Parks Canada replaces Riding Mountain superintendent

The Parks Canada official at the centre of the Clear Lake boat ban earlier this year is being transferred out of Riding Mountain National Park.

Field unit Supt. Leanne Cooper is taking a similar role with the federal agency in central Northwest Territories.

Riding Mountain MP Dan Mazier, who had called for Cooper to be replaced and the “one boat, one lake” policy to be reinstated during Question Period in late May, said the move was “a good first step.”

“Something had to change within the management,” he said Tuesday. “That is what we see now. So, we’ll see what the future superintendent does.”

Cooper is being replaced by Tom Sheldon, who was a policy manager with Parks Canada, according to an email to staff from Parks Canada CEO Ron Hallman that was obtained by the Sun. The change is effective Sept. 11.

A statement from Parks Canada said Sheldon’s experience will be a good fit in the new role, and said staffing decisions are made independent of Parliament.

The motorboat ban was put in place without notice one day before the Victoria Day long weekend, blindsiding cottage and business owners. The reason given was because of invasive zebra mussels in the lake.

In May, Cooper said the decision to impose the ban was hers.

“Ultimately (it was) my decision,” Cooper said at the cottage owners association’s annual spring meeting in Onanole, a recording of which was obtained by the Sun.

She said she wasn’t allowed to announce the decision earlier, because it could influence the outcome of the April 28 federal election.

“I would have liked to have been able to communicate things sooner, but that was the situation that we’re in, and that’s what we needed to work with,” she said. “I do know this is not a popular decision, and I know that lots of people are upset by the decision and don’t agree with it. That’s just the reality of the type of work that I do.”

Mazier said even though there is a new superintendent, there is still lots of work that needs to be done to rebuild trust.

“The secrecy has to stop. Transparency has to improve. Lines of communication have to improve,” Mazier said. “That’s why I was calling for a change in management. So hopefully this is the beginning of a new type of approach.”

He said this change of position shows that “our democracy is still intact,” and “our voices were heard.”

Jason Potter, president of the Wasagaming Chamber of Commerce, said he hopes the change in leadership will lead to a “positive and open relationship” with Parks Canada.

“We’re just asking that Parks Canada and the superintendent is open and transparent, and has meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders,” said Potter.

“I’m really hopeful, we’re going to go into it with open mindset. We have had great relationships with senior park staff in the past. It just seems like the last three or four years, it’s gotten especially bad, and we are hoping for the best.”

Potter is also part of Fairness for Clear Lake, a local organization advocating for more transparency in decision-making for the area. The groups has applied for a judicial review of the motorboat ban, which reversed a Parks Canada decision in January that the “one boat, one lake” policy would return for the season.

Potter said Cooper’s removal wasn’t what the organization originally wanted.

“That wasn’t our initial goal. Unfortunately, the communication broke down so bad, to the point where (Cooper) was refusing to meet with anybody,” he said. “When you’re a federal agency, you’re serving the people of Canada and that’s all we wanted — to have communication and open and transparent dialogue.”

He said he is still hoping for the motorized boat ban on Clear Lake to be lifted.

A voicemail left for Cooper wasn’t returned.

In its statement on the staffing change, Parks Canada said it operates under the principles of a professional, non-partisan public service. “All staffing decisions and processes at Parks Canada are done … by the president and CEO of Parks Canada, who is granted exclusive authority under the (Parks Canada Agency) Act. These processes are not subject to parliamentary or ministerial direction.”

Parks Canada said it acknowledges the concerns expressed by the local community and Mazier, and “has always maintained good faith in exercising its decision-making responsibilities.”

» alambert@brandonsun.com, with files from Michele McDougall