Salmon Inquiry - Don't Hold Your Breath

October 29, 2012 by Anissa

Sitting in the Cohen Inquiry for a big part of the summer in 2011 was depressing to say the least.  It would be hard for one to draw a conclusion that differed much from the realization that no one in government was actually looking after wild salmon stocks. I did not want to accept that but it became clearer every day of the inquiry, which often seemed like a criminal trial and not a quest for truth and answers into the decline and crash of the Fraser sockeye. Instead of listening to  what Alexandra Morton, a registered professional biologist, granted standing for the Inquiry, had to say from all of her research and pouring over Cohen documents, the lawyers for the government seemed more interested in attacking such far out things as why she chose the university she did. This was only a small part of the ridiculousness we all watched unfold. I am still incredulous when I think back to  the ad lib commercial DFO's Dick Beamish did for the salmon farming industry on the stand and wonder how his cool-aid tasted.
So although there is still hope that Justice Cohen will have made recommendations that may protect our wild salmon from salmon feedlot disease, many have little hope that the government will act on them. What retired DFO senior biologist and manager Otto Langer offers to us via the Common Sense Canadian rings loud and I'm not holding my breath either.