Muter removed as Baykeeper by G.B. Forever members

By DOUGLAS GLYNN Midland Free Press December 29 2010
The Georgian Bay Forever fall newsletter column by board president David Parkes mentions that four directors -including Baykeeper Mary Muter -who were instrumental in the creation of the organization had left the board.
What’s interesting is what the column didn’t say: That is that Muter, long-time advocate for Georgian Bay, was “removed” from the board.
Parkes confirmed her removal in a telephone interview from Florida on Thursday, saying: “it’s not something one hopes for a lot of publicity about.”
Muter contacted in British Columbia said that the board had recommended she be removed and that her removal was endorsed by the membership.
She maintains that what sparked her removal was her decision to sign as Baykeeper a petition to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requesting public hearings into the threat posed to the Great Lakes by Asian Carp.
Muter said that she signed the petition believing she was following a GBF board decision, but someone had wanted to first obtain permission from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Parkes was asked if the decision to remove Muter had anything to do with obtaining PMO approval.
It did have something to do with that, but it was only one component,” he said, adding that GBF had not signed the petition to Clinton.
“After this Petition was filed,’ Muter said, “Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea announced that she had approved a $425 million expenditure to work with U.S. agencies to separate the waterways at Chicago.
“The Petition did exactly what we hoped for.
“That Canada would put this much money on the table for something that is entirely an American responsibility should be celebrated as a huge victory,” said Muter, who now heads up a newly-created Great Lakes section of the Sierra Club.
 In addition to Muter, the Great Lakes Section includes experts in the fields of engineering, wetlands and fisheries biology and Great Lakes hydrology.
Muter said her new role will lead to greater opportunities for bilateral discussions.
“We need to get Americans speaking out about Great Lakes issues. She sees her new role with Sierra Club an opportunity to work Sierra Club members from states that border the lakes.”
Parkes said David Sweetnam, GBF’s executive director, has been named Georgian Baykeeper.