Here is an interview with the Honourable John Fraser from the The St’at’imc Runner — a local newspaper of the the Interior Salish, or Lillooet people.
(thanks for the forward)
As the interview points out Mr. Fraser was a federal government Member of Parliament (MP) for many years and has been deeply involved in salmon and fisheries issues for about as long.
I take some comfort in the fact that someone with an immense amount of knowledge, experience, and wisdom confirms what I have experienced in my much shorter lifetime — and over a decade of dealing with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in various capacities.
the latest in leather muzzles
It is one of the most backward operating government ministries of any kind that I have had the pleasure of working with. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good people within the Ministry with great intentions and dreams of doing good — however, the culture of any organization reigns supreme…
And, sadly, the culture of DFO has been hooped for many, many years — pretty much a generation (oh wait… it’s only been around a generation…). The train of critical thinking individuals that have walked out the doors of that Ministry is an impressive list. Many good folks remain; however, are muzzled by a baffling, stifling, backwards moving, enigma of a beast.
should probally be one bailing with a thimble and a heavy list on the boat
Others plod towards a healthy retirement with little desire to ‘rock the boat’ (funny cliche when one considers the ministry…)
As Mr Fraser points, he’s and others have been asking these types of questions of DFO for years, decades even.
But, where are the answers…where is the desire to actually fulfill its various mandates…??
The Cohen Inquiry should really just be focussed on suggestions for overhauling DFO and its management regimes. Obviously with Fraser sockeye heading downhill on the longterm trend something isnt working.
Then factor in all the other issues across the Province with DFO and you get a picture of a dysfunctional bureaucracy staggering from one crisis to the next…It’s main goal to keep the pressure from all sides to a tolerable level.
kd