Unbeknownst to most British Columbia citizens, there is an agenda between their government and the Montana government. The affected area includes land in British Columbia, Montana, and Alberta, located within the green borders on the map below. It is called the Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent (COC), in which Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) has their own agenda. The Wildlife Conservation Society-Canada is also working in this area for conservation. A more in-depth look at the Roundtable from 2015 can be found here. The COC "mission" is "Connecting people to sustain and enhance community, culture and conservation". Team members include U.S. Tribes, University of Montana, Glacier Park Superintendent, a tourism council, Montana government employees, U.S. Forest Service, a land trust, and even a Priest. Another member is Vital Ground (VG), a U.S. non-governmental organization and Y2Y partner, pursues Grizzlies for connectivity purposes, and buying up land to forever stop access. The Miistakis Institute even lends a hand to the Roundtable with the University of Calgary.
COC initiatives include the Ktunaxa Nation and East Kootenay Conservation Program, with an MOU and Cooperation on Environmental Protection, Climate Action and Energy (between BC and Montana). Pursuing the same agenda is the Crown Managers Partnership (CMP), comprised of provincial, federal, state governments, First Nation and U.S. Tribes, and universities in Montana, Alberta, and British Columbia. "CMP seeks to improve the management of a large complex ecoregion containing multiple jurisdictions." Why would British Columbia citizens want U.S. governments, Tribes, and universities making decisions about their land? CMP has a leadership team, several working groups, and several subcommittee groups, most of which are a combination of Canadians and Americans. There is one British Columbia Forest Service member. Their Strategic Conservation Framework can be read here. The British Columbia government is working with ENGOs and U.S. governments behind the backs of citizens, although there is little information on the government website about what they are doing. This should be requested so full disclosure is obtained.
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The Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) BC Program Manager is Tim Burkhart, "organizer for multiple political, non-profit and labour campaigns". While Mr. Burkhart "coordinates the efforts of local conservation organizations, First Nations, scientists, government, industry and other interested parties to conserve biodiversity and wildlife connectivity in BC", it seems citizens are left out of the equation. But that is a deliberate Y2Y tactic.
Y2Y and other ENGOs are changing their tactics, one of which is putting on a front of more collaboration with citizens, bringing them into the fold of conservation. This is one of Mr. Burkhart's assigned tasks, and he is already at it with Y2Y lies. In this interview, he attempts to "set the record straight", accusing others of rumors and spreading misinformation, while being offended about attacks on his beloved Y2Y, he himself initiating the new Y2Y strategy of pretending to want to work with those very same people he is accusing. Regarding Y2Y, Mr. Burkhart states, "We work in both countries because wildlife don’t care about borders." No, it is because Y2Y has no respect for sovereignty or jurisdictional boundaries. Next he proclaims, 'Y2Y’s work does not involve locking all humans out of the mountains or creating one big park restricting all access and resource development. We are not anti-development, but rather seek to ensure that human activities leave wildlife room to roam by retaining critical habitats and corridors between them." Really? Y2Y has documented their support for locking up land in a proposed Alberta Wildland Park system, shutting down OHV use, and stopping oil and gas development. In order to "leave wildlife room to roam" and retain habitats and corridors, do you not have to shut out people from using those areas? Classic case of double speak and hypocrisy. "Y2Y supports sustainable hunting, fishing, and trapping...". But the truth behind that comes next, "...important to plan for well-managed recreation of all different types from non-motorized to motorized." And just who will decide what is "well-managed recreation" Mr. Burkhart? Of course, it is the Y2Y intention and their ENGO cronies who will decide, and from what they have documented so far, it looks like all forms of recreation would either be highly restricted or banned. Wow, what a whopper of a lie, "Governments must include stakeholder engagement for caribou recovery. Y2Y staff receive the same information as any stakeholder group, and have no more influence or access to government." BC citizens know full well they have been left out of the consultation process, and all ENGOs have complete influence over government officials. Even in BC this is the case with George Heyman having involvement with the Sierra Club BC. In Alberta, Shannon Phillips has been seen with Harvey Locke, conniving around on their agendas. "These accusations divide communities and British Columbians against each other. North vs. South. Urban vs. Rural. Indigenous vs. non-Indigenous." No, Mr. Burkhart, it is your Y2Y agenda that has divided us. Your vision of turning all land over to animals, pushing us out of our communities, and dictating how we live is the primary factor for division. None of this division existed until Y2Y started pushing us around. Does he not understand that if people are threatened they will fight back? He is so lost in his Y2Y world that any thought of someone who does not agree with his quest for control will defend themselves. And lastly, "We all need to be a part of the solution in ensuring future generations have jobs, wild spaces, forests and wildlife to enjoy...". No sir, that is your ideology in which not everyone ascribes. You are devoted to Y2Y ideology but few outside of that group have the same beliefs. Our solution is that you and the Y2Y group leave the area, our livelihoods are up to us, not you. For everyone, it is important that Mr. Burkhart is exposed for his ideology, and all of his work scrutinized for falsehoods. Everyone might want to take a regular look at Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative facebook page. While they do cover many of their agendas, they are also covering the B.C. Caribou agenda. One activity they are notorious for is taking surveys that legitimately only belong to the local communities, and posting them making them open to every person that looks at their page. For example, people from the states that are within the Y2Y boundary area such as Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming can take the survey and significantly distort what the community actually wants. Scroll down on the facebook page and you will run into the survey several times asking people to take it.
https://www.facebook.com/Yellowstone2Yukon Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) is known for being buddies with governments, at all levels. British Columbia is no exception. While there is a plethora of "partners", attention should be paid to which B.C. governments are Y2Y pals.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (MECC), in charge of "protection, management and conservation of B.C.’s water, land, air and living resources" is one partner. Honourable George Heyman is the Minister and to provide an idea of his ideology, he was previously executive director of Sierra Club BC, another Y2Y partner with the same agenda for taking land use away. He must go. There is an increasing amount of this activity, sliding ENGO members into government positions, that is part of their dirty work. Y2Y is notorious for writing letters to the governments, such as this one, giving the appearance of just being a "stakeholder" when in reality they are in bed with each other. Case in point is this report where MECC is fully acknowledged as being involved in its development. The report essentially tells MECC what they should be doing, one of which is placing Crown land into protection. British Columbia Conservation Foundation (BCCF), partner with B.C. government and Environment Canada. Minister Catherine McKenna will be making an announcement on new funding for protecting resources, which is very concerning. On a larger scale, Y2Y also partners with Parks Canada. Another traditional Y2Y partnership is with universities, such as the University of British Columbia. The Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) website delivers multiple Y2Y links when searched. In fact, Y2Y recently posted a job opening for a Director, Conservation Programs, that includes "engagement at high levels of Government including Federal, Provincial and Indigenous governments", "affecting policy change", and "will be well versed in engaging with government agencies and elected officials at various levels of government". Traditionally, Y2Y and governments are one in the same. Some Y2Y names to become familiar with is Jody Hilty, President and Chief Scientist, who is know for lying. She also serves as a Conservation Corridor Regional Leader that includes Canada. Candace Batyck is the Program Director, British Columbia and Yukon, and has been involved in the Peel Watershed agenda. Another Y2Y partner is CPAWS which has a B.C. chapter. They have also been an active participant in the Caribou agenda. These are the staff names to watch for, and Board of Directors. This is just a small introduction into how Y2Y and other ENGOs partner with the government. More investigation into actual involvement with each other is needed. In November, 2018, Russ Laroche, Timber Sales Manager for Resource Management in the B.C. government, wrote a letter to Brenda Deliman, Secretary of Legislative Services, regarding the Population Status of Central Mountain Caribou Herds. Throughout the report, it is very clear that Caribou populations have a direct relationship with wolf populations. With wolf reduction management, Caribou populations rise. It was projected that Caribou populations would continue to rise with continued wolf management. Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y), and its partner CPAWS, want to blame you for Caribou populations, making the claim it is human disturbance and development with resulting habitat loss that are responsible for Caribou population decline. They also claim the B.C. government is doing nothing to protect the Caribou. It is all a lie. They want nothing more than to take that land away from you and ban all use. Y2Y should try growing brain cells. They cannot have it both ways, saving the wolves and having large herds of Caribou. The whole area could be banned for use and development, but wolf populations grow rapidly and they need to eat. Just what do you think they will do Y2Y? Decimate the Caribou herds is what will happen. But the other dark reason they want wolves around is to make it difficult for us to use the area, making it more dangerous. What better way to prevent use than keeping a threat in the area. Y2Y and CPAWS don't like the truth, let them know that their claims of protecting Caribou by banning use will not solve the problem. Following Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna's declaration in May, 2018 that B.C.'s mountain Caribou were under imminent threat and that immediate intervention is required, Ecojustice has now brought in their guns on behalf of Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y), the Wilderness Committee, Greenpeace Canada and Wildsight. Ecojustice is a well funded, massive organization that is known for its lawsuits against governments, supposedly to protect the environment.
Ecojustice wrote a letter to Catherine McKenna in November, 2018, basically stating that since May not enough action was being taken on Caribou protection, that laws were being violated, and that this Caribou decline was secondary to "loss or degradation of the habitat". The letter cites logging as one problem contributing to this degradation. There are also accusations that the Species At Risk Act was not being followed and in a rather bold statement declared, "Accordingly, you must finalize one or more SARA conservation agreements covering all southern mountain caribou LPUs in BC by the deadlines set out in the conclusion of this letter." Ecojustice was also dismayed that under s. 80(2) of SARA no recommendations had been made to Cabinet13 for an "emergency order to protect the species and its habitat." A demand was also made to use s. 41(1)(c) of SARA as a basis to identify southern mountain Caribou critical habitat, claiming it is unlawful to not do so. The full list of demands is on page 5 with most having deadlines of May, 2019. Everyone needs to understand that Y2Y and their cronies have brought in a legal mechanism to force their agenda into place, that being land taken away for use. Citizens have been left out of all consultation, that law was also broken. It is time to step in and demand from the government that your rights are above those of Ecojustice and their cronies. The Crown of the Continent (COC) website and their activity has been out of commission for some time, but they have now emerged once again with a new website. Like other non governmental organizations, they are reorganizing themselves into stronger groups, especially since the large landscape cooperatives are dying.
In the new reorganization the COC map is more far reaching than previously, now extending from Montana far into British Columbia. There has been some reorganization of their leaders as well. Several Montana organizations are still listed, including state agencies, but oddly, the Anglican Church of Canada is now listed as one of the team members. More representation from Tribes and First Nations is also a change. Another surprise is the addition of a Teck Resources mining company employee. COC touts conservation so what is a mining company doing as part of the team? With much emphasis now on Grizzlies as they will be used for justification of corridors, Vital Ground is still much up front and present. The Center for Large Landscape Conservation (CLLC), which is a large organization comprised of U.S. government agencies and other large NGOs, including COC, and is also on the team. Gary Tabor is the Director of the CLLC, and is one of the leaders of the Yellowstone to Yukon agenda, along with Harvey Locke. The U.S. Forest Service is one representative of the federal government, essentially affecting British Columbia policy, but there is NO representation of British Columbia on this team! Given the massive impact on land in British Columbia it would only seem logical that the government would be included on this "roundtable". This video explains the COC mission. For those who live in southern British Columbia watch this organization, who is working with them, and their goals. Vital Ground (VG) is a non-governmental organizations based in Montana. It's goal is taking as much land away as possible for Grizzlies to travel between the U.S. and Canada. They use this corridors for "linkage" between protected areas, so that land can also be designated protected as a corridor.
VG is currently accruing money for an acquisition of land called the "Luxor Linkage". This land is located between the Purcell Mountains and Canadian Rockies. VG is partnering with Conservancy Canada with grants to potentially purchase 960 acres of land, land that will forever be banned from use. The Luxor Linkage area is just one more step VG will be taking to take over land in British Columbia. They will continue to incrementally take land for Grizzly corridors until they reach the Yukon. The beginning of this 2018 report specifically states, "The current patchwork of provincial laws and regulations managing wildlife and their habitats has not effectively prevented species loss and decline. To address this shortcoming, the Government of British Columbia committed to enacting an endangered species law in the mandate of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change...". One recommendation to the government includes, "Implement automatic protections on Crown land and consult with landholders to apply additional protections". This group of technocrats is supporting the same type of government mandate that resulted in loss of land use in Alberta. Also suggested is that this future law should include, "...that the Act immediately prohibit the killing, harming, taking, or harassment of individuals of endangered and threatened species (‘no take’) on Crown land...protections should also extend to life-sustaining elements defined in the assessment, which may include ecological and/or habitat features (e.g., dens, nests, hibernacula, other sites regularly occupied by the species, essential geological features)." How in the world will any of us be allowed to use the land if there is potential for "harassment" to some varmint or stepping on a habitat? The answer, no use of land, and this extends to "...additional protections or prohibitions essential to recovering species...", not just species at risk. Allegedly, the B.C. government began to "consult the public in advance of drafting legislation" for this future act, stating "a goal of “[managing] human related activities...". This will fit well with another recommendation to "Integrate with provincial land-use planning framework". That is what this is about, controlling our use of land by prohibiting and dictating it. Most likely, the government has already been handed the legislation by groups such as Yellowstone to Yukon who assisted in this report. It is probably already a done deal. British Columbia, start coming together. It is pretty much guaranteed this "act" has already been written, you have not and will not be given the opportunity to be involved in the decisions, and the end goal will be taking your right to use your land. Just look at Alberta, the same will be done to you. Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) is targeting British Columbia using the Caribou as its tool. Now that Y2Y has successfully pushed their agenda in Alberta to essentially take over what they call Bighorn Country by creating a wildland provincial park, three provincial parks, four public recreation areas and two public land use zones, they already have a campaign to invade upon you as well. Y2Y claims this action meets "...global standards for protected areas.” What they are referring to is the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with whom they are in partnership. It is IUCN's goal to make as much land as possible inaccessible across the world. Help Alberta out with opposing this action by filling this survey out. Also, read the information carefully, it is about the government taking control of land, and you. You will only be allowed to use the land at their dictates, and that means where you go, how you recreate, what you can and can't do, and notice the references to guided tours, limited small camping areas, concession areas, just think amusement park and zoos. That is what they have planned for all of us.
Y2Y claims "“Southern Mountain caribou face imminent threats to their recovery — by definition, this means that the future of these herds depends on our ability to protect them today. These herds have been in a steady and worrying decline in recent years, primarily due to the destruction and degradation of their habitat." DO NOT believe this, it is a lie. They are using the Caribou as justification to take over land use just like they have succeeded in Alberta. Alberta has a long standing partnership with Y2Y and all of their crony groups. The truth is Caribou numbers are subject to wolf predatory activity. With large number of wolves Caribou numbers drop but with wolf culling the Caribou numbers have stabilized out. This is a fact from the University of Alberta scientist as explained in this article. It is not encroachment of us, development, or use of our land that has dropped the numbers. But Y2Y is actively working to get you to believe that. If you want to save British Columbia from the same fate as Alberta, learn about Y2Y. Go to the articles tab and learn about their partnership with your government, how your government is no longer representing you because of their deeply embedded relationship with ENGOs, and how the environment and wildlife are being used as pawns to justify taking away your right to land use. The Canadian government is also in partnership with the United States through the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GNLCC). Through this partnership money is being funneled to ENGOs to implement their conservation objectives, which are nothing more than to take control over land use. The documentation is there, learn about it. It is up to us to continue to expose them and confront our government about their partnerships. Share this with everyone to educate them. |
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July 2019
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