| Court Declaration Obeyed - Woodland Caribou Strategy Posted | 27 August 11 |
In June 2011 the Pembina Institute went to court with the Alberta Wilderness Association, lawyers from Ecojustice, and three First Nations to argue the Government of Canada had illegally refused to recommend emergency habitat protections for woodland caribou in Alberta. They sought a declaration from the Court that the Minister's refusal to recommend an emergency order for the protection of the woodland caribou herds under the Species at Risk Act is unlawful and unreasonable. Judge Crampton, of Canada's federal court, agreed and gave Canada until September 1, 2001 to release a recovery strategy.Steps to arrive at a national recovery strategy for woodland caribou, including steps to correct the lack of consultations with Aboriginal Peoples, had already spanned several years. Judge Crampton, of the Federal Court, included in his decision: "..the Minister clearly erred in reaching his decision by failing to take into account the First Nations Applicants' Treaty Rights and the honour of the Crown in interpreting his mandate ..... The Decision ( Minister Kent's ) therefore warrants being set aside on that basis alone." Woodland Caribou, Boreal population was listed on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) as Threatened in 2003. Under the Species at Risk Act, the federal government is required to prepare a Recovery Strategy. The Recovery Strategy for boreal woodland caribou was due in June 2008, but had been delayed with a revised release date promised for June 2011. Environment Canada has now posted its Recovery Strategy for woodland caribou, with the a comments period until October 25, 2011. View Canada federal court decision regarding habitat for oil sands woodland caribouView David Suzuki Foundation boreal woodland caribou page View April 24, 2009 David Suzuki Foundation article View July 29, 2011 Pembina Institute blog post View Environment Canada recovery strategy page View Manitoba Wildlands Caribou Strategy page Source:
Suzuki Foundation, Pembina Institute, Federal Court of Canada
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