Opening In A Good Way

• Speaker: Kyrstin Dumont, a youth knowledge keeper and Algonquin Anishinaabe cultural educator from Kitigan Zibi Reserve.
• Key Message: Dumont grounded the event by reminding us that language, identity, and life stem directly from Mother Earth. She emphasized that nature’s elements (trees, grass, bees) teach unity and harmony, urging participants to protect the environment not just for themselves, but for the next several generations. She concluded with a traditional prayer calling for collective support and mutual guidance.

Panel Highlights with The Honourable Steven Guilbeault

1. The Government’s Contradictory Nature Policies

Our host Akaash Maharaj, Director of Policy for Nature Canada, pointed out a paradox: the government recently announced a historic $3.8 billion “Force of Nature” funding package and a recommitment to the “30 by 30” targets, yet shortly after released discussion papers on major projects proposing to allow ministers to bypass certain environmental protections.

• Guilbeault’s Perspective: He described the government’s current stance as chaotic, attempting to balance conservation with corporate pressures. He noted that the public and internal political backlash has likely paused the tabling of this controversial bill.
• Actionable Advice: He urged environmental organizations to heavily lobby sympathetic Liberal MPs to amplify conservation concerns within the national caucus.

2. Shifting the Economic Narrative

Chris Rider (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society) highlighted that protected areas generated nearly $11 billion in 2023–2024 and supported 150,000 rural jobs, yet nature is often treated as a “luxury” compared to massive spending on defense and fossil fuel subsidies.

• Guilbeault’s Perspective: Canada remains trapped in a subconscious mindset that it is solely a resource-based economy (focused on oil, steel, and logging). He shared that changing this narrative requires proving that sectors like arts, culture, and nature can outpace fossil fuels in GDP and employment. He also noted a growing international trend—including global accounting associations—to formally place the value of nature on government balance sheets.

3. Scaling Nature Restoration

Gia Paola (Ducks Unlimited Canada) pointed out that while the 30% protection target has momentum, the 30% restoration target is lagging behind, despite offering a 22-to-1 economic return on investment.

• Guilbeault’s Perspective: Protection is easier to communicate to the public than restoration. However, he emphasized that restoration can be scaled by using incentive mechanisms for corporations rather than relying purely on heavily resisted regulations. He cited Canada’s commitment to creating 50 new urban parks as a strong step toward mainstreaming urban nature restoration.

4. Jurisdictional Gaps and the Species at Risk Act (SARA)

Kelsey Butler (Birds Canada) raised concerns about major gaps where federal protections do not apply to provincial or private lands, citing an instance where a provincial project damaged Piping Plover critical habitat in Nova Scotia. She also questioned how to protect SARA’s “Jeopardy test” from being overridden by new economic policies.

• Guilbeault’s Perspective: Guilbeault noted that the federal government has currently grown hesitant to fight environmental battles with the provinces. Regarding the threat to the “Jeopardy test,” he explicitly urged the community to “scream from the rooftops” and push back hard, believing that decision-makers did not fully understand the severe ecological ramifications of what they proposed.

5. Localized Conservation Action

In response to a video question from Vanessa Roy McDougall (Nature New Brunswick) regarding how regional NGOs can utilize the new federal funding:

• Guilbeault’s Perspective: He stated that real conservation is place-based and relies entirely on local ground game—working directly with landowners and municipalities. He advised organizations to closely track upcoming Treasury Board conditions to ensure the newly announced “Force of Nature” funds are effectively structured to reach local groups.

Closing Reflections

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault clarified that his departure from Parliament is not a sign of defeat but the beginning of a new chapter. He expressed deep gratitude for his time in office and urged the nature community to remain hopeful and aggressive, concluding with the reminder:

“We know we’re on the right side of history.”

Ready to scream from the rooftops? Send a message to your MP today: Nature is NOT “red tape”!

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