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Submitter: John Newcomb
Community: Victoria
Date Submitted: November 11, 2010
Summary:
Don MacDonald, the researcher charged by the commission to investigate the effects of contaminants on Fraser River sockeye, is a co-director of the Sustainable Fisheries Foundation. I am concerned that Mr. MacDonald's involvement in this organization, as well as his previous research, may impair his ability to make impartial conclusions about the impacts of sewage on salmon health. The commission should ensure that any links made between sewage and salmon health are based on sound evidence, and that any conclusions drawn from Mr. MacDonald's study be peer-reviewed before publication and distribution.
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Submission:
Don McDonald is the researcher charged
with Project 2 – Effects of contaminants on Fraser River sockeye salmon.
I am aware that the conclusions from the MacDonald and Smorong 2006 report were Environment Minister Penner's rationale for pushing the CRD into unnecessary sewage treatment.
I do not think that conclusions from the MacDonald and Smorong report could justify additional land-based sewage treatment in the CRD.
MacDonald's biography on the Cohen Commission website does not include his co-directorship of the Sustainable Fisheries Foundation - and advocacy organization, and I am concerned that his MacDonald's advocacy may impair his ability to make impartial, sound conclusions about the evidence that may be presented to him concerning impacts of sewage on salmon health.
(http://www.sustainablefisheriesfoundation.org/who-we-are/directors/)
The route for many Fraser River salmon goes right through our Juan de Fuca marine area near the outfalls, and an important report on CRD sewage issues, the SETAC report 2006, noted that research is lacking on impacts of CRD sewage on salmon.
COHEN COMMISSION:
PLEASE ENSURE THAT ANY LINKS MADE BETWEEN SEWAGE AND SALMON HEALTH BE BASED ON SOUND EVIDENCE, AND THAT ANY CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM PROJECT 2 BE PEER-REVIEWED BEFORE PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION.
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