Save the North Alouette

Thank goodness we have responsible people looking at a situation and reporting. My girlfriend and I reported to the City of Pitt Meadows and ARMS about our concern that someone was digging on the banks of the Alouette River, on May 19. We were gratified to find out that the response was swift and immediate. All digging stopped on May 20 and was not resumed until recently, when, apparently all permits were deemed appropriate. The first picture on this web site is a picture my girlfriend took. We walk the 216th dikes 5 out of 7 days and continue to be concerned. Have you walked those dikes when they are spraying, both in the air and on the ground. You can feel it in your throat and it doesn’t taste very good. I don’t beleive that the pumping in and out of the river can possibly be a good thing. We have been watching this for almost 4 weeks now. The dike surface where they have buried the pipe is rough and not very well graded. The site on the banks of the Alouette is disgusting. How are people allowed to do this. Is this not a heritage river? Whoever gave the permit to do this should think again. Who gave them a permit to allow channels to be redirected? No pictures have shown up in the paper about the destruction to the river band and the shoals. You can’t convince me that habitat has not been altered or destroyed in some way. More people need to make more noise about this issue. We have been watching in dismay and have talked to a lot of dike walkers that are concerned.

I have lived in Maple Ridge for 21 years now. One of my favorite things to do is walk the dykes and enjoying the ever changing scenery. My girlfriend and I have taken to walking the 216th dyke on a regular basis. We have been watching the progress of the cranberry fields for a while. When my boys were little we use to walk by the pond and look for the big fish, and the bullfrogs on the banks, unfortunately this pond is no longer. I understand the need for development but at what cost.

While walking the dyke on May 19th we noticed someone had been doing some digging on the Alouette River side. The next day I brought my camera and took some shots which I emailed to ARMS and they have used one in Digging the Channel. You can see why I was so upset. I phoned the Pitt Meadows bylaw officer (which by the way got right back to me and did follow-up phone calls. I was impressed) I was told they would look into this matter as well as inform Fisheries and Oceans. Pitt Meadows called me back to say that the owner had a permit to put in a pipe but not to dig up the river. They were keeping a close eye on this property to make sure everything was done within the permits.

We went there the next day and noticed that it seemed the construction had been shut down. Yes!!!!

There is now a pipe in place, and they have had to build a ramp over it so people can walk the dyke. If you look at the river from this area it is still a mess. You can’t tell me this all needed to be done to put in a pipe.

On top of this if you continue further on the same dyke there are mounds of dirt right in the middle of the path blocking ones access. When did the dykes and rivers become a construction dump site?

I love raising my boys in Maple Ridge. Many hours have been spent walking and exploring the ponds and river along the dyke system. I hope to continue for many more.

Can we not come up with better solutions and ways to monitor our rivers? Are we going to have to wait until the rivers are no longer before someone notices? Come on Maple Ridge. Don’t turn a blind eye.

Hi all, think about this. The MOE (Water Stewardship Branch) operates on the principal that a licence issued for a certain volume of water per annum will be self-regulated by the licence holder! Now the analogy that springs to mind is a gas station issues a licence for X numbers of gallons of gas per month-or year- that the licence holder can draw out of the gas station. However, there will be no metering, as you will be on your honour to stay within your allotment. Now you know why governments’, by definition using this logic, are dysfunctional.

Bill Bennet’s Social Credit government famous comment that the NDP couldn’t run a popcorn stand has need of redefining—Governments’ per-se couldn’t run a popcorn stand.

Geoff

BC’s Water Stewardship Branch has proven itself incapable ever since my awareness of them began in 2003 at the Ashlu River because of a private power application. A new law, Bill 30 enacted June 2006 saw public consultation erased from private power project processes. How can anyone expect this BC Government Water Stewardship branch who fails consistently to protect water where populations can see it locally to protect water anywhere else in BC?

disgraceful but not surprising

Once again this is a case of a massive failure of our governments’ (at all levels) to protect the public interest that they are supposed to guard. They seem to be under the illusion that the regulations themselves are all that is needed to keep everyone honest – and that enforcement is not desired or required.
Imagine if we adopted the same policy with speeding or drinking driving. We would essentially be saying “we don’t think you should drink and drive (or speed or whatever) but we aren’t going to check and we aren’t going to penalize you – and by the way, be really nice and let us know if you do!”
It’s insane to expect anyone to police themselves when there’s virtually zero chance of being caught and even less of anything but a token penalty.
The optics always look great when this minister or that announces some tough new regulations to protect us from some malicious types or situations – but everyone knows that there aren’t enough resources to enforce them! It’s a recipe for disaster and it needs to be dealt with.
The first thing that needs to be done is for the details of these kind of deals to be subject to public scrutiny-they should be published in the papers, communicated to local councils and discussed with affected groups before any final agreement is inked.
Even if all all the requirements of the license are being met (and how would we ever know?) there should also be a substantial payment for the water involved. After all, most municipalities employ water meters to charge their citizens for water – why should those in the highly profitable cranberry business be any different! Anywhere else in the world farmers pay significant charges for water – there’s no reason we should be giving away something so valuable for free. Maybe the money could be earmarked for enforcement purposes – thus ensuring enforcement and at the same time placing an incentive on the end user to use less of the water in the first place.
It’s truly amazing that small local groups, with hugely limited resources can do what multi million dollar government departments can’t (or won’t).
You can’t blame businesses for pushing things as far as they can – it’s what businesses do. But we can blame our governments for being unwilling (or unable) to control the genies they let out of the bottle!!

There seems to me a huge double standard at play here. What so many agencies, organizations and individuals have worked so hard to achieve can be destroyed so quickly – and with government approval?? I just don’t get it.

The government appears to work in mysterious ways, its wonders to perform–probably operating under the mushroom theory of public relations (i.e. keep them in the dark & feed them manure).

This year the BC Science 10 curriculum was changed to include a unit on Sustainability of Ecosystems. The attitude exihibited by the MOE and DFO seem to be counter to the prnciples behind this teaching unit. It is hard to be open and honest about envoronmental issues when other branches of government seem to going out of their way to undermine my efforts. Why am I teaching this unit ehen I cannot even use my own local area as an example of good practice?

Today as we walked these dikes, what surprise to find that the pump was working full force. No one in site to regulate and they just sprayed the fields a few weeks ago. Wonder what is going on. The other day we saw a family of cyotees (sic) and thought they will be uprooted when they flood the fields. We need more voices to speak out about this issue. All you dog walkers, please log on to this web site and make your concerns. My daughter is working with Tourism Whistler and she said this would not be tolerated in Squamish/Whistler.

A study conducted by the University of Victoria states that Canada has one of the poorest environmental records of the industrialized nations, ranking a “dismal” 28th out of 29 countries of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). The license which has been issued to take water from the North Alouette is a shocking example of Canada’s environmental irresponsibility. The government’s lack of concern over water restrictions and regulations, fish and habitat protection, and the obvious precedent this situation will set for increased exploitation of our rivers is irresponsible and unacceptable. The Pitt Polder Presevation Society also demands a full investigation and action into the licenses that have been issued to take water from the Alouette.

STOP NOW PLEASE !!!!!!! before it is too late to undo the damage. God for once could common sense prevail. this is a piece of paradise and home to so many creatures. We simply must not destroy it.

Once again, the big guys win. Why does it seem the “big guy” can do what they want while our government agencies turn a blind eye, while the law abiding citizen gets stopped at the smallest infraction. And haven’t we learned that self regulation does NOT work – isn’t that the biggest problem with the economy these days?

It’s time for the MOE, DFO and other government agencies to quit whining about their lack of resources and do their job! What Aquilini is doing and is being allowed to do is a punch in the face of all the taxpayers and citizens who care about our rivers and environment. It is a a continuation of the government only giving lip service to caring about the environment. It is time to put a stop to this hypocracy NOW.

Well, what else is new. As usual, we are sold out to the big guys. Why should
Aquillini group stop what they are doing, when nobody steps up to the plate to do what is right. And, they will not stop until the river and everything for miles around it is dead. For years we have been yelling to anyone who would listen, to stop the raping of our beautiful rivers and greenspace, but apparently it is more important to be popular with the money people. Get your heads out of the sand, and quit passing the buck, before we lose whatever is left!!!!

I guess we will have to do what they are doing in Iran, take to the streets and rivers and put our bodies on the line before those in power will pay any attention to the issue.

Jack Emberly told me that dead fish littered the bottom of the river for a hundreds of meters upstream from where he first saw dead fish. He has a glass bottom kayak and therefore had a first rate view in shallow water.
Jack told me today that it may have been tens of thousands of dead fish as he was not in a position to scope out the whole river. What is so noticeabe is no birds swim or land in the slough next to this suspect berry field that smelled of a herbicide application for days after the fish kill.
Rachel Carson’s book “Silent Spring” has become a reality in Pitt Meadow –and still they sleep on–
Geoff Clayton
ARMS

As frustrated and angry as we can get over the greediness and disrespect of large coporations raping our environment, the exciting part is that your efforts are making a difference. People at all levels are starting to pay attention. Many of you have worked hard and fast on this. How much cranberry juice do we need to drink this summer? I wonder if boycotts might be in order?
There also need to be some government incentives for farming outside the “box” of monoculture.

As a regular walker on the dikes from the end of 216th Street I too have been appalled at the way this area has been treated. My career for thirty five years was in the horticultural industry. Walking the dike two maybe three weeks ago I noticed that the growing points of the blackberries and other shrubby species were exhibiting signs of distortion and unusual growth. Some of the remaining trees’ leaves were turned in unnatural directions. I would suggest that the area along the dike up to the Alouette had been subject to spray drift of the weedkiller Glyphosate (Roundup). One only has to glance to the west to see the burnt strips of vegetation around the fields adjacent to the ditches to confirm that some sort of chemical has been used in this area. I suspect from the damage to the plants on the top of the dike that something has happened outside of the guidelines for proper horticultural practice.

It’s great to see everyone coming together on this website. But…let’s face it folks….nothing is going to change.
Local governments need to generate cash to justify their existence, to fund their salaries, and to fund yet another government “program”.
Lands and watersheds left undeveloped and used only by mother nature DO NOT generate money for government coffers. How can government expand and grow without converting mother nature’s lands into either farms, industry, or homes? It cannot.

So – while I appreciate all of the heartfelt comments, ultimately there will be no success.

You are all just standing in the way of “progress” and an increased tax base.

Land use, or abuse?

Maple Ridge is blessed in its location: nestled between mountains, three rivers and several lakes it is an ecological gem.
We have 3 salmon spawning rivers, freshwater lakes fed by glaciers, wetlands and bogs as nesting and resting grounds for birds on the Pacific Flyway, a Polder with reclaimed and diked farmland of rich alluvial soil, foothill forests and freshwater creeks flowing from pristine mountain tops. A land of abundance and beauty.
I have lived here now for over 35 years and for the last 20 years I have seen an unparalleled onslaught on our beautiful natural heritage: sprawling subdivisions on productive farmland, a transportation corridor that cuts a certified , productive organic blueberry farm in two, thousands of acres of mono-culture of blueberries and cranberries, sprayed with pesticides, un-monitored out-take of our fresh water from the Alouette river and un-monitored effluent into our rivers.
I have walked the dikes for many years with my dogs and have watched this so-called “progress”.
I have watched the lands east and north of the dike area at the end of 216th turn from an area where you could see fox and coyotes, and bear and sandhill cranes and ducks in the slough and otter frolicking in the water turn to a wasteland where not even frogs will croak. A land, laser leveled and soaked in herbicides, where 2 years ago, even in May, when you can watch the grass grow, not a bit of green was to be seen.
I was caught with my infant grandson in a cloud of unknown substance sprayed from a helicopter; to be reassured it was just “ fertilizer”. I have answered many a call from people worried about clouds of spraying of blueberry fields and reports of herbicide spills. People not wanting to be named for fear of repercussions. Any time I raised a concern I was assured that it falls under the “Right to Farm Act” and was monitored by the relevant authorities.
We have come to a tipping point now: The Alouette River, a salmon-spawning river, a river that belongs to all of us, is being used as a private water resource, where an undetermined and unmonitored amount of water is being taken out, jeopardizing the water levels needed for salmon runs. Where the banks of the river are treated like private property and sprayed with herbicides and pipes are installed without proper filters or screens to assure that the run-off from the fields does not jeopardize the water quality and fish. A thousand fish have died recently.
Each time a corner of our beautiful land was in danger, one or the other of our many environmental organizations had to fight for it. Be it he Pitt Polder, the Codd Island Wetlands, The Blaney Bog, the Thornhill Aquifer, the Blue Mountain area, the Kanaka Creek, the Silver Valley development, the Pesticide bylaw, the Jackson Farm, the Formosa Organic Blueberry Farm, to name just a few, hundreds of our environmentalists spent countless hours to persuade the powers to be to act. The Alouette River Mangement Society ( ARMS) under Geoff Clayton’s tireless management, has spent years to renew the salmon run and manage the water levels of the Alouette river only to see it now being in jeopardy. We are all for sustainable farming, but there is stewardship and land use and then there is land abuse!
All our groups have come together on protecting our Alouette river! We stand united on this!
Please help us to protect the Alouette river!

Honestly, when are we going to stop being poisoned by industry? What happened to our government agencies? Remember the ones that used to protect the people but now bow to industry lobbyists? Our amazing rivers are being sold to American multinationals as well as being polluted by greedy and unscrupulous companies.

It is not long down the road where we will pay an even heavier price than almost a 50/50 chance of getting cancer. This is an outrage and every level of government should be jumping all over Golden Eagle Farms for such blatant disregard of OUR vital environment. No thanks to cranberries, I would rather have my wild salmon, birds and wildlife and water that I can drink!

The value of Maple Ridge to the Fraser Valley is that it has to date almost escaped surgical destruction via the developer’s scalpel as swathes of agricultural land and green space plays second fiddle to profit.

It is not too late to save Maple Ridge and its green heritage even though successive councils have worked hand in hand with district staff to quench the thirst of progressively emboldened landowners. While the Alouette River and its husbandry may not be directly related to our development community it does none the less expose an underlying attitude which threatens our only asset, the natural environment which we and our community occupy.

Maple Ridge has nothing at all to be proud of in its built environment – show me a building of architectural worth – so we can only rely on what nature has provided. And when we invite visitors we invite them on the strengths of our natural attractions as the built ones amount to nil.

My hope is that we can eventually establish a moratorium on subdivisions and cease all development beyond where we have strayed to date. I know that this is asking too much. But I ask it none the less.

Well done, Jack, on all your good work and well done to all those who work to make an example of Maple Ridge as potentially the greenest district in the Valley.

Stop this theft our natural environment , it belongs to all of us.

correct me if i am wrong. golden eagle golf- owned by aquilini family,owner of canucks. a family worth ? billion yet as tax payers we subsidise thier farm. to think about this makes my blood boil.

Save the river.

Unfortunately, with the present government this is just more of the same. People with money can buy whatever they want.

I have never been to the river, but can I can it’s being slaughtered and abused.
Shame on all the evil people behind this.

We were at the lake on Canada Day and appreciated the visitors and beauty. We supprt the residents fo the area that do not want to see a waste land in place of the pristine beauty they now have the honour of protecting.

Too Frustrated to even think clearly here. It is a shame, some people need to stop thinking of the $$$$$, and look at the long term affect. I like taking my daughter to places like this, and hopefully grandchildren one day. But the way things are going, we can walk through the condo complexes, or the mall strips. Good thing they plant a single tree every 50 or 60 feet, so we can remember what nature looks like.
My two bits

Welcome aboard Pitt Meadows & Maple Ridge.

Christina Lake residents are fighting an Aquilini proposal to build a toxic waste gasification plant here. We have good evidence that the technology behind such a “recycling” plant is flawed, and that it could irreparably damage our pristine air, land and water.
It’s a case of local citizens versus the big $$$ of the Aquililni Investment Group.
Read more at protectchristinalake.ca

Published: July 16, 2009 3:00 PM
Updated: July 16, 2009 3:50 PM

0 Comments Editor, The News:

Re: N. Alouette River issue gets political (The News, July 10).

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Environment Canada have failed to respond effectively since I reported thousands of dead fish in the North Alouette River, May 25. They should have begun an investigation right away. Instead, these two protection agencies have debated which has jurisdiction.

In The News, July 10, fisheries biologist Bruce Clark provides a possible explanation: “Clark said under the Fisheries Act an agreement allows Environment Canada to investigate pollution issues, while fisheries focuses on sediment and silt getting into water and harming fish.”

This dysfunctional rule of thumb allowed DFO and Environment Canada to pass me back and forth for 46 days without actually doing anything more than visiting the site, or looking around a bit.

Add to this prescription for inaction the confusing role of the provincial environment ministry, the ability of which to grant water licences seems to trump any cards held by the feds.

Clark is quoted as saying: “We’re going to have a serious look at it and see what we can ascertain from what we see on the ground.”

Why didn’t that happen on May 26, the day Environment Canada visited the site. On that day, a serious look in the water would have revealed thousands of dead fish. The banks, water, or air might have revealed a possible cause.

Clark pointed out that any Canada enforcement officer can inspect sites close to the river as possible pollution or contaminant sources. That wasn’t done on May 26. Environment Canada arrived on site without hip waders or a boat, and looked down at the water from the Neaves Road Bridge. It was pouring rain at the time. Officer Pia Rasmussen and I later agreed that it was impossible to see the dead fish on the stream bed in those conditions. I had asked her to return to the river when it wasn’t raining. She declined. That’s when I paid a buck for a butterfly net at Dollar Giant, raced back to the Alouette and collected 100 or so dead fish. It wasn’t raining. They were just as visible as before.

By the way, no supervisor, hearing that the field officer couldn’t see fish because it was raining, felt it necessary to send the officer back for a second look when it wasn’t.

I have called the paralysis of Environment Canada and DFO a conspiracy of inertia because the ways they have to avoid action seems designed. I may be wrong here, but no one in government or either agency is trying to make a dysfunctional system work.

Since May 25, I have repeatedly been asked a question I can’t answer, but it seems to require an answer before the right agency will respond.

What caused the kill?

“I don’t know,” I said, “I’m not a biologist. You have laboratories. Determine the cause, eliminate potential ones, avoid subsequent kills … Investigate.”

Other things about Environment Canada/DFO response to my complaint puzzle me:

After May 25, I had a collection of dead fish in my freezer, but was unable to tempt anyone to test them in the North Vancouver laboratory. Officer Rasmussen’s supervisor, Martin Pomeroy, told me in late June, when Environment Canada finally returned to do a second “inspection” (not investigation), that the agency might take them, but that would be up to the officer on the ground.

A News photographer shot a picture of me handing the fish to this officer. I have been told since that they didn’t reveal much, probably because it took so long to get them, they were frozen, they were small.

I have a report now, but I can’t understand it. There’s no name on it that I can contact for an explanation. They don’t call back from the lab. No one knows the name of the writer.

In The News, July 10, Mark Dalton, Liberal MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission, and MP Randy Kamp provided comments.

Dalton told reporter Phil Melnychuk: “If there’s contravention, it needs to be examined. These are issues of concern and we’ll proceed to examine those.” He said he would talk to Environment Minister Barry Penner.

This tells me that Mr. Dalton and Mr. Penner must be the “right people” that Environment Canada and DFO have been promising would respond to my complaint.

Fishery Minister Gail Shea’s political advisor, Brian Cody, told me in June that he would contact Mr. Penner’s political advisor and “the right people” would get back to me soon. Mr. Cody called following my report of the kill to Mr. Kamp’s office on June 1.

So now, on July 10, Mr. Kamp told The News: “I’m going to make sure these allegations are taken seriously…”

He cautions, however, that the Fisheries Act “doesn’t require a licence to work in a stream, “if those doing so believe they won’t harm fish or habitat.”

Mr. Kamp could do something useful by getting that statement struck from any procedural handbook or act.

Finally, Mr. Clark says: “We’re going to have a serious look at it and see what we can ascertain from what we see on the ground.”

I can’t believe it will happen because of questions concerning the first serious look, the inaction and lack of will on the part of politicians, and the apparent dysfunction of Environment Canada and the DFO. Their inability to immediately determine the lead agency and then to initiate “investigations” and not lame duck inspections, seems sanctioned by those higher up.

This can’t continue. The “right people” know who they are. They must now act.

We were walking the dikes on July 22 at approx. 9:00 am and we noticed that they were watering one section of the fields. While we were walking by we were hit with an putrid smell. It was almost a chemical smell, reminding me of turpentine. My girlfriend, who used to own her own gardening company couldn’t put her finger on the smell, but thought it was a pesticide. When the water was turned off, there was no smell. Don’t think I will be buying any cranberries any time soon.

Alouette River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHcj4qX2cAc

CBC News Footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mKl33pZO7I

Environment Canada seems intent on proving that it is a lame duck when it comes to responding to “emergencies” in habitat destruction or the effects on fish life. It seems to be also unable to keep its files and records straight. Both of these systemic shortcomings add greatly to its perceived incompetence.
Environment Canada’s most recent blunder involves my freedom of information request in July. Although I followed the required procedure of formally requesting all ministerial reports relating to the fish kill on the N. Alouette River which I reported to DFO’s hotline May 25th, and which they shipped over to Environment Canada, I have now received an email from EC saying they have abandoned my request for information because I didn’t submit the required $5 application fee within the 30 day time limit. Remember neither DFO or EC would collect fish samples, or test them for cause of death until embarrassed by publicity weeks later. There are a lot more examples of this type of inertia and incompetence.
Not true, said I to the person whos name appeared in this letter about not paying the $5 fee (long distance phone call). To convince her that the file request would not be abandoned, I gave this EC employee my visa number once again. After that, I pulled the evidence from my heavy file of records and letters with EC – a letter dated July 31, acknowledging my visa card payment. I then called the signer of that earlier letter and told her about my email from the second EC employee. The first EC employee reported to me that there was a mix up within the Department; that 2 files had been opened-oops – employees had been shuffled around, and so, -the story I have heard from so many DFO and EC personnel – a lack of communication because office so-n-so was moved upward, was on holidays, had a cold, had phone problems -that resulted in the second clerk deciding that since payment for the first request hadn’t been received that file should be terminated.
What of that first request? I had made it to EC supervisor, Martin Pomeroy in BC, early in July, by telephone. He asked that I repeat it formally in an email. I did. Mr. Pomeroy assured me the email and the verbal request would do it. I waited a long time for Mr. Pomeroy to acknowledge my email request, but he did not do so. After several unanswered phone calls to this gentleman, I called Ottawa and went through the process again. As stated, it resulted in formal acknowledgment of request and fee paid.
So, where does my request for all Ministerial information concerning the N.Alouette fish kill stand? EC assures me now that the request is being processed without delay, despite the mix up in signals within the Department. So, the three Ministries involved -DFO, EC, and the provincial Ministry of the Environment-MOE, not Curly- are putting their heads together to decide what information citizen Emberly should receive in the mail-the same guys, I’m sure, who have avoided my request for information for over two months. So much for democracy these days.
Here’s the clincher. The fellas who are debating what information I receive in the end, don’t have to send me all fishery, and EC officers reports to supervisors during their “inspection” or “investigation” process (some of it would undoubtedly be embarrassing to many of them), but can hold back what they don’t want made public. I am not entitled -nor are you- to an explanation of any of their decisions, although I believe that not explaining leaves them very suspect to their motives. Which of our founding fathers, by the way, decided that bureaucrats should have that power? It wasn’t John A. MacDonald.
There is already a growing belief that the DFO is in bed with fish farmers despite the vast evidence that lice from those farms are decimating our wild salmon. I am sure EC will soon be lumped into that perception of culpability regarding cranberry farming which begins by systematically removing all non-commercial, plants and animals, which our government apparently views as superfluous or waste life. I predict, that in time, the EC will soon be seen as “the enemy within”. And still, not a single politician seems to care about dead fish or any of this. Isn’t that what their silence tells us? Where are you, Mr. Sather, Mr.Dalton, Mr. Kamp, Mr. Penner, Ms. Shea? Mr. Layton?
If I am not happy about the file information I eventually receive regarding my file concerning 100,000 dead fish on the North Alouette River, – and I’m pretty sure I won’t be – I can cry foul to the “Complaints Commissioner”. Yippi!
Here are my thoughts about this process, to date. Firstly, I believe my file demonstrates the dysfunctionality of Environment Canada. It’s own criteria for investigating anything, effectively hamstrings it, and needs to be fixed immediately. It’s ongoing buck-passing policy, outlined in a “memorandum of understanding” with DFO -secretly guarded or locked away from public scrutiny- compounds it’s ineffectiveness. It’s avoidance of communication at the provincial level with citizens who have done their duty to alert them to events that should be promptly dealt with, (what we pay them to do, and have previously believed they would do) make them inexcusably, and unconscionably culpable in any destruction of habitat and fish that they don’t immediately investigate, and damnable for any criminal charges they should lay, but don’t.
EC is a department set up by us, paid for by citizens, to protect our resources, but I see no proof at all from my experience with EC, that it is capable, or even willing to do what it was set up to do, and though I sympathize with their shortage of staff to do the job, (yes, Mr. Tremblay, I see your point) I do not condone them finding ways around it. Finally, while we talk about elections, and hopeful politicans tell us we should vote in the opposition, I hear nothing at all from any elected Member, about the breakdown in the EC and the DFO, the backbone of ‘Supernatural BC’.
Voter apathy? I think it stems from government apathy, inertia, and lack of purpose, and in words of Tommy Douglas, it’s time to “throw the rascals out”, all of them, and start over. Stay tuned.

Hi Jack,
I was very impressed with the youtube presentation. Keep up the good work. There was one thing that came to mind after I watched the video. Due to the threats from Climate Change and Peak Oil, we have a compelling need to diversify and localize our food sources. The river was sucked dry to produce a cash crop that we cannot buy locally. It is shipped out of country, processed, packaged, and then transported back to us for consumption (huge carbon footprint). The 100,000 fish that perished would have traveled to the ocean and back with no carbon footprint, becoming local food with a high nutritional value. PITY

Let me get this straight, this is a private business ‘helping themselves’ to public land and resources? If so, then it is shocking and disturbing what businesses get away with. Thank you for bring this to my attention. Please continue to question and investigate the way resources are used on public lands.

Thanks Gerry and Mary for your perceptive comments. In a time when we all be focusing on growing foods that increase our self-reliance, and add to the community well-being, cranberry crops make no sense at all. Biodiversity should always be a focus-eradicating the life we have for a monoculture is insanity. Jack

Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Times
Published: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Editor:
Re: Call for salmon review derided by local MLA, TIMES Mailbag, Sept. 22
MLA Michael Sather says that B.C. Environment Minister, Barry Penner’s call for a federal review into the decline of the west coast sockeye runs is a “weak response.” He’s right. Penner fails to address the mayor problem facing salmon in Lower Mainland streams, including our North Alouette River – uncontrolled water use.
Mr. Sather alludes to fish farms – an industry supported by the province and the feds – as a major cause of morbidity in sockeye. Again, he’s correct. However, there are no fish farms along the Alouette River. Salmon returning to local streams may be on a steady decline because of low water. Although 63,000 sockeye migrated into the Alouette System two years ago, a meager 42 made it back to spawn according to Geoff Clayton, of the Alouette River Management Society. On the website: http://www.savethealouette.ca you can see adult salmon struggling to reproduce in a dirty puddle.
A dry summer was not the only cause. A proliferation of unmonitored water licences issued to berry farmers is a major factor. Bruce Hobbs of the Alouette Valley Association and Clayton have proposed a timely solution. They maintain that a Water Use Management Plan which employs an updated and efficient metering system is needed to regulate and control water consumption by farmers. Currently, the Water Stewardship Division, the branch of Mr. Penner’s ministry which approves water use licences, is not able to do this job. Hobbs and Clayton point out the WSD is a complaint-oriented, self-monitored system employing Water-Survey-Canada-Meters that are incapable- because of their location- to monitor key reaches of the river where the farmers are extracting water. Adding to this problem is the WSD’s lack of on-site personnel to check up on licencees before or after their applications are approved. One glaring example, a pump to draw water from the North Alouette was operating before a licence to do so met approval by the WSD. It’s time for minister Penner to make use of these facts in a water management plan before salmon numbers decline further in our own back yard.
There is some good news, though. On Sept. 21, the Province reported the minister has called upon cattle ranchers in the Nicola Valley to “voluntarily” stop drawing water in an attempt to raise levels for anticipated kokanee runs because of drought.
Mr. Penner’s authority to ask for water use cessation by private users to save kokanee -landlocked sockeye-comes from the dusty, old B.C. Fish Protection Act, drafted by the NDP in 1997 but shelved-for the most part- by the Liberals when they came to power in 2001. Section 9 which reads, “for the purpose of protecting the fish population, the minister may make “temporary” orders regulating… the use of water from the stream by holders of licences…” Perhaps the B.C. minister will do the same in Pitt Meadows until we have a water management plan which might make such drastic actions unnecessary.
Finally, the B.C. Fish Protection Act, not just section 9, but all 37 sections of it was a great idea. It would have allowed farmers to become responsible partners in the use of water, without jeopardizing west coast salmon stock, and perhaps freed this province from depending on the DFO to enforce the Federal Fisheries Act which they have proven reluctant or unable to do. Proof of that lies in their failure to investigate the 100,000 dead fry I reported until 5 weeks after I reported it to their hotline on May 25th. The actual Regulations (the teeth) of the B.C. act would have compelled berry farmers to undertake environmental studies to determine farming processes that didn’t upset Mother Nature, monitor and meter their water use, and make retributions for any damage caused by their operations. Farmers would be accountable for much of the costs associated with such a model. It has been speculated that a lack of political appetite and the agro-industry’s lobbying against implementation of the Act was successful. A bonus? B.C. might have set the bar for other provinces wanting to protect their own fish and wildlife.
Nevertheless, Section 9 of the regulations has been brought into play. Minister Penner should ensure the rest of the regulations come into effect right away. Doing so would not be a “weak response” to the plight of our salmon and our streams.
Jack Emberly
Maple Ridge

What Chapter is This?
Never Mind, It’s the continuation of the “Investigation”

It begins with another letter from Environment Canada-dated 21, 2009-(I’ve decided to include the year)- to inform me that they need more time to collect the informtion I “requested” (my right as a Canadian citizen) regarding the N.Alouette fish kill May 25th-information regarding the involvment of Environment Canada and its staff. I have told these folks on the phone and in emails the type of information that is really important to me, but they insist that “all” correspondence from any source to them is included in the package. I guess this includes emails from Bruce Hobbs who assures me he’s completed the process, but there are “others” that may still be somewhere along the route. EC says they need all these folks to write off their emails, before they can send the stuff I want to see. And guess what, a verbal go ahead isn’t good enough, it has to be by snail mail because that’s how EC communicates. What a surprise!
Okay, so I have a collection of these letters now – from EC and DFO -. At the bottom there’s that little paragraph to inform me that I can “complain to the information commissioner” if I think the delay is unreasonable. It’s a number in Ottawa-not toll free -819-944-0262. I dial it and receive a direction to call a second number because the usual person is not well today. I then dial that number in order to speak to Veronica Gagnon and receive her voice message in French-no English.

Parle vous, Francais? There have been a number of surprises from Environment Canada since May 25th, but this one is more unexpected than most. I decide to take the note to MP Randy Kamp’s office. Randy’s in Ottawa, but his executive assistant is kind enough to dial Ottawa and listen to the message. My French isn’t as good as it should be,and I’m not totatlly sure what she said.
Mr. Strahl hangs up the phone. He has a surprised look on his face.
I asked him what language he heard. He answered that it was French and only French – no English. He seemed as surprised as I was about that. My comment was “I thought Canada was a bilingual country.”
Mr. Strahl said he would check into it. I guess he thought an explanation would be in order. Today, I received an email from Mark that included an apology from EC of sorts – it was signed by the person who was sick and relayed me by her stand-in. It says, “I would like to thank you for bringing this issue to my attention.” Question: has this been an issue? Are English speaking Canadians being spoken to in French only by bureaucrats and public employees in Ottawa? I had no idea. The email went on to say, ___’s duties have recently changed and due to an oversight, her voice mail greeting was not updated. It has now been updated to include a billingual greeting.” Question: what previous duties would permit ___ to respond entirely in French to Canadians calling a government official paid by both English and French citizens?
Wow! I think I’ve just made a contribution to bilingualism in Canada. If Lester Pearson were still alive I do believe he would have shaken my hand.
post script: I have been informed that I should receive the results of my freedom of information request from Environment Canada by mail during the week of Nov. 9th. This is like a christmas present for me. I hope it’s not a pair of socks or another tie.

Investigating Unauthorized Water Use on the N.Alouette – an update.

As reported in the NEWS (Nov. 4th) the Conservation Branch of M.O.E. has finally prepared a report for crown counsel that could lead to charges related to the pipe installed on the N.Alouette. We’ll see.
I have new comments to make on this topic-but they must wait until next time. I’m working on a blog now and will soon invite you to it’s official unveiling. It will be entitled, Emberly’s Red Schoolhouse Jack

Mr. aqualini has been screwing up the north end of 224 street and area for at least the last 25 yrs . The harming in any way of the allouette rivers wether the north or south is absolutly disgusting. Shame on whomever does nothing to correct this tradgedy.I grew up with the north running through my back yard and watched as aqualini began his systematic destruction of that area. For shame.

Salmon used to spawn in Morse Creek in Maple Ridge. It’s a small stream that connects to the S.Alouette a few hundred yards from Rex Rutherford’s property on the corner of 224th and Abernathy. When Rex bought his property 25 years ago, he was delighted to see the adult fish digging redds in his back yard. It meant his little stream would add to the tally of west coast salmon which make BC the envy of the world. Today, if Rex sees fish of any size in Morse Creek, they’re dead the next day.
On June 2nd last year the NEWS ran a story about the 200,000 dead fish in the N.Alouettte that I reported to the DFO. That story prompted Rex to contact authorities himself, because about a week later he woke up to find about 200 dead fry in Morse on his property. Rex wasn’t sure who to alert at first, so he called Maple Ridge Municipality. An Environment Technicial – a lot of towns have one- came out to look. Rex says she told him she didn’t see any fish, but as far as he knows she didn’t look into the pool on his property where they remained after the municipal officer went back to her office. Apparently, she then relayed the information Rex gave her to the DFO. Rex decided then and there to collect samples. He picked up 50 fry and froze them in two containers. After that, he called the DFO office himself, suggesting they come out and take his fish for testing. Rex says the DFO officer he spoke to didn’t want them, and suggested that Rex might as well throw them out. Rex and I both wonder what’s behind that kind of suggestion, and what the significance of it is when you multiply similar suggestions by thousands – thousands of other streams throughout the province, thousands of concerned citizens who naively believe that politicians and government agencies are keen to protect juvenile salmon on the west coast.
Apparently, Morse Creek has been heavily impacted with Condo development projects. Enlightened sources tell me that excavations for the foundations of those buildings produce a constant source of silty water that is pumped directly into Morse Creek. God knows what else may be feeding into Morse, but whatever it is is killing fish, and the DFO doesn’t seem interested in finding out what it is, or preventing it. It’s the way we do business – ie. municipalities such as Maple Ridge, and government agencies who have an agenda that mystifies folks like Rex who believe that preserving salmon and their habitat should take precedence over any kind of town development.
One more point here. Lately, a few local alderman have started to publicly support the AVA association’s campaign to effect responsible water use montoring by the provincial government. That’s only going to be seen as politicing if the Municipality of Maple Ridge continues to destroy the fish bearing streams within its own borders. If they remain silent on this issue, they don’t deserve re-election.

The South Alouette River may soon be pretty again where it meets the Pitt. Ralph Reitel has floated his barge and says it will soon be moved. Well done, Ralph, and well done all the folks who have encouraged you to take this step.
BTW folks. My submission to the Cohen Inquiry and the complete f.o.i. document I received regarding DFO involvement in the fish kill on the N.Alouette R. last May can now be read at http://www.cohencommission.ca
Please have a look and make a comment. Jack