POLL in The Canoe Network newspaper www.vancouver.24hrs.ca
Do you think it's right for whales to be kept in captivity?
71 % NO
22 % YES
7 % I don't know
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VANCOUVER COURIER
July 20, 2005
Dead beluga immersed in politics
By Sandra Thomas-Staff writer
A local animal activist says an employee of the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre should give up her bid for a seat on parks board, especially in light of the death of a three-year old beluga whale Sunday.
Heather Holden, who works at the aquarium as director of research programs, announced last month she will run for parks board under the NPA banner in November's municipal election.
"It makes total sense that she would run," said Annelise Sorg, director of the Coalition for No Whales in Captivity. "The aquarium is a very powerful business disguised as a charity and she's just one of their pawns."
A beluga named Tuvaq died unexpectedly Sunday morning before a crowd of onlookers, three days before the third anniversary of its birth. It was only one of two belugas conceived and born at the aquarium. After it stopped breathing, its mother Aurora and four other belugas including an aunt stayed near the body for several hours.
Sorg said her group is pressuring the parks board to put a moratorium on collecting any more cetaceans-dolphins, whales or porpoises-until a referendum is held. The group wants the board to include a referendum on the issue in the upcoming election.
"The NPA would never give us a referendum in the past and Heather is both a member of the NPA and an employee of the aquarium," said Sorg. "This is the ultimate in conflict of interest."
Holden did not return a phone call from the Courier during business hours, but left a voice mail message saying any perceived conflict would be eliminated through due process.
"Any conflict needs to be declared and should I be elected I wouldn't take part in any discussions about the aquarium," she said. "This is a part-time job and everyone on the board has outside interests. I'd be surprised if anyone didn't have a conflict."
Holden said she's running for parks board because she feels she can do a good job and because of her personal interests.
Before moving to Vancouver, Holden lived in Southeast Asia where she was a professor of geography at the National University of Singapore. Her research involved management of marine parks and protected areas, as well as studying conflict resolution in natural resource management. Holden holds a Canadian commercial pilot's licence and was a competitive gymnast, rower and triathlete. She also coached rowing, and was a swimming and fitness instructor, lifeguard and a recreation centre manager.
"I'm not running for park board as an employee of the aquarium," she said in her message. "I'm running for myself."
COPE parks board chair Eva Riccius agreed that if elected Holden could declare conflict of interest and excuse herself from voting on any decisions pertaining to the aquarium.
"But there's lots of other issues she could get involved in," she added.
Riccius said the board is not considering a change to its policy on cetaceans.
"It's too early to know what happened," she said.
Clint Wright, vice-president of operations and animal management for the aquarium, told the Courier the reason for the beluga's death might remain a mystery. An autopsy Sunday showed no immediate cause of death, so more detailed testing is taking place.
"Some tests take three, four or five weeks to get the results and hopefully they will give us some answers," he said. "But we were warned this morning that in the case of sudden death we might not ever know."
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