Municipal Candidates’ Responses to
Candidate Survey Regarding Skeena Wild Salmon

Editors Note: If any of the missed Candidates would like send their answers to NewsNorthwebpress.com, we will add them to the list.

Questions:
1. What do you perceive as the single greatest human-caused threat to Skeena wild salmon?

2. If elected, what will you do to ensure sustainability of our Skeena wild salmon?

3. Do you support or oppose the Enbridge
pipeline?

4. What do you think is the single greatest opportunity for non-industrialized community economic development?

5. Do you support protection of the Sacred Headwaters?

Kathleen Bedard

The survey doesn't allow varying degrees of agreement or disagreement with the limit of 100 words, but I have answered the first and second question.

I perceive over-fishing and pollution as the greatest human-caused threats to Skeena wild salmon but I do not necessarily think it is the fishers on the North Coast who are over-fishing, as I am aware of very creative and sustainable fishing practices being employed, but is resulting from fishing practices before they reach the Skeena and pollution from outside the region. Ensuring the sustainability of Skeena wild salmon is not a direct mandate of a City Council. It resides with organizations such as yours to lobby for proper fishing practices and maintenance;
hopefully, with the support of Council.

Corinna Morhart - Could not reach/Did not respond

Jack Mussallem

1. To much escapement; disease in the spawning channels.

2. Lobby for increased enhancement.
3. Ad Mayor, and on any topic, must wait for the review process to end, before providing comment.

4. Greater enhancement and fuller utilization of wildlife and fish stocks. We have very scenic and beautiful areas that can be shown to the world, Canada has favored nation status with China, there’s a tourism opportunity.

5. Yes.

Anna Ashley

1. There are many human-caused threats to Skeena wild salmon. The biggest threat would be global warming and its effects on water temperature and climate which ultimately affect salmon stocks, especially as they spawn. If salmon cannot recognize the waters they came from, as they return to the rivers, then the life cycle is interrupted and as a result salmon stocks decline. Policies need to be created that reflect environmentally sound practices in business and industry and funding must be available to support their implementation. This also means holding government agencies to task on enforcing environmental policies around resource use.

2. Since fisheries are under federal jurisdiction, municipal levels of government do not have any power to create policies around this matter. However, there is power in working together with our fellow municipalities and organizations such as the Union of BC Municipalities to put forward resolutions that protect our wild stocks. It is my belief that municipal governments should lobby other levels of government to create, fund and enforce policies that support sustainability, and environmentally sound practices to ensure that there is a sound balance between environmental, economic, social and cultural considerations.

3. I believe in economic and environmentally sustainable resource use. As a Prince Rupert citizen, I don’t believe the Enbridge pipeline is worth the risk. There is virtually no financial benefit in terms of jobs, or revenues for our city. It is a huge risk to our quality of life and the industries we rely on in our community such as sport and commercial fishing, tourism, and aquaculture in the event of an oil spill. As a councillor however, I believe it is the people of Prince Rupert that should decide whether or not they want projects like the Enbridge pipeline.

4. The single greatest opportunity for non-industrialized community economic development is in the area of Tourism, which although technically an industry, does not have the same effect on the environment as other resource industries. It is renewable and sustainable while providing many jobs and a lot of revenue to our city. There are huge opportunities for the development of the tourism sector in our region, due to our beautiful coastlines, majestic mountains, pristine waters and abundant wildlife. We can partner with our first nations neighbours, and neighbouring local governments, to expand this sector in the areas of cultural and eco-tourism.

5. The proposed development in the Sacred headwaters would potentially contaminatethe watershed at its source which would have wide rangingimpacts on the entire ecosystem. This can cause such things as contaminated drinking water, depleted salmon stocks (destruction of spawning beds), loss of wildlife habitat, loss of revenue and resources for the sport and commercial fishing industry, as well as others. I don’t believe the currently proposed resource extraction from this area is environmentally sound or sustainable due to the nature of the process being proposed for use.

Judy Carlick-Pearson

1. I believe that over conversation is a huge threat to our sustainability, as well as pollution. I grew in and around the fishing industry and so I appreciate proper management of our resources. I also believe that protecting our waters is a crucial component when it comes to talking about our future. We need to do what’s best for our waters and lands and think strategically about the our future as a marine city.

2. In my platform I state “Promoting economic development with the intention of hiring locally and training locally. While also keeping in mind that there are no environmental or community risks involved in projects”

3. Yes, I believe that the Pipeline could generate more jobs in our communities however, the risks are very visible and not worth jeopardizing our waters. We need to protect our waters at all costs. I understand that people think that the Pipeline will help develop our help community but it may also may ruin our livelihood, sustenance and future as a marine city.

4. No comment.

5. Yes

Gina Garon

1. My perception is that the single greatest human caused threat to skeena wild salmon is the possible contamination from tailings from mining sites and other heavy industrial contaminates.

2. If elected, I will ensure that we continue to lobby our federal and provincial governments to protect Skeena Wild Salmon

3. Personally, at this time, I do not support Endbridge as I still have alot of unanswered questions. What I do know is that I do not want to be held responsible for the devastation that will occur when there is a catastrophic oil spill, be it on the ocean or inland. I have questioned them several times at council meetings and they continually are unable give the responses that I need in order to make an informed desicion.

4. I believe there are many opportunities for non-industrialized community economic development. What the single greatest opportunity is. I would have to explore those opportunities, it is not up tome to decide, it is up business to decide what that looks like perhaps food production is a possibility, be it mariculture, aquaculture, salmon ranching, shell fish production; harvesting mushrooms from the forest floor and other plants that might be used in pharmaceutical applications, there are endless opportunities to be explored.

5. Yes, I do support protection of the Sacred Headwaters.

Christo Holmes - Could not reach/Did not respond
Kinney Nelson - Could not reach/Did not respond
James Kirk - Could not reach/Did not respond

Conrad Lewis - Could not reach/Did not respond

Gabriel McLean

1. Supply and demand market.

2. I do not have an answer for you because I am not aware of municipal powers over the issue of wild salmon. I am prepared to learn how and at what level I could be educated and involved.

3. Support

4. Alternate hydro power generation.

5. YES

Jennifer Rice

1. At the present moment I think the greatest human-caused threat to Skeena wild salmon would be the federal government that the people of Canada have put in leadership. Unfortunately, the present government does not seem to understand the value of wild salmon to the people of British Columbia. This is demonstrated by recent endorsements for the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline project from federal ministers before the review of the project has even been completed. It is also demonstrated by the recent cancelling of the funding of the PNCIMA (Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area) process. This marine planning process will help plan for the future determining areas allocated for specifics uses including First Nations use, commercial use and protected areas.

2. If elected I would support economic and community development projects that are in tune with the values of the people that live in the Northwest. That includes a life and culture where salmon and other species of fish are valued and not put at risk.

3. I do not support the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines proposal that would see 1200 kms of twin pipelines running from the Alberta tar sands to the town of Kitimat. The project would mean crossing 1000s of fish-bearing streams and would introduce super-tankers to Northern waters that would be required to navigate the rocky shores of Douglas Channel. While all development has an environmental impact to a certain degree, the risks of this particular project far outweigh the benefits

4. This is a great question and should be posed to the people who live here. I think the possibilities are limited to our collective imaginations. One possibility would be local energy production such as small wind turbine generated, or tidal produced energy. Not only is this an economic opportunity for Prince Rupert but it helps build community resilience. We are after all, a small and isolated community at the end ofa road.

5. I do support the protection of the Sacred Headwaters -- The Headwaters of the Skeena, Stikine and Nass rivers. These 3 great rivers are of tremendous economic and cultural significance to the people of the Northwest. Putting these rivers at risk by drilling for coal bed methane is a risky practise that has a record of poor success with much environmental degradation. This activity has the potential to destroy fish and fish habitat including eulachon, a species at risk and of great importance to local First Nations hence I support the protection of the Sacred Headwaters.

Farley Stewart - Could not reach/Did not respond

Joy Thorkelson - Could not reach/Did not respond

Robert Vallee - Could not reach/Did not respond