Some hard-hitting words from Kevin Van Tighem (former Jasper National Park Ecosystem Secretariat Manager and Banff National Park Superintendent). PLEASE SHARE.
Some hard-hitting words from Kevin Van Tighem (former Jasper National Park Ecosystem Secretariat Manager and Banff National Park Superintendent). PLEASE SHARE.
“We are on the verge of losing twenty years worth of hard and principled work by public servants to respond to broad public concern by establishing firm limits on commercial development. There is absolutely no public support or demand for these developments – they serve only the commercial interests of private companies who have access to senior politicians. The management plan consultations, despite the nearly-desperate efforts by some senior park people to smoke out the ” silent majority” who would want new attractions in the parks, found that well more than 90% of commenters want parks to be natural, nature-focused, and providing only basic support services. Not one Canadian asked for, or supported, zip lines or more hotel rooms (at least in Banff’s case). I know; I read them all. Social research done in Kananaskis Country showed that new Canadians are among the most unequivocal in their view that parks are primarily for the protection of nature. The public interest, in short, is being sold out in spite of clear messages from Canadians that they don’t want more development and diversions in their treasured national parks.
I don’t know what can save our national parks from the current political pressure to grant new commercial privileges to party donors, short of one or two high-profile Parks Canada executives committing career suicide by standing up for the public interest. It could happen, I suppose. The only other hope is widespread public outrage – but the deliberately-fostered cynicism now infecting the body politic leads pretty directly to apathy. Which is what the beneficiaries of the privatization of our national parks are likely counting on.”
Jasper Environmental Association