Dear Editor,
On June 4 the Ottawa Citizen reported that your Government Operations Centre (GOC) sent an email to all federal departments—presumably including Parks Canada—seeking assistance “in compiling a comprehensive listing of all known demonstrations which will occur” either in the department’s geographical area or which may touch on its mandate.
This is of concern to many of us as we are acutely aware that Parks Canada faces a difficult situation. Due to funding cuts by your government, the positions of more than 50 staff were cut in Jasper National Park in the last two years, making it almost impossible for the few remaining staff to deal with everything from minister’s briefing notes to bear-jams. This will make it very difficult for the agency to take on the extra file of investigating upcoming demonstrations.
For this reason we feel it is incumbent on us to lessen Parks Canada’s workload by reporting directly to your Ottawa office that demonstrations will take place in the coming weeks against your government’s failure to protect Canada’s iconic Maligne Lake and its endangered wildlife from creeping development. Depending on the weather, some demonstrators may choose to be in the nude.
Jill Seaton
Jasper, Alta.
