Ugly closure

It isn’t news to anybody with an eye for wild beauty that Western Canada has a lot of amazing public parks, including those in the Rockies and on the Pacific coast.
One of the most beautiful of all is Joffre Lakes Park near Pemberton, B.C., with its stunning trio of turquoise, glacier-fed lakes. The hike up and down is literally breathtaking.
The problem now, of course, seems to be that the park has become too popular for its own good. At times, it is seriously overcrowded. And local natives have cried foul, claiming this is compromising their right to use the lands for their "traditional" activities.
The result? For 31 days this summer, the B.C. government is closing the provincial park to visitors – except, that is, for members of two indigenous groups.
But, isn’t this high-handed? I mean, aren’t we all supposed to be equal before the law in Canada? And isn’t Joffre Lakes a public park, not a private playground for a privileged few?
Well, I’m glad to learn from a Global News story that the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, an Alberta-based watchdog group, has called for the immediate revocation of planned public closures at the park.
“This exclusion of people from Joffre Lakes,” argues constitutional lawyer Marty Moore, “infringes the Charter’s protection of British Columbians’ freedom of movement and their right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination based on race and ethnic origin.”
The B.C. government, meanwhile, is quoted as saying the park is collaboratively managed with the two First Nations, and the closures allow them to continue their “cultural practices” within their territory.
My view is that dividing up who may visit our public parks on racial lines is a slippery slope. And it got me thinking that Canada does a relatively good job of protecting minority rights, but a darn poor one of safeguarding those of the long-suffering majority.Joffre Lakes is a beautiful place. People who want to visit it should be treated equally and fairly -- and not discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity. That way lies, well, ugliness.