Silence carries significant weight.
Depending on the circumstances, people love it or hate it. There鈥檚 no middle ground.
In the wilderness, it makes for good company. We bask in it, enjoying the sound of birds, squirrels, breaking ice and rushing water. But in day to day life, many of us find it disconcerting and choose to fill it with meaningless drivel鈥攋ust to avoid a few uncomfortable moments of quiet.
Silence is unnerving, especially when you鈥檝e waited in painful anticipation for an onslaught of noise鈥攏oise that鈥檚 been promised, but never seems to come.
That was the case on Nov. 28. Jasperites of all stripes waited impatiently, with knots in their stomachs, for a decision from Parks Canada.
The agency had cited that day as its deadline to ensure caribou conservation efforts in Jasper National Park were in line with the Species at Risk Act, saying it had a 鈥渓egal obligation鈥� under the act, following the release of the Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou, Southern Mountain population in Canada.
Rightfully so, Jasperites assumed those increased efforts would warrant an announcement of sorts鈥攁 press release or even a press conference. But, Nov. 28 passed without a word from Parks.
And the silence persists.
Nearly a week has passed since the deadline quietly passed and no announcements have been made. In fact, Parks won鈥檛 even comment on whether or not an announcement is forthcoming.
Silence.
It鈥檚 a powerful tool. Through silence, Parks leaves the community stirring. We鈥檙e all squirming in our seats, wondering what鈥檚 to come.
For the winter recreationalists, there鈥檚 fear that the entire Maligne Valley will see a winter closure, reducing the number of available ski trails and removing a hub of winter activity from JNP鈥檚 trail network.
For the environmentalists, there鈥檚 a fear that Parks won鈥檛 do enough. The Jasper Environmental Association has been calling on the agency to close Maligne Lake Road for the winter months since 1992, and it is still waiting.
Jasper鈥檚 caribou are in dire straits, with few still remaining in the park. No one is denying that Parks needs to do something鈥攁nything鈥攖o improve the odds for these majestic animals.
But, when it comes down to making those decisions, the community should be at the very least informed鈥攊f not consulted.
But here we sit in uncomfortable silence, perhaps waiting for a great loss to the kind of silence we still enjoy.
