Hello,

(le français suit)

The Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment and Climate Change Canada is currently holding consultations on proposals related to baiting and hunting of migratory game birds.

This current consultation is a continuation of the revision process of the Migratory Birds Regulations initiated in 2014 and relates specifically to issues associated with baiting and the hunting of migratory birds.

For a description of the issues and rationale that support the proposed changes to the Regulations please refer to the attached Baiting Consultation Document or go to http://ec.gc.ca/rcom-mbhr/default.asp?lang=En&n=95887643-1 .

Your feedback is essential

Whether you agree or disagree with the proposed changes, please provide your comments no later than February 17, 2017:

• By email to: scf-oismiggibiers-cws-miggamebirds.ec@canada.ca OR
• By mail to: Director, Wildlife Management and Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada  K1A 0H3

Canadian Wildlife Service

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Bonjour,

Le Service canadien de la faune d’Environnement et Changement climatique Canada tient présentement des consultations sur l’appâtage et la chasse aux oiseaux migrateurs.

La présente consultation s’inscrit dans le cadre du processus de révision du Règlement sur les oiseaux migrateurs débuté en 2014, et porte spécifiquement sur les enjeux associés à l’appâtage et la chasse aux oiseaux migrateurs.

Veuillez-vous reporter au document de consultation ci-joint pour obtenir une description détaillée des enjeux liés à l’appâtage et les raisons qui ont motivées l’établissement des propositions de changement à la réglementation ou veuillez consulter le site web suivant :

http://ec.gc.ca/rcom-mbhr/default.asp?lang=Fr&n=95887643-1.

Nous désirons connaître votre opinion

Que vous soyez en accord ou en désaccord avec les changements proposés, veuillez nous en faire part avant le 17 février 2017 :

• Par courriel à : scf-oismiggibiers-cws-miggamebirds.ec@canada.ca;
• Par la poste à : Directrice, Division de la gestion de la faune et affaires réglementaires, Service canadien de la faune, Environnement et Changement climatique Canada, Gatineau (Québec), Canada  K1A 0H3

Service Canadien de la Faune

Environnement et Changement climatique Canada

Tom Henderson, the DRCC Public Advisory Council Chair was recognized with the Volunteer Award at the Essex Region Conservation Authority’s 2016 Conservation Awards ceremony on January 18th 2017. He received the award because of his dedication for more than 25 years of volunteering to improve the Little River and the Detroit River watersheds.

The passage below taken from the ERCA AGM Pamphlet describes his positive impact in the community:

2016 Conservation Awards Gallery

IJC Draft Report for Public Comment Assesses Governments’ Progress to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes

January 18, 2017                                                                                               

For Immediate Release                                                                                                           

In its draft Triennial Assessment of Progress (TAP) report under the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, the International Joint Commission commends Canada and the United States for their exemplary binational commitment and dedicated effort to meet several of the Agreement’s goals. The assessment is based on a progress report provided last October by the two countries, the work of the Commission and advice from the IJC’s Great Lakes advisory boards. The draft report is being released today to obtain public input over the next three months.

“Now that the IJC has released a draft assessment of progress report, the Commission is eager to hear from Great Lakes residents,” said US Commissioner Rich Moy.

“It is a key time in the history of the Great Lakes and the Agreement, and we strongly encourage everyone to provide their input and participate in upcoming public meetings,” said Canadian Chair Gordon Walker. “Public input is essential to Agreement success.”

Comments on the IJC’s draft TAP report as well as on the two countries’ progress report are welcome until April 15, 2017 via email to ParticipateIJC@ottawa.ijc.org and online at ParticipateIJC.org. Public meetings also will be held at the following locations:

• March 2, 2017: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• March 21, 2017: Detroit, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio
• March 22, 2017: Sarnia, Ontario
• March 28, 2017: Buffalo, New York
• March 29, 2017: St. Catharines, Ontario

Details for each meeting will be provided on the ParticipateIJC website as well as in the next three issues of the IJC’s monthly Great Lakes newsletter Great Lakes Connection, and posted on the IJC website, Facebook and Twitter.

Some findings in the draft report that the IJC seeks the public’s comment on include:

• Processes and procedures have been institutionalized to meet initial Agreement commitments, such as developing a framework to restore nearshore areas as part of lakewide management plans and to identify science and action priorities.
• Significant new government investment has accelerated work to restore contaminated Areas of Concern and develop tools to measure habitat health and restore wetlands that are crucial to ecosystem health. Coastal wetlands are improving across the basin, which benefits native species and reduces the amount of pollutants and nutrients entering the lakes.
• An initial list of eight chemicals of mutual concern has been created. Several others still need to be added and deadlines to develop binational control strategies to control them have long since passed. Progress to reduce legacy contaminants such as PCBs and dioxins is encouraging, but emerging contaminants such as PBDEs are equally toxic and long-lasting, and thus require immediate attention.
• Water quality in western and central Lake Erie is unacceptable. The commitment to reduce nutrient inputs by 40 percent is laudable but mandatory controls are essential to ensure success.
• Stopping the introduction of aquatic invasive species through ballast water controls and prevention programs has had excellent results. At the same time, existing aquatic invasives and terrestrial invasives such as Phragmites, Asian longhorned beetle and garlic mustard continue to challenge the entire ecosystem.
• The governments have provided an extensive summary of the available science on impacts of climate change in the Great Lakes basin. Based on these findings and the work of the IJC’s Great Lakes Water Quality Board, Canada and the United States can demonstrate global leadership by developing a binational approach to Great Lakes climate change adaptation and resilience.

“Canada and the United States committed to addressing a broader range of issues in the 2012 Agreement, adding aquatic invasive species, habitat, groundwater and climate change with previous priorities such as toxic pollutants and nutrients,” said Canadian Commissioner Benoit Bouchard. “Over the past four years they’ve made significant progress in several areas.”

“What is perhaps most significant about this progress is that it results from the strong commitment and ambitious work by two countries, hundreds of scientists in and out of governments, academia, many nongovernmental organizations and the IJC,” said US Chair Lana Pollack. “This is a remarkable binational achievement that so many are working toward common goals.” 

A draft staff-prepared technical appendix will be posted on the IJC website by January 31, 2017 to provide additional background information for the draft TAP report.

The International Joint Commission (IJC) is an independent binational organization created by Canada and the United States under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. Under the Treaty, the two countries cooperate to prevent and resolve disputes relating to the use and quality of the many lakes and rivers along their shared border. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement assigns the IJC a role in assessing progress, engaging the public and providing scientific and policy advice to help the two countries restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes.

 For more information: