Last December, as the public consultation process on the Glacier Discovery Walk and its environmental assessment was in full swing, we asked Jasper National Park Supt. Greg Fenton a couple of questions about how the whole thing was supposed to work.

First of all, we inquired: Who ultimately decides whether the project proceeds or not?

“I’m the responsible authority for that. I’ll be making the determination,” the superintendent replied.

Secondly, we asked: What will the decision be based on?

“The focus is on whether there are impacts – negative or positive impacts – on the environment,” Fenton said. “Having said that, we certainly need to take into account broader public sentiment.”

Fast forward a couple of months, and things certainly don’t look that way.

While the superintendent maintains that the responsibility for approving the environmental assessment fell to him, and technically we suppose it still did, anyone watching the announcement of the Glacier Discover Walk decision would be forgiven for thinking otherwise.

It was telling that the decision was not only announced by Environment Minister Peter Kent in Ottawa – rather than by Fenton in Jasper – but that in the introduction at the press conference the moderator didn’t even mention Fenton by name or position. Rather, reporters were told that “officials from Parks Canada” were on hand to answer questions in addition to the Environment Minister, himself, and Brewster CEO Michael Hannan, both of whom were introduced by name and title.

So, not surprisingly, Fenton wasn’t even mentioned in the Canadian Press story that went out later that day and was picked up by news outlets around the country. A Postmedia story did mention the superintendent but only to say that “Fenton deferred a final decision on the project.” The headline on that story: ‘Jasper glacier walk gets OK from Kent.’

What seems to have happened here is what so often happens under the current federal government, which exercises strict political control over federal departments and agencies which have historically made decisions and communicated those decisions much more independently. The appearance, at least, is that Fenton’s “responsible authority” and “broader public sentiment” fell by the wayside as Kent, likely following directives straight from the Prime Minister’s Office, stepped in to take charge.

If we were in Fenton’s shoes, we would be simultaneously offended and relieved by the way this decision was announced. It must sting to have your political masters step in on a matter that you were supposed to handle, but at the same time at least now many critics of the decision will direct their ire at Ottawa rather than the superintendent.

But that relief comes at a cost, as this whole affair will likely erode public confidence in the authority of the superintendent and other senior Parks Canada staff. After all, if the Environment Minister appears to be pulling the strings on this decision, likely at the behest of the Prime Minister, it’s hard not to think that they could be – or already are – pulling the strings on the myriad of other decisions that are made in Jasper National Park. These decisions ostensibly fall to staff members who are experts in the field, but how can we trust that their expertise will actually influence the outcome, especially if their political masters have different ends in mind?

The way the Discovery Walk decision was handled also undermines the process of public consultation which Parks often undertakes. The next time there’s an open forum or a call for written feedback, Jasper residents and Canadians across the country will rightly worry that it’s all just window dressing and no matter what they say, it can be easily brushed aside in an office in Ottawa.