MPP demands action on coyote problem
Posted Feb 5, 2010 By Charelle Evelyn
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Tweet ThisEMC News The City of Ottawa and the provincial government need to stop passing the buck and provide a solution to the area's coyote problem, says Nepean-Carleton MPP Lisa MacLeod.
Ms. MacLeod recently sent a letter to Linda Jeffrey, the new minister of natural resources, inviting her to come to Ottawa to meet with herself, Mayor Larry O'Brien and affected councillors to "discuss how both levels of government can get to work in solving this safety problem as a result of the coyotes."
The Jan. 18 provincial cabinet shuffle saw the removal of the previous minister, Donna Cansfield, with whom Ms. MacLeod already had a strong working relationship.
"This is an infestation," said Ms. MacLeod, adding that her office gets e-mails and calls about coyotes daily. "(My constituents) are telling us it's a problem we need to deal with."
Along with a meeting, Ms. MacLeod is also asking for the release of studies on the coyote population in her riding, if there are any.
"What we need to look at is what the population is doing in the community and how it has risen so dramatically and what can work to make my constituents feel safe," she said. If that information does not already exist, she would like an answer as to why.
"We need science to show us what's going on."
Following the letter sent Jan. 21, which was copied to city officials, Ms. MacLeod said she has not heard from the minister directly, but from a scheduler who said that Ms. Jeffrey might meet with her. However, the city responded to her "almost immediately."
"There is political will in this city," Ms. MacLeod said. "It's now up to the Liberal government to get onboard, get here and talk to us about the issues and understand we need action."
Despite a lack of response from the minister, Ms. MacLeod has gone ahead and scheduled her own public meeting with officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources. The meeting will take place at the Osgoode arena on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. This comes on the heels of the city's community and protective services committee opening up their Feb. 4 meeting to allow residents to address their coyote concerns directly to members of council. During the meeting, Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans, who is chair of the committee, will be making a motion to deal with the coyote problem that is also becoming an issue in the city's urban areas.
"At long last, the city may finally be taking a position on what to do with coyotes," said Osgoode Coun. Doug Thompson.
Even though he said he feels the meeting should have been a joint initiative between Coun. Dean's committee and his agricultural and rural affairs committee, Coun. Thompson is glad that the issue is receiving city and provincial scrutiny.
"Nobody was really paying attention," said Coun. Thompson, "but I was like a coyote with a dog in its mouth. I wouldn't let go."
Coun. Thompson has been involved with dealing with the nuisance animals for the past few years. He is a part of a provincial human-wildlife conflict strategy committee that had its last official meeting Jan. 27 in Aurora. A follow-up meeting has been scheduled for March to specifically address the issue of coyotes.
"I could see that within two or three months, there could be some concrete strategy," he said.
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