The selection process for the Capital Regional DistrictB次元官网网址檚 deer management CitizenB次元官网网址檚 Advisory Group was not transparent, and the makeup of the group seems biased, claim local animal rights advocates.

Members of DeerSafe Victoria are expressing concerns over one of the appointed members of the CAG, Richard Christiansen, who appears to be a representative from the United Bowhunters of British Columbia, a bowhunting lobby group.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 not just a citizen, heB次元官网网址檚 a representative of a lobby group, and they work for bowhunter recognition and opportunity, so that doesnB次元官网网址檛 make him a citizen at all,B次元官网网址� said Kelly Carson, one of the founding members of DeerSafe.

The groupB次元官网网址檚 main concern is that people are not aware of who is on the advisory committee.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not very transparent at all,B次元官网网址� Carson said, adding she discovered this particular memberB次元官网网址檚 history through a Google search.

Carson, along with 24 other DeerSafe members, feel that Christiansen should be removed from the group because as a representative of the UBBC, he would not be impartial, she said.

The feeling that the citizenB次元官网网址檚 group may veer towards one side is echoed by Liz White, leader of the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada, based in Toronto.

White has experience dealing with deer management throughout Canada, including London, Ont., and the Iroquoia Heights, a conservation area in Hamilton, Ont.

Through looking at the names of the selected advisory members, it appears B次元官网网址渉eavily weightedB次元官网网址� toward a pro-lethal approach, White said.

B次元官网网址淢y worry is that weB次元官网网址檙e going down the road of a pre-determined decision, without even really looking at the possibilities of alternatives,B次元官网网址� White said.

White has filed a Freedom of Information request with the CRD, in hopes of learning about the background of each applicant.

B次元官网网址淭he reason for the FOI is to try and figure out what that bias is; who actually applied?B次元官网网址� White said.

She believes the CRD can resolve the deer issue without culling deer, but she adds, there has to be a desire to move in that direction.

B次元官网网址淲hen it comes to human-wildlife conflict, the approach is to go out and kill the animal,B次元官网网址� White said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a difficult fight, but itB次元官网网址檚 one that needs to happen, because we need to learn to how to live with wildlife in a way that doesnB次元官网网址檛 require killing them.B次元官网网址�