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51 McGill L.J. 217 (2005-2006)
Domesticating the Exotic Species: International Biodiversity Law in Canada

handle is hein.journals/mcgil51 and id is 229 raw text is: Domesticating the Exotic Species: International Biodiversity Law in Canada Natasha Affolder* While a significant body of international and regional agreements now addresses habitat preservation, wildlife protection, and biological diversity, these advances on the international level often fail to be effectively translated into domestic law. In this article, the author argues that international biodiversity law is being treated in Canada as exotic. It is peppered into parties' submissions without a principled explanation of its role in Canadian law, receives little consideration from the courts, and must ultimately rely on non-legal means of enforcement. The author examines jurisprudence dealing with four major biodiversity treaties. She notes that the judicial treatment of these conventions ranges from silence, to declarations of inapplicability, to limited usage in statutory interpretation. This impoverished view of international biodiversity law in Canadian courtrooms is contrasted with the richer understanding of the relevance of this body of law demonstrated by its usage in environmental advocacy campaigns. The author focuses on two case studies: the 1992- 2002 campaign for federal endangered species legislation, and the ongoing Cheviot mine campaign. In these campaigns, compliance with international biodiversity law is pursued through various shaming strategies. The author concludes that both the judiciary and environmental advocacy groups have an important role to play in identifying where Canada fails to give domestic effect to the obligations it assumes under ratified biodiversity treaties, and in addressing this failure. Mme si un nombre important de trait6s r6gionaux et intemationaux ont pour objet la pr6servation de l'habitat, la protection de la nature et de la diversit6 biologique, ces avanc~es A l'6chelle internationale ne sont pas effectivement retranscrites dans le droit domestique. Dans cet article l'auteur soutient que le droit international sur la biodiversit6 est consid6r6 comme <<exotique > au Canada. Ce droit est parsem6 dans les soumissions des parties sans qu'aucune explication de principe ne soit donn6e quant son r6le dans le droit canadien. Les tribunaux portent par cons6quent peu d'attention A ce droit, ce demier ne d6pendant ultimement que de mesures non 16gales pour son ex6cution. L'auteur examine la jurisprudence lie a quatre trait6s majeurs sur la biodiversit6 et remarque que le traitement judiciaire accord6 A ces conventions varie du silence, A l'usage limit6 de ' interpr6tation statutaire, A des d6clarations d' inapplicabilit&. Cette approche r6ductrice des tribunaux canadiens A l'6gard du droit international sur la biodiversit6 est contrast6e par une compr6hension plus profonde de la pertinence de ce droit par les milieux environnementaux, ce qui ressort clairement de l'utilisation qui en est faite dans les campagnes de lutte pour la d6fense de l'environnent. L'auteur se penche ensuite sur deux 6tudes de cas: la campagne f&16rale de 1992-2002 sur la loi sur les esp6ces en voie de disparition et la campagne Cheviot sur les mines. Dans ces campagnes, le respect du droit international sur la biodiversit6 est obtenu par diff6rentes strategies instrumentalisant le sentiment de honte. L'auteur conclut que le milieu judiciaire et les groupes de lutte pour la d6fense de l'environnement ont un double r6le 4 jouer pour d6terminer pourquoi le Canada ne parvient pas A se conformer As l'&chelon domestique aux obligations qu'il a contract& en ratifiant les diff6rents trait6s sur la biodiversit6 et comment rem6dier A cette situation au niveau national. . Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia Faculty of Law. The author would like to thank Gib van Ert and the anonymous reviewers for helpful comments. She acknowledges the superb research assistance of Laura Track and Stephanie Case. © Natasha Affolder 2006 To be cited as: (2006) 51 McGill L.J. 217 Mode de r~f&rence : (2006) 51 R.D. McGill 217

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