VICTORIA — B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham’s claim that a complaint by the federal government prompted her to launch an investigation of provincial scientists is not accurate, according to information from Ottawa.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued a denial Tuesday that it was the source of concerns raised about the quality of provincial fish farm research and scientists, as Popham has told the legislature repeatedly.
“Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has not made any official complaints to the Province of B.C. regarding the diagnostic work undertaken by the Province’s Animal Health Centre,” the department said in statement.
The statement contradicts Popham, who several times Monday and Tuesday told the legislature that she launched a review of the quality of scientific research inside her ministry because DFO had complained.
“I want to emphasize that it was the Department of Fisheries and Oceans who called some of our data into question,” Popham told the house in response to questions. “We would take that very seriously because these are the partners that we work with as we look at fish pathology.”
The DFO denial also undermines days of defence Popham has attempted to craft surrounding her own recent conduct as minister, which has been the subject of intense criticism after she wrote a threatening letter to a coastal fish farm operator and then publicly stated she had placed a government scientist under investigation because he was the subject of complaints by First Nations who wanted him fired.
“It’s very concerning,” said Liberal environment critic Peter Milobar. “Here we have DFO telling a completely different story than the minister has told for a few days in the house now, and I think the public has the right to get to an answer from the minister that truly conveys what’s going on.”
Popham’s problems started last week after she told The Vancouver Sun her ministry was investigating provincial fish pathologist Gary Marty’s research, following complaints from First Nations who wanted him dismissed. Marty wrote a 2015 report that refuted claims that fish farms pose a significant risk to wild salmon.
On Monday, Popham backtracked from her claims of an investigation into Marty, after the Opposition Liberals asked her to provide details on why the civil servant was under investigation, who was conducting the review, what terms of reference governed the probe, and whether he could be fired. The Liberals accused Popham of political interference for targeting a government scientist.
Instead, Popham shifted to claim Marty was part of a larger review of research at the provincial lab, spurred by a complaint from the DFO about data quality.
“I’d like to reiterate there is no individual in the lab at the Ministry of Agriculture that is under investigation,” she told the legislature Oct. 23. “But when DFO raises concerns about our research, we take it seriously, as any lab who believes in integrity would.”
“The information that we provide to DFO fish health audit program, it needs to be based on science,” Popham also said during question period on Monday. “And when DFO raises concerns, we take them seriously. We are verifying research produced by our Animal Health Centre to ensure that we’re making decisions based on science.”
Popham reiterated those claims Tuesday. Liberal critic Michelle Stilwell challenged the minister to make DFO’s complaints public. Popham ignored that request, and her ministry later admitted in a statement that it had received nothing in writing from the federal agency.
“The complaints from the agency have been verbal,” Agriculture Ministry spokesperson Meghan McRae said in an email, adding that these conversations have been ongoing.
McRae pointed to an Oct. 14 CTV W5 story in which DFO scientist Kristi Miller was quoted as saying she believed Marty was either in a real or perceived conflict of interest because he has conducted research with coastal fish farm company Marine Harvest. A spokesperson in Premier John Horgan’s office said that Popham and Miller had a subsequent conversation on Oct. 17.
Neither Popham nor Miller could immediately be reached for comment.
DFO has a memorandum of understanding with B.C.’s Animal Health Centre to test farmed salmon samples as part of DFO’s fish health auditing program. That deal is in place until March 31, 2020.
