Opening Statement to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans

Invasive Species

21 April 2005

Johanne Gélinas,
Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Mr. Chairman, thank you for inviting us here again today. Joining me is Neil Maxwell, who led the audit on Invasive Species in 2002.

The last time we were here we discussed our concerns about salmon populations. This time, we return to the subject of invasive species. Both topics share a common issue—the conservation of biodiversity.

In 2000, we audited Canada’s efforts to meet commitments made under the Convention on Biological Diversity. We found that the federal government still had much work to do on its specific commitments, including those that address invasive species. My staff are now following up on that audit for my report to Parliament this fall. Once again we are assessing the government’s progress in implementing biodiversity commitments, including selected issues from our 2002 invasive species audit. Because the work is not yet complete, I cannot say much today about the government’s progress since our original audit on invasive species.

Also included in my report to be tabled later this year is a chapter on the Federal Oceans Strategy, another topic that may be of interest to this committee.

Returning to invasive species, let me remind you what our audit found in 2002. Canada formally pledged in 1992 to prevent the introduction of alien species that threaten Canada’s ecosystems, habitats, and other species or to control or eradicate them. In 1995, the federal government published its strategy for honouring its pledge. It stated, “Control or elimination of harmful alien organisms is necessary to conserve biodiversity and prevent the further destruction of ecosystems.” The government’s 1995 strategy set out a number of actions it considered essential to completing the task.

We found that neither the Convention on Biological Diversity nor the government’s own Biodiversity Strategy had triggered any identifiable change in the government's approach to the problem. The federal government had still not identified the invasive species that threatened Canada's ecosystems or the pathways by which they arrived. Resources were not coordinated, there was no consensus on priorities, clear roles had not been assigned to departments, and there was no capability to measure progress.

Overall, there was a lack of practical action by the federal government to prevent alien invaders from harming Canada's ecosystems. As a result, their numbers in Canada were growing steadily.

This Committee has dealt with this subject on more than one occasion, showing that it appreciates the enormous threat that invasive species pose for Canadian ecosystems and the billions of dollars of damage they do to our economy each year. These costs are mounting and, with the loss of biodiversity, our storehouse of biological resources is being depleted.

In my presentation to you in early 2003, I mentioned four practical considerations for advancing the fight against invasive species and addressing the damage and costs they incur:

• The need to identify the invasive species that pose the greatest risks to Canada’s ecosystems and economy and how they arrive
• The need to establish a concrete plan and the operational capacity to prevent their introduction
• The need for departments to clearly establish what they plan to accomplish and then measure to see how well they are doing.
• The need to determine science-based criteria for the safe release of ballast water into Canadian waters

These remain key elements that your committee might wish to probe when reviewing the government’s plan for aquatic invasive species.

I was encouraged to see that the latest Budget statement included $85 million over five years for work on invasive species. Your committee may wish to ask the government how it plans to spend this money.

I was less encouraged to note that departments did not take advantage of the opportunity presented by the recent tabling of their third sustainable development strategies. They generally failed to highlight the issue of invasive species, which scientists say is second only to habitat loss as a threat to Canada’s biodiversity and ecosystems. They made only passing reference to activities they are undertaking in this area. Transport Canada made a specific commitment to develop new regulations and standards for ballast water by 2004-05, which I understand it has not yet completed.

This Committee’s continued interest and follow-up is, in no small measure, keeping the government’s attention on the issue and helping to advance the fight against invasive species. It would be most helpful if the Committee were to request regular written updates from departments to use as starting points for further monitoring and any future hearings.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my opening statement. We welcome any questions the Committee may have.