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2017 A FOLLOW-UP REPORT ON CONVENTION 2022

PARCS UPDATE #211 - October 21, 2022

A FOLLOW-UP REPORT ON CONVENTION 2022 

SESSION 1 (10:00 am - noon) - WETLANDS TOMORROW PANEL

Panelists: 

  • Alice Davies: Mgr, Lower Qu'Appelle Watershed Stewards
  • Dr. Peter Leavitt: U of Regina         
  • Colin Whitfield, Helen Baulch: Global Institute for Water Security
  • Michael Champion: Ducks Unlimited Canada

Reply from Water Security Agency

  • Shawn Jaques, President and CEO 

Number of attendees - 104

Average rating given by attendees - 89.9 %

Comments and questions from attendees - 

  • Why is the Water Security Agency only now designing an Ag drainage policy rather than a comprehensive wetland policy that we were led to believe was the purpose of all our inputs in 2019 consultations? Both Alberta and Manitoba have wetland policies...why not Sask?
  • Who is the policy lead for WSA? What are the performance indicators that balance safer reliable water with economic growth? Is the policy agriculture biased?
  • Could Alice give a definition of the point-source nutrient loading and non-point source loading for the listeners.
  • Ag drainage has been unregulated for years. If we wait til the fall of 2023 and your mitigation policy, there will be few wetlands left, at the rate drainage is going. Will you seriously begin regulating drainage now?
  • Thank you for all the very valuable information provided this morning. We have a significant area of lakeside development for recreation purposes. We do not have a significant agriculture component. We're looking at ways to reduce the stress of recreation on our lakes. Have you heard of Haven Floating Islands and do you know the results of their impacts? thank you (not sure who this question should be directed to.)
  • Can Helen or someone expand on why cover cropping and perennial forage is bad for water quality? I think back to pre-colonization where perennial native grasslands would have dominated the landscape, from what I can tell there is no concern with nutrient transfer downstream from that landscape so why is there concern about converting marginal agricultural land to perennial coverage to get it back to a pre-colonization state?
  • Ag drainage has been unregulated for years. If we wait till the fall of 2023 and your mitigation policy, there will be fewer wetlands left, at the rate drainage is going. Will you seriously begin regulating illegal drainage now?
  • Thank you for the very valuable information provided this morning. We have significant area of lakeside development for recreation purposes. We do not have a significant agricultural component. We are looking at ways to reduce the stress of recreation on our lakes. Have you heard of Haven Floating Islands and do you know the results of their impacts?  
  • Why is WSA only now designing an AG drainage policy rather than a comprehensive wetland policy that we were led to believe was the purpose of our inputs in the 2019 consultation? Both Alberta and Manitoba have wetland policies, ... why not Sask?
  • We heard from MLAs Travis King and Don McMOrris that lakes in the Qu'Appelle have always been green. According to Dr. Leavitt's presentation, this statement by these MLAs is not correct. WSA's mandate is to protect water quality in this province. Statements that are not based on science do not set this province up for success. Do you agree with Dr. Peter Leavitt that the degredation of the lakes is due to increased nutrient loading and that a wetland policy would in fact help reduct the loading to the rivers, streams, and lakes in the province?
  • Who is the policy lead for WSA?  What are the performance indicator that balance reliable water with economic growth? Is the policy agricultura biased? Please explain what you mean by mitigation? Are you all about water or all about agriculture? 
  • Question for Helen Baulch, panelist: Can you expand on wh cover crepping and perennial forage is bad for water quality?  I think back to pre-colonixation when perennial native grasslands would have dominated the landscape and from what I can tell, there is no concern with nutrient transfer downstream from that landscape. So why is there conven about converting marginal agricultural land to perennial coverage to get back to a pre-colonial state?

SESSION 1 RECORDINGS:  Wetlands Panel: https://youtu.be/bU9AX4g8gTY

                                              WSA Policy Update: https://youtu.be/U9pDB_eOVew

SESSION 2 (1:00 - 2:30 pm) - MEMBERS FAIR

Presenters:

  • OH of Pasqua Lake
  • RV of Coteau Beach
  • RV of Lumsden Beach
  • RV of Island View
  • RM of District of Lakeland
  • RV of Manitou Beach
  • RV of Sask Beach
  • RM of McKillop

Number of attendees - 46

Average rating given by attendees - 83.7 %

Comments from attendees - 

  • The Couteau presentation was very impressive! How big is your RV? (permanent and seasonal population)?

SESSION 2 RECORDINGMembers Fair: https://youtu.be/PKaAC-UEOmk

SESSION 3 (3:00 - 4:00 pm) - A PROPOSED NEW RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN ORGANIZED HAMLETS AND THEIR RM

Presenters - Andrea Ulrich and Tobi Duck, Ministry of Government Relations

Number of attendees - 68

Average rating given by attendees - 84.7 %

Comments from attendees - none

SESSION 3 RECORDING:  Government Relations: https://youtu.be/og_V5TGjrCw

Questions directed to particular panelists will be forwarded.

FIVE WEEKS TIL CONVENTION

September 15, 2017

Five weeks from today we will be gathered at the Hilton Garden Inn listening to keynote workshop leader Lynn Gidluck explain about the necessary part of a communication plan before turning to the other members in our group to examine the communication issue that Lynne has assigned for us to work on.  Talk about hands-on learning!

For those of you who have not yet registered, next Monday is the last day to reserve a room at tne Convention Hotel at the special convention rates.  I suggest that you phone the hotel and reserve your room (244-2311) - you can always cancel if you change your mind about attending!

The banquet will feature an old-fashioned fall supper meal, with music, pie, and swapping of interesting tales (informal dress).  Hope to see you there.

A PROMISING START BEGINS TO LOOK DISAPPOINTING

July 10, 2017

The April 13th first meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Aquatic Invasive Mussels looked promising.  1 ) A new user-friendly web-based reporting system sounded like it would give cottage communities an easy way to be proactive in reporting their own monitoring for the presence of mussels.  The system was promised to be unveiled by the end of the month, but three months later we have yet to hear more.  2) A members' willingness to share resource materials and to do fund raising was expressed by most attendees.  These offers have gone unanswered, awaiting provincial leadership to make them happen.   3) A promise of more meetings was expressed by the Ministry of Environment organizer.  Task Force members have yet to receive notes from the first meeting or a date for the next meeting.  If we hear anything more about the Task Force, PARCS members will be updated immediately.

PARCS STANDS FIRM AGAINST AQUATIC INVASIVE MUSSELS

April 6, 2017

The message that former PARCS president Shirley Gange sent via postcard to our Premier stated that “even in times of fiscal restraint, our natural resources, such as our lakes, must be protected.  They are the only lasting legacy for future generations.”  

At their meeting of April 1, 2017, the PARCS Board of Directors passed a motion “that PARCS reiterate its commitment to the implementations of a border inspection program as being the method with the best probability of succeeding in keeping aquatic invasive mussels out of our province”.

On April 13, PARCS will be represented at the first meeting of the provincial Task Force on Aquatic Invasive Mussels.  The PARCS Board of Directors forwarded six question for which they requested answers at that meetings.  Stand by for the answers from the Ministry of Environment.

New Board of Directors plans for 2017

January 9, 2017

The 2017 PARCS Board of Directors worked through a busy agenda at their first meeting where they:

  • Reviewed the financial report for the year end of 2016,
  • Made a plan for archiving PARCS historical materials,
  • Decided that PARCS 2017 membership fees would not increase,
  • Made a detailed plan for their 2017 membership drive,
  • Planned for providing input to the Sask Auditor about risk-based management of invasive mussels,
  • Planned to investigate the possibility of a pilot project for border inspections of invasive mussels,
  • Gave first reading to a policy on board and coordinator operations,
  • Heard a report on possible locations for the 2017 convention,
  • Authorized the investigation of the possibility of off-duty police doing drive-through bylaw enforcement in resort communities, and
  • Made plan for a legal review of current PARCS BYLAWS.

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