The results of the public survey on the future of the Peel watershed are not as representative as they could have been, says the president of the Yukon Chamber of Mines.

Carl Schulze said today he accepts the assertion by DataPath Systems that it took additional care to ensure the telephone and e-mail survey of 508 Yukoners was unbiased.

By the company's conducting the poll in July, however, it's likely there was no true representation from those involved in the exploration and mining industry because most in them would have been in the field working, he told the Star.

The survey was sponsored by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), the Yukon Conservation Society and the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon. It shows overwhelming support for protecting more than half of the 68,042-square-kilometre Peel planning area.

When respondents were asked who they thought sponsored the survey, Schulze pointed out, 46 per cent indicated an environmental group commissioned the poll, 25 per cent didn't know and 10 per cent thought it was industry.

It's human nature for individuals involved in a survey to automatically provide answers they think the pollster wants to hear, Schulze said, adding there's a good chance the 46 per cent provided answers favouring the conservation sector.

"What we are saying right now is that the results are the results,” Schulze said. "But we have also shown earlier in our submissions that there is a lot of people who really support responsible exploration in the Peel.”

The chamber president noted the results of the survey are not binding, and his organization will continue its lobby effort to ensure reasonable access for industry inside the planning area.

The Peel Watershed Planning Commission is preparing its final recommended land use plan for the area.

The plan is scheduled for delivery to the four affected first nation governments and the Yukon government by the end of November.

It will largely be up to the Yukon government to accept, reject or alter the recommendation, as 97 per cent of the land base inside the planning area is territorial Crown land.

A terse public debate over the future of the Peel watershed has been raging ever since last winter, when the commission released its initial three planning options for public review and comment. If followed up in early spring with a final draft for further public review.

Both industry and the conservation sector were opposed to the final draft. Industry feels it is much too restrictive, while conservation groups maintain its too wide open for industrial development.

Of the 1,500-plus submissions on the final draft plan received prior to the June 30 deadline for public comment, almost 1,000 were sent in on a form declaration sponsored by the mines chamber.

Environment Minister Elaine Taylor said Friday the survey sponsored by the conservation groups is another piece of information that can be taken into consideration, though it is a poll.

"I try not to respond to individual polls, because there are many polls,” she said in an interview.

Taylor said the government does recognize the value Yukoners place on their wilderness area, and continues to work on several fronts to identify and protect sensitive and significant areas.

Sitting down with all the parties to review the planning commission's final recommendation will be a priority, the minister said.

Taylor said she isn't able to comment on what level of wilderness protection would be appropriate for the Peel watershed until she sees the final recommendation from the commission.

Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell also declined this morning to reveal his personal view of what he'd like to see in the Peel watershed.

Any personal views would be taken as the position of the Liberal party, he said, and the party will not be making its stance known until after the commission releases its final recommendation.

Mitchell said the Liberal party does not want to be accused of trying to interfere with the planning process, as Premier Fentie has been accused of.

"It's interesting information,” he said of the survey results. "I have heard from dozens and dozens of Yukoners over the last year on the Peel, from all sides.

"We are going to respect the process and wait for the commission to make its recommendation,” he added.

"As a government in waiting, or potentially a government in waiting, we think it would be irresponsible to do anything other than that.

"Hopefully, they will come out with a recommendation that we can be supportive of, but either way, we will certainly make our views known.”

In a press release issued Friday, now-former NDP leader Todd Hardy said the huge support for protecting the Peel watershed must play a key role in future land use plans for the Peel watershed.

"These results are significant but not surprising, and they show us yet again the Yukon public feels very strongly this area deserves to be off-limits from some kinds of economic activities,” Hardy said. "And I feel just as strongly their voices are important and cannot be ignored by the decision-makers.”

Hardy, who made way Saturday for new NDP Leader Elizabeth Hanson (see p. 5), was unavailable this morning to comment on what percentage of the Peel planning area he feels should be protected.

The survey showed on average that Yukoners want to see 64.3 per cent of the area protected from industrial activity and roads.

Representatives of CPAWS and the conservation society released the results Thursday afternoon.

They emphasized the results clearly show Yukoners will be taking their support for the Peel region with them to the polls in the next territorial election.