“Ns

ag ase

eck neem

a lees a Ce

ae ae

Core See

RE IS a

ack oer

es er er

So nee

nate

1s yeaa aac i Saag

patrol the environment

by Harriett Fjasgesund

Although some people still
refer to them as Game Wardens,
District Conservation Officer
Peter Kalina says the term ‘‘con-
servation officer’? is a much
more apt description.

Kalina, along with two other
conservation officers, patrol an
area of more than 25,00G square
kilometres from Stewart to the
headwaters of the Kitlope River
just north of Bella Bella, and
from Prince Rupert to just east
of Cedarvale,

Kalina, who has worked for
both the B.C. and Alberta
governments, explains that con-
servation officers are the police
force of the environment minis-
try, and as such are responsible
for the entire degree of laws
within that ministry, everything
from fish and wildlife manage-
ment to environmental pollu-
tion, They must deal with 14 ma-
jor pieces of government legisla-
tion,

“The degree of awareness in
government today has increased
the workload. The job has
become very technical in nature.
There are more complex issues
today; some of the chemicals
we're dealing with now weren’t
around 30 years ago. Changes in
the last number of years deal
with waste management, pesti-
cides, and more and more with
habitat.’’

‘Training for a conservation

officer is intensive and on-going.
Kalina holds a diploma in
resource management educa-

‘tion, but says the education

doesn’t stop there. He has taken
somewhere between 12 and 16
additional courses since coming
to Terrace just over a year ago.
He adds that although a diploma
is basic criteria for the job, ex-
perience is also considered when
individuals applying for the post
do not hold a diploma.

Classed as Special Police Con-
stables, conservation officérs
have the authority to make ar-
rests, lay charges, conduct
searches, etc. Ail cases are con-
tained in their own files, and
they work closely with provin-
cial crown lawyers. ‘“‘We’re like
the RCMP, except we enforce
crime against the environment.”’

Because of limited manpower
and the large area that must be
covered, Kalina stresses that
they are very dependent on in-
formation supplied by the
public. Concern for the environ-
ment isn’t just about managing
and protecting animal species,
he explains, it’s something that
concerns each of us because we
are all dependent on the environ-
ment.

In referring toa recent display
of four Thinhorn Sheep (horns
and skulls depicting legal and il-
legal kills) during Environment
Awareness Week, Kalina says
the intention of the display was
not simply to advertise the fact

Terrace Review — Wednesday, March 27, 1991 Bil

TALKING THE HUNTERS

Conservation Officers

Peter Kalina: We're like the RCMP, except we enforce crime against the environment.

that illegal kills occur, but to
educate people as to what con-
stitutes a legal kill.

With Thinhorn Sheep, the tip
of the horn curl must reach or go
beyond the nose bridge. When
the horn curl reaches the nost
bridge it indicates that the
animal is at least eight years of
age.

It is required by law that a
conservation officer be allowed

BRITISH COLUMBIA'S

NEW

SMALL CLAIMS CO

URT PROGRAM

iF is important for all British Columbians to hav
justice system. Court procedures can be confusin
program for small claims court has been introduc

settle disputes.

e direct access to an understandable
g to those without legal training. Anew
ed to help people, without a lawyer, to

On February 25, 1991, Attorney General Russell G. Fraser announced the new Small

Claims Act, Rules and procedures for “The People's Court”.

PLAIN LANGUAGE

A ntunmber of new program features will help British
Columbians niake better use of small clatins court

_ Rules, forms and information booklets are written in simple
straightforward language that is easy to use.

INCREASED LIMITS

The limit on small claims is now $10,000, The previous

limit was $3,000.

STEP-BY-STEP FORMS AND ROOKLETS
Information booklets prepare you for each stage of the small

claims process, and the step-by-step directions help you
complete, file and serve your forms.

The booklets and forms are colour coordinated so that you
have complete information at every step, whether you are
filing a claim or replying to one.

SIMPLIFIED SERVICE OF PAPERS -
You na longer must serve papers in person, you can now

use registered mail,

SETTLEMENT CONFERENCES BEFORE TRIALS
Mandatory settlement conferences with a Judge will try to
settle disputes before they fo to trial. If agreement can’t be

reached, the cunference wi

| help participants get ready for trial.

Russell G. Frasar, Attorney General

L

Province of British Columbia
Ministry of Attorney General

General information brochures on the small claims program are available at public libraries,
government agents and court registries. Booklets and forms are available at court registries.

“Small claims court is now efficient, affordable and accessible to all British Columbians.”

to inspect the horns or skull (this
applies to approximately 10 dif-
ferent species of animals, in-
cluding grizzly bears); this in-
spection allows the officer to
gauge the health of the animal,
the approximate age, and other
factors. The main thrust is to
obtain information for wildlife
management.

A hunter from Kitimat, An-
drew Rejczak, was one of seven
people caught in a three-day
sting operation recently involv-
ing ‘‘pit-lamping’’. Pit-lampers
hunt at night using high-density
spotlights to find and freeze
an animal in the strong glare.
Rejczak was fined $1,000 and
forfeited a $700 rifle and high-
intensity spotlights to the crown.
He is also prohibited from hun-
ting or carrying a firearm for
five years. The others involved
are still awaiting sentencing.

“This fine is consistent,”
Kalina says. ‘‘The last few years

we have been seeing fines in the
$1,000 range. I’m pleased that
the courts are beginning to see
this offense for what it really is.
Hopefully this sentence will act
as a good deterrent. Illegal hunt-
ing has the potential to severely
impact a species. It gives the
honest hunters a bad name; the
honest, ethical hunter is as out-
raged at these sort of offenses as
is the conservation officer.”

- Kalina adds that he wouldn’t
change his job for anything, that
there is never a dull moment,
and he hopes that in some way
he will have a positive effect in
protecting the environment.

‘‘In this day and age you h ave
to be a diplomat, judge, politi-
cian, forensic scientist, lawyer,
and have a good working knowl-
edge of computers. You have to
know how to deal with
everything from hostile in-
dividuals to how to operate dif-
ferent types of equipment.”’

RRRRE

The Ministry of Crown Lands
will be having a

PUBLIC MEETING

April 24, 1991
at the Inn of the West
Terrace at 7:00 p.m.
Be to discuss the new |
- Commercial Backcountry.

Recreation Policy
Contact: Ed Opal 847-7334
Discussion paper available at:
MLA Constituency Office,
4663 Lazelle Avenue, Terrace, B.C.

MINISTRY OF CROWN LANDS

Honourable Dave Parker, Minister