The Banff National Park field unit’s communications handling of the non-existent cougar attack was a master class in how not to handle issues of public safety.
Access to Information requests obtained by the Outlook outlined the field unit senior leadership misled, ignored their own wildlife experts’ advice and were more focused on attempting to manage a message than public safety or the truth.
Its decision-making not only failed the Canadian public, but the flagrant ignoring of wildlife experts by a select few discredits an entire agency of dedicated and hardworking bureaucrats who uphold its mandate daily.
It’s a systematic failure that not only harms the “ecological and commemorative integrity” outlined in Parks Canada mandate, but disregards its role as guardians and partners of the national parks and its commitment to protect and serve Canadians.
In early 2024, a reported cougar attack was made near Rockbound Lake in Banff National Park. Cougar attacks are extremely rare, and the supposed incident made national news. Within hours, Banff National Park wildlife experts had started to surmise the attack didn’t take place and within days were pushing the field unit to come out “refuting this nonsense”.
In short time, it was proven the attack didn’t happen and the person who made the claim had lied.
Rather than outline the truth, certain members of the Banff field unit rolled the dice and put house money on people being too stupid, too ignorant or quickly forgetting anything had happened.
The bet proved wrong.
Its wildlife experts continually hammered the necessity of informing the public the truth about the non-incident rather than creating fear the threat of a cougar was on the loose in the area.
Highlighted, however, were Parks Canada employees dedicated to the ecological preservation of the national park rather than individual self-protection.
In too many circumstances, it’s easy to fall in line and stay silent, but Parks Canada's wildlifre team pushed for the ethical and right decision of informing the public of the reality of there being no threat.
Unfortunately, the latest example for the Banff field unit is a long line of errors and misjudgments as it continually trips over its own feet in attempting to mislead the public it serves.
When two people and their dog were killed by a grizzly bear last year in an isolated area of Banff National Park, the field unit banned its experts from interviews – against past practice – leading media to seek out non-Parks Canada experts. It led to pseudo experts being interviewed in detail at outlets such as The Guardian, The New York Times and Washington Post.
When the field unit did talk, it was scant statements with little to no information, meaning it lost the narrative and any possibility of easing people’s fears and want for details. The disregard for transparency has become best practice for the field unit.
During the ongoing wildfires that devastated Jasper townsite and the national park, the Jasper field unit went above and beyond in keeping the public, residents and visitors up-to-date.
When any information changed, the Jasper field unit was quick to inform. When information stayed the same, the Jasper field unit continued to post updates understanding no news can be the best news when disaster strikes.
In the Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay field unit, it regularly keeps people posted on issues and concerns facing the area, despite knowing some may incur negative feedback.
In the Banff field unit, however, it continually strives to make Wile E. Coyote hitting the wall while chasing the road runner look like a success.
When juxtaposing with Jasper and Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay, the Banff field unit’s failures are only further highlighted.
It further emphasizes the need for senior leadership of any form to trust its on-the-ground staffers, making them available to the public and have faith that they know what they’re doing rather than focus on ways to mislead and misdirect the public.
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office in 2015, he declared in a public letter to Canadians that “government and its information must be open by default.”
“Simply put, it is time to shine more light on government to make sure it remains focused on the people it was created to serve – you,” Trudeau said.
Members of Banff field unit’s disregard for transparency is not only a slap in the face to Canadians, but an insult to the democracy it serves when it blatantly ignores direction from its own elected officials.