To
CRD Chair and Members of the Board of Directors:
We
are writing on behalf of DeerSafe
Victoria to express
our disappointment in the way the deer management issue is being
addressed in the CRD. At the December 12, 2012 meeting of the
Capital Regional District Board, a request was made to expedite the
Regional Deer Management Strategy process undertaken by the CRD in
order to placate one or several
Saanich farmers.
Furthermore, an offer to work through the holidays was stated by a
Director.
Included
in this promise was a fast-tracking of the goose management strategy,
the process of which has not been completed by the CRD's appointed
Regional Canada Goose Management Working Group. The last document on
your website indicates only that a progress report was filed February
29, 2012.
We
would like to take this time to point out to the Board that planned
culls in five BC communities have been “put on hold” due to a
legal challenge before the BC Supreme Court concerning the deer
management strategy undertaken in Invermere, with some publicly
stating their reasons for doing so.
Chris
Zettel, corporate communications officer for the City of Cranbrook,
was quoted by the Canadian Press August 11, 2012: “I
think there's an appetite here perhaps to maybe stand back and wait
and see what happens with the court case involving Invermere.”
“Penticton
city staff has recommended to council that no further action be
taken, at least until a lawsuit against the district of Invermere has
been settled.” BC Local News, November 20, 2012.
Furthermore,
the CRD is the only region in the province that has divided deer into
three distinct categories: urban, rural and agricultural. Only a few
members of the public have identified the issue of “agricultural
deer” as a critical impetus for a cull of deer.
Therefore,
we think it would be wise for the Capital Regional District to join
the other communities in BC and adopt a prudent approach until more
detailed information is available in the province regarding the legal
aspects of the deer management issue. Until
then, we ask that the CRD and its municipalities refrain from taking
any action in this matter without first consulting with the public.
Sincerely,
Kelly Carson
Nabhraj Spogliarich
Jordan Reichert
Unfortunately, the new Chair of the Board, Alastair Bryson (Mayor of Central Saanich) and Denise Blackwell (Langford Councilor) will have to receive their letter at a later date. The email addresses that DeerSafe has used in the past have bounced back as undeliverable.
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