The bill, which prohibits the harassment or destruction of endangered species and the destruction of "critical habitat" on federal land, went through the third and final reading in the House of Commons in June. At present, the law protects 233 species.

The legislation will encourage co-operation among private landowners, scientists and government. But if voluntary measures fail, the legislation gives the government the ability, though not the obligation, to take stricter legal measures to protect the environment.

The Canadian Alliance had objected to the bill, arguing that the bill did not guarantee that Canadian farmers would be compensated for the loss of productive land, though they could apply. Environmentalists criticized the bill saying the approach to endangered species has too much "maybe" in it.Environment minister David Anderson responds that after the process is in place he expects to come up with some clear rules for compensation. Don’t hold your breath.

Robert Woolham has been closely following the debate over the past few years. A beef farmer near Brockville, he says this bill has a lot more to do with money than with wild life. He says "SARA (Species at Risk Act) will rank with gun control as an ill-constructed piece of legislation."

He warns that Canada will be headed down the same road as the United States. Identifying species at risk became such a growth industry that the U.S. has called a moratorium on adding endangered species to the list. "People who believe they can manage nature are mistaken," he says.

He has hit the nail right on the head. These serious but silly ministers like David Anderson believe the world can be run by paper memorandums and paper transfers. They believe something exists, just because someone with a Limo driver says it does.