Thursday October 5, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Today in the BC Legislature, it was with a sense of levity but also a bit of awe, that Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport Minister Lana Popham spoke to Bill 32 which will add a fossil to BC’s Provincial Symbols and Honours Act.
Popham recognized the work done by Ronna-Rae Leonard, MLA in whose Courtenay-Comox riding two elasmosaur fossils are now housed in the local museum. She called the officially recognized fossil an “important heritage resource and conveys it to the whole wide world”, adding that the recognition of the fossil has “scientific and educational value”.
Popham said the legislation is based largely on a private member’s bill introduced last February by Leonard. In 2018, the elasmosaur won a provincewide contest seeking additions to B.C.’s list of official symbols.
The BC United opposition criticized the NDP government for making Bill 32 a priority (this is only the third day of the BC legislative Fall 2023 session) while pointing out that people across BC are struggling with the cost of living affordability crisis.
Bill 32 passed second reading.
Provincial heritage:
Popham in her ministry is continuing to champion and move along the heritage of the province, including the new Royal BC Museum collections building that is being constructed in Colwood. The new building is located far from the city core, in an area considered to be less seismically vulnerable to flooding in the case of a tsunami.
80 million years old:
The elasmosaur was a long-necked marine reptile is determined to have been a large, fierce-looking marine reptile with huge teeth that swam 80 million years ago in waters over what is now Vancouver Island.
The recognition of the Puntledge River elasmosaur fossil as an emblem of BC follows a five-year recognition effort by local paleontology enthusiasts.
The first elasmosaur fossils in BC were found in 1988 along the Puntledge River in the Comox Valley, and are now on display at the Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre. The fossils are likely to draw ‘knowledge tourism’ interest to the Comox Valley area over the years ahead.
Local citizen scientists:
The man and his daughter who discovered the fossils just walking along, recorded the site and took samples and delivered them to the Courtenay museum. Leonard said the man expressed a preference for the fossils to remain in the community in which they were discovered. Leonard offered her recognition of citizen scientists and amateur paleontologists.
