Conservation Officer Removed From Service

[oneh2obabe]

Bryce Casavant, who refused to kill bear cubs, removed from Conservation Service.

Bryce Casavant, the B.C. conservation officer who was suspended after he refused to kill two black bear cubs near Port Hardy in July, is being transferred out of the Conservation Officer Service.

The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) is filing a grievance over the transfer. The union had already filed a grievance over his suspension earlier this summer.

"Bryce Casavant was following clear procedures when he decided to save these young bears," said BCGEU president Stephanie Smith. "He showed compassion and exercised caution — all good traits for a conservation officer -— so we are calling for his full reinstatement."

"We will pursue these issues to an arbitration hearing and ask an independent decision-maker to find there was no just cause for the employer's actions."

Full article w/video
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.3207486

[MAPearce]

First, fire his supervisor

Second. We revolt...

[maryjane48]

i hope the arbitrator throws the book at the christy govt. for allowing this bs . its embarrassing to have this happen in bc. this story was and is international news and makes us look like idiots

[dirtguy]

So you guys don't think public servants should follow orders?

[ifwisheswerehorses]

Only the ones that end in a fairy tale, heartwarming kind of way. Funny if I behaved like that at work I'd be fired in a split second.

[danmartin]

So if your employer told you to do something that you felt was wrong you must do it or be fired. I had an employer tell me to dump out a bunch of used oil onto the ground. I refused as I felt it wrong and because of the union I belonged to I was protected. Maybe not the best example but just trying to make my point with a personal experience. I'm sure you and others can think of orders that should be refused until at least a review is made.

[Donald G]

If an employer tells you to do something that is NOT illegal and NOT immoral and NOT a safety hazzard you have an obligation to perform that duty. Killing two young bears who would likely starve to death is none of the above.

You do not apply for a job in a slaughter house and then refuse to kill food animals. The Officer was obviously unfit for the job he/she was taking money to perform.

[oneh2obabe]

^^^So that means he should ignore policies set by the government department he works for because someone orders him to do it? Looks like he followed the Bear Conflict Matrix to the letter.

Conservation Officer Service motto: Integrity, Service and Protection.

Casavant maintains he was simply following the Ministry of Environment's "Bear Conflict Matrix" policy in dealing with.

According to the Ministry of Environment website, in 2000 the Orphan Bear Cub Review Committee proposed criteria for the rehabilitation and release of bear cubs in BC.

The review states: "In order to be considered as candidates for rehabilitation and release, cubs must be in good health (of adequate size with no serious injuries or obvious illnesses) and not be habituated to humans or conditioned to human food sources."

Casavant wrote to his superior “My assessment at this time based on witness statements, health of cubs, full *bleep* on mother, teeth of cubs, and age, is that the cubs have not accessed garbage at this time. Furthermore, within the conflict matrix they have not posed a risk to public safety at this time and do not fall within the destruction category. My primary mandate is public safety and the immediate threat has been removed (i.e. the sow). My duties as a law enforcement officer do not include the needless destruction of a baby animal that can be rehabilitated."

[Donald G]

To oneh2obabe ...

You and smoke have come up with another NDP way of thinking that results in a complete lack of organization due to every person having the right to argue their own interpretation of everything at every point in time rather than having an organized structure built on expectations.

God help us if the NDP ever form a Federal Government.

[oneh2obabe]

Donald, what part of "In order to be considered as candidates for rehabilitation and release, cubs must be in good health (of adequate size with no serious injuries or obvious illnesses) and not be habituated to humans or conditioned to human food sources." didn't you understand. This is GOVERNMENT policy, not something he made up on the spot.

As for my political persuasion, you have no idea what it is, so can it with the repetitious NDP crap. Okay? Thanks.

[Captain Awesome]

Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Or replaced. Whichever is easier.

[SmokeOnTheWater]

removed.

[MAPearce]

So you guys don't think public servants should follow orders?

Depends who's giving the orders... If it's another public servant with a muscle up his *bleep*, NO..

Public servant or not , Cassavant did what was best for those animals , not what was best for his superannuation account..

His "superior" was only following what he read in a gov't 3 ring binder much like those idiots at MCFD.. And that's only because they're only motivation for being there in the first place is their paycheck , benefits and pension.

[Donald G]

To oneh2obabe ...

Which part of "as a taxpayer I am not willing to spend money to try to raise and rehabituate wild animals" do you not understand?? Hundreds of "wild anmals" die of disease or are killed by other wild animals every day in Canada.

Even a bear rehabilitated and turned loose in the wild will have to fight other animals, including other bears, for the right to territory. WADR you are seeing this incident as a completely isolated THEORETICAL incident when it is part of a much larger picture called REAL LIFE NATURE.

EVERY such situation can be justified when it is separated from the bigger real life picture.

[SmokeOnTheWater]

Which part of "as a taxpayer I am not willing to spend money to try to raise and rehabituate wild animals" do you not understand??

The rehabilitation of the 2 cubs is not funded by taxpayers.

http://www.niwra.org/index.php?p=1_31_Black-Bear-Program

Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers is another great facility. Please donate.

http://www.wildlifeshelter.com/about.htm