Canada’s environment minister is denying claims by the Saskatchewan government that federal scientists deliberately entered private farmland and tested water samples for nitrates or nutrients linked to farm runoff.
On Sunday, Saskatchewan’s minister responsible for the Water Security Agency, Jeremy Cockrill published a public letter to Canada’s federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Stephen Guilbeau.
Cockrill said the province is aware of federal officials entering to take water samples at Pense, Mossbank and Pilot Butte.
He said growers have told the government that federal workers are testing for nitrates and pesticides, but no proof of that claim has been provided.
Cockrill called it “secret testing.”
On Wednesday, Guilbeault sent a letter back to Cockrill denying the allegations. He said the provincial government is perpetuating misinformation by claiming scientists have tested for nitrates or nutrients linked to farm runoff.
“I believe we and Canadians are best served when we deal with the facts, not heated and misinformed rhetoric,” Guilbeau wrote.
Guilbeault referred to some of the rhetoric that has been used around the federal government’s proposal to cut fertilizer-related greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, which led to criticism from some farmers and politicians.
In July, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe tweeted, “the same federal government that expropriated our oil and gas industry is now putting global food security at risk by attacking hard-working farmers in Western Canada with the arbitrary goal of reducing fertilizer use.”
“The claims made in the media about this incident add to other recent misinformation about the voluntary nature of fertilizer reduction targets, mischaracterizing the work as voluntary, unregulated and done in partnership with Canadian farmers to reduce emissions, not the use of fertilizers,” Guilbeault wrote.
Guilbeault said Cockrill’s letter “openly speculates about the work of these scientists.”
“Agency officials do not test the water for nitrates or nutrients associated with farm runoff, and their research is unrelated to the Government of Canada’s unregulated, voluntary goals in an effort to reduce agricultural fertilizer emissions.”
The province has not provided an explanation for the “activity” reported at Mossbank or Pilot Butte.
Jeremy Cockrill, right, the minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency, has released a letter to his federal counterpart demanding an “clarification” about federal workers allegedly working on private land in the province. (Michael Bell/The Canadian Press)
As for the trespassing allegations, Guilbeault said on Aug. 11, water scientists were taking samples near a highway in Pense on behalf of Health Canada. Guilbeault said a landowner told scientists they were on private land.
“If a federal scientist has inadvertently trespassed on private land without permission, that matter can certainly be handled in a mature and informed manner,” Guilbeau said.
“As a good faith measure, Environment Canada and Climate Change are reviewing their sampling protocols to ensure they comply with area laws before undertaking further sampling.”
The federal government said there was no evidence of encroachment at Mossbank and Pilot Butte, as alleged in Cockrill’s letter.
Guilbeault said the federal government has been testing water quality for 50 years.
“Strict protocols are in place for scientists to follow to ensure water sampling is done in accordance with provincial and territorial laws.”
On Wednesday, a provincial government spokesman said they had received reports of “activity” in Pense, Mossbank and Pilot Butte.
The spokesperson said one of those reports included that “federal officials at a site near Pense indicated they tested for pesticides/nitrates. While this does not match the public statements made by Canada on environment and climate change, it should to note that the ECCC has not yet specified what they tested for.”
Sask. Govt changes trespassing law a day before sending letter to feds
On Friday – eight days after the alleged breach – Levi Wood, former president of the Wheat Growers Association of Western Canada, posted a photo on Twitter of two people in front of a Government of Canada vehicle.
“Has anyone else seen a Canadian government SUV taking water samples from your dugouts? They said they were “checking for pesticides,” wrote Wood, who is from Pence.
CBC reached out to Wood for comment Monday but did not hear back.
On Saturday, Saskatchewan’s cabinet approved order in council amending the provincial trespassing laws, the Trespassing Act, 2022, “to add a new section about the Act and to specify that ‘person’ includes the Crown in the law of Canada.”
The law went into effect in January. It says a person who repeatedly trespasses on the same property can be fined up to $25,000 and jailed for up to six months, while a corporation involved in a crime can be fined up to $200,000.
In November 2021, Premier Scott Moe said the new law was not intended to affect “people who lawfully, perhaps accidentally, enter foreign territory” but hoped it would reduce theft and vandalism.
A provincial spokesman said the Crown is exempt from trespass law because the exemptions are for emergency purposes.
“It is clear that accessing private land for water sampling is not an emergency. In light of this, the amendment was made.’
The province did not respond to a question about why the order in council was made over the weekend.
On Tuesday, opposition agriculture critic Trent Utherspoon said the timing of the trespassing law changes was “highly questionable”. He also criticized the province’s handling of the issue.
“From this premiere these days, it seems like it’s more about spin and distraction instead of actually engaging in a meaningful way, in a substantive way, with the actual facts,” Wotherspoon said.
Guilbeault said the federal government is reviewing recent changes to the law.
“Federal officials look forward to working with Saskatchewan officials to better understand the Council’s recent rule changes so that the important work of scientific analysis of water data can continue,” Guilbeault wrote.
Read the letter from Minister Stephen Guilbeau:
Add Comment