Conservation, Triad Model - Question Period

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables. The department business plan talks about responding to the wildlife crisis and about species declining to critical thresholds, but this is hardly reassuring to people who have been fighting to save the Atlantic whitefish. Without warning, the department recently posted a proposed harvest on Minamkeak Lake, a key part of a Noah's ark project to save the species from extinction.

Paul Bentzen, a scientist from Dalhousie, has said that this is the last best place for these fish on the planet. It really ought to be protected at the highest level. My question is: Does the minister agree?

HON. TORY RUSHTON « » : We don't put anybody on alert when something's going to be put on the page for community correspondence or input to any harvest plan. As was indicated to the member's staff earlier this month, or late last month, it's in the initial stages for public comment. I'm not sure if it's still on that web page or not, but it's not an approved plan, and our staff have yet to approve that block or disapprove that block. It's going through the process right now.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : I thank the minister for that answer, because I want to ask about the process. We've been waiting years for the implementation of the Lahey review's triad model. This sets aside land for conservation as well as for matrix and high-production forestry. But until that classification happens, it cannot be said that these cuts are being made with reference to Lahey. It's not implemented until the triad model is implemented.

While we wait, Nova Scotians still have to fight for recognition of ecologically sensitive areas. At Beals Brook, citizens have forced the department to recognize species at risk in that area, but instead of admitting the mistake and reversing the cut, the department has just tweaked the plan. Will the minister commit to halting this harvest until the area is evaluated for the conservation leg of the triad?

TORY RUSHTON « » : Mr. Speaker, as I said, the plan hasn't even been approved yet. It's going through the process.

As far as the Lahey implementation, that triad model about the ecological forestry. The recommendation from the Lahey review was that we needed to have the SGEM approved ASAP. It was sitting on my desk the very first week that I was there. I approved it the very first week. Harvest plans are now meeting the SGEM approved by the Lahey review.