Editor:
Re: MLA upset Roberts
Bank left out, Sept. 28
Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington's quoted remarks in this story wrongly implied the federal government actively refused to include Roberts Bank in the Ramsar designation of Fraser River wetlands.
The fact is the Ramsar nomination process was initiated in 2010 by the three purchasing partners that acquired Burns Bog in 2004: the Corporation of Delta, Metro Vancouver and the provincial government. This nomination was supported by Environment Canada and by me personally as MP after the May 2011 federal election.
The Corporation of Delta facilitated consultations with local governments affected by the nomination and was a driving force in the successful nomination process.
I agree with statements attributed to Mayor Lois Jackson that the designation is a significant step in protecting the environment in Delta and ensuring the security of wetlands for [future] generations.
A review of Delta's website reveals which parcels of land went into the initial application: Burns Bog, Sturgeon Banks, South Arm Marshes, Boundary Bay and Serpentine Wildlife Management Area. All of these had been previously designated as provincial Wildlife Management Areas.
Huntington's statement that the federal government has made decisions "as if half the Fraser delta doesn't exist" is not based in fact.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay Delta-Richmond East MP
