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Photo by Facebook

This month, the Manitoba Conservation Officers Association posted on Facebook a picture of a uniformed officer in Churchill posing with a “problem” polar bear that had come too close to town and had to be “chemically immobilized.” It was later released.

In a statement, the province’s department of sustainable development said it “does occasionally allow photos of an animal, or an officer with an animal, to be shared via social media … if it is deemed to be in the public interest, would help convey a safety message or reinforce the work of conservation officers to safely and humanely prevent human-wildlife conflict.”

But Bryce Casavant, a former B.C. conservation officer, says the image clearly falls into the category of a “trophy” photo and is reminiscent of another photo that appeared alongside a controversial recruitment ad posted by B.C.’s conservation service last year.

The ad featured an officer holding an unconscious grizzly bear cub and the tagline: “Want to tranquilize a grizzly bear? Have you ever wanted to be up close and personal with a live grizzly and get paid for doing it? Well now’s your chance.” The service took down the ad after the National Observer raised questions about it.

“In my view, agencies that allow or promote this behaviour are creating an organizational culture where there are emotional and psychological rewards for pulling the trigger,” Casavant said.

There is an urgent need to completely overhaul how each of the provinces and territories manages wildlife

Casavant gained worldwide attention a few years ago when he refused to obey orders to kill two orphaned bear cubs. He was suspended and then transferred to another job in the province. Also pursuing a doctoral degree in social sciences at Royal Roads University, he has since published a number of reports on his website that cast the service in a harsh light.