BCDPC Slams Liberal Government for Hazing Denial

For Immediate Release

BC Deer Protection Coalition slams

Liberal government for denying the City

of Kimberley a permit to haze deer out of town

April 9, 2013: Members of the BC Deer Protection Coalition (BCDPC) have learned that the Liberal government has denied the City of Kimberley a permit to allow the hazing of deer out of town.

“This is very disappointing news” said Sherry Shrieves-Adams resident of Kimberley, Co-Chair, Humane Treatment of Urban Wildlife and spokesperson for the BC Deer Protection Coalition (BCDPC). “The whole idea of hazing is to change deer behaviour by moving them out of town and making it uncomfortable to stay in town. It is a viable alternative to culling. The current government downloads the responsibility for managing deer to our community and then ties our hands when we want to try different approaches.”

“As someone who has just lived through a cull in my community, I can attest to the importance of alternative approaches,” said Colleen Bailey, Chair, Humane Treatment of Urban Wildlife and spokesperson for the BCDPC. “Unlike our Council who met and voted in secret to proceed with a cull, Kimberley Council has proceeded in an open and transparent manner and has implemented a number of very important human/deer conflict prevention measures. Hazing was part of a multi-pronged approach and now that has been taken away from the City. We are going to make this a campaign issue and to fight for changes that will allow municipalities to access a full range of non-lethal approaches to resolving human deer conflicts in their communities.”

“The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations denied the permit because of the Wildlife Act’s Permit Regulations” said Liz White, Leader of Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada and a spokesperson for the BCDPC. “We disagree. We assert that both the Act and the Regulations allow the Liberal government to issue a permit to the City of Kimberley for the purpose of hazing deer. In fact we put it in writing to Kimberley City Council on April 5^th. Ministers Steve Thompson and Terry Lake should intervene before the election writ is dropped and issue the permit immediately. This issue will not go away during the election.”

“Our intention is to keep the political pressure up on both the Liberals and the NDP,” said Devin Kazakoff, Invermere Deer Protection Society and spokesperson for the BCDPC. “It is important that both parties understand that this is a highly political issue and is not going away.”

Contact: Colleen Bailey       Sherry Shrieves-Adams
Devin Kazakoff                   Liz White

The following information was sent by letter to the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operation, the Minister or Environment and Kimberley City Council:

The Wildlife Act and the Wildlife Act Permit Regulations provide the mechanism to issue a permit for hazing. We have provided the pertinent sections of the Act and Regulations below.

• Wildlife Act:

http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_96488_01

Section 108 (2) (z) of the Wildlife Act – Regulations by Lieutenant Governor in Council states:

108(1) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations referred to in section 41 of the Interpretation Act.

(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations as follows:

(z) prohibiting or regulating the causing or allowing of a dog to hunt or pursue wildlife.

• Wildlife Act Permit Regulations:

http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/253_2000

Section 2 of the Wildlife Act Permit Regulations sets out authorizations by permit:

2. A regional manager may issue a permit in accordance with this regulation on the terms and for the period he or she specifies

(c) authorizing a person to hunt, trap or kill wildlife during the open or closed season for the following purposes:

(i)  scientific purposes;

(ii)  educational purposes;

3. if the regional manager considers it necessary for the proper management of the wildlife resource;
4. on behalf of the government, to destroy wildlife that is dangerous to public safety;

4. on behalf of the government, to destroy wildlife that is so badly injured that prolonging the animal's life would result in the animal suffering unduly,

NOTE: Section 2(c) authorizes a person to “hunt, trap or kill wildlife during both open and closed seasons”, so killing is not required. Cougar hunting often involves the chase only. The animal is not killed. So such activities are already recognized and accepted in the Wildlife Act. Therefore it should be acceptable to “hunt” deer for the purposes of hazing as “necessary for the proper management of the wildlife resource.”