PEI Deputy Minister MacQuarrie Talks about ALUS’ Future in Canada
Prince Edward Island's Deputy Minister of the Environment John MacQuarrie
John MacQuarrie was born in Regina, Saskatchewan but spent most of his life on the east coast and particularly Prince Edward Island, where his interest in farming developed during summers spent on his grandparents’ farm.
He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in agriculture from Macdonald College of McGill University in Montreal. He then moved back to PEI and started his career with the PEI Department of Agriculture. In 1985 he moved into the farm previously owned by his grandparents and first settled in 1804 by his ancestor John MacQuarrie.
As Deputy Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry in Charlottetown, PEI, John was hugely influential in making Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) happen in PEI. In this interview he discusses ALUS’ history in PEI, and its future in Canada.
Why was ALUS adopted first in PEI rather than another province?
Maybe because we have so many people living here amongst the farms and farmland. We are all squeezed onto a small island. The environmental issues stemming from farms happen on your front lawn here, so we were forced to deal proactively with agricultural issues through a new concept like ALUS. We have opened the door for the rest of Canada. I think of PEI as Canada’s ALUS demonstration farm.
How has ALUS been received by PEI?
You have no idea. Everyone is talking about it. When I hear talk of ALUS I just grin because it is so great to have folks come up to me, without knowing all of my involvement in ALUS to this point, and tell me the program’s virtues – that’s neat for me.
PEI is running a deficit currently, with huge needs for healthcare and education. Nonetheless the government has actually increased their commitment to ALUS this year, is spite of the tough economy because of its unique success.
What are the keys for ALUS to grow in Canada?
ALUS grows on its own because the idea is so good. But farm communities change slowly, so you need to engage leaders and be patient, it will all take time. Also, we need to continue to engage the mainstream environmental groups in a greater way as well as the broader Canadian public because the many challenges originating on farm ground affect all of us.
Now that we’ve officially adopted ALUS in PEI, and recently received federal recognition and support for ALUS, we are one step closer in Canada to fully embracing the program.
What are the key challenges?
Funding, but not the cost so much because the price for the benefits we’ll all get is reasonable, if that makes sense. More, the challenge is to change mindsets such that people see that engaging the communities is the only real way to bring real gains. Trying to change traditional agricultural funding is like trying to change the course of the Titantic. You have to be patient.
But the change will come and I believe it will ultimately be funded nationally in Canada because it just works. That should be good news to your duck hunting members because it is the only way to change the landscape in a truly significant way.
Why is ALUS important?
Farmers are the most significant owners and managers of land and as a group can have a significant impact on the environment. Currently, there is often little or no incentive for farmers to do the “right” thing environmentally in Canada, it’s often the opposite because the market signals they get have them farming aggressively with a high environmental cost.
Government typically tries to legislate an environmental solution but gets mixed results. ALUS is the only solution that truly engages all the partners. With ALUS you have the potential to bring out the conservationist in farmers, influence their thinking and change their mindset. ALUS is not a subsidy where there is no real mental or emotional engagement, it is a program that they help design and deliver.
ALUS is the only program that truly connects the economic and environmental worlds.