Catherine McKenna, the federal minister of environment and climate change (centre), chats with her provincial counterpart, George Heyman, as they take a hike in the grasslands following the announcement of renewed efforts to achieve a national park reserve. On the left is Stephen Fuhr, MP for Kelowna-Lake Country and behind McKenna is Richard Cannings, MP for South Okanagan-West Kootenay. Behind Fuhr is Wayne Stetski, MP for Kootenay Columbia. McKenna and Fuhr are federal Liberals, Cannings and Stetski are federal NDP and Heyman is provincial NDP. (Richard McGuire photo)

Supporters of a national park reserve in the South Okanagan are celebrating following a joint announcement by governments of Canada, B.C. and the Okanagan Nation of a renewed commitment to work to establish a new national park reserve.

The announcement was made Friday morning at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre at an event attended by federal and provincial ministers and officials, representatives of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, invited stakeholders and numerous media.

Planning discussions through a joint partnership of the three levels of government will begin immediately.

“A new national park reserve in the South Okanagan would protect one of Canada’s iconic natural and cultural landscapes and provide opportunities to share this inspiring place with Canadians and visitors from around the world,” said Catherine McKenna, federal minister of environment and climate change.

“We know the South Okanagan is a unique place that many British Columbians want to see protected as a national park reserve,” said George Heyman, B.C. minister of environment and climate change strategy. “We will work hard to make this happen, to preserve and protect the biodiversity of this special region, and for the positive contributions a national park reserve will make to the local economies.”

Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie pointed to the work done in 2011-12 to develop a Syilx Feasibility Study.

“Now, five years later we look forward to re-establishing the same process and implementing the recommendations of the Syilx Parks Working Group in light of new advancements that have been made toward a new relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership, which promotes a lasting reconciliation,” said Louie.

While there were lofty expressions of enthusiasm for the renewed talks, there were few specifics.

There was no announcement of boundaries, timelines or how a national park might be managed. Little was said about process.

The event took place at the same location as an announcement Jan. 27 by the previous B.C. Liberal government that they were renewing talks with the federal government on a possible national park.

The tone of the two announcements was markedly different – in January there was no federal presence at the announcement and there was much less enthusiasm from a government that had pulled out of talks six years earlier.

But the January announcement by former B.C. Environment Minister Mary Polak did include maps, showing a possible national park reserve in the north and south, separated by a large area of provincial conservancy.

By contrast, her successor Heyman avoided commenting on whether new boundaries might increase connectivity, saying only that this would be discussed in consultations.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times

Catherine McKenna, the federal minister of environment and climate change (left) responds to a question during a media availability following the announcement of a renewed commitment to develop a national park reserve in the South Okanagan. To the right are Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie and George Heyman, B.C. minister of environment and climate change strategy. In background are Chief Chad Eneas of the Penticton Indian Band (far left) and Chief Keith Crow of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band (centre). (Richard McGuire photo)