December 26, 2010
Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton Conservation Authority board directors say they will take a hard look at the way HCA boss Steve Miazga handled the Dundas Valley native deer hunting controversy at their next board meeting in two weeks.
Rumblings of discontent with Miazga’s decision to close trails without advance public notification and without consulting his directors are emerging from the board, along with praise for his negotiations to get the native hunters to leave early.
Haudenosaunee Six Nations Confederacy members notified Miazga on Dec. 10 that they would begin a food and ceremonial winter hunt on conservation lands in the Dundas Valley, off Paddy Green Road, from Dec. 19 until the end of the year.
Miazga closed the trails in the area to protect public safety, but decided not to inform the public ahead of time to prevent illegal hunters from pretending they were part of the native hunt. He also waited seven days before informing his board members by e-mail of his actions.
But shortly after the hunt began, HCA board chair Chris Firth-Eagland ordered Miazga to go back to the Haudenosaunee and negotiate an early withdrawal so that the public could use the trails over the holiday season. The natives agreed to pull out on Dec. 24 so that Miazga could reopen the trails on Christmas Day.
“I’m satisfied with the end result, but I am not pleased with the process,” said board member Councillor Robert Pasuta, whose Ward 14 contains the hunting ground.
Pasuta said Miazga was wrong not to fully inform area residents of the trail closures ahead of time through letters, the HCA’s website or the media, and that he should have sought direction from the board before taking unilateral action.
“This sends a real strong message to Steve, the way this went through,” Pasuta said. “He’s done an excellent job overall since he was hired through all the negotiations for other lands and conservation issues.
“I’m not after his head, but there’s no doubt in my mind that there was a mistake made, and the lesson has been well taken in by Steve.”
Board member Councillor Brad Clark said Miazga’s main failures were not to let residents know about the trail closures and to not seek guidance from the board.
“I believe there should have been a larger public notification process. We should have done everything we could to notify folks to stay off those trails.
“The board has complete responsibility if anything goes wrong … He should have come to the board and asked for a special meeting.”
Clark also praised Firth-Eagland for “acting promptly as chair of the board” when he directed Miazga to negotiate an early end to the hunt.
Firth-Eagland said he fully supports Miazga as chief administrative officer of the HCA, but that it was “common sense” to ask the native hunters to leave so that residents could use the trails over Christmas.
“I believe in Steve Miazga, he’s the best CAO we could have.”
But he said the board will have to take a hard look at its public safety and notification protocols and the overall handling of the situation.
Citizen board member Tony Perri, of Ancaster, said Miazga should have notified the board right away.
“I’m OK with someone making an immediate decision centred on the safety aspect. But can we as board and Steve as a CAO learn from this? I’m sure we have and I’m sure he has.”
Jim Howlett, another citizen board member, said Miazga was fully correct in all his actions.
“I don’t find his behaviour anomalous,” he said. “In this case, Steve was adding a little more sensitivity to the situation by closing the trails given that relations between First Nations people and people of Canada can be a little more complicated.”
The next HCA board meeting is Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.