are seeing Canadians more and more being urbanized, in terms of growth of the urban areas, the reality is that that's where the decisions will be made in the long term about these rural areas and these great exceptional places of our country that need to be protected from a nature perspective. From my perspective, that is why it is critical. People are more urbanized, have less time and are more structured.
In the past, Parks Canada, in my case, worked with the Vancouver Aquarium, Toronto Zoo and others to really get the spark in young Canadians and get them to get outside. The best opportunity, for sure, is a real nature experience. That is, by far, the best opportunity, but that is not an opportunity that is available to all young Canadians. In urban centres, if you are in downtown Toronto, if you are in a family that is not well off, how do you get out of Toronto? It is a challenge in terms of cost, distance and so on. What opportunities can they get to experience at least some parts of the wildlife of Canada and get inspired by it?
Senator McInnis: It is popular these days, such as hiking and the construction of hiking trails, such as the Trans- Canada Trail. This has become very popular over the last decade. More and more governments shoving money into those areas I think would be very helpful.
Mr. Latourelle: Yes, I think those are great opportunities. We can build the infrastructure. In Canada, we do have the best national park system in the world. As an example, and in terms of marine parks, if you look at Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, it's an exceptional place. I think the challenge we all face globally is how to incite young people to get outside and to actually experience these places. The infrastructure is there. I think the challenge we're all working with is getting them to take the next steps because they are the future leaders of our country. They are the future stewards of these places.
Senator Enverga: Thank you for being here. Just like Senator McInnis, I live very close to a park, which is the new park, Rouge National Urban Park, which is a few metres away from my house.
In your presentation, you told us about nature deficit disorder. I know this has been a problem for a while. You have been working within Parks Canada and I really believe that you have done a great job in making our parks the best in the world. However, what can you see as the role of Parks Canada in preserving our endangered species? Have the zoos and the ocean parks helped in preserving some of our species?
Mr. Latourelle: I'll talk from past experience. For example, 50 per cent of species at risk in Canada are in national parks, or in Parks Canada operated places, like marine places; for example, in Saguenay-St. Lawrence the beluga whales. We are seeing a difference across the system in terms of actions and in terms of reintroduction of species. Recently you may have heard about the reintroduction of bison in Banff. If you look at Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park and the beluga whales, for example, there are new regulations that have been put in place to better protect that species. There is a lot of collaboration with universities, with scientists and with Parks Canada in that case. I don't want to speak for them, but based on my history, we are seeing significant advancements.
Senator Enverga: I understand that Parks Canada is really protecting some species, but when we think about it we live in one world. One thing could be affecting another, like climate change or some pollution somewhere else, or too much plastic in the ocean. It will eventually be affecting our parks system.
In spite of all the support you have been giving to our wildlife, have you seen any degradation of some species? Are some of them dying because of particular issues worldwide?
Mr. Latourelle: I have been fortunate that I have twice over a decade chaired the heads of national parks forum internationally. When we looked at the key priorities, connecting people to nature was one of the top three. Impacts of climate change was a significant challenge for all of us in terms of not knowing how in the long term that will affect our places, and, clearly, a lot of the challenges were developments right outside of park boundaries and the impact they may have in terms of wildlife movement in wildlife corridors because wildlife doesn't just stay in parks.
Senator Enverga: Have you seen any role for the zoos and aquariums in preserving or expanding those species?
Mr. Latourelle: Yes. I'll use a practical example of the Toronto Zoo which Parks Canada partnering with and in Nova Scotia in Kejimkujik National Park and also in terms of the Rouge National Urban Park Blanding's turtle. We have reintroduced Blanding's turtles. It's through a partnership with the Toronto Zoo in that case. They are playing a critical role in terms of ensuring a population that then they support Parks Canada in the reintroduction process.
It's a unique opportunity for Canadians to get involved in terms of the Rouge. The number of young Canadians who got involved in that initiative was pretty exceptional. The number of volunteers in Kejimkujik National Park, for example, who volunteered their time to reintroduce that species was one of the highest levels we have ever seen in terms of volunteer hours.
The Chair: In your opening remarks you touched on the 2014 International Union for Conservation of Nature World Park Congress, which you tell us was attended by 6,000 participants from over 160 countries. I'm not going to reiterate the promise that was made at that congress, but could give us some idea of progress since 2014 on what the participants at the congress had agreed on as a promise? I know it has only been three years and I understand these kinds of things take a lot of time. Have you seen a change or a growth in regard to getting people back, as you would say, to nature?
Mr. Latourelle: We are seeing that different countries have approached it differently but we're all learning from each other. I'll use Canada as a practical example. Since then Parks Canada has put in place a learn-to-camp program for new Canadians. A lot of the learn-to-camp initiatives are based in urban areas as a first step to get them connected to nature. There is a learn-to-canoe program. There are all kinds of other learning opportunities.
There is also, for example, in Ontario one of the key challenges for young Canadians, university students, for example, was how to get to some of our places at that time. We partnered with a young entrepreneur who has put in place a parks bus. Again, one of the key challenges was how to get from where you reside to the nearest national park. In the Bruce Peninsula that program has been very effective in getting young Canadians out into nature.
We're seeing significant progress. In early June, during Environment Week, the key theme internationally will be connecting people to nature. That in itself is a significant advancement.
The Chair: Basically, Bill S-203, as I stated, is an act to amend the Criminal Code and other acts, ending the captivity of whales and dolphins. From your experience, how do you see the future of places like the Vancouver Aquarium or Marineland if this act was brought into play? We understand from previous testimony that we have a million visitors a year to Marineland, give or take. We were told the other day that we have a lot of students who attend there and it is a learning experience for them.
From your years of experience, how would you see this bill affecting these two main areas in Canada that we're looking studying? Could we get your perspective on that?
Mr. Latourelle: As I mentioned previously, I can't speak for them. I don't have in-depth knowledge of their operation. But what I can say is that their education program is first class in terms of engaging youth and inspiring youth. For me, this is one step in the process of ensuring that in the long term we have young Canadians and future leaders who care about nature and want to conserve nature.
Senator Gold: You just asked my question, chair, but allow me to take advantage of the witness's presence to ask a more general question. Given your long career, you accomplished a great deal at Parks Canada. Without putting you in an indelicate position, what remains to be done? If you could recommend to us or through us to the government, what remains to be done here in Canada to ensure not only the survival of our natural habitat, but the connection of Canadians to that habitat?
Mr. Latourelle: In terms of national parks, for example, we're close to completing the system of national parks in Canada, which, again, is already the largest system in the world. The biggest challenge we all face together is really on the oceans. It's how to complete an effective program of ocean conservation in terms of protected areas. It is a challenge that the U.S. and several other countries are facing.
There is a lot of history and connecting people to nature is critical. In my experience, when we try to establish national marine conservation areas, for example, it has been a challenge because the average Canadian doesn't really understand the concepts. Where, with a national park concept, they have visited and camped at a national park; they understand it. I think it's educating and connecting people to nature, but I think the marine areas are the biggest challenge we're facing as a country.
Senator Gold: Thank you.
Senator Enverga: You mentioned the challenges with our oceans. There was a suggestion that instead of having those ocean areas or keeping cetaceans on a big location inland, have you heard about the seaside sanctuaries? Do you think it's viable for Canada considering the fact that we have a changing climate and that the effects on the oceans will be more worldwide? Have you checked it out? Have you seen the viability of that?
Mr. Latourelle: Yes, and I'll relate it to the land base. There is a system of protected areas or places in Canada. It's not only national parks. There is clearly significant investments and results being achieved by the Nature Conservancy of Canada; so there are private-public partnerships and provincial parks.
On the ocean, I suggest we need to look at the variety of tools. It's not only one tool. It's not only national marine conservation areas that should be the solution, but it's a variety of tools that will allow us, as a country, to achieve our conservation objectives.
Senator Enverga: Do you agree with putting a huge sea pen where they can keep all the animals? How helpful is that going to be to our ecology or environment?
Mr. Latourelle: It depends on the realities of the area and species. For example, in terms of caribou, we have pens in terms of reintroduction; so we do it in Canada already for specific purposes. I'm not familiar enough with the ocean side to make a judgment whether it's a solution. I can just say that on the land base, there are strategies that are used in specific circumstances.
Senator Enverga: The land that is located locally, right?
Mr. Latourelle: Yes.
Senator Enverga: But the ocean will be more like the oceans, it is the whole world.
Mr. Latourelle: Exactly.
Senator Enverga: Thank you.
Senator McInnis: You say you're all but completed, so you would have examined the entire country in terms of parks. What determines whether there is to be a national park? Is it the uniqueness of the geography of the area? Is it the wildlife, nature?
Mr. Latourelle: It's all of the above. What we have done in Canada that is unique and where we're the leader internationally is that we have looked at the whole country and identified 39 natural regions because of geology, geography and wildlife, and the objective that successive governments have had is to establish one national park in each of those 39 natural regions. That's the priority.
I've been quite involved internationally and we have been leading internationally. Nobody is creating parks on the scale that we are in Canada. You can look at Nahanni expansion and the Mealy Mountains National Park Reserve agreement that was signed with the province. It's the 39 regions and then within those, it's a process of working with the communities and identifying what the highest potential is that is representative of that area.
Canadians don't expropriate; that stopped in the 1970s. It's about getting local, public support for the establishment of a national park.
Senator McInnis: Does it commence with the community?
Mr. Latourelle: Yes. At first, by law, Parks Canada cannot establish a national park without the provincial support and commitment. As we go through the process, there is quite an extensive public engagement process to determine if it is feasible to establish a national park or a marine conservation area. Some may take three or four years, and some may take a decade just because of the challenges and the realities locally. It's based on local support and the best science from an ecological perspective.
Senator McInnis: I don't know how you missed those 200 islands off Nova Scotia. We'll talk.
The Chair: Thank you, Mr. Latourelle, for your contribution to our examination of Bill S-203. We wish you all the best.
Mr. Latourelle: Thank you very much.
(The committee adjourned.)